household water filters?

[kittyhazelton]

Just curious, but has anyone tried using a household water flter to filter thier tanks? you know, the kind that is plastic and cylindrical shapedjust curious, and if so how well would you say it worked? Also did you make any major modifications to it to adapt it for use on a freshwater aquarium? Thinking about using one as an extra form of filtration to trap the debris, not nescessarily as the primary form of filtration.

 

[melonie]

There's a problem with the design of household 'cartridge' water filters when you try to apply them to an aquarium. Your house is supplied with city water or well water of a pressure of about 40-60 psi = 100+ feet of head. Therefore the household 'cartridge' water filter can develop a 10 psi = 23 feet of head pressure drop across the cartridge with no noticeable effect at the kitchen faucet.

However, even so-called high head aquarium pumps typically can only generate 15 ft of head or so, and pumps supplied in canister filters typically generate less than 10 ft. Thus if you were to attempt to use a household 'cartridge' filter with a canister filter it would stop the water flow almost immediately. If you were to attempt to use a household 'cartridge' filter with it's own pump, to get anywhere near close to a useful flow rate and cartridge life you're going to need a pump that costs $100 and costs $200 per year in electricity to operate !

There is one aquarium filter system that works on almost the same principle, but it's tailored for lower pressure drops so it can be used with smaller pumps.

http://www.pentairaquatics.com/2005/2005_detail/AFK.htm

 

[kittyhazelton]

well I was kinda thinking of using it like this, but with filter fiber inside.

http://www.aquaticsbykr.com/DIYCanisterFilter.htm

 

[blitzen25bm]

i was thinking it would work as a bio only filter. get some of the small diameter bioballs and run it with one of the pumps that will work under high pressure conditions.

 

[melonie]

i was thinking it would work as a bio only filter. get some of the small diameter bioballs and run it with one of the pumps that will work under high pressure conditions.

Actually, if all you're after is space for bio-balls, you can use one of these household canisters without any other modifications - just throw the bio-balls in the empty canister and screw it on the 'head'. Unlike mechanical or chemical filtration, the bio reaction does not depend on forcing almost 100% of the water through the filter media and will work just as well (possibly even better) if the water contacting the balls just kind of trickles through.