DIY Under Gravel Filter Pics and Questions, Looking for final thoughts

[detr0itkid]

As I referenced in another posting, I am setting up a tank for juvenile sturgeon and plants. I've found in the past that both of these things can easily sucked into filter intakes, and sump overflow boxes , and die, so I decided to use an undergravel filter. As I have an irregularly shaped tank , I decided to make my own.

Here are pictures of the system thus far.

I'm curious if I should cut or drill holes into the PVC, also I'm curious what a good distance between holes/cuts would be.

The bigger question that I have is what should I use to drive the system. I originally built it thinking that I would use 2 powerheads(one for each side). I then began to question if that was necissary since people have been using airstones for years. Then I got an idea to plumb both sides together (as is pictured) and hook it to an FX5 so that after being drawn through the gravel It would recieve "real" filtration.

Any Ideas?

 

[Guapote]

Very nice design. I can tell a ton of work went into that!

I'm not sure how you planned it to work. Personally, I would drill a BUNCH of holes. Without some type of penetration, it will be like sucking on a straw that is closed on the end; nothing happening.

Maybe a big powerhead with reverse flow but I'm not sure there is one big enough to create enough suction to keep it going.

 

[davidtcb1]

Seems to me that maybe 1" slits along the pipes might be more effective that holes (and therefore more similar to a store bought UGF). Also, I like the Idea of hooking it to a big canister like the FX5. You'd be killing two birds with one stone that way. You certainly need something powerful enough to get the majority of the detritus sucked out of the pipes. I'd think one powerhead would probably not be enough to do the work off all those tubes but I could be wrong - especially if you did find one powerful enough.

 

[Guapote]

Seems to me that maybe 1" slits along the pipes might be more effective that holes

Even better idea.

I like the idea of an FX5 but you probably need to use/keep using the overflow into another filter as well. Reason being, flow of the FX5 will be greatly reduced by the UG Filtration.

 

[detr0itkid]

I found a brand new FX5 on Craigslist for $185, so it looks like that is what I'm going to be using for my pump. The article I got the idea from says "Groves are cut 1/3 of the way through the conduit on the side that will face the bottom of the aquarium"
http://www.sydneycichlid.com/undergravel-filter-diy.htm
But it does not say anything regarding how thick the grooves ought to be or what kind of spacing the grooves should be cut at. I think when I start hacking at them with a sawzall I'm just going to make a mess. But I guess that it dosen't really matter what it looks like if it's burried under the gravel. All that's important it that it works.

 

[detr0itkid]

Even better idea.

I like the idea of an FX5 but you probably need to use/keep using the overflow into another filter as well. Reason being, flow of the FX5 will be greatly reduced by the UG Filtration.

I thought about that but an FX5 is supposed to filter upto a 400g tank and this is only a 100, pluss there will be a almost neglagable bioload with the 5 sturgeon being only 2-3 inches, really slender, and slow growing.

 

[chesterthehero]

skill saws are way better for cutting pvc than sawalls are.. both work fine but... just saying..

id do 1/8 wide slits 1/3 of the way though every 2" offset from eachother and a 5/16 hole in the end of each piece... id also upsize the main outlet and the main trunklines.. lil late for that now.. but.. just my 2bits