Has anyone out there ever built their own filter system? I was thinking about "upgrading" to an EHEIM wet/dry filter, but was shocked when I saw the prices on those suckers. After examining them a bit closer I thought that it doesn't seem all that complicated...hence my question. I was looking online for some drawings but didn't find anything, any ideas? What about the nitrate issue? I noticed that a lot of people complained about nitrate after they put a wet/dry filter in.
DIY wet/dry filter
- Thread starter alter-falter
- Start date
have you searched the DIY section of the forum? I am sure there would be some great advice there. 
Halo,
have you ever built a sump? I checked the DIY and didn't find anything detailed enough for building a sump
have you ever built a sump? I checked the DIY and didn't find anything detailed enough for building a sump
Halo,
yes at the end the thing should resemble a small, nice and square canister filter and not a "I-converted-an-old-beer-cooler" filter. Any ideas? I just looked at ebay and found a couple of canisters for about 50 bucks, they are called JEBO...any experience?
yes at the end the thing should resemble a small, nice and square canister filter and not a "I-converted-an-old-beer-cooler" filter. Any ideas? I just looked at ebay and found a couple of canisters for about 50 bucks, they are called JEBO...any experience?
Alter, I would'nt know the first thing about building a canister. I bought a renaXP3, and it's been worth every penny. Getting the pumps and seals right for a proper canister filter is beyond my skills. If you build one, message me a step by step, I'd love to see how you do it...
Sardesign: Yeah, we built a sump. It's easier than it sounds if you have a bulkhead and a hole in the bottom of your tank. The bulkhead is a glass box that goes from the hole, up to about an inch below the top level of the tank. That way, if your power goes out, your tank can't drain into your sump, it just drains an inch or so, till the bulkhead stops it.
From the bulkhead, you run a pipe, soft or rigid over to the pour. Under the pour, you have filter floss, or fiber, a drip pan (acrylic sheet with holes drilled in it) then bio balls for your bio filtration. Under that, you have a pump that returns your water. run your return hose to the opposite end of the tank from the bulkhead, and you get current equal to your pump speed. Attach a check valve at the end of your return hose, so water can't siphon back into the sump when the power goes out, and presto.. Sump of any size you care to fit under your tank.
Watagua uses a 20 gallon rubbermaid tub, with about 10 gals in it when it's operating. Turns her 55gal into a more stable 65, but you could easily go bigger in the sump. The bulkhead can also act as a refugium for small fish, with the addition of a rise pipe, and a filter sponge.
Sardesign: Yeah, we built a sump. It's easier than it sounds if you have a bulkhead and a hole in the bottom of your tank. The bulkhead is a glass box that goes from the hole, up to about an inch below the top level of the tank. That way, if your power goes out, your tank can't drain into your sump, it just drains an inch or so, till the bulkhead stops it.
From the bulkhead, you run a pipe, soft or rigid over to the pour. Under the pour, you have filter floss, or fiber, a drip pan (acrylic sheet with holes drilled in it) then bio balls for your bio filtration. Under that, you have a pump that returns your water. run your return hose to the opposite end of the tank from the bulkhead, and you get current equal to your pump speed. Attach a check valve at the end of your return hose, so water can't siphon back into the sump when the power goes out, and presto.. Sump of any size you care to fit under your tank.
Watagua uses a 20 gallon rubbermaid tub, with about 10 gals in it when it's operating. Turns her 55gal into a more stable 65, but you could easily go bigger in the sump. The bulkhead can also act as a refugium for small fish, with the addition of a rise pipe, and a filter sponge.
patoloco
De seguro no sabes lo que dice aqu
I recently buily my self a sump filter. Has been running for almos 2 months and is keeping my ammonia, nitrite at 0.
Here is a drawing of my first version of it:
It was built using a 20gl. waste basket. I threw in a submersible pump with a lot of bioballs. Then, built a drip plate using the cover of the laundry basket and covered if with filter floss. Also, had to install vales in both the intake and return lines for servicing and a one-way check walve in the retunr line to avoid backsphoning in case of a power failure.
Whenever you desing a system, try to use flexible tubing instead of rigid ones. Every time you put a right angle elbow you'll be restricting your water flow. Also, flexible tubing is easier to accomodate and remove later.
