DIY filtration. Will this work

[Cossack1977]

Hello all.
I have got a 180 gallon tropical tank. Very heavy plant and fish load.
over 40% of the tank would be driftwood. The problem is that the water never looks crystal clear. There are always particles floating around.

Current filtration: 2 x eheim 2128 and 2 x 9 watt uv sterilizers

I do a 50% water change every second week and clean the filters once a month.
I feed the fish tuesday - thursday - saturday.

I am thinking of selling of my eheims which are only 3 months old and building a DIY settup and want to know if it will work.

I have had a look into water filtration systems and think i might make this filter out of those parts.

plan:

Tank - 9 watt uv filter - 10" housing with 50 micron pleated filter - 1200-2400lh pump - 10" housing with 20 micron pleated filter - 10" housing with a 1" micron pleated filter - 10" housing with bilogical media - 10" housing with biological media - 9 watt uv filter - co2 reactor - tank

What do you think?
Will this work?
would this give me polished crystal clear water?

I would like feedback as i am looking at starting this sometime this week if i get feedback that it will work. Should cost me around the same price as one of the filters im selling

 

[Dorkhedeos]

isnt it better if the water isnt crystal clear? it looks more natural if the water is a little yellow. places where there is driftwood usually have yellow water and have stuff floating around

 

[Cossack1977]

hmmmm I really thought i would hve had some feedback by now

Im really interested if this type of filtration would work.
The mechanical side of it would be great being able to filter down to 1 micron so it would get rid of things like ich. It should also clean the water up really well.
The biological side might need some work. Maybe a fluidized bed filter instead of the 2 housings filled with biological media.

Come on guys surely a few of you out there can lend me some advice.

An yes i want the water to be clearer its one thing looking natural its another thing looking dirty. I want to be able to look into the tank and not see particles floating everywhere.

 

[Rivermud76]

First I would guess that your going to get real tired of changing your filters all of the time.

You will need a shut-off valve at the tank to prevent any siphon draining while you change/clean filters.

I would suggest using a UGJ - Overflow - Wet/Dry - Fluidized Bed - and your two ehiems.

You can use the returns from the ehiems to power the UGJ's and the Fluidized bed. The Fluidized bed will provide all the biologic you'd need. The UGJ's will keep all the water in your tank moving thus killing any dead spots. The ehiems will take care of most of the detrious and the overflow will skim the top layer of water removing a very large portion of the detrious matter as well..

You setup would probably be okay but it would have too many places for problems and you would have to have shutoff valves and some way to drain the system in order to change any filtration. atleast the the way I read it.

 

[Cossack1977]

The pleated filters i would be using are washable. They are actually designed to go between the mains and the house so have about a 20,000litre life which they claim in a 4 person house 1-2 years. In a closed loop system i should at least get that.

In the filter housings i ws going to install a drain tap into each base to drain when a clean is required there would also be a tap between the tank and the first filter.

The only real concern i have is how hard it would be to prime and what about biological filtration.

Can i also ask what a UGJ is?

There is no possible way i could pull apart the tank to do any tank mods what so ever.

Reason:

 

[DannyBoy17]

UGF = Under Gravel Filter. I dont like em

I think your tank looks fine! The driftwood will naturally do that. And it doesnt look too overstocked to me! Throw some more Angels in there

DB

 

[Aulonochromis]

From the photo, it looks like you have either a bacterial bloom happening, or a green water algae bloom is about to explode. How long has it been that cloudy?

 

[Rivermud76]

UGF = Undergravel Filter

UGJ = Undergravel Jet.. something completely different and what I was refering to.

An undergravel jet system is a setup of pvc jet heads that keep the water circulating in your tank.

The above is an example of a nice setup, not mine. It is powered by some sort of powerhead or other pump. The water comes out of the jets and keeps detrious from settling on the sand or in the substrate. The other added benefit to this is keeping your tank from having "dead spots" as all the water is in motion. Most people design their ugjs to point in the same general direction, this causes the water to circulate and also make sure that all of the detrious is forced to go by the prefilter and often gets trpped there. This helps cut down on the need to sand/gravel vacuuming so often.

One Option

The link above details my take on a ugj system. I prefer to have my filters in remote areas.. Now if you use an Ehiem to power the UGJ this is a moot point but if you use a powerhead it is very valid.

How to DIY UGJ

The link above is a great how to document. The design is old and many people have modified it but it will do the job...

As for a Fuildized Bed.... a link to some DIY pages

Fluidized Bed Filter


Anyway, the ugj's aren't an option for you but others may appreciate the info here.

 

[RandyStacyE]

I would use a sump if you do not have one already. I would use a UV steralizer, higher wattage the better. I recently purchased a JEBO UV on eBay. Though cheap, they work like a champ.

If absolute clarity is what your looking for I could suggest a DIY canister filter that I would place in your sump or hang on the tank. Besides that I would use a sump; you can place all your equipment in there.

I have went round and round trying to find the most economical, highest performing, lowest maintenance canister filter for my money. I almost bought a Hot Magnum but no filter seemed worth the dough. So I made my own. Shown below:
http/www.imagestation.com/album/pictures...130240017&idx=1

All you need is a decent inline pump or submersible; however it best suits your system. When the sediment filter becomes expired, cut away the filter material and you will be left with a plastic core. Simply wrap polyfill sheet or felt around the core and SHAZAM…..a DIY filter element. I like to use kite string to bind the material to the core.

I guarantee this filter will out perform any other prefab filter in cost, performance, and reliability.

I don’t use this filter any more since I now use filter socks; but for those who prefer canisters – this is the way to go.

