Surface Filterisation System

If some of you have seen the pic of my tank you might notice a funny looking pipe system

I have attached a pic to show the basic function. All it does is create a tiny current (Not visible) which circulates my tank. It also skims the top for left over food, bits of plants and other waste.

It may appear that this doesn't work but i havent needed to clean my tank for quite some time now so its working.

Just wanted to share:bigsmile:

 

i maybe incorrect but not 100% certain of this but what you have done is basically extended the syphon pipe of a HOB filter...please confirm if you have a HOB filter, as i will be doing the same thing...but i'm not quite sure whether it will work for me cause i have an air stone and the crap as well as plant bits doesn't necessarily get to the filter...

 

I use to have a "filter in the hood" set up in my old tank. Basically the water would be pumped up into a mini sump in the hood of the tank, and the pour back into the other side. What I did was place the pump literally on the gravel of the tank on the one side. This would provide the normal mechanical and bacterial filtration via the pump to the hood sump. The just above the pump I placed a submersed filter in. This was innitially for Purigen, and later I discovered that if I faced the outlet of the submersed pump correctly, it created a strong circular current within the tank. This then swept all the junk, funk and muck in a circle, which ended at the innitial pump that went up to the hood. I noticed during the day it wasn't hugely effective, as I noted a lot of rubbish on the substrate. But every morning when I turned on the lights, the gravel was spotless.

I'm assuming that the fact the fishes were not swimming around at night and disturbing the currents, that the circular current became effective.

I NEVER did a gravel vacuum on this set up.

Granted at the time I was not into heavy plants. Now my new tank doesn't have this hood filter.

 

Hey Jesse

Whats a HOB filter? Sorry still new at this

 

HOB filter = Hang on back filter..it has syphon pipe to pull up the water which goes through activated carbon and sponge and then it has a drip try where the water it let out into the tank, the filter hangs on to the tank...

 

JesseG by extending the pipe, what effect does this have on the pump? I believe the pump will have to work harder in order to suck water over a larger a distance...I might be wrong

 

Yes basically i extended the pipe (+-1.5m extra). Takes a little bit longer to get it going but still pumps the same. Looking to get another pump soon for another purpose unknown to me at this moment

 

You make a good point RuanM. This will more than likely force the pump to over-work, and thus drop the effeciency of the filter entirely. It would also lessen the lifespan of the pump as it is now working under strain.

It's a good idea tho.

 

Why don't you use the idea of the pool skimmer?

 

I personally think the dangers of getting a fish caught in a skimmer would discourange most people from trying something like that?

 

True, when i first powered it up i stood out my room for one minute only to come back and see my poor fish in there. I now have a cut bottle surrounding the top but a small piece.

I still think it was a good try though. I sometimes stare and just think of any ways possible to make my tank a little different yet still functional.

 

Very nice! I would like to give something like that a try.

 

out of curiosity . if you feed your fish floating flakes and other floating foods doesn't it get sucked up? this would not be cool to say the least

 

Pipes are 15 or 20mm so not sure that it will get stuck. But you never no, theres a \nother down side to it

 

hey guys, yes, i know that the pump would be overworked if the pipe is increased...but i am putting in another 800l/h HOB..the reason for the extension is as i've stated previously is because all the muck along with plant bits don't get sucked up by the filter because of the airstone, so i would have the second filter on the other side of the tank...i would have went the internal filter way but i don't like seeing a filter inside the tank...so, this is my solution...i don't have a big amount of cash to spend on equipment, this is what my pocket can afford, if anyone has a better idea, i'm all ears...thanks for the advice though

 

Generally we don't rely 100% on the filters to take out the muck that get's stuck on the gravel, plants, rocks etc. For that we use a gravel vacuum.

 

okay Zoom, i have sand in my tank, if i use a gravel vacuum then the sand will be vacuumed, hence my dilemma...

 

just read over this thread.

idea sounds good, but have a very queries about it.

1) dont u think it will look ugly? our mission is to have as much equipment out of the tank than in the tank?
2) why dont you drill your tank and then that is enough surface skimming. all the miff stuff will float over and all u do is put filter flowss which poshes off the water and also catches nasties.

3) if you do go this route, get egg crate. unless you have fish like guppies/neons, etc that are very small then they wont get sucked down the pipe.

imo, this is a mission just to get surface skimming. i cant believe people dont add sumps to thier tanks. you will have tons of extra filtration and even more water capacity which makes the tank more stable

 

hi theo,

the idea of drilling my tank is definately not an option, don't be mistaken i haven't completely settled on the idea of extending pipes...my first thought was a sump but then i had to get an overflow pipe...also, i will need another tank, which i don't have...but if i get one, then a sump is definately on...i might get one in 2 weeks or so...its just hard to be patient!!!!

 

patients and fish keeping.. hard to put these in the same sentence!!

there is a diy overflow method and doesnt involve drilling. but i suggest get it drilled.

oh, and another thing. for those of you who have floating flakes and worry about them going "over the falls" or getting skimmed away, just get the flake and rub it together under the water. it absorbs the water and then sinks