DIY Canister filter

Will depend on the quality of the canister filter you make. Tomorrow there will be sales online for Petco and Petsmart. Also Amazon and other sites also will probably be having sales tomorrow till cyber monday

 

Petsmart already has their deals you can get online FYI.

 

I was looking at the fluval 306 or DIY. I can't decide How could I transfer my old media (Marineland 150 HOB) to the canister when I get one?

 

Any old sponges and media place it in the canister. As well with the new media/sponges. Make sure you are using fish tank water to rinse off any of your sponges/media. Done.

Actually. You should run the canister filter alongside your old hob filter for a few weeks. And just to be safe, transfer over the media and sponges too after you are done.

 

Sunsun brand cannisters are also cheaper but still generally well-received for their functionality and workmanship.

 

I will weigh out the options and talk with my mom. Is it more common for sunsun canisters to break because they are cheaper?

 

How about getting a Penn Plax Cascade?

 

I found a cascade 1200 which is 315 gph for 37% off! There's a good chance that I'll get this one.
I'm going to keep my AC 70 which is 300 gph. I'd have 615gph in total

 

That is good! You always want more filtration, the only thing is just make sure no one get sucked up by the intakes

 

Good news! I just ordered the penn plax canister I hope it will be here on monday.

 

Nice, can't wait to see it!

 

It's here!


It's all set up and running with new media and old cycled media.







I hope it isn't too strong of a current for the loaches.

I went to my LFS store and came home with a mossball and a really cool little mystery snail.




I think we'lI call him sheldon or obsidian. He has a black shell and a purple foot. I just noticed that he has a ton of cracks... Are they fixable?

 

Looking to make my own canister 4inch pvc or abs where do you guys buy your or make your media from

 

I personally use ceramic rings or other ceramic media but I have also seen lots just use the pot scrubbies

 

Yes I was curious about the mechanical media part of my filter build sorry .... do you know if the plain green scrubbed are Chem free and fish safe

 

You want the colourful cheap ones from the dollar store that are like a plastic stingey thing. Make sure they are chemical few. Usually the cheaper they are the Better and less like to have additives

 

I have used -- lava rocks, river rock/pebbles, marbles, nylon scrubbies, sponges, scouring pads or sponges (all with no added chemicals), polyster quilt material. I've seen others use plastic bottles cut up, plastic straws cut up, swimming noodles cut up, etc
It's actually interesting the amount of materials that can be substituted without buying something specifically manufactured for aquarium filtering.

 

Looking to make my own canister 4inch pvc or abs where do you guys buy your or make your media from

HI my canister is made from a 2 litre airtight spaghettI tub. Two 1/2" tank connectors top and bottom. Garden hose connectors and push-fit adapters complete the job. Only 45 gph at the moment but sufficient for my 10 gallon tank. C

Canister is stuffed with chemical free scouring sponges, a handful of peat, biomax ceramic cylinders and 100ml purigen bag.

 

I made my reactor canisters out of pasta jars

 

So I recently thought about making a 5 gallon canister filter for my 30g. I know 5 gallon would be over kill but I have 5 g buckets laying around and would like the extra 5 of water to help. Plus I can fill it with media’s and get rid of my pegiun 200 and it would add a current to my tank with the out put. My only issue is the input and output. I don’t want 2 ugly pipes protruding in the tank. I don’t want to drill the glass tank either. Any ideas?

 

Then don't do it lol, How about using sponge filters instead

You can also cover them with some plants, maybe? Get some pothos and hide the pipes.

Paint the back glass all black and use black tubes, it’ll look better at least.

 

Then don't do it lol, How about using sponge filters instead

You can also cover them with some plants, maybe? Get some pothos and hide the pipes.

Paint the back glass all black and use black tubes, it’ll look better at least.

I’m sorry I was looking for suggestions as to ways to hide the pipes some I just don’t want it so as soon as you look in that’s what you eye is drawn to... I don’t want to drill the tank cause my luck would be that the glass would shatter and I don’t have a spare tank.

 

A 30 gallon doesn’t require that much filtration. Two sponge filters would do the trick. A five gallon bucket filter would be more suitable for 75 gal + IMO. You can add current to your tank with other things.

 

A 30 gallon doesn’t require that much filtration. Two sponge filters would do the trick. A five gallon bucket filter would be more suitable for 75 gal + IMO. You can add current to your tank with other things.

I have a sponge in the tank already with my HOB . Don’t really want 2 of them in there kind of big blocky looking. But guess adding a home made canister is a pointless idea then thanks

 

Not pointless at all. If your tank was bigger it would be a great idea.

 

Not pointless at all. If your tank was bigger it would be a great idea.

Eventually. This tank is kinda my experiment I want a larger tank max 100 g later down the road so I have the inch to try different things to see what I like without spending huge money

 

My only issue is the input and output. I don’t want 2 ugly pipes protruding in the tank. I don’t want to drill the glass tank either. Any ideas?

I am assuming that the 5 gallon bucket won't bother you as it too is quite big and will be visible unless upu find a clever way to hide it.

The output to the tank is easy - as you can come in through the lid of the tank and allow the water to fall from a small hight into the tank. So you will not see the output in the tank itself.

As far as the input to the filter is concerned, it will be visible as:

1. you want to try and pull the water as near the bottom of the tank as possible on the opposite side to the output to ensure the water is flowing through the hole tank.
2. you need to protect the intake so fish don't get pulled in.

My suggestion would be to buy the input pipe (you can get them separately) with a siphon on the end and place it in the corner of the tank. After a while you will get some sort of dirt or algae on it and it will get less visible blending into the surrounds.

You will not need to drill the glass for the aforementioned solution

 

I am assuming that the 5 gallon bucket won't bother you as it too is quite big and will be visible unless upu find a clever way to hide it.

The output to the tank is easy - as you can come in through the lid of the tank and allow the water to fall from a small hight into the tank. So you will not see the output in the tank itself.

As far as the input to the filter is concerned, it will be visible as:

1. you want to try and pull the water as near the bottom of the tank as possible on the opposite side to the output to ensure the water is flowing through the hole tank.
2. you need to protect the intake so fish don't get pulled in.

My suggestion would be to buy the input pipe (you can get them separately) with a siphon on the end and place it in the corner of the tank. After a while you will get some sort of dirt or algae on it and it will get less visible blending into the surrounds.

You will not need to drill the glass for the aforementioned solution

I have a cabinet under the tank that’s pretty big. The bucket would fit in no problem so I would never see any of that unless I opened it. And your idea of the input pipe I didn’t even think of. Pretty much get a clear long tube and tuck it in the corner. Being clear you wouldn’t really see it. Hmm think that would work.