Filter for Shrimp Tank

J

Jason01

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Dec 9, 2004
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Clermont, IA
Yay!
I just picked up my 20 gal long tank from the LFS today. I'm going to try to get a start on the stand and hood for it this weekend(I got a bunch of planed white oak planks that I have been given the go ahead to use!). I have no idea what to get for a filter. I just set up my cichlid tank(42 gal hex), and I really like the canistar filter(XP2), but I really didn't like the price. It was on sale, but it was still ~$70. Has anybody done a DIY cannister filter? I have been hashing ideas with my dad, and we thinks that if we use 3-4" dia. PVC pipe, ~8-10" tall, that I could make my own filter. Just make 2 of them, with a pipe on the top and bottom(use your imagination), filter media in the first one(some sponges, and then filter floss), and the second one could have bio-media. I would use a water pump(there like ~$20 for a silent one 296 GPH pump(which is probably way to big for a 20 gal)) to drive it. Am I crazy? Or does this actually have a chance of working? I figure that the PVC pipe and fittings would be 15 or less for all, and a few bucks for the filter media and bio media. If it worked, it would definately be cheaper than a canister(probably not quite as user friendly, but then again, what is?). What do ya all think?
 
For a shrimp tank, you are likely to do better with just sponge filters, especially if you are planning on breeding the shrimp. Power filters and canisters will suck up any tiny babies unless their intakes are carefully prefiltered.
 
I kinda thought that a sponge filter would be better. I am also planning on planting this tank, and wouldn't a sponge filter drive off c02? I guess I could still grow low light plants, but, I guess I could also grow algea for the shrimp to eat.

I was thinking of adding some small fish(like neons or cardinals) to the tank also, a sponge would work for them as well, w/o being underfiltered?
 
Neons and cardinals, systematic crustacean hunters in nature, will eat any baby shrimp, precluding population recruitment (you could get away with including them in your setup as long as you heavily plant and don't mind the consumption of most of your young). What type of shrimp do you plan to include in this tank?
 
Mostly Red cherry, some ghost shrimp, and definately a couple of wood shrimp. I'm also going to try to see what else my LFS can get(those are all my LFS normally stocks). I dunno bout the fish yet. Maybe later I will add some little fish(once I get a bigger shrimp population), I am also going to think heavily planted, heavily decorated! :dance
 
I have made a filter based on the JUWEL filter design :D

This filter can be made with just bits you have hanging around. In keeping with the tradition of german made filters I call it HANDGEMACHT

Water tests show that my home-made filter works perfectly and its very unobtrusive.

Its made from a litre orange squash plastic bottle (square bottle as it fits better in the corner of the tank) two pieces of foam, ceramic noodles, and a powerhead.

METHOD
Rinse plastic bottle with clean water and leave to dry. Discard cap.
Cut and shape aquarium foam to fit snugly in the bottle. And another piece to fit in the side opening of the bottle (stops small fish getting 'lost' in the botton of the filter ;) )
Cut section out of side at the base of the bottle, enough to squeeze in the two pieces of foam one above the other.
Leave space for ceramic noodles above the foam.
Drop ceramic noodles in thru top of bottle, use some noodles from a working filter to ensure cycling is immediate and some new to allow good colonisation.
Install bottle in aquarium and fit powerhead.
Switch on.

The whole thing took ten minutes to make and install and runs perfectly.

The powerhead I used is an Interpet one and has an attachment to secure to the tank wall and attachment to fit to the bottle - kindly supplied in the package :D
This size filter is perfect for my 70 liter planted aquarium. If you want to filter a larger tank then use a bigger bottle :D :D

I have found that the sponges for a FLUVAL 103 filter are perfect size for this type of filter and come as one coarse and one fine to a pack :D :D no cutting needed :D Been using this one for two years now, and no problems :D
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:eek: Wow, there's a creative idea! Excellent Aderynglas! Some things are so simple...you just overlook them. Any pictures? Is it hard to clean?
 
Sorry haven't got piccies yet :( I haven't got high enough lighting, but I'm working on it. Another problem is that you can hardly see the bottle when its in the water, I'll have to wait for some algae to grow :) Now where's my thinking cap??????? :)

Cleaning?? take out filter, take out sponges, rinse in tank water, swish noodles, replace :D nope not hard at all :D
 
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