My DIY filtration

[mdb_talon]

Just wanted to share my weekend project. Got a bunch of tanks for very cheap. Build a sump and overflows and stuff yesterday. The plumbing for the water coming from the pump is all going to change this was somewhat temporary and not the design I really wanted to do (I can reuse all the plumbing so no big deal). For the filter it is a wrapping paper tupperware box with bioballs in the middle. The pump is one I got at Lowes on clearance for 10 bucks (I got so much crap at lowes for ridiculous prices on pumps/ponds/bioballs/etc I gonna be busy for awhile using it all !) Anyway pump is 320 gph at 0 head. With my setup currently connected to 4 20s it does around 60gph to each tank. Anyway I wanted to share. Oh and the 10 gallons are not hooked up to anything yet.

 

[cichness]

thats a pretty cool set up, does the filter have a drip plate over the mechanical filter for more even distribution? and if i was you i would think about up grading that pump in the near future. just my $0.02 nice job on the plumbing and all that!

 

[mdb_talon]

Thanks for compliment! There is a drip plate there (the red piece is actually the lid of the container turned upside down with holes drilled in). Then about 8 inches from bottom of container I have another drip plate for going back into sump (basically just did not want the bioballs sitting in the water). Having said that though I am not getting as even of distribution through it as I wanted so I will be putting an elbow on that pipe coming in and basically making a spray bar across the top to hopefully help.

I agree the pump is not ideal, but with it doing 3x turnover on the tanks and being pretty good in the energy efficiency area I just cant justify spending the money on it right now. I could use that money on important stuff.... like fish !

 

[rucus]

nice job plumbing. What kind of fish are you going to be putting in there?

 

[Ben268]

Love the set up, the only thing is I can't seem to see where the tanks in the middle (the ones with the most area facing outwards) are hooked up to the system, or are they separate?

 

[mdb_talon]

nice job plumbing. What kind of fish are you going to be putting in there?

I have not decided completely on the fish for the tanks yet.

One will definetely be colony of shellies. From there I am basically just trying to decide on other fish that will have similar water requirements.

I would like to do a tank of dwarf chain loaches. The PH requirements of them and the shellies is quite different though so I have still not decided. If I do a PH around 7.6 or 7.8 it is kind of at the top range for loach and bottom for shellie. Afraid that way that neither group will be happy.

Otherwise if anyone has suggestions please offer I have a lot of ideas, but having trouble deciding. Right now I have put a few guppies in each tank just to get it cycling.

I also have a couple african cichlid tanks and will probably use one of these tanks as grow out tanks.

 

[mdb_talon]

Love the set up, the only thing is I can't seem to see where the tanks in the middle (the ones with the most area facing outwards) are hooked up to the system, or are they separate?

Thanks !

Ya the two 10 gallons on the top shelf are not hooked to anything yet. I have 3 10s that will go on the middle shelf so those and the two on the top shelf will all be connected to a sump different than what those 20s are connected to (they are not all in the picture yet). That other sump will also be connected to a 55 and a 20 tall that are down there also just cant see them in the picture.

The 20 long on the second shelf in the picture will be used for quarantine/hospital tank so obviously it will be independent from all the other tanks.

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

Nice----now get them stocked and take more pics.

 

[Pharaoh]

Good looking setup! You could use a few more tanks though.

 

[mdb_talon]

Good looking setup! You could use a few more tanks though.

I have 12 down there in the "fish room" at the moment just working to get them all hooked up. I have another 5 in various rooms in the house. I realize it is not to the DIY Indy guy level, but hey I am trying !