# [Wet Thumb Forum]-GREAT!!! DIY canister filter using PVC



## BobAlston (Jan 23, 2004)

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=52761&start=0

Bob


----------



## Paul Higashikawa (Mar 18, 2004)

Don't know if I'll ever get that technical and mechanical, but it was certainly a great read and an inspirational experience! Thanks, Bob!

Paul


----------



## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

There are two innovations here that I think really stand out.

One is the flat ABS cap.
The other is the expandable end plug.

I think this guy put together a really cool little set up.


----------



## grattwood (Dec 16, 2003)

In a setup like that one, say the filter is 4 feet below your tank. Is that 4feet of head, or 0 feet of head. I was planning on trying this out as a winter project, and I don't want to over size the pump.

Thx,
Glenn


----------



## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

A simplified way to measure it would be the lowest point to the highest point.

If the filter is 4ft below the TOP edge of the aquarium then it is considered 4ft of head.


----------



## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

The elevation difference between the tank and the filter doesn't have much to do with the lift. That is measured by the difference in head on the intake side of the pump (not the filter) and the outlet side of the pump (not the filter). That difference can be anywhere from 0 to a maximum of some 10's of feet plus any elevation difference between the inlet and outlet. Very large head differences are caused by dynamic losses in the filter media.


Roger Miller


----------



## Nocturnus (Oct 19, 2004)

Wow, i see my weekend project starting. How do I go about to figure the size of the pump I need?


----------



## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

Figure out the height the water has to be pumped and the turnover you want in the aquarium.

I would always suggest to turn over the water in the aquarium at least 1-2 times an hour. More is sustainable just make sure you don't blow away the fish and plants.

Let's say you want to pump 40gph. Its easy to find a small pump to handle this. The big thing might be the pump head. The first number you'll see when looking at the pump is the flow at 0ft height. The flow will decrease as the height the water must be pumped increases. If you have 4ft from the bottom of the filter to the top of the tank its conceivable you will need a 100gph pump to manage it.

When buying pumps, always go to the manufacturer's site and get the chart of flow vs. height. It will tell you which size you need.

Here's an example (sorry about the format but its a cut-n-paste). PLease note that the example is for larger pumps than you will need;

Supreme Mag-Drive Pumps for Ponds and Aquariums

Head Feet 0 2 4 6 8 10 Max ht Watts

Mag Drive #2 Flow (gph)
Mag Drive #3 Flow (gph) 350 325 270 177 77 20 10'
Mag Drive #5 Flow (gph) 500 410 310 180 75 10 10' 45
Mag Drive #7 Flow (gph) 700 550 480 400 300 120 13' 65
Mag Drive #9.5 Flow (gph) 950 900 800 720 600 400 15' 93
Mag Drive #12 Flow (gph) 1200 1150 1100 910 700 600 15' 110
Mag Drive #18 Flow (gph) 1800 1610 1350 1100 1000 900 21' 120
Mag Drive #24 Flow (gph) 2400 2200 1900 1700 1500 20' 265
Mag Drive #36 Flow (gph) 3600 3300 2900 2700 2500 24' 360
Mag Drive 5000gp Flow (gph) 5000 4250 3000 28' 475


----------



## Nocturnus (Oct 19, 2004)

I was reading somewhere about a method of finding the right size by multiplying tank size by 10. So i'd have 200 then. So i'd get something that flowed more then that.. I thing a mag drive #3 would work, it flows 270 @ 4ft. Only thing i've gotta figure out is priming, since i'd be going up and over the back of the tank.


----------



## 83mulligan (Dec 28, 2004)

Why doesn't anyone build a flow through cannister filter where the water enters at the bottom and discharges at the top? Would this not accomplish the same goal. I was thinking of doing this and placing the heater right inside the bio section. What is the need for the water to travel up, then back down? It seems more logical to just keep it right on truckin' back to the tank.


----------



## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

porbably more time spent by the water in the media.


----------



## 83mulligan (Dec 28, 2004)

Wouldn't that just be a function of the volume of the cannister? 12" up and 12" down = 24". 24" up = 24" up. Seems like there would also be less chance for air buildup at the top of the cannister. For a planted tank this seems like alot of overkill anyway. With regular water changes the planted tank shouldn't need nearly that much filtration. Filter floss and bio media and the heater are all I would put in and it will probably be just tall enough to enclose a titanium heater.


----------



## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

should i try this with a powerhead? it runs 220 gph. the head is 4 foot, but i know it runs well at this distance.


----------



## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

anyone?


----------



## Margolis (Sep 22, 2004)

> quote:
> 
> Originally posted by russell:
> should i try this with a powerhead? it runs 220 gph. the head is 4 foot, but i know it runs well at this distance.


I doubt it very seriously. First off, calling it a powerhead implies that it has to be submersed at all times. You will need a pump capable of running externally for this application.

what kind of "powerhead" is it?


----------



## imported_russell (Sep 14, 2004)

can't remember off hand. it's the one that you get with a 13W jebo uvsterilizer. it says 220 gph. couldn't i just hook the hose into it and it push the water all the way through the filter? it already goes down 4 feet to the uv sterilizer then back up.


----------



## Steve Tillman (Mar 24, 2005)

ok, someone said earlier why not to keep the upward motion of water and make it just 2 feet up. . . well, i made this exact design, based on aesiks, and i can tell you that it must be cut in half, because the diameter is only 4 inches, if you were to simply make it 2 feet long, then you wouldnt be able to fit your arm all the way down to clean it. you could, however, make it 2 feet long if you had 2 removable test plugs on there, so you can clean out the other half as well. i have to say that i built this thing, and it was soo easy that i might have to make more. i dont have access to any expensive tools, all i had was a powerdrill and a handsaw. plus, i am only 15, so this should give you guys some clues as to how easy this build was. if you want some pics of mine, i will have some soon, email me. . . [email protected]

-steve


----------



## Steve Tillman (Mar 24, 2005)

russell, you are asking if you can use a powerhead on this. . . well, sure you can, but not one at 220 gph. i am using a mag 7, thats 700 gph, and after all the flow restrictions in the canister, it now only flows about 300 gph. dont worry about head hight, because there isnt any head in canister filters, because the inlet and outlet tubes make an equal balance. but, without any head, it is vacuum formed, and does lose some gph. this is why i suggest centrifugal pumps, they are much better in this application than any other pump. chances are, your powerhead is a centrifugal pump, but it still isnt powerfull enough. after the whole thing is setup, you will probably only have about 80 gph. if you can squeeze in more money after makeing one of these filters, go ahead and get a mag 7 for 62 bucks after shipping at www.bigalsonline.com. that is by far the best place with the best prices online. if you are actually using this for a larger tank, like 55 gallons plus, i would suggest getting a mag 9, because after all the restictions,it would have about 500 gph, which is perfect for a solo filter on a 55. if anyone has any questions regarding this filter, you can email me at [email protected].
-steve


----------



## Steve Tillman (Mar 24, 2005)

haha, check it out, i have a total of 3 posts! woohoo, im on fire!


----------

