DIY Mini Canister Filter

Orion · 05-22-2006, 08:46 AM

Now for the bad news: You can sorta see in the last two photo's that when I drilled the hole in the lid I slaughtered it. It's probably the worst hole I had ever drilled. For what ever reason the bit took out chunks of plastic in some parts of it, creating a very un-cirlce like hole. The o-ring on the inside covers the nicks in it, but the outside ring does not. The inside just isn't enough to create a good seal so I'm going to have to rework it somewhat to make a better seal. Also I don't like how far down into the container the pump now sits, so I may end up just scraping this lid and try out the other one and see if I can't do any better.

I noticed something as I was posting these pictures that I'm going to have to check on. The first pic of the new finished intake there is what appears to be a crack in the container. I didn't notice this before now. I'm hopeing that it's just a scratch on the plastic and not a crack. I didn't find it leaking from anywhere along the bottom when I tested it.

I belive that I'm also going to get some more threaded/barbed fittings and remake the intake and return hardware that sits in the tank.

Orion · 06-07-2006, 09:05 AM

Leave it to me to make things more complicated than they need to be. This is my new idea:

Yeah, probably to complicated for such a small filter. One problem I'm having with the 90degree barbed fittings is that it kills what little flow I had comeing out of the filter. So what I'm thinking I can do to correct this is to use 90 degree PVC elbows to make the turns, and use straight barb fittings to conect the harb plumbing to the tube's. The idea behind this is that since the inside of the PVC is going to be so much larger that it will not cut the flow rate as bad. I'll see how well this idea holds up.

I've not ordered the inline pump yet, but should do so soon. I'm sure that it will do a better job than the submersible that I'm currently useing. Then agian, I don't want a large amount of flow either.

Orion · 07-28-2006, 07:51 AM

Since Pure drug up this thread from another one, I figured I'd go ahead and update since he saved me the trouble of going and looking for it

I never have got around to trying my idea above, and don't think that I will. I'm sure that it would work great, but I just don't want to take the time to do something like that right now.

I've not done a whole lot in the past little bit. I added the 90degree elbows to the container, and while that really helps with getting the tubeing in the right place, it killed the flow rate from the small pump. Another problem with the small pump on the inside of the container I was having is that it wanted to pump water out of the container faster than it could suck water in. I'm sure that it wasn't leaking anywhere and letting air in, because I can watch a vacum form because it sucks the sides of the container in. Eh, go figure.

Last weekend I tried an external pump to see how that worked. All I did was hook up the motor from a duetto filter to the intake hose, and put the motor in water. This worked great. Flow rate was really improved because of the more powerfull pump. I would say it was going somewhere (just to guess) close to around 60-70 gph. So by the time I added any media it might be around 40-60, which is right where I would want it.

Now my issue is how to situate the pump in the tank without sucking up small shrimp. A while back I took another duetto filter and made it a power sponge filter. All I did was take the small pipes that held the sponges, and drilled two holes in the filter box of the duetto. Here are the pipes that I used (stolen from the first post):
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...0012Medium.jpg
Then just took a piece of plexi, heated it up to bend around where the intake used to be on the filter box and siliconed it water tight to force it to draw water from the sponge pipes. Works great.

But, this looks bulky in the 10 gallon tank that I'm useing it in, so I know it would look very bulky in a 5 gallon. So this is my impass. Tring to figure out how to get a pump, that is shrimp safe, on the inside of the tank without taking up too much room.

Since it's supposed to be rainy and dreary all weekend, I may have to take the time to play with this somemore and see what I can't come up with.

GeraldTheMouse · 07-28-2006, 09:16 PM

Just wondering, but on a 37g tank with a 160gph pump, approximatly how big would the 'enclosed part' need to be (In gallons)?

DclownD · 07-28-2006, 09:47 PM

hmm ur thinking a big canister pump eh? this may be an end of the year job for me i plan on tryn to make a big one..

GeraldTheMouse · 07-28-2006, 09:51 PM

I wanna make my own, instead of paying like 70 bucks for a premade one.

