# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Filter idea for smaller tanks



## Wheeler (Feb 8, 2004)

Hey gang, 

I had a brain storm and I wanted to hear your input:

I've been thinking about the best way to filter a 10g tank without spending a ton of dough on a canister. I'm not real interested in a power filter for obvious reasons....Most notably reduced CO2 reaction.

Here's my idea. I kinda got the idea when I was reading about DIY CO2 reactors and thought I wished that I could do domething similar on a smaller tank and keep it very simple and combine filter and reactor. 

Would I be able to use a powerhead that draws into a 6-8" long PVC tube (like a DIY CO2 reactor) with some media and feed the water back in via a spray bar? I'm guessing that, for filtration purposes, I could even make the PVC media chamber/reactor as short as 4" and hang it on the back of the tank. What do you think is a good length for a CO2 reactor on a 10g? I'll use open celled foam as the media for sure if that matters.

I figure there would be about 24" or less distance for the water travel including the PVC pipe. Now here's the other thing. I'd like to mount the powerhead *outside* of the aquarium and attach an intake tube to the powerhead mounted on the back of the tank with a HOT Magnum intake strainer. Can a PH run outside of the aquarium as long as the motor stays wet?

I could epoxy a CO2 intake into the side of the PVC tube just like a CO2 reactor. I would need to fashion some sort of bubble counter for sure.

See any holes in this? What did I forget or miss? I figure I can do all of this for less than $25, so it's sounding pretty good. Plus I could get even more equipment out of the tank......

TIA!

Best wishes,
John Wheeler


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## Wheeler (Feb 8, 2004)

Hey gang, 

I had a brain storm and I wanted to hear your input:

I've been thinking about the best way to filter a 10g tank without spending a ton of dough on a canister. I'm not real interested in a power filter for obvious reasons....Most notably reduced CO2 reaction.

Here's my idea. I kinda got the idea when I was reading about DIY CO2 reactors and thought I wished that I could do domething similar on a smaller tank and keep it very simple and combine filter and reactor. 

Would I be able to use a powerhead that draws into a 6-8" long PVC tube (like a DIY CO2 reactor) with some media and feed the water back in via a spray bar? I'm guessing that, for filtration purposes, I could even make the PVC media chamber/reactor as short as 4" and hang it on the back of the tank. What do you think is a good length for a CO2 reactor on a 10g? I'll use open celled foam as the media for sure if that matters.

I figure there would be about 24" or less distance for the water travel including the PVC pipe. Now here's the other thing. I'd like to mount the powerhead *outside* of the aquarium and attach an intake tube to the powerhead mounted on the back of the tank with a HOT Magnum intake strainer. Can a PH run outside of the aquarium as long as the motor stays wet?

I could epoxy a CO2 intake into the side of the PVC tube just like a CO2 reactor. I would need to fashion some sort of bubble counter for sure.

See any holes in this? What did I forget or miss? I figure I can do all of this for less than $25, so it's sounding pretty good. Plus I could get even more equipment out of the tank......

TIA!

Best wishes,
John Wheeler


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## ChrisS (Feb 3, 2003)

You could go cheaper and do less work feeding your CO2 thru the intake of an AquaClear Mini with 2 pieces of foam for media. The AC Mini won't disturb your surface too much, so you won't lose much CO2. HTH.!


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## Wheeler (Feb 8, 2004)

I've never been able to keep an AC from overflowing with 2 pieces of foam. I love AC's, but you can't get the same kind of flexibility from a HOB that you can from a canister style filter, and that's the excersize here.

I have run HOB's with success before, but for the same $$, I think I can up the efficiency. That's if the design will actually work









Best wishes,
John Wheeler


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## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

A) If run the pump external, you will really want an inline pump. That will be more money. 

B) Keep in mind that you will need to clean and service the filter. A PVC tube will be harder to do this with.

