Reeflo Blowhole Powered NuClear Filter

[Dan F]

I built this canister system for my classroom tank.

The pump is a Reeflo Blowhole 1100. These pumps have three speeds/amp draws and are as dead silent as any pump I have ever owned. Some of my coworkers came to check out the tank and couldn't believe it was running it was so silent.

The canisters are a mechanical unit (I am using a 25 micron pleated cartridge, I also have a 100 micron cartridge) followed by a biological unit (filled with Bioballs). I mounted the units in a tray I made from an old tool box I had in the barn. The drains are plumbed together for ease of maintenance.

I chose a closed-loop rather than a sump mostly because of the noise factor. As a classroom tank in a class of fourth graders I wanted as quiet as possible. Also, there is less chance of a flood.

On a less positive note, after putting a ton of effort (and I mean A TON OF EFFORT) into resealing the tank (72x18x20 with .5" glass)and installing a custom 3D background, i have a small seep. I am fairly sure water is getting into the trim and seeping through the old (1970) silicone in the butt joints. It is only a few drops per day, but enough that I am going to have to redo the tank or, more likely, replace it with a brand-new 125...

 

[HULON]

Great looking set up Dan DIY the whole way through stand and canapy as well???

 

[boldtogether]

Very nice clean setup.

 

[cigars]

Nice! I love the nuclear canisters.

 

[Quickstrike]

I built this canister system for my classroom tank.

The pump is a Reeflo Blowhole 1100. These pumps have three speeds/amp draws and are as dead silent as any pump I have ever owned. Some of my coworkers came to check out the tank and couldn't believe it was running it was so silent.

The canisters are a mechanical unit (I am using a 25 micron pleated cartridge, I also have a 100 micron cartridge) followed by a biological unit (filled with Bioballs). I mounted the units in a tray I made from an old tool box I had in the barn. The drains are plumbed together for ease of maintenance.

I chose a closed-loop rather than a sump mostly because of the noise factor. As a classroom tank in a class of fourth graders I wanted as quiet as possible. Also, there is less chance of a flood.

On a less positive note, after putting a ton of effort (and I mean A TON OF EFFORT) into resealing the tank (72x18x20 with .5" glass)and installing a custom 3D background, i have a small seep. I am fairly sure water is getting into the trim and seeping through the old (1970) silicone in the butt joints. It is only a few drops per day, but enough that I am going to have to redo the tank or, more likely, replace it with a brand-new 125...

Really nice setup!

Is the Bio Filter posted in one of your pictures? I can only seem to see 2 filters?!

So, you have a valve after the intake hose [that draws water from the aquarium], followed by pump, 1"? flexible hose with clamps on either end, 100 micron filter with output end clamped to the input of the 25 micron filter w/ another 1" flexible hose and then you just have another valve at the end of filter series.. where you connect a return hose that runs up the aquarium to a spray bar?

The drains are plumbed together with a combination of angled and straight PVC pipe.

Just trying to get a feel for things. Never done any plumbing before. I just bought a ~180 gallon aquarium that came with a Fluval FX5 and I would like to add additional filtration.

If I had room in my stand, could I replace the Nu-Clear filters with PurFlo 2 High Canister Filters? I think they have double the filter capacity, so that would mean I wouldn't have to clean them as often?

I read an Amazon review that said a 'DANNER 18 MAG DRIVE PUMP' would work well with 3 Nu-Clear Filters because it is rated @ 1800 gallons/hr and apparently with all 3 filters connected, it still pushes '1200 gallons/hr'. Do you think the above setup sounds good?

What I really want is the 25 micron filter for the added water clarity. So, I don't know if it makes more sense to buy a 100 micro, and two 25 micron filters, or just buy a single PurFlo 2 High Canister Filter that is 25 microns? I'd like an 'overkill' setup that would provide the cleanest water with the least amount of work.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Quickstrike]

Hey guys,

Can you tell me if Overflow Boxes were used in this setup?

I would really like to use this type of Canister filter [except I'd spring for the 'PurFlo' brand] for my aquarium's filtration.

I've been e-mailing a company that sells these filters and a rep was saying I would either need a drilled tank, a submersible pump or a hang on overflow box.

Exact email:
"If there is not a hole or it is a glass tank than can not be drilled you would need to then either go with a submersible pump or source a hang on overflow box to get water to the pump."

I don't know why the expert would lead me astray.. I just wanted to make sure the OP in this thread didn't find another way to configure these canister filters?!

So, since my tank isn't and can't be drilled, I will need an overflow box? That is the end of the story? For some reason I thought I could just have an intake pipe connected to a pump, and have the pump push the aquarium water through the filters and then have another pipe that leads back to the aquarium?!

 

[Danh]

Nice work. What are you going to stock it with? That is, once you replace it