DIY canister filter - Giving it a bash

After reading that you need to at least cycle your tank 3 time per hour i decided to see what i could build.

Going through a few DIY guides i started sourcing some material.

I got a 9L tupperware from a plastics store that looked like it could do the job. I also found some clear tubing, some connectors and hose clamps (all 20mm) from a local Mica. At the pet shop i got a pond pump rated 1570L/h along with filter floss and carbon.

This is after i drilled the hole and silconed the hose connector in. On the other end of the elbow i took a piece of pipe, filled the opposite end with hot glue and drilled a bunch of holes down the length of the pipe to evenly distribute the water. The pump is attached to the lid and the connector is pushed through the top.





Here is the floss and carbon that i used.





Layering (Gravel, carbon then floss) and test fitting...


The white plastic strainer thing came with the container.



Now for the test...



Here the concept is working perfectly...



Well it did work perfectly, but when i added gravity into the equation, things weren't so perfect. The pressure from the water traveling down the intake pipe to floor level caused the "water tight" tupperware to bulge and water started spraying all over the lounge. While i was trying to stop the flow of water i noticed that the the water was landing all over my multiplug. After pulling the intake out of the tank, the rest of the water in the pipe still had to travel down hill spraying even more water. After the chaos subsided i ran to get some towels. While mopping up i made a note to self... Raise the canister next time.

Well after almost drowning and being electocuted i this time raised the canister to tank level using the trusty workbench.



Before trying again i took some extra precautions...



It worked... no problems this time.





So far, so good... The filter works hard and does an excellent job. In all i spent around R600 to make this filter. I believe a commercial canister filter to suite my tank (300L) will cost around R1200.... so it's not a bad saving if you have the time.

Since then i bought some bio balls which i will add when i next clean my filter.
One disadvantage with this filter is that you have to prime the canister to get it started after cleaning.

Otherwise i am a happy man... with R600 in my pocket.

Note: I did a power failure test and i found out my canister was still too low.
water started leaking slowly from the canister. After raising it is slightly (Now sitting at 22.5 cm up the side of the 55cm tank height) it remains water tight when cutting the power.

 

haha, nice write up, enjoyed reading it.

 

clever idea you have there, very nice!

not sure but are you using 2 pumps? one from the tank and then one again back from the container?

you might want to consider the following:
- try mounting the container onto the top of the tank and setting it up so that the water "gravity" feeds out and back to the tank. So the pump should in the tank.
- Layering: Filter wool should be placed first, then biological media and last the carbon.
- Filter media: Instead of the Gravel, use good quality siporax or similar. Beware of the carbon as it might leach unwanted phosphates into the water. Try to get high quality activated granular carbon.

 

Thanks for the tips, I guess mounting it on top of the tank would make more sense :bigsmile: Could have saved a lot of hassle from the start

I want to start on a custom canopy next, so i will make provision of the canister on top. I will probably move the pump like you suggested. The original idea was to keep the pump outside the tank to reduce the clutter.

I am going to have to address the media in the canister as well. I had no idea about the order... it must be hilarious for you guys watching the newbies

 

No worries!

Its all good... no question is a stupid question so rather ask here and do it right first time...

 

True!

Oops, i forgot to answer your question... only 1 pump.
Will go look for some media after work.

 

The Fan for the wet carpet was amusing

 

I must admit, an hour afterward i had a good chuckle myself.

Every now and then one discovers something interesting about themselves...
I discovered that in situations involving water and electricity, i panic like a little girl.

 

This is the newly repacked media... in the correct order this time.
I also replaced all the silicone with hot glue... seems to work much better!

 

Time for an upgrade...

So the DIY canister filter's pump has been lumbering away pumping air bubbles that are getting in at the input line into the canister.

This evening i ripped it apart to re-do the seals when i stumbled across some parts lying around the house that looked perfect for the job.

Also, the old system's 90 degree bend meant that the input hose was putting major weight/twist load on the seal joint. Picture a crude tourque wrench...

With this update there will be very little twist as the connector can swivel.
It also turns out that the hole i initially drilled into the "canister" was the perfect size for the "new parts".

Here are the pics to explain what i have left out...







Holding thumbs...

 

...and i finally got around to tidying up the pipes with some bends...

 

looking good :top:

 

yep, its looking goooood

 

@Dolphin & 2time - Thanks guys

I popped into the hardware store during lunch to go get a "gardena" attachment for the 20mm hose... i will assemble tonight and post an update. Wery excite!

 

Well it's together and working... but it seems that air is still getting in somewhere.



Here's a full setup pic with my new T5's during testing. (Just finished the wiring)
MAN these things are BRIGHT. If these are just 2 6500K lamps i can't imagine running 3 plus a 20 000k... :nuts:

 

HI just want to start off by saying awesome thread!!!! that filter looks sweet.
i am setting up my new 300L tank and was wondering if building a filter like this is a viable option for my new tank , are there any drawbacks to this option other than having to build it ( which i think is the fun part :bigsmile. What sort of flow rate are u looking to get through the filter , i herd that if its to fast the bacteria get washed away. Are there dangres with the flow being to slow? i am planning on using a 15L canister for the filter is that to big? any other tips i should know? :bigsmile::bigsmile: Thx

 

Reafer - Thanks man! It worked great, but i eventually forked out some money and got an Eheim classic 2217 canister. Yes it was fun while it lasted, but i found myself constantly pottering around with it.

I came to the conclusion that yes it is possible to make one of these things and yes they DO work, but if i used the money towards the Eheim in the beginning, it would have only cost me another R500.

The new filter really is worth the money. Mine came with shut off valves for when i need to clean the media. Switch off, close the valves and disconnect. That way i take the whole unit to the bath to clean it. No extra hassle of draining the water off first before loosening the hose clams etc.

If i am not mistaken the flow rating of the pump i used in the DIY was 1570L/h. But I think the 20mm hoses slowed the flow down a bit.
Seemed to work fine with the bacteria sorting out my ammonia levels.

Anywho, if i went back and did it again there would be things i would do differently.
I would probably put the pump in the tank instead of in the canister.
Also, i thought of getting a tall "canister" so that it could stand next to the tank, this way the water level in the tank can match that of the canister. Then water pressure won't be an issue, and with the narrower "canister"

 

I was thinking of useing a piece of pvc pipe 150x800 which i roughly 14.1 L , i got some nice insert baskets for the pipe aswell , to hold the filter material . u can get nice screw caps for them and they can take the pressure. so it will be a long thinnish filter

 

That sounds great. Are you going to try it?

 

yea i got all the parts and a pump so it will cost next to nothing and i like projects