Over Head Filter - Flowerpot Style

[rallysman]

Pumps use more power when they're running at full capacity. Pumping water higher doesn't use more electricity. It's like choking it back with a ball valve. It will actually use less (assuming it's centrifugal).

It might use less energy, but I bet it's not by much.

Very cool and simple filter though. I've been tossing around the idea of making one as well.

 

[RBE17]

Nice setup. I read a lot on a pond forum and a lot of folks use a bakki setup. I'd be interested in the price from your in state source. That stuff is not cheap.

 

[dogofwar]

"rallysman;1890359;]Pumps use more power when they're running at full capacity. Pumping water higher doesn't use more electricity. It's like choking it back with a ball valve. It will actually use less (assuming it's centrifugal)."

You're getting a lot more gph from a pump that only has to push against a few inches of head vs. one that has to push against several feet. You'd have to run multiple pumps or a bigger pump (i.e. more electricity) to achieve the same flow rate.

I run these "dump" type filters on many of my tanks. A small pump can support a good sized tank. I use rubbermaid containers instead of flowerpots...

 

[stixx]

Hey it's been some time! how bout and update with some pics

 

[MyFishEatYourFish]

i scored a 280 many years ago but spent all my money on it and had nothing for filteration, so i did the exact same thing with a 5' version of that flower pot and it worked great! give the bio some time and i think you'll be impressed, i never thought of adding one on top and having seperate mechanical and bio chambers though, than again i was 13.
awesome job man!

 

[cassharper]

you might wanna slap a top on that before it comes a glorified evaporator!

 

[viking252200]

These kind of filters are very common here in Japan.

They are actually very good and they come in pretty much all sizes.

In my experience, their strength is in bio-filtration, they work pretty much like a sump...you just put it on top of your tank instead of under it.

Look wise, yeah they may not be all that pretty, but i don't mind that trade off...and of course maintenance is so easy!

The top of the line is for sure rei-sea's...the biggest of them for a 6' tank, holds 48L of media!

 

[KurseD]

nice setup. i like using top filters, the are easy to maintain and allow you to see whats going on inside. only drawback for me is it takes up room for lighting.

 

[Knowdafish]

you might wanna slap a top on that before it comes a glorified evaporator!

Good point, but an "evaporator" will help cool the tank if needed!

 

[cockroach]

OHFs are the way forward. A lot of fishkeepers her use them becuase they are so cheap, efficient and easy to clean.

I use them on two tanks and those are my cleanest bar none. It you dont like the look of them you could always build a color of your choice plastic non see through cover to go only around it as you can't see the top part.

As for a cover, it's not the evaporation that I worry about it's the dust and other unwanteds falling into the top and mixing with the water.