How can I make a better version of this DIY canister filter?

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RobotDeathSquad

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 18, 2009
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Somewhere
Hey everyone!

I am starting my own 10 gallon tank, and I want to do a DIY canister filter for ease of replacing and cleaning filter media (only the mesh!, not the bacteria infused media). I wont put carbon in it because I want live plants.

What i would love from you guys is to tell me of ways to improve the performance, appearance, ANYTHING that would be great! Here is the video:


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RobotDeathSquad;3712695; said:
Hey everyone!

I am starting my own 10 gallon tank congrats, and I want to do a DIY canister filter why, most diy canister filters are just made to fail for ease of replacing and cleaning filter media (only the mesh!, not the bacteria infused media). HOB filters are way easyer to clean than canister filters I wont put carbon in it because I want live plants. where did you get this info from?

What i would love from you guys is to tell me of ways to improve the performance, get a bigger pump, ditch the water pump, put the whole thing under water and add an air stone and a few more holes appearance a match?, ANYTHING that would be great! Here is the video:


[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p6LLxYbUe6U&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p6LLxYbUe6U&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT] 3:35 and so far they dumped some carbon in a cut up water bottle.. im not watching anymore and i skiped though most of this
Click to expand...


A+ for effort but its a lot more work than its worth and its only a matter of time before it falls over and you manage to drain the tank onto the floor...

you could keep the basic design but pop a few holes in the bottom of the bottle and just stick the powerhead/airstone in through the mouth of the bottle... poweraid/gatoraid bottles are great for this.. ive used a filter like this many many times in hospital tanks..
 
Interesting idea, but I would spend a little more and use PVC. I plan to do this for my 20g high because where it is going I want to see through front and back so all will be in the hood.
 
I would just use a bed filter and somehow run mechanical filtration before it gets to the bed filter
 
i made this before and my pump was to powerful so i just cut out a circle of the lid and put some window screen and works great only downside is you need to rinse out the filter media a lot or else it will get cloged and over flow...
 
RobotDeathSquad;3712695; said:
Hey everyone!

I am starting my own 10 gallon tank, and I want to do a DIY canister filter for ease of replacing and cleaning filter media (only the mesh!, not the bacteria infused media). I wont put carbon in it because I want live plants.

What i would love from you guys is to tell me of ways to improve the performance, appearance, ANYTHING that would be great! Here is the video:


[YT]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/p6LLxYbUe6U&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/p6LLxYbUe6U&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YT]
Click to expand...


Thanks for sharing,

It does need an emergency over flow which direct the water back to the tank. This way will prevent water run all over your house ,if you forget to clean , change your mesh or stuff in the filter get clogged. What you can do is punch a few holes around on top of your bottle filter act like emergency overflow. Get another bottle bigger than the bottle filter, cut off the top and drill a big hole which direct the water in to your tank. Let the filter bottle sit in the emergency over flow bottle. Anyone has a under gravel filter, then use the power head pump water to the filter. At the fabric store sells cotton that make same material like the mesh. It will run about les than $4 a Yard . 1 yard you can make more than 5 of those meshes you see in the clip. I use this cotton for my koi pond, my fish tanks. Check out the picture you know what kind of cotton. This is man made cotton.

002.JPG
 
TheCanuck;3716097; said:
building sponge filters works better , search that
Click to expand...

Do they provide adequate biological filteration? What do I do about mechanical filteration? =)

Also, everyone that says use a HOB filter, I don't want to do that. I don't want activated carbon if I have live plants. Besides, if I replace the cartridges, doesnt that remove beneficial bacteria?

About fluidized bed filters... those are awesome... anyone on the forum made one? :)
 
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