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Inexpensive filter idea!

Started by Guest_Newt_* , Oct 30 2009 10:05 AM

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20 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 30 October 2009 - 10:05 AM

I just built a contraption that I think will be an effective biological filter for a mid-sized tank. Total cost was about $35, primarily for the pump.

I started with a 2 liter soda bottle. I cut this in two just below the rounded shoulder section of the bottle. I cut some largeish holes (about 3/8") in the top section, and two small holes in the bottom section near the cut.

Next I placed an 80 GPH rated fountain pump in the bottom of the bottle and hooked a length of 1/2" vinyl tubing to the outflow. I filled in around the pump with large pebbles. I inserted on top of this a 4" thick round cut from a polyester cushion insert. I threaded the vinyl tubing through the top section of the bottle, packed polyester wool around it, and jammed the top section down into the bottom section of the bottle. The pump's electric cord would not fit through the bottle's mouth, so I had to let it exit between the two sections of the bottle and fill the gap thus created with polyester wool.

I cut the vinyl tubing an inch or so outside the bottle and attached a male garden hose end to it. Then I screwed on a 10' section of soaker hose. The final piece is a collar cut from pond filter matting and slipped around the bottle's neck to exclude plants and coarse debris. I need a better prefilter and will have to work on that a bit.

It's not pretty, but I daresay it will be effective. I'm going to redo my 65 gallon planted tank soon and will use this as the primary filtration. I will let you know how that goes!

Posted Image

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#2 Guest_Casper Cox_*

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Posted 30 October 2009 - 11:06 AM

Nice Idea you frugal fish man.
But im more impressed with your whimsical art style.
You would be awesome at illustrating something "How To" for American Currents.

I take it the soaker hose is capped on the end.
Is this capped soaker hose too restrictive?
Be sure to allow plenty of prefiltration area and openings.
Restrictions make the pump run hotter and harder.
I burned out a pump once. Way overheated and killed the fish and critters.

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#3 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 30 October 2009 - 11:41 AM

Thanks Casper!

I am a little concerned about the soaker hose. I experimented with it at the sink a little. If I uncap it no water at all passes through the sides, which sort of defeats the point. While capped, it does exert significant backpressure, at least at higher flows. I am thinking of putting a bunch of pinholes in it to decrease its resistance to flow.

Another option would be to make my own soaker hose with a plugged length of tubing, perforated near the end and inserted into a sponge.

American Current how-tos, eh? I'm up for it! I can draw more neatly than that, I was just being lazy.

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#4 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 30 October 2009 - 01:20 PM

So does this entire unit sit inside the tank? Do you have any pics of the actual filter?

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#5 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 30 October 2009 - 01:30 PM

Yeah, it sits in the tank. It's rather garish. I got some Krylon Fusion spraypaint, which is made to adhere to plastic; I'll probably take the thing apart and paint in a day or two.

No photos yet. Maybe next week!

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#6 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 03 November 2009 - 03:44 PM

Is the intent of the soaker hose to distribute the outflow?

I might try this - take the vinyl hose, use a hot soldering iron to melt little holes along its length. Or maybe a drill bit. Fold the end over and secure with a rubber band or string.

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#7 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 03 November 2009 - 06:06 PM

The purpose of the soaker hose is both to distribute the outflow and to serve as an additional bacterial colonization site. The latter function is probably unnecessary. I will follow your advice with regards to the former function. I am going to dig some soil today and the tank will be set up tomorrow. I will try to get photos.

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#8 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 03 November 2009 - 11:08 PM

American Current how-tos, eh? I'm up for it! I can draw more neatly than that, I was just being lazy.

I would strongly encourage you to do this. Strongly. Feel free to submit an article - you can send it to me if you like, and I'll forward it where it needs to go.

This goes for anybody else who has any how-to or frugal fishkeeping ideas.

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#9 Guest_Clayton_*

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Posted 04 November 2009 - 08:46 AM

Any reason you went with the pump inside the bottle vs the more commonly seen external pump emptying into a media container and then flowing out through the drains? I'm not sure that there is a difference in effectiveness, it is just the opposite of what I've always seen.

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#10 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 04 November 2009 - 09:12 AM

Martin- If you really think this is publication-worthy, I will be happy to write a brief article on it. I would like to give it a few weeks of testing to see how well it works in a tank.

Clayton- Three reasons, really. One, it is quick and easy to set up. Two, it is more compact. Three, forcing water to go through the media to get to the pump allows the media to act as a prefilter and save clogging or wear on the pump. The major disadvantage I see is the inaccessibility of the pump in case maintenance is needed- I'll have to dissassemble the whole contraption to get to it.

