Alternative filter idea...

[corrieberry]

Of course, I'll take the usual 'every step in the process' photos. I might be put back a bit as I've just been told I'm expected to go to my cousins this weekend...but I'll try my best. If it works, Rena etc are SO going out of business! (If it doesn't, I only wasted £15...and I'll have to get a proper pond so I can use my pump )

 

[Lupin]

Oh good! Thanks, Corrie!:thumbsup:

 

[corrieberry]

Ha I spent ages taking photos this evening, but then went and deleted them from my camera. Darn it! Luckily it wasn't anything permanent, and all stuff I can take apart.

I think I'm going to go to the glass shop tomorrow and see if they have any offcuts that will fit. Dimensions I'm looking at are around 21 cm x 14 cm x 30 cm where 30 cm is the height. Seems quite big for the tank, but if I do it properly, it should look OK. I just want it to work. Hence the glass

Are there any non-LFS obtainable silicons? I have to go to the LFS anyway, but they are very expensive and I'm sure I'd be able to get something cheaper. I know it should have any additives - is that the only criteria?

I tested out all the tubes I have - my Rena XP3 tube and spray bar fit perfectly. I will test the pump in a bucket tomorrow and retake all my photos. I might experiment with the fountain heads too, cos it has a spray head which might be good as an adapted powerhead.

I wired up the plug today...first time in 11 years. And it worked! Wooo

 

[corrieberry]

OK I'm going to reply with different photos in different posts because I haven't yet figured out a way to seperate them out. First is mock up of the internal structure. I got some of that egg-grate type stuff that spreads the load on the bottom with my tank, and I didn't figure out what it was before it was too late and I'd set up. I figured I didn't need it anyway as I only have sand, so I've adapted it to give the inside of my filter some structure.

I obviously want to get stuff out to clean it, so this provides makeshift baskets like there is in a Rena canister filter. I only have experience with this type, but I imagine any other filter has something similar.

The last pic shows it all siliconed together. Each support is stuck to the bottom layer, so there are four pieces - three 'support' box pieces, and the top lid. I'm pretty happy with it. It's a bit flimsy as I didn't stick it very well - I just wanted to see what would happen. I will go over bits to make it more firm when I get a chance. I forgot the cable would need an escape route when I sat down to make it, so I will have to work on that when I get to assembly. It's quite easy to cut the egg-crate stuff, I just need a craft knife.

I made another mistake, which I have explained in the next post...(when my upload finishes...come ON!)

 

[corrieberry]

Small mistake I made with the corners - I forgot on the first one that they would be touching, so I didn't silicone. Unless I want to go back and redo it, I will just leave the one I forgot. I remembered for the second.

Everything with the spray head and tubing attached to the pump - also the sponge I'm planning to cut to size and use as my bigger filtration. It's probably a bit fine, but it was cheap, so until I feel I can afford proper filter substances, I will leave it. Mind you, I won't have to make my own filter then, so we will see!

 

[corrieberry]

My major triumph for the day was getting my glass for free. I went to a glass shop and asked if he had offcuts - he didn't but said that he was doing a job which would have offcuts my size and would get them done. Normally I would only have to pay £5 anyway so it would have been a good deal regardless.

I didn't leave any room for error on my dimensions, which in hindsight was a bad idea - I just wanted them to be as tight fitting as possible. As a result the edges don't match up perfectly, as his cutting wasn't as precise as I expected it to be. That's the problem with doing a science degree - you expect everyone to be as exact in their work as you have to in yours!

Anyway the photos pretty much speak for themselves. I know it's not the prettiest thing in the world, but if it works it will be great. If it doesn't, at least it kept me busy, right?

Next steps are to test it's watertight so the filter part works, and to assemble. I also need to do some pretty thorough testing before I put it into service, but it all looks to be going well. I might have a day off work, so I might get it done on Monday - otherwise it will depend because unelss I can find some time during this week, it won't be done till two weeks today as my partner is coming to see me next weekend.

The last photo is what happens when you let your housemate get hold of your camera. She's going to hate me :FIREdevil::hitting:

 

[Lupin]

That looks good enough to me. Get pics of it once it is up.:clap:

 

[corrieberry]

OK it's done. My siliconing wasn't as good as I thought, and it had a small leak in the bottom (the glass wasn't quite cut to size so I had to do quite a lot of filling in). I decided I didn't mind, though - if I take it out, it will be easier to let it drain from the bottom than tipping, especially as I won't empty all the stuff inside it into the tank.

So, problems and what I would have done differently:
1. I have just left the top open as the intake. It only gets stuff which floats to the top - not the stuff which settles on the bottom. There is now enough flow that most stuff does get floated up, but inevitably some settles and stays. I have a piece of glass I could use as a lid, but I need to get some holes cut into it so I can fit tubes through. This won't happen for a while, it will do for now. I've tripled the filtering on the tank, so I don't mind too much - at least my water won't have any ammonia in it
2. I made it 30cm high, which is too much - it takes up quite a lot of the corner it is in. I was constrained by the size of the 'egg crate' that I used - next time I will cut it better!
3. It's really ugly. But cheap, so I don't mind that much!
4. I didn't protect myself properly from the glass/sharp blades/sharp plastic fragments, and ended up with pretty cut up hands and arms. This was due to my own negligence and because all my safety gear is in college and I didn't want to buy more. I'd definitely protect myself better next time.

Good bits - I love knowing that I did it myself, and it saved me a lot of money. Rough price (in GBP - sorry I don't have time to convert, you'll have to do it yourself if you really want to).

Pump £14.99 + £4 p&p
Glass £5 (but I negotiated offcuts and got it free)
Sponge £2
Silicone £4.99
Total £30.98 ($53.00 using todays exchange rate)

I also used ceramic rings, 'egg crate stuff' (I have no idea what this is called) and some filter floss, which I already had. I also already had a craft knife which I used extensively, and wouldn't have managed without it.