24 replies to this topic

[Tricoti]

Hi everyone.
I have just about finished building a 6ft tank with DIY background but unfortunately the only place left in the house to put it leaves me with only above the tank for filtration. I consider myself a good DIY'er, I make my own tanks, sumps, overflows, cabinets, etc, I also have all the tools to cut and drill glass .
So my question is:- In this situation which do you think I should make and why? a sump or a trickle filter?
I know the sump filter will be heavier and have the added bonus of more water but will it be a better filter than a trickle filter or may the trickle filter have benefits over a sump filter?

If it helps with your discission the 6ft tank will house 7 x adult Cyathopharynx Furcifer Mbita.

Cheers. Pete

[ruffaz]

Hi pete my self i have always been a big advocate of the sump for many years why im not to sure maybee it was a cost issue maybee it was i could slowley build it up to my specs to were im happy with it however with the lowering cost of them massive aqua one cannisters with uv built in im starting to wonder to my self why go sump now days even with tanks like 6x2x2 or even 6x3x3.

however im also toying with ideas like in hood filters custom made similar to aqua one style but on a larger scale ultimatly a larger sump will be able to handle a bigger bio load but with them fish is it realy needed.

ive seen a few pond filters set up in a trickle in to tanks as well with great results

[Tricoti]

Thanks for you input ruffaz.

HI everyone, I have been thinking of doing a DIY in hood type filter for the top of this 6ft tank, I think it would be a simple system that would be easy to maintain, ease of changing or cleaning the media and with minimal weight for the top of the tank.
I have thought of putting two Eheim 2217 filters above at each end of the tank but I want to try keep the looks of the whole thing neat rather than having everyone focusing on two green towers above the tank.

If anyone has ideas, plans or actual working filters that are above tanks I would be very interested in seeing them (if possible post pictures) and your view on how they have been working for you.

Cheers. Tricoti.

[Bowdy]

2217's wouldn't work siting above the tank unless you had pumps for them in the tank pushing into them.

[Neakit]

they could work but if they got air in them it would be a bitch to prime.

[Riggers]

I'm a through and through a sump kinda guy but that's just my personal choice. Do you have the space to put a cabinet next to it or is it a really tight space?

[Bowdy]

I don't believe they would work without a pump pushing water into the canister.
You wouldn't get a strong enough syphon for them to work.

[Tricoti]

Well that sorta killed my Eheim 2217 idea.
So back to the drawing board.
The only place I have in the house to put this 6ft tank leaves me with only two choices to put filtration, above tank or in tank or a bit of both. Anyone got or seen any DIY ideas of the in hood type filters and how to get the water up there?

Cheers. Tricoti

[SIXFOOTLONG]

just need a dry pump mate one that will draw and expel water via hoses not a submersible pump .

run an over under trickle filter above your tank in a hood or a stage filter in PVC have a look at the diy on here diy canister all you need to do get a dry pump and swap it with the submersible one this will more than likely be more efficient storm water pipe the length of your tank with reducers to hold baskets and joiners to hold the different sections of storm water pipe for the media .... just think about it go and get the stuff from bunnings sit down with a beer and play around with it and before you know it you will have it sorted ... its all good thinking about it wont know what works till you make one upp if it don't work what you have spent will be a fraction of the cost of a burnt out canister .

[Neakit]

most pumps in this hobby these days are usable in or out of the water, Oh with a canister it doesn't siphon water out it draws it through. A pump has suction just with the style of pumps that we use they are not self priming. The pump in a eheim cannister is no different to a eheim universal pump for example.

[Riggers]

Just an idea but what about an in tank trickle filter? You could always have each rear corner as a trickle and use a 3d background to "wrap around" the back of the tank. Obviously the in tank part takes up room that you may not want to part with but it can look really effective when done right.... It can be plumbed using a single powerhead or multiple.. What are you planning to put in there?

Edited by Riggertron, 10 May 2011 - 06:32 PM.

[Mudjimba]

G'day Tricoti,

have you thought of the Top (above tank) Filters ( Age of Aquariums sell them, http://www.aquariump...g...48&catID=83 )

Apparantly very efficient, easy to clean, etc etc. I havn't looked to see if they will manage a six foot ???

Kevin(Golden Daze) did have some running and reckons they are great.

But maybe with your skills you can make something better using this idea, and hide it in a hood , make the pipes easy to hide(black on black background) etc etc

just a thought.

cheers

Edited by Mudjimba, 12 May 2011 - 05:49 PM.

[Mudjimba]

You've probably seen this, but thought I'd add link in case you havn't.

cheers

http://www.perthcich...?showtopic=5652

Edited by Mudjimba, 13 May 2011 - 06:39 PM.

[Tricoti]

 above_tank_filter.bmp   1.7MB   52 downloads Quote from Mudjimba- "have you thought of the Top (above tank) Filters.
Apparently very efficient, easy to clean, etc. I haven't looked to see if they will manage a six foot ???"

Hi everyone, this is the sort of thing that I'm starting to lean towards. My thoughts of a long 4-5ft DIY type made out of glass or perspex to go across the back top of the tank or do I just buy the plastic tub/tubs of the right sizes and plumb it/them myself?

I know making a glass or perspex over the tank filter will be fiddley and time consuming (which I don't mind cause I love doing DIY stuff) and the finished item will be as I want and better on the eye for the viewers rather than a big bucket or tub type sitting on top.

You know what, I think I have talked myself into a decision, a long over the top of tank 1/2 trickle filter it is, now the design and material and more importantly the time to do it.

Thanks to everyone for your comments, suggestions and ideas.
Please check out my (quick not so good) sketch at the top of this post and give me your thoughts, changes, sugestions.

Cheers.

Edited by Tricoti, 14 May 2011 - 03:47 PM.

[Tricoti]

Hi everyone.
Ok so here it is, I finished up making a trickle filter from worm farm tubs I had sitting in the backyard. Below is a quick youtube video of it.



If you have any suggestions of improvement or if you can see any problems that may occur with this design I would be grateful if you could let me know.

Cheers.

Edited by Tricoti, 23 May 2011 - 05:52 AM.

[Niz]

My only comment is how you have used the K1 media. I'm not sure it will work very effectively in a trickle filter as its main use is in a fluidised state where the media is allowed to freely move like in this vid (googled it).

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

It wont be totally useless, but the bioballs that are in the next compartment will be doing the same job alot better.

[Tricoti]

Thanks for your comment Niz.
To be totally honest the reason I used the K1 media in the second tub is that I have so much of it left over from a sump that has a K1 moving bed in it and I didn't want the rest sitting in the garage unused, the other reason is because it's so light and weight is becoming an issue.

Do you think it would be better to remove the K1 media and replace it with more bio balls same as the bottom tub? (I have more bio balls too).

Edited by Tricoti, 23 May 2011 - 06:11 PM.

[Niz]

If the K1 media is spare/left over/free for sure use it, I would under those conditions too

[bigal66]

a trickle filter is far more efficient than a sump however it can create the issue of being to efficient and increase nitrates.
i personally use a sump with settling chambers x3 and then japmat and then course going to fine sponge a pump then lifts this to the trickle filter going to another chamber that has a lot of aeration, last is another chamber
with a pump back to the tanks.
my heaters are in the settling chambers(none in the tanks) and i was running 10 large tanks off this set-up.
cheers alan.

[waxy]

Sounds pretty nifty!
Any pics for us Alan?