# DIY canister filter possibility



## paaschjc (Nov 16, 2005)

I've been thinking about how to filter my new 240g tank with 2 overflows. I thought about doing a sump but now am thinking about a large canister filter. I'm pretty much assuming that the plants will do most of the biological filtering and the canister should really only remove large particles and provide circulation. With 240g of water, even a large canister filter doesn't really provide that much circulation. However a nice large external pump could really move some water around but lacks the mechanical filtration. Using a sump with an external pump creates a loss of CO2. So I'm thinking maybe I can get a nice large pump and make a canister type container to do my mechanical filtration (i.e. sort of like a closed sump). So now I'm thinking about possible containers and one of my dog food storage containers came to mind.
Here is a link to what I'm talking about it.

http://www.petedge.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=513&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=408&iSubCat=476&iSubSubCat=488&iProductID=513

Using ball valves and bulkheads, you could have a hose coming in on the top of the container through the lid or even the sides, let the water flow through the media and then drill another hole on the side bottom and attach external pump which leads back into the return holes in the overflows.

Do you think this would work?


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

I've been pretty unhappy with the issues of commercial canister filters that are inexpensive and I've been looking into what you desribe - a DIY canister filter.

There are no cheap *and* reliable containers out there. The best bet is to make your own housing using large diameter PVC pipe and flanges. Something like that:
http://users.forthnet.gr/pat/ekfrasis/P4210022.JPG

--Nikolay


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## paaschjc (Nov 16, 2005)

Very cool picture. WHere do you get the materials for something like that?


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

I think using clear PVC may be a better idea. Something like a calcium reactor or protein skimmer.


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## brianclaw (May 17, 2005)

Wouldn't clear pvc let too much light in for our darkness-loving bacteria colonies?


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

Unless you're trying to convert nitrate to nitrogen, I don't think light will be an issues, especially if it is in your cabinet. Nevertheless, you can get smoked acrylic that is brinze and will shield sufficient light to prevent algae growth while letting you see what is going on inside.


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## paaschjc (Nov 16, 2005)

Art, where would you get PVC or acrylic of sufficient size like that?


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

www.mcmaster.com


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

A clear PVC filter housing would be cool looking but what are the prices of say 1-1/2 ft long 8" diameter clear acrylic tube with wall that is not too thin? 

In any case, after adding up time, effort, and parts one is better off buying OceanClear canisters and custom plumb them.

I was looking for a rock bottom cheap and super reliable solution. 8" PVC pipe seems the best bet, but I don't know how to cut the pipe and the flanges precisely, without having to pay to do it on a lathe.

--Nikolay


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## stcyrwm (Apr 20, 2005)

Would a household sediment filter like this one:http://yourkitchen.com.ru/browse-replacement-water-filters/page_17.html be a big enough size to use as a container? I've always thought it would be a simple way to do DIY filter. They already come with sealed connections, shutoffs etc. Plumb it in and out of tank with a submersible pump and you'd be done. They also make these to handle two cartridges which would make it twice as deep or even bigger units.

Bill


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Few months ago I used one of these drinking water filters with a 20 micron cartridge. I had the 10" long housing hoping that the surface area of the cartridge will be sufficient to handle the flow for some time without plugging.

What I learned is that I must have a prefilter that retains the coarser particles. If you use a micron cartridge without it it gets plugged up in no time - think 1 or 2 days. The flow is reduced severely.

The best setup would be to have several of these housings in a series so the water is being gradually filtered from say 150 to 100 (human hair diameter is about 70-100) to 70 to 50 to 20 to even 10 microns.

One of the guys in our club is successfully using a single housing and a micron cartridge hooked up to a 700 gph external pump. What he does is just replace the micron cartridge every week. He has no other filter. He changes a little water every day so his water is probably void of bigger floating particles. He says that when the micron cartridge gets plugged up the pump starts to make a noise and gets a bit too hot because of the back pressure. He also forces the CO2 through the same micron cartridge which to him has proven as a good way to break the bubbles down to a micron size. Here are some pictures:

http://www.aquatic-plants.org/gallery/Memorable-Moments-of-Wus-Aquarium

These drinking water filters can succesfully be used to treat with Active Carbon or other chemicals because of the ease of maintenance. I'd choose the housing that has 3/4" connections (mine was only about 1/2") to ease the water flow.

--Nikolay


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