my multiple canister filter manifold. 2 returns common siphon.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

mudbuttjones

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jul 29, 2014
1,375
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66
Wisconsin
This is one of those "because I can" sort of builds. the main advantage will be less visible equipment and a nice maintenance schedule for filter cleaning.. Why not just have a sump? Why not buy 1 large canister filter? why not just use the supplied hardware from fluval and eheim as those germans intended?
The answer is my friends: because.

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This is the rough idea. No equipment in the tank except 1 expertly camoflauged drain pipe and 2 returns hidden under the trim. In true over the top diy excessiveness this build requires a stupid amount of pvc pipe Fittings.

All the research ive read said this will not work. however...Both canisters are slow flowing approx 100 gph Each. I will keep the Drains at the relative same lengths by putting a small wood stand under each filter as needed. Both the eheim and fluval use metric equivelents of standard 1/2 tube. The main drain Is 1" pvc and branches into a 1.5" 3 way junction down to 2 small 1/2" pipes to the canisters. The main problem is overcoming the water's tendancy to take the path of least resistance especially at higher velocities. So i decided the water needed to run a slower velocity under siphon and have and have 2 equal pathways to branch into. A 1" pipe has more volume than a pair of 1/2" pipes. its true look it up. You can hook up as many canister filters up normally to a tank as you want, why? becausethe large water volume allows them to operate Independently with minimal interference. Using that bulletproof logic i decided to make the junction a 1.5" 3 way wye.

but Im sure im not 100% spot on with my science and engineering here. But every guy on a fish forum seems to have a phd In fluid dynamics. Same as every car enthusiast board is full of engineers who built engines for formula 1. so please by all means, all sarcasm aside, input is greatly appreciated

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Alright. Time for pictures.

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Orig. al first attempt at a mock up

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Decided the 3/4" tee wouldnt cut it. 1.5" wye
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Sanded a 1" pvc cap to fit tightly inside the bottom of the 4 way. Used jb plastic weld for piece of mind after the pvc glue dried. It is nsf potable water safe!

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Inside view- closest thing youll find to a true even y fitting without searching high and low online. Nobody had one locally from the bigbox home improvement stores to commercial plumbing supply warehouses or agricultural supply coops.

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Taking shape

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Youll notice a ball valve and hose barb at the top of the drain. That is for me to hook a submersible pump to for the rare occsions ill have to prime this beast and start a siphon.

More coming soon.

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I did something very similar, except it has 3 Magnum 350 canister filters and a circulation pump that I can turn on if I want to. All 4 filters/pumps share a 1" intake line and a 3/4" output into the tank. Works like a charm, I clean one filter at a time and never have to "prime" the filter to get it to suck water again.

Your setup will work, and it looks like you've made good progress on it already!
 
Thanks, ive been second guessing my self during the build some. . Your words are very encouraging.


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Here is the co2 diffuser. The idea is that the co2 bubbles will run vertically in the return and dissolve/explode when or before exiting the submerged spraybar. the ball valve is for control. Im have no co2 system right now, im dosing seachem carbon. Ive ran diy yeast in the past but i think im gonna hold off and get a proper pressurized system, if diffusion rates are anywhere 100% im afraid ill kill my fish at night time without a solenoid regulator type dealio. I think I know what to tell the wife I NEED for my birthday lol.

For the inline heater im using a 1/2" pvc pipe compression union Sawed in half. It fits snugly on my aqueon 150 watt glass heater. The fitting machined will fit inside a 3/4 pvc male slip. And by machined i mean crudely sanded or filed and jammed in with some glue

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Not going to lie im kinda scratching my head on this one... this is all to link 2 canisters together running 200 gph? Im going to need to pay attention and see how this all comes together because I cant understand all this plumbing and should probably learn what something more than a 90 degree elbow does.
 
Not gonna lie, im a bit of a diy project junkie. Im also simultaneously working on a 90g AGA tank with a herbie style overflow and a 40g sump powered by a mag 9.5. All to replace my 75g cichlid tank.


this is a side project to "rehome" one of the canister filters to my 40g planted tank. Im having alot more fun with it. Everyone knows a reef ready tank with a magdrive and sump is a bulletproof idea. Its a cookie cutter kind of build. Everyone does it. Nobody does this. It's silly and absurd. Im making it up as i go along. It may work, it may fail. Thats why it's fun to build.
 
Not gonna lie, im a bit of a diy project junkie. Im also simultaneously working on a 90g AGA tank with a herbie style overflow and a 40g sump powered by a mag 9.5. All to replace my 75g cichlid tank.


this is a side project to "rehome" one of the canister filters to my 40g planted tank. Im having alot more fun with it. Everyone knows a reef ready tank with a magdrive and sump is a bulletproof idea. Its a cookie cutter kind of build. Everyone does it. Nobody does this. It's silly and absurd. Im making it up as i go along. It may work, it may fail. Thats why it's fun to build.

Gotcha. I wasnt going to call it pointless but ill be honest Ive never seen plumbing that complicated. I think I plumbed my old 500g with 2 "T" and 4 45s and a couple of 90s. I was looking at this in awe haha. Tinker on my friend. Perhaps we can all learn a thing or 2.

would also like to see the other project you are working on as im thinking of doing the same to my tank with a small herbie overflow and probably drill an couple holes for my canisters while im at it.
 
To be fair I could have just ran a pvc u tube with 2 90's to a tee and ran braided tubing to each canister.

Im almost done with my stand for the 90g. Tank comes in 2 weeks. Crunch time. got a baby on the way i didnt wanna reuse the stand from my 75g as it has no doors. Its open. Im giving it and the tank to a coworker who just moved from the west coast and had to surrender all of his fish. :(
 
Im thinking about starting a build thread for the 90g once I make more progress. Here is my stand so far. I have a chronic problem of over building everything. Yes thats 3/4" plywood over a solid run of pine 1x6's. Dunno why but I cant sleep at night with a stand that has an open center even though I know they are safe. went shopping around for a nice cabinet. Nothing had the capacity to house a 40 breeder which btw is the same width as the display tank. Notice the extra inch and a half on the back of the stand. (back 2 supports are removable) Plus everything was that ikea type particle board junk held together with plastic dowels and hopes & dreams. Lol. Long story short 700lbs of water isnt a big deal for this stand. I'd park a car on this beast.
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