This is how I designed the overflow for the tank:
I had to drill a 2,5" inches hole in the glass to fit the tubing. I used a male and female adapter to secure it trohug the glass wall and silicon for sealing it. I left the top tube open to allow gas interchange in the way down.
I also have a real picture of it:
When the water goes down the drain line, it is mechanichally filtered by the floss, then drips on the bioballs for complementary biological filtration. After that, the pump retutns the water to the tank in the oposite corner of the overflow by the use of a spayer bar. (made with 1" pcv tubing which had 50 1/4" holes drilled). When the water splashes in the tank, it breaks the water surface again.
Some aditional consideration:
* The water flowing to the tank falls only by gravity. So, use a pipe that is at least 2 times the diameter of the return line. I used 2" tubing towards the filter, and 1" tubing towards the tank.
* If posible, make two return lines instead of one. So, if one gets clogged, the other one will still be working.
* Make sure the overflow is covered with a mesh, ot anything else to prevent fish going down the drain. I had to rescue 1 gourami and a reedfish from the filter. The mesh holes have to be large enoug to avoid restricting the water flow. I tested various sizes and 1/4" nylon mesh workes best for me.
* The sump size must be big enough to hold all the overflow water in case of a power or pump failure. When you turn off the pump, the top 1/2" to 1" water will still come down the overflow. I started with a 20 gallon container, but had to change it for a 55 gall.
* The pump must be fish safe, and suitable for 24 hour uninterrupted work cycle. If your pump is big, it can rise the water tamp, so watch out.
This whole design was about $125 total, and works great. Tx to the increased gas exchange I could remove 2 air pumps. And, it keep my water at 79-80ºF all day-night ong, so the heater is always off. :Angel:
EDITED: I wrote all this with out reading the previous post. Most have been already said, but now that I wrote it, I'll nor delete it.
Here is a drawing of my first version of it:
It was built using a 20gl. waste basket. I threw in a submersible pump with a lot of bioballs. Then, built a drip plate using the cover of the laundry basket and covered if with filter floss. Also, had to install vales in both the intake and return lines for servicing and a one-way check walve in the retunr line to avoid backsphoning in case of a power failure.
Whenever you desing a system, try to use flexible tubing instead of rigid ones. Every time you put a right angle elbow you'll be restricting your water flow. Also, flexible tubing is easier to accomodate and remove later.
This is how I designed the overflow for the tank:
I had to drill a 2,5" inches hole in the glass to fit the tubing. I used a male and female adapter to secure it trohug the glass wall and silicon for sealing it. I left the top tube open to allow gas interchange in the way down.
I also have a real picture of it:
When the water goes down the drain line, it is mechanichally filtered by the floss, then drips on the bioballs for complementary biological filtration. After that, the pump retutns the water to the tank in the oposite corner of the overflow by the use of a spayer bar. (made with 1" pcv tubing which had 50 1/4" holes drilled). When the water splashes in the tank, it breaks the water surface again.
Some aditional consideration:
* The water flowing to the tank falls only by gravity. So, use a pipe that is at least 2 times the diameter of the return line. I used 2" tubing towards the filter, and 1" tubing towards the tank.
* If posible, make two return lines instead of one. So, if one gets clogged, the other one will still be working.
* Make sure the overflow is covered with a mesh, ot anything else to prevent fish going down the drain. I had to rescue 1 gourami and a reedfish from the filter. The mesh holes have to be large enoug to avoid restricting the water flow. I tested various sizes and 1/4" nylon mesh workes best for me.
* The sump size must be big enough to hold all the overflow water in case of a power or pump failure. When you turn off the pump, the top 1/2" to 1" water will still come down the overflow. I started with a 20 gallon container, but had to change it for a 55 gall.
* The pump must be fish safe, and suitable for 24 hour uninterrupted work cycle. If your pump is big, it can rise the water tamp, so watch out.
This whole design was about $125 total, and works great. Tx to the increased gas exchange I could remove 2 air pumps. And, it keep my water at 79-80ºF all day-night ong, so the heater is always off. :Angel:
EDITED: I wrote all this with out reading the previous post. Most have been already said, but now that I wrote it, I'll nor delete it.
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