New Filter Idea

[aqua786]

Hi guys and girls,im going to be starting a 5x2x2 project shortly and ive been wondering,becuase of the depth of this aquarium i want a set up where i dont really have to interfere with the filter for quite some time.I have seen a set up where there was a partition created using a back to nature background which was silliconed 5 inches from the back wall of the tank creating a 5ftx2ftx 5inch partition,this is quite a big compartment,all of this was stuffed full of various filter media,this was run by a small pond pump apparently,i didnt have time to ask how the pump was hooked up to this,i guess an inlet into the back compartment and an out let out of the compartment,but if any of you guys know remotly what im talking about please can you enlighten me,sorry for being so dizzy,but diy filters or anything diy come to think of it is not a strong point for me,sorry!! any comments and ideas please,would be appreciated.

 

[Hermithall]

I've never heard of that done before but it sounds like a good idea in theory because of the huge volume of filter media you'd have. I imagine a densely packed partition would fail to give a decent circulation of water across 5 foot of filter media though. You might have to arrange your media loosely and leave plenty of water flow channels. Not sure what to use to pump water through the filter, maybe powerful power heads of some kind suction cupped to the glass inside the filter compartment - there's bound to be something on the market, and you can drill those fibre glass/resin backgrounds for intake and outlet holes, they are drillable. Use gauze and silicone on the intake holes to stop fish getting sucked through. Where there's a will there's a way, good luck with the project.

 

[aqua786]

I've never heard of that done before but it sounds like a good idea in theory because of the huge volume of filter media you'd have. I imagine a densely packed partition would fail to give a decent circulation of water across 5 foot of filter media though. You might have to arrange your media loosely and leave plenty of water flow channels. Not sure what to use to pump water through the filter, maybe powerful power heads of some kind suction cupped to the glass inside the filter compartment - there's bound to be something on the market, and you can drill those fibre glass/resin backgrounds for intake and outlet holes, they are drillable. Use gauze and silicone on the intake holes to stop fish getting sucked through. Where there's a will there's a way, good luck with the project.

Hi,your right,i think without the right power heads or pump water circulation would be difficult,i guess its working out the easyest route the water takes through the filter and that would be to see how the water flows naturally and arrange the media accordingly,thanks for the advice,will be keeping everyone posted,never know,i might just simplify everything and go for a sump !!