Diy Canister

[guidedbyechoes]

I know the basics of making a canister except how much water should be used. Like a 30 gal US for instance would a gallon be over kill? I also want to set up a 75. I could use anything from a ice cream bucket to a 5 gallon bucket for that. Which would be closer?

 

[rabbut]

I have always wanted to have a go at this, but imagined it being very hard to get the thing waterproof, by-pass proof and easy to use. It would probibly need a lot of work to get to work right, so IMO it would be best to get a decent exturnal. However, if you are working on a budget, or want a challenge, then go for it

With canisters, the larger the better realy, so the 5 gal bucket's would be great for both. You then want a pump that will circulate 4-6 times the tanks capasity, and then you are set to give it a try. Remember that flow from any pump will be greatly reducd by pipeing being fitted to it to use it as a canister I also wouldn't try using this with expencive or delicate fish untill you have proven that it works correctly.

Filters are the most important pice of equipment on a tank, and if it fails, you will suffer heavy losses. My main piece of advise to you would be to realy think out the design if you are going to do it, and don't cut any corners that may compromise it's waterproof-ness or reliability

Best of luck with it
Rabbut

 

[guidedbyechoes]

I have always wanted to have a go at this, but imagined it being very hard to get the thing waterproof, by-pass proof and easy to use. It would probibly need a lot of work to get to work right, so IMO it would be best to get a decent exturnal. However, if you are working on a budget, or want a challenge, then go for it

With canisters, the larger the better realy, so the 5 gal bucket's would be great for both. You then want a pump that will circulate 4-6 times the tanks capasity, and then you are set to give it a try. Remember that flow from any pump will be greatly reducd by pipeing being fitted to it to use it as a canister I also wouldn't try using this with expencive or delicate fish untill you have proven that it works correctly.

Filters are the most important pice of equipment on a tank, and if it fails, you will suffer heavy losses. My main piece of advise to you would be to realy think out the design if you are going to do it, and don't cut any corners that may compromise it's waterproof-ness or reliability

Best of luck with it
Rabbut

I have two HOB filters and wanted to try to make one for my planted 30G. I was told they are better for not disturbing the surface as much. Also I'm planning on a cichlid tank and wanted to be able to over filter it so I could slightly overstock it. Also a friend of mine wanted to try one because there is a lot more maintenance with the HOB. So I will give it a go. I have an empty tank laying around so I can use it for testing the pump without worrying about harming the fish until I know it works its won't be used on anything living. Well besides bacteria

 

[rabbut]

I'd throw a load of soil into the tank also, to test for channeling before letting it loose on a tank with fish in The soil should be sucked it and then distributed through the media evenly. If it isn't there is an issue with the design somewhere. Also, throw some finely crushed food in too. Leave it to run for a few minuites, and in any comes out again, you know to look for and fix a filter media by-pass issue

HTH
Rabbut

 

[guidedbyechoes]

Just got back from the LFS and I shopped a couple other places. A pump the size I needed would be 100 dollars USD. Throw in the substrait and tubing and valves and it would be more than just purchasing an eheim canister of the same handling capacity. I'm just gonna go the easy route and buy one. The only materies I purchased before hand were cabon and a 5 gallon bucket so I'm not in the hole much

 

[rabbut]

That could have been a very good move. I realy would antisipate issues making a DIY canister work right

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Iron Man]

Please keep us up to date on your DIY canister. I'd like to follow along if you do pursue it.

There is no such thing as "overkill" with a canister filter, btw. I say get a 5 gallon! And if you had to, you could even connect multiple 5 gallon canisters together to make separate canisters for different media!

 

[andywg]

I'm just gonna go the easy route and buy one.

Please keep us up to date on your DIY canister.

 

[Iron Man]

Ahahahaa!!! I missed that one.

 

[jgray152]

im in the process of sketching out one my self.
<a href="http/midnightgray.net/images/filters/AquaX10/aquax104.JPG" target="_blank">http/midnightgray.net/images/filters/AquaX10/aquax104.JPG</a>

Gata wait a bit to buy the materials though. Should be able to run up to 1500-2000 GPH with it.
I have all the information on MFK.com and I know I can't link to it so I may make a thread on this forum.

It will use an external pump on the output side of the canister. After the canister purges mostly, the pump should get primed enough to run and start sucking in the rest of the air from the canister down through the small tube on the right side of the bucket.

Its not hard to make it water proof or bypas proof. use a 5 gallon bucket with Gamma Seal lids from Usplastics.com. Use DIY builkhead fittings such as this one;
<a href="http/midnightgray.net/images/filters/AquaX10/bulkhead3.jpg" target="_blank">http/midnightgray.net/images/filters/AquaX10/bulkhead3.jpg</a>

know the basics of making a canister except how much water should be used. Like a 30 gal US for instance would a gallon be over kill? I also want to set up a 75. I could use anything from a ice cream bucket to a 5 gallon bucket for that. Which would be closer?

Don't worry about the "size" being over kill. Worry about the flow blowing your fish around.

There are a few things you need to look at;
1. Top surface area. The more area you have the longer the filter will last without clogging, ask Fx5 owners about this.
2. Total surface area for bio media and mechanical filtration.
3. Velocity of flow. Flow that is to quick won't have a good contact time with bio media.
4. Purging. Without getting the filter to purge 100%, it will be thrown in the garbage very quickly.
5. Leak proof. Gamma Seal lids seem to be the only good lid to use for this application on buckets.
6. Making it efficient. If you don't design it correctly, you won't get near the max flow of the pump. External pumps use lots of power so creating a filter with the least amount of pressure drop is VERY important.

I would suggest seting up the inside of a bucket so the water swirls around it and use a plastic megaphone (similar to a velocity stack) to increase output.