DIY canister filter questions

[flyboynm]

This is for a turtle tank that is about 70 gallons (if we are lucky) that has 2 red-eared slider turtles in it.



I have a 5 gallon bucket with lid from Home Depot that I want to make into a canister filter. My thoughts are to drill a 1 inch hole on top of the lid and the upper side of the bucket. Uniseals would be used for each hole.


The top will be the return from the tank. The PCV pipe will go through the uniseal to about 3 to 4 inches from the bottom of the bucket. At the bottom of the bucket is 1.5 inch to 2 inch in size gravel. Next layer upward will be the course sponge. Then the medium and then the filter floss. Above that I will put in pan scrubbers and some lava rock.


Above the top of the lava rock/pan scrubbers will be a powerhead that connects directly to the PCV that returns to the turtle tank.



I have a few questions - do you see anything wrong with this design? I want to have the water build up at the bottom and work its way upwards through the media and then to the power head for return - clean the water thoroughly, have the good bacteria as the biological filtration, etc.



Next, do you see any problem with me using 1 inch flexible tubing to connect to each side of the powerhead and between the tank's input output?


Would you use a spray bar or a "water fall" feature as the return or just have it dump directly into the tank?



I think I have the plans pretty well figured out but curious about what you think of the ideas. Flexible tubing would make the routing the waterlines a lot easier but would using the metal hose clamps to secure it be a problem to the filter?

 

[Autumnsky]

I used a 55G trash can for a trash can homemade filter for a 120G pond, worked perfectly!

There are a large number of youtube videos about homemade filters like this, most will have valuable insights. Mostly would be the chance of any tubing falling out to cause leaking /spilling.

My filter was a different style and used a pump to fill the can and overflow was a waterfall effect via vinyl tubing.

Hoping you will post what you end up making!

 

[madmark285]

I made a sand filter for an above ground pool this summer using a 5 gallon bucket and a 1/4 hp utility pump which was placed in the pool. The input was thru the lid.

The rubber seal on the lid leaked like crazy under pressure. I used a bunch of clamps to seal the lid and will figure it out next summer.

Sooo...

Your design should work as you are creating a negative pressure in the bucket which should seal the lid.