*** The design is workable but in the end a Fluval 104 is $46. For the extra $20, would you rather have something made for the purpose? I like the DIY idea, but in the long term the $ saves may be offset my the time spend maintaining it.

James Hoftiezer


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## AndyL (Jun 5, 2004)

This link should give you a good idea. Found it on another board, I figure by adjusting pump size, it could be made to work for a smaller tank.

http://www.aquaticsbykr.com/DIYCanisterFilter.htm

Andy

Andy L

Man created Planted Fish tanks, God created algae.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

I'm running a AC with two pieces of foam and a bag of crushed coral right now. I have never had it overflow. The key is cleaning it once in a while.

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## Wheeler (Feb 8, 2004)

OK, good points, James. 

What if I installed an intake tube on the power head and ran it inside the tank? I could send the output side to the PVC media tube which would hang on the outside. If I set up the PH inside the tank it'll take away my "less equipment in the tank" idea, but I'll still get an enclosed filter and reactor. Will a powerhead push water enough to make it through all that tubing (18-24", I'm guessing)?

I know there'll be maintenance issues, but there is with any filter. I'm not sure it'll be any worse, on that front, than an internal filter or a HOB. I could also cut down on maintenance by using a smaller bio-media rather than an open celled foam. 

I want to set up multiple 10g's. Just looking for a way to cut down on $$'s. Roger Miller and I had discussed a filter for smaller tanks on the old board, and this is kinda modeled after that. 

I wish someone would do for us what Dennerle is doing for the Europeans, and life would be easier.

Best wishes,
John Wheeler


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## Wheeler (Feb 8, 2004)

Rex,

My AC's overflow brand new out of the box. I've had 6-8 AC's, and *none* of them would accept 2 foam blocks without overflowing. In fact, I've returned a couple for overflowing with *no* media at all. Maybe my water flows faster than yours. HAHA!!

I clean my HOB filters quite regularly, thank you









HOB's are lousy alternatives to canisters (but not bad filters). It's just a shame that getting one on a smaller tank is so difficult.....I shoulda bought all those Fluval 103's at $30 a pop on clearance.

I may just bite the bullet and get Fluvals. Anyone tried the ViaAqua canisters? I was really looking forward to a DIY project. *sigh*

Best wishes,
John Wheeler


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## JamesHoftiezer (Feb 2, 2003)

That's a great link on the omni filter.

As moderator of the DIY forum, I never discourage projects, but I do play devil's advocate every once in a while









A power head in the tank is a very small item that you should be able to hide easily. I always overkill on the size of the pump and then throttle it back a little if necessary. larger and slower runs longer and better than small and overworked.

If you do use the PVC idea, I would use a something with a big threaded cap on it for doing maintenance.

James Hoftiezer


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## TheDude (Feb 17, 2003)

I just put something like that together. I had 2 Powerhead 301's laying around and wanted to get rid of my AC on my 45 gallon tank. I also had 2 prefilters for the powerheads, storebought, not exactly DIY. The outputs of the 2 PH's go through a single spray bar near the bottom of the tank. I've made many spray bars before, and have disliked having them near the middle of the tank. Too bright! PVC is rather unsightly and I figured the plants would cover it alot easier if it were near the bottom. Anyway, have fun.

TheDude


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## GulfCoastAquarian (Feb 3, 2003)

I say use your creativity and try the powerhead/CO2 reactor/filter thing. You need to put the PH in the tank because it uses tank water to keep the motor cool. Outside, inline pumps have bearings and fans that use air to keep it cool.

A small 600lph PH shouldn't provide TOO much of a visual disturbance, though. I'm going to be setting up another 20g planted tank soon and I'm going to use a 600lph Rio Pump, feeding 1/2" PVC that leads to a home-made 4" dia PVC CO2 reactor with bio-balls. The bioballs will provide enough surface area for the small amount of nitrification I'm going after. The primary filter in a heavily planted tank are the plants, anyway. Just think of how much surface area one mat of Riccia has.

-Sam P, BSME
My Website


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