Orion · 07-29-2006, 08:32 AM

The size of the conatainer depends on how much media your going to want to use. Also the avalibility of such a container that is air and water tight can become a quest in itself. 5 gallon buckets with lids are often used for tring to make this filter, but I've only seen one or two actualy work for a long period of time.

If your looking to save money on a filter, go to ebay. Most DIY projects aren't really money savers in the end. Most of the projects I do are for the sake of DIY because I enjoy it.

Pure · 07-29-2006, 10:05 AM

Orion, I know it would mean revamping it, but I bet you the efficiency would be greatly increased if the flow through the filter was reversed and the pump motor was at the bottom of the canister.

Orion · 07-29-2006, 10:46 AM

That, and I wouldn't have to worry about priming the pump any. I tried this with the small pump, but I was still getting the vacum effect. I'm sure the duetto motor would give even more of a vacum, plus the less holes that have to be made the less chance I'm going to have any leaks.

I've got the filter 'done' and am testing it now. I modifed the intake of the duetto filter without the media container to take the sponge filter pipe. So far I'm likeing what I'm seeing. To get the pipe to fit I had to do away with the flow adjustment and was a little worried that it might be too much but from what I'm seeing that isn't going to be a bit of a problem. Got lots to work on on my tanks today, so I'll try to get some pictures up in the next little bit.

Orion · 07-31-2006, 08:20 AM

Two days strong and still going great. I promise I'll get some pics and a good descrption up today.

05-22-2006, 08:46 AM	#21
Orion Moderator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,666	Now for the bad news: You can sorta see in the last two photo's that when I drilled the hole in the lid I slaughtered it. It's probably the worst hole I had ever drilled. For what ever reason the bit took out chunks of plastic in some parts of it, creating a very un-cirlce like hole. The o-ring on the inside covers the nicks in it, but the outside ring does not. The inside just isn't enough to create a good seal so I'm going to have to rework it somewhat to make a better seal. Also I don't like how far down into the container the pump now sits, so I may end up just scraping this lid and try out the other one and see if I can't do any better. I noticed something as I was posting these pictures that I'm going to have to check on. The first pic of the new finished intake there is what appears to be a crack in the container. I didn't notice this before now. I'm hopeing that it's just a scratch on the plastic and not a crack. I didn't find it leaking from anywhere along the bottom when I tested it. I belive that I'm also going to get some more threaded/barbed fittings and remake the intake and return hardware that sits in the tank. __________________ I am Species 5618: Coffee Based life form Join us in the MFT.net chatroom!

06-07-2006, 09:05 AM	#22
Orion Moderator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,666	Leave it to me to make things more complicated than they need to be. This is my new idea: Yeah, probably to complicated for such a small filter. One problem I'm having with the 90degree barbed fittings is that it kills what little flow I had comeing out of the filter. So what I'm thinking I can do to correct this is to use 90 degree PVC elbows to make the turns, and use straight barb fittings to conect the harb plumbing to the tube's. The idea behind this is that since the inside of the PVC is going to be so much larger that it will not cut the flow rate as bad. I'll see how well this idea holds up. I've not ordered the inline pump yet, but should do so soon. I'm sure that it will do a better job than the submersible that I'm currently useing. Then agian, I don't want a large amount of flow either. __________________ I am Species 5618: Coffee Based life form Join us in the MFT.net chatroom!

