Fluidized Bed Filter

100% Correct the perlite does float .. been reading more about FBFs and it seems that the idea is that the media needs to keep moving for all the good reasons etc. So the idea of a DIY up-side-down FBF might be on the cards ... I have some perlite so this sounds like the perfect weekend project to tackle.

More reading then some doing ...
later F

 

Played with the idea of using perlite as FBF media. On paper all seems great - found a nice contoured container, would use an airstone to create the water movement - like the air lift in a sponge filter. Cleaned the perlite and saw a small problem. The stuff that I have access to is either a low grade or this is what perlite does. While cleaning the perlite I could not get it to run clear since the perlite is continuously moved around the abrasive nature keeps creating more small particles.

Thought of adding some hydroton - but realised that most of its surface area is inside the ball so the long term success of the FBF seems doomed.



Above the size of the hydroton vs the ever decreasing size of the perlite.

Might look at doing a hydroton only FBF at a later stage.

Later Ferdie

 

Had a go at a DIY for this. Still need to check if it works. If not, then an external canister filter.

Overall device.


Top section.


Part that pushes water down to the particles.


Hope you like!

 

That's a pretty cool DIY. When are you going to test it out?
And isn't it supposed to have a diagonal section in there somewhere to keep the sand moving around?

 

Thanks Whipme. I need to get some sort of silica to test it. I checked water leakage and there is a little leak but that is solved with a cable tie. Will see if I can glue a funnel or piece of glass at an angle in there.

 

I have one running for two days now, the Boyu Fluidized Bed Filter, with crystal sand included, hooked up on a trickle sump filter. The kwl thing about this, is you can hang it on the side, in, or under the aquarium. And, you can join more than one to each other, with different filter media in each. I recommend using this as an extra filter, and not as the main filter.

 

Yes, as an extra filter it would work greatly I suppose. How much was it at the time?
Total cost of mine:
Container-R40
All Connectors R35
Pump- R100
Piping- spare
Silica sand= Spare
Total- R200 rounded up

 

Bought it for R200 without the pump. Is yours up and running yet Firefly?
I had a bit of a problem getting the inlet tube inside the container to go through the sand, but finally got it through to the bottom, after i put the filter in the tank, running the pump, so the water can push the sand away until i could screw the lid on.
Worked perfect until i switched the pump off, then it struggled to get the water through the sand. At 1st i thought that the pump was to weak, but that was not the case. Holding the filter at a 45 degree angle gets it going, and then it can be set up straight again.

 

Not yet. Want to check it with a 400lph pump. Tested it with a 700lph and it worked fine. Most of the silica get moving.