Custom Filter?

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

I've been working out which way to inject Co2 and I figured I would just make it part of a filtration system. so the design is this.

Flow rate should be around 150GPH, tho I may have to reduce it so it doesn't blow all the sand out of the fluidized bed.

each tube is 17.5" high, and 4.5" in diameter (maybe 4") and uses 1/2" ID tubing. It will take some messing around with the sand to mark the levels, but it should provide huge biological filtration. I may also consider adding a UV sterilizer down the road between the Co2 chamber and the fluidized bed.

A) do you think this will provide adequate filtration for a 125Gal (it will also have a fluval 304 on the tank) (best answer I can find is that the fluidized bed should handle about 300Gal)

B) Is 150GPH enough flow to effectively inject Co2 into this tank? (pressurized Co2) or should I move it to a seperate powerhead @ 295GPH.

Thanks for any info.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Sorry, can a Mod move this to DIY Projects?

 

[Arshis]

dosnt water have a hard time passing though sand?

Prehaps the sand filter should be longer than the rest , sand particles are fairly light wouldnt it flow up to your bio ball chamber?

Or maybe use something a bit bigger than sand??

 

[7Enigma]

While water will be hindered a bit by sand (at least use pool filter sand!), it will actually flow water better than air. I don't think you'd have a problem, as long as you have some mesh barrier to prevent the sand from moving to much. What you're basically doing is creating a filter column, and if you can limit the movement of the sand in the column it will do a better job of filtering and cause less stress to the system.

 

[tropicfishman]

I had this idea to build my own canister filter out of a huge plastic peanut butter jar, round tubaware dishes with small holes drilled in the bottom so they could be stacked, a couple fittings, some tubing and a desktop fountain pump lol then use aquarium sealent to put all the fittings inand what not, never got around to actually making it though

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

The water will flow up through the sand making it a fluidized bed (water keeps lifting the sand, gravity keeps pulling it down, it essentially hovers)

I'm hopeful that running the pump with too much sand will blow out all the sand it can't keep in, then turn it off, remove another 1-2Tbs. and it should be good. (or 3-4 and put the floss pad back at the top).

I'll take some pictures while I'm doing it (too bad DrsFosters lost the order, had to re-order it.).. it will be using 3 phosban reactors to create something they were not designed to do.

Just picked up my 10lb Co2 tank (gotta love cash deals ).. I'll have to see if I can get this to work, even if the biological is only good for 200Gal it's way more then I intend to need.

please see http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=69703&highlight=&sid=e2b887dace459bc78a7a6852ad9118fa

(I started 2 threads, figured DIY was more approriate)