DVD stack as filter media?

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knifegill

knifegill

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Sep 19, 2005
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I have an old stack of DVD's. Dynex brand. They are in a nice canister-shaped container just begging for a few drilled holes and some current. I'm thinking of putting thin spacers between each disk so they are spaced far enough for good flow. Looks like about 100 DVD's. They're very plain all the way around the outside with just a lightly frosted on face. I'll try some chemicals on them and see if this is printed on or etched, but aside from that, wouldn't CD's or DVD's be a good stack of media? I think I might scratch them up well first for more surface area. Input?
 
yo have a pic of it? im having a hard time imagining it lol
 
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It's a lot of surface area. I'd sure like to use it. :)
The blue plastic piece is what I was thinking of punching holes in and stacking between the disks. I've got plenty of them.
 
I think in terms of surface area of 100 scratched up dvds, this can be an interesting project. you'd have to space them out accordingly so as to get a good flow around all of them even if there is some BB growth. Although I'd avoid scratching up the top of the dvd, as the metallic film might start to break off and pollute your water, and who knows what chemicals may seep into the water.

as for the container, i surely would be weary of using something as thin as a stacked dvd case. I know that plastic is very bendable and snaps unexpectedly so Id avoid any setup where there is a positive pressure such as a cannister type setup. that being in mind, I think you'd be hard pressed to make anything worthwhile out of a dvd case, but either way, good luck.
 
id guess it would work in a wet dry trickle system.
 
That's pretty much what I had in mind. A non-pressurized flow across the open-stacked DVD's. I think I'll just scratch the smooth face, then. Thanks for the tip. But wait, this disk is made like a sandwich. It's two pieces of plastic with the metal part floating in the middle. In that case, it should be safe to scratch both sides. I'll watch for peeling when I mess up the first DVD to see what it's made of. Now I'm thinking of adding old vinyl LP's to my filtration systems!

I just scratched the printed surface. It's etched! No peeling!
 
i would really like to see this set up. sounds like a good idea. lol
 
Interesting.
Cool, outside of the box thinking, but do not think this would be a very efficient system.
Getting a flow through all those discs would be the rub.
Perhaps, if they were horizontal, with a spray bar directing the flow, up, through the discs, you might gain use of more surface area.
But still think the bulk of the flow would go right by most of the media.
Then you get into warping of the media. Would close off large segments to any flow.
A watertight housing would be a headache as well.
If you make something, even if it does not work..Share your experience if you would.
BTW: What a great use of all those AOL discs that show up in the mail box.
 
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