My DIY Plant Filter

[Dan F]

All this talk of plant filtration Justin has started got me to thinking...

This unit is just an experiment, if I like the results I may make more.

I started with a 6" net style orchid pot. These are quite heavy plastic and very durable. I also used a circular scrap (cutout from a previous project) as a top, mostly to keep the roots/media out of direct light.

The pot is attached to the underside of one of the lids from my 55G acrylic growout tank. I used SS machine screws and drilled/tapped the acrylic.

I attached a PVC lift tube with a sponge prefilter. An airstone goes down the standpipe. Part of an old AC300 intake acts as a strainer on top of the lift tube.

The six inch pot is filled with Hydroton expanded clay media. The pot hangs with about one third of the media submerged in the tank. The rest of the media stays wet from water being lifted by the airstone.

Two small 2" pots hang in the lid and hold the plants.

 

[Dan F]

For plants I picked up a small Peace Lily. First I used the hose nozzle to blast off most of the soil.

Next I broke it into 7 small plants plus the central "core" plant. I further washed the roots to remove all soil.

I trimmed up the roots and planted them 3 or 4 to a pot, packing Hydroton around them.

The photos of the unit in the tank turned out bad. I'll try to get some better ones tomorrow, but you get the idea.

Thanks for looking!

 

[aclockworkorange]

Dan,

Have you seen the containers that the riparium guys use on their setups? Same idea but they use suction cups or magnets to attach to the back of the tank (their water level is much lower, obviously).

 

[Dan F]

Dan,

Have you seen the containers that the riparium guys use on their setups? Same idea but they use suction cups or magnets to attach to the back of the tank (their water level is much lower, obviously).

I haven't, but I can imagine what you mean.

I built this 100% from stuff I had around the house just for fun - it is much more complicated than necessary, but I wanted a project. I probably could have just placed an airstone under the basket and get the same results, but this was more fun to build.

 

[fishghost]

Nitrate filter?

 

[nfored]

You're going to need massive amounts of plants. I had 3 large yucca plants and a nice bunch of patho, and peace Lilly's and never saw a single drop in nitrate.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334111&highlight=yucca

There are several article about using plants for filter even one from a very large fish whole seller. The one thing they have in common is more plants then fish.

 

[Dan F]

Nitrate filter?

I suppose, it is really just for fun.

You're going to need massive amounts of plants. I had 3 large yucca plants and a nice bunch of patho, and peace Lilly's and never saw a single drop in nitrate.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=334111&highlight=yucca

There are several article about using plants for filter even one from a very large fish whole seller. The one thing they have in common is more plants then fish.

Yeah, I don't expect to see any difference in nitrates. These two little plants are pretty insignificant - the tank they are in is part of a 500G system with a couple hundred fish (including 130 steindachneri growouts). I change out about 240 gallons a day of water to deal with nitrates.

 

[nfored]

I suppose, it is really just for fun.


Yeah, I don't expect to see any difference in nitrates. These two little plants are pretty insignificant - the tank they are in is part of a 500G system with a couple hundred fish (including 130 steindachneri growouts). I change out about 240 gallons a day of water to deal with nitrates.

Understood. My wife doesn't know it yet but when we redo our back sun room I am going to build plant troughts along around 3 of the 4 walls, and run pvc behind the wall so I can run all my tanks through them. I figure with 4 8'f windows I can have a massive amount of plants.

but sshhh thats my little secret.

 

[spirofucci]

Very, very cool! I like it! Do keep us posted on how it works.

 

[ITHURTZ]

I get some bit of a nitrate drop with this 3' thing



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I added a wintergreen/spearmint plant a few days ago, but I need more room the arrow heads took over the entire thing.