# DIY JBN's Nano Canister Filter, pics and videos



## PlantsAndMe (Apr 3, 2005)

Hey guys, you probably don't remember me but I'm the guy that started this thread:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...1782-diy-mini-canister-filter-nano-tanks.html

Note: Yes, I'm also JBN from Plantedtank.net hahaha, sorry for the wrong name in the title =)

Anyways, I decided to build the real thing and here's what I have so far.

Cost so far: 
16.8 cups Lock & Lock Container at Walmart (about 1 gallon): ~ $5.72
Watts Nylon L-shape (A-296) 3/8" x 1/2": $1.78 @ Lowes
#4 clamp 1/4"-5/8" (2 of them): $.088 @ Lowes
Pump: Free of charge because it was from a fountain pump

The container









The tools, oh which one do I use?









This is what I use to drill the hole with:









Here's what I use to file the edges and make the hole larger:









Intake with container:



























To drill the return hole for the pump, I use this:









Pump, nice and tight:



























My poor sandals 









Directions:
1) Buy the materials listed above (I'm aware it's not yet completed)

2) Take the drill and drill a hole using that drill bit I used in image 3. To drill, simply remove the cap, lay the container on the floor, and poke a small hole where you want your hole to be. This small hole will be where you place that pointed tip of the drill bit. Then simply drill straight down and in 10 seconds you'll find a nice hole. NOTE: Find a drill bit SLIGHTLY SMALLER than the L-shape joint so you can screw in the L-shape joint easier after filing it with the filer.

3) Take a regular drill bit that is smaller than your pump opening and shove the pump outlet through it.

Here is two videos so far on how to screw in the L-joint and shoving in the pump outlet:


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Do you have any hints on arranging the filter media? How best to assure that the water is passing through and not around whatever media you choose?

Have you tried different pumps with this style of filter with the goal of seeing:
a) Do some pumps plug up faster and quit vs. others that seem resistant to a little bit of debris and keep on going. 
b) Are some pumps so strong that they would collapse the container?
c) What sort of gallons per hour can you resonable expect, and is this rate maintained over time?
c-1) More gph suggests that the media would get full faster, require more frequent cleaning.
c-2) Smaller pump does not circulate the water so well, perhaps leading to more debris staying in the tank. 
d) How much does a particular pump contribute to the heat in the tank? Are certain brand names better than others this way? (More gph for less heat?)


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## PlantsAndMe (Apr 3, 2005)

Do you have any hints on arranging the filter media?
I haven't gotten that far yet hahaha, sorry. I shall keep you guys updated on the progress.

How best to assure that the water is passing through and not around whatever media you choose?
I would assume you would shove the filter materials by layers and separate them by canvas mesh or egg crates. There are plenty of room to put whatever materials you want.

Have you tried different pumps with this style of filter with the goal of seeing:
a) Do some pumps plug up faster and quit vs. others that seem resistant to a little bit of debris and keep on going.
I'm not sure what you mean by "plug up faster and quit". I use to have a regular pump in a sanded planted tank (worst experiment ever) and the pump worked perfectly even with sand blowing everywhere.

b) Are some pumps so strong that they would collapse the container?
Collapse as in collapsing downward or tipping the container over? The container is extremely durable and if you're afraid of it tipping over then weight it down with rocks or something heavy.

c) What sort of gallons per hour can you resonable expect, and is this rate maintained over time?
Actually I have no idea as the pump model and information wore out after repeated use (as you can see in that blank white sticker on the side)

c-1) More gph suggests that the media would get full faster, require more frequent cleaning.
Considering this is for a nano planted tank, I wouldn't believe the filter would require frequent cleaning. More gph would allow a stronger flow into the tank so I would believe it would allow more water to pass through the filter more frequently. 

c-2) Smaller pump does not circulate the water so well, perhaps leading to more debris staying in the tank.
That would depends on what you're keeping in your nano tank. Because this filter is for my shrimp tank (2.5 gallon) I'm not too worried about it being really dirty. You could always make the return pipe longer so it reaches near the gravel.

d) How much does a particular pump contribute to the heat in the tank? Are certain brand names better than others this way? (More gph for less heat?)
A small pump like the one I'm using barely generates any heat and because it is full submerged and the tank total capacity is about 3.5 gallon, I do not believe the pump would contribute more heat. I shall test out the temperature change after I get it working. I haven't worked with any other brands and I don't even know what this brand is hahahaha. I would assume more gph requires more power which more generate more heat.


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## ghengis (Jun 11, 2008)

Got any finished pics? Does water syphon from the tank, or do you rely on the pump to suck the water thru the entire system?

And by the way, those are THONGS, not sandals. Trust me, we Aussie's invented them, they are thongs.


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## ghengis (Jun 11, 2008)

What happened to the piccies??


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## PlantsAndMe (Apr 3, 2005)

Hmm I can't find the edit button so here's the old and updated pictures:

The container









The tools, oh which one do I use?









This is what I use to drill the hole with:









Here's what I use to file the edges and make the hole larger:









Intake with container:



























To drill the return hole for the pump, I use this:









Pump, nice and tight:



























My poor sandals 









Additional pictures:


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