I also made an airlift version which avoids that last problem:
Posted Image

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#11 Guest_Clayton_*

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Posted 04 November 2009 - 04:10 PM

Fair enough, but won't the particulates being filtered out by the bio-media cause it to clog more quickly/filter less effectively? Just playing devil's advocate here by the way. I think the filter should work fine for your intended purpose.

I wonder if the air driven version wouldn't work more effectively due to the increased oxygen available to the bacteria. It would also be cheaper as well.

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#12 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 04 November 2009 - 06:07 PM

As far as particulates clogging the biomedia- yes, it will probably happen. I need to fine tune the prefiltering "collar" to help cut down on that. I think the relatively low flow will also keep out most of the large bits.

I went with the water pump mainly because I wanted to use the soaker hose. That seems impractical now, so in future editions I will probably stick to the airlift version.

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#13 Guest_lozgod_*

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Posted 05 November 2009 - 12:21 AM

As a kid I made something similar to this that was air driven in a 5 gallon tank. Worked pretty good. Excited to see how it goes.

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#14 Guest_scottefontay_*

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Posted 09 November 2009 - 01:14 PM

I've been making similar units for a while using the containers that pretzels, nuts, etc. come in. Lots of different sizes to choose from and the larger diameter twist-on cap allows for plenty of holes to be put in it. I've been filling with a small evenly graded limestone to about ~60% and topping off with filter floss (pillow stuffing). I seed new ones with a small piece of floss from an older one. Two of the large (~1.5 gal) pretzel containers are doing the job fine in a 4ft 110gal tank holding 150 1.5 inch fish. I will try and get some pics of the next one I make.

http://content.etili.../1010075304.jpg

http://ecx.images-am...7:100_4987.jpg]

Attached Files

100_4987.jpg 1008.17KB 0 downloads

Edited by scottefontay, 09 November 2009 - 01:17 PM.

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#15 Guest_Newt_*

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Posted 09 November 2009 - 03:13 PM

Nice! I like your DIY sponge filters too.

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#16 Guest_scottefontay_*

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Posted 09 November 2009 - 03:42 PM

In the center you can see a bunch of the the PVC pick-ups, those are for sponges, I put just a couple slits at the bottom when using them in the containers.; I started putting the air lines through a coupler on top so I can more easily service the filters. I cut two rings out of a couple and put them on the riser, on on the inside of the cap and one on the outside. This keeps the PVC in-place.

I have found that I can get either 3 small sponge filters or two medium sized ones out of a single AquaClear 110 (formerly 500) filter. I haven't found a source for bulk foam with large enough pore size. If anyone has a source let me know. Thanks.

EDIT: I have doubled-up sponges for some filters so that I get more biological action from a single airline. Now that I have more air than I know what the hell to do with its not really needed anymore. You can see one in the middle of the pile in the above photo.

Edited by scottefontay, 09 November 2009 - 03:44 PM.

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#17 Guest_jim graham_*

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Posted 09 November 2009 - 04:31 PM

www.swisstropicals.com

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#18 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 09 November 2009 - 04:47 PM

That's Stephan Tanner's website, in Ohio. He sells Poret Foam made in Germany (the same stuff Hagen and Eheim use) in fine (30 pores per in) and coarse (15 pores per inch). The fine comes in 2" and 4" thick sheets; the coarse comes in 4" thick sheets. Its stiffer and longer lasting than the furtiture and packing foams usually available. Ive made lots of air-driven filters with it using shampoo bottles, tall CD containers, all kinds of junk.

www.swisstropicals.com

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#19 Guest_scottefontay_*

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Posted 20 November 2009 - 10:45 AM

Some pics of my DIY filters. The I drill the holes with wood bits, forgot to photo that step.

Filter 1.jpg 106.87KB 0 downloads

I cut the pvc rings from couples so that the lift tube can be kept in place on the lid. Not critical.

filter 2.jpg 103.02KB 0 downloads

filter 3.jpg 141.13KB 0 downloads

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#20 Guest_rick_*

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Posted 20 November 2009 - 05:34 PM

I have seen this type of design also where the container was filled with lava rocks like you use for a grill. Greatly increases the surface area available for bacterial colonization and cheap too. Also saw someone cut up tiny rings from soda straws once and fill the container with that. I guess the bacteria would colonize the inside and outside surface of every little ring.

Rick