how do you grade/rate a DIY filter

[benito1188]

i was thinking about bulding my own tank and just building a bulit-in filter inside of it. im a big fan of overfiltering and i was wondering how can i do this right so that i dont have to add additional external filtration in the tank? thanks

you know those nano tank with built in wet and dry at the back? i was thinking of something like that but on a waaay bigger tank...comments? suggestions?? violent reactions??? LOL

 

[Gator]

Can be done easily. The good thing about DIY is that you can put the filter anywhere you want. here is something I made up for someone else a while ago as an example.

 

[benito1188]

OH cool! and really neat illustration! my idea is somewhat like yours but instead of placing the filter on the side, i want the entire back portion of the tank(prob around 6" of the back of the tank). with two overflows on both ends of the tank , that will meet inside, flowing down the middle sump where the return pump is gonna be

 

[KaiserSousay]

The only problem I can see with that is how hard it would be for any service issues.
Setting up an easy way to change/clean you mechanical media..maybe some sort of slide in, media holder?

 

[cypher1024]

^^What he said. I have also considered building a filter box into the back of my plywood tank (when I get around to it), but maintenance is what is stopping me.

I suppose if you have good access to both sides and place your media near both sides, it wouldn't be too bad. You'd be wasting a lot of space in the middle though.

 

[Pharaoh]

It would work, but the maintenance is my major concern with these.

 

[benito1188]

i thought of maintenance too.

all the media, and filtetration would be on the corner where the overflow would be.

im going to be using filter bags for easy placing/throwing out.

and all the bioballs and additional media would be on somesort of boxes made out of egg crates

the middle part of the tank would be pretty much just be return pump and heaters..

now i need to get savy with google sketchup to better show you guys what im saying..

 

[Oddball]

Don't forget about providing an appropriately-sized media chamber for the tank's size. You'll need 2.2 gallons of bio-balls per 100 gallons of total system volume. Scintered glass and scour pads require less media volume.