07-28-2006, 07:51 AM	#23
Orion Moderator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,666	Since Pure drug up this thread from another one, I figured I'd go ahead and update since he saved me the trouble of going and looking for it I never have got around to trying my idea above, and don't think that I will. I'm sure that it would work great, but I just don't want to take the time to do something like that right now. I've not done a whole lot in the past little bit. I added the 90degree elbows to the container, and while that really helps with getting the tubeing in the right place, it killed the flow rate from the small pump. Another problem with the small pump on the inside of the container I was having is that it wanted to pump water out of the container faster than it could suck water in. I'm sure that it wasn't leaking anywhere and letting air in, because I can watch a vacum form because it sucks the sides of the container in. Eh, go figure. Last weekend I tried an external pump to see how that worked. All I did was hook up the motor from a duetto filter to the intake hose, and put the motor in water. This worked great. Flow rate was really improved because of the more powerfull pump. I would say it was going somewhere (just to guess) close to around 60-70 gph. So by the time I added any media it might be around 40-60, which is right where I would want it. Now my issue is how to situate the pump in the tank without sucking up small shrimp. A while back I took another duetto filter and made it a power sponge filter. All I did was take the small pipes that held the sponges, and drilled two holes in the filter box of the duetto. Here are the pipes that I used (stolen from the first post): http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...0012Medium.jpg Then just took a piece of plexi, heated it up to bend around where the intake used to be on the filter box and siliconed it water tight to force it to draw water from the sponge pipes. Works great. But, this looks bulky in the 10 gallon tank that I'm useing it in, so I know it would look very bulky in a 5 gallon. So this is my impass. Tring to figure out how to get a pump, that is shrimp safe, on the inside of the tank without taking up too much room. Since it's supposed to be rainy and dreary all weekend, I may have to take the time to play with this somemore and see what I can't come up with. __________________ I am Species 5618: Coffee Based life form Join us in the MFT.net chatroom!

07-28-2006, 09:16 PM	#24
GeraldTheMouse Super Fish Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Homewood, Illinois Posts: 1,508	Just wondering, but on a 37g tank with a 160gph pump, approximatly how big would the 'enclosed part' need to be (In gallons)? __________________ My deviantART account.

07-28-2006, 09:47 PM	#25
DclownD Medium Fish Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 464	hmm ur thinking a big canister pump eh? this may be an end of the year job for me i plan on tryn to make a big one.. __________________ 30gfw(2hoB)2 Convicts(1")

07-28-2006, 09:51 PM	#26
GeraldTheMouse Super Fish Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Homewood, Illinois Posts: 1,508	I wanna make my own, instead of paying like 70 bucks for a premade one. __________________ My deviantART account.

07-29-2006, 08:32 AM	#27
Orion Moderator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,666	The size of the conatainer depends on how much media your going to want to use. Also the avalibility of such a container that is air and water tight can become a quest in itself. 5 gallon buckets with lids are often used for tring to make this filter, but I've only seen one or two actualy work for a long period of time. If your looking to save money on a filter, go to ebay. Most DIY projects aren't really money savers in the end. Most of the projects I do are for the sake of DIY because I enjoy it. __________________ I am Species 5618: Coffee Based life form Join us in the MFT.net chatroom!

07-29-2006, 10:05 AM	#28
Pure Super Fish Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 3,216	Orion, I know it would mean revamping it, but I bet you the efficiency would be greatly increased if the flow through the filter was reversed and the pump motor was at the bottom of the canister. __________________ Yup, I've got tanks. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y120/xyshannen/

07-29-2006, 10:46 AM	#29
Orion Moderator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,666	That, and I wouldn't have to worry about priming the pump any. I tried this with the small pump, but I was still getting the vacum effect. I'm sure the duetto motor would give even more of a vacum, plus the less holes that have to be made the less chance I'm going to have any leaks. I've got the filter 'done' and am testing it now. I modifed the intake of the duetto filter without the media container to take the sponge filter pipe. So far I'm likeing what I'm seeing. To get the pipe to fit I had to do away with the flow adjustment and was a little worried that it might be too much but from what I'm seeing that isn't going to be a bit of a problem. Got lots to work on on my tanks today, so I'll try to get some pictures up in the next little bit. __________________ I am Species 5618: Coffee Based life form Join us in the MFT.net chatroom!

07-31-2006, 08:20 AM	#30
Orion Moderator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,666	Two days strong and still going great. I promise I'll get some pics and a good descrption up today. __________________ I am Species 5618: Coffee Based life form Join us in the MFT.net chatroom!