 

[simonbrown403]

I read an artical on a simalar problem in a magizine, the answer was to link 2 fillters together in tandem, the 1st filled with poly filter wool and the second with bio/ chemical medium, idea being to increase mercanical filtration, to filter out the sediment and decrease the load on the filter (prefilter) worth a try

be carefull with the setup of sump fillters, they can over flow, if the pump malfunctions.
drilling the tank for a overflow system is best, either at the back if you dont want to empty your tank, or idealy in the base, and build a coloum around it, and fill it with poly filter wool, to prefilter the water, and reduse the load on the filter


this is 1 i built in my discus tank, not pritty but works a treat
( click on link below)
http/www.imagestation.com/album/pictures...129012595&idx=9

 

[sub.42]

Hi all,

Sump systems are ok, and safe as long as you have the same volume available above the weir, as is held by the sump. Thus meaning that if the weir blocks, or some other fault develops, such as a blocked return to the sump, you wont get a flooded house! You will only kill your pump! A sensible safety system.

I'm still working on my filter system, now powered by a frequency convertor, with a three phase pump and TDS meter built in. The theory being that the filter system will be able to respond to a rise in crude TDS (total dissolved solids) levels, and increase the water turnover rate to suit. Mind blowingly complex, and V.expensive. But not when you can salvage bits from work to play with.....

The only problem is that the probe being used is generally only used for RO water measurement, and I may have to add a photoelectric cell to the sensor array to complete the picture.....it was supposed to be cheap!

And quiet!......hmm.

Sub.

 

[BigC]

Have you heard of a diatomic filter, they are more common in the US, I don't know if you can get them where you are but if you can get hold of one of the cannister types they are amazing I've seen one in action years ago and they make your water Gin clear.
Here is a link for you to get the gist of what I'm on about. (I know it's from the states but it may be of some help)www.diatomfilter.com/products/diatom_d1_filter.htm

 

[Iron Man]

I know exactly what you are talking about. I had a 55 gallon set up for lots of mbunas once and poop was floating EVERYWHERE 24/7. Your problem is that you are using Eheims as your only mechanical filtration. If you ask me....Eheims are NOT mechanical filters but biological/chemical wonders. They are superior filters in everyway but they will not suck a large piece of ANYTHING. I had only a 2217 on mine (rated by Eheim to up to 160 gallons) and had to put my Emperor 400 back on the tank to keep up with the poop.

You can hook everything up to your Eheims as suggested but all you're going to be doing is adding to the problem....you're just going to slow the Eheims down even more. Also by the time you were to distribute their outlet flows into the required amount of UGJs for that large tank...the water flow coming out will be WAY too gentle to do any good for anything.

I think your idea is fine. If I were you....I'd look into a rainbow filter type setup. You can even by a "kit" complete with a rainbow mechanical cartridge AND a matching powerhead. I forget who put this together and who sells it...oh wait the magazine is right here.....

The ad says the kit comes with Customflo Water System to create desired water circulation patterns, Quiet One 4000 High Head Pump, AF 94 Mechanical Filter with internal carbon/biological chamber and replaceable outer filter pleat, and shut off valves, flexible tubing, and necessary fittings to complete installation.

Its distributed by Pentair Aquatics and their website is www.pentairaquatics.com


Now I would definately jump on this kit as this will also eliminate all unsightly powerheads, tubing, etc....it would solve the low water flow problem experienced with Eheims...and it would be a cinch to maintain.

One problem though for me is....it has to be near silent. I don't have any experience with Quiet One ph's or any other external ph's but would really really like to know where I could find a quiet/silent one for my application as well as I'm just as interested in this as you are.

Hope it all works out for ya!

 

[garbodude]

hey guys

if you want diy filtration is better then most things you can buy (unless u have lots of money) . but u sacrefice space and looks.

you should check out this pagehttp/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/diy_...ss_overflow.php

then u could hav a sump under your tank. with a large bucket full of mechanical stuff foam etc. dont use such fin micron filters as they will clog up super fast.

you could build a fluidised bed filter, there is one i built at my sig and then y could still have your 2 ehimes, pumping out of your sump and bach into the sump. ps the sump can be anything ie big plastic container.

lett us know
al

 

[kamel_007]

Hello all.
I have got a 180 gallon tropical tank. Very heavy plant and fish load.
over 40% of the tank would be driftwood. The problem is that the water never looks crystal clear. There are always particles floating around.

Current filtration: 2 x eheim 2128 and 2 x 9 watt uv sterilizers

I do a 50% water change every second week and clean the filters once a month.
I feed the fish tuesday - thursday - saturday.

I am thinking of selling of my eheims which are only 3 months old and building a DIY settup and want to know if it will work.

I have had a look into water filtration systems and think i might make this filter out of those parts.

plan:

Tank - 9 watt uv filter - 10" housing with 50 micron pleated filter - 1200-2400lh pump - 10" housing with 20 micron pleated filter - 10" housing with a 1" micron pleated filter - 10" housing with bilogical media - 10" housing with biological media - 9 watt uv filter - co2 reactor - tank

What do you think?
Will this work?
would this give me polished crystal clear water?

I would like feedback as i am looking at starting this sometime this week if i get feedback that it will work. Should cost me around the same price as one of the filters im selling

man..

your filter is ok..

to create a crystal water use ACTIVATED CARBON ONLY..

trust me, i have a DRIFT WOOD too, make my water yellowish,,,

when i get carbon, water become crystal (you can't belive that!)

WITHOUT CHANGE WATER!!!