DIY Filter

ATJ · #1 01/25/2004, 07:20 PM

I'm just about to pull my quarantine tank down and set it up again - I want to get rid of the sand.

I have just built a very simple filter and thought others might be interested in the idea for their quarantine tanks. It was very easy to make and only took around 30 minutes, once I had all the parts.

Simple Biological Filter

billsreef · #2 01/26/2004, 02:31 PM

That's a nice and simple design

maroun.c · #3 01/31/2004, 03:35 AM

Thanks for the nice design and the easy to follow instuctions.
however considering that this filter was intended for a Q tank which means the need for very strong filtration as most of our Q tanks are small in size and most of the times setup or started on a hurry cause fish don't give any notice that they are going to get sick , don't you think that it would be beneficial if the setup of this filter was a bit modified so that a little air turbulence would occur within the bioballs to creat a wet dry invironment? or also if the setup was modified in a way so that it would take water from above to a spray bar over the bioballs and then the powerhead would take the water out from below the bioballs....or even easier just the addition of an aistone between the bioballs or a small powerhead with an airtubing from the outside....
My true question is not on how to make it a wet dey system , i would really like to know if you consider that bioballs would provide stronger filtration if in a wet dry state or would it be just the same when they are fully submerged? also if the bioballs are fully submerged and air is allowed to flow between them (like if an airston in inserted between them) would that be considered as a wet dry and is it more efficient to have the bioballs in a dry area with water just spraying slowly on them?
i always wondered about these issues and any help would be greatly appreciated.

ATJ · #4 01/31/2004, 04:17 AM

Maroun,

My intention for this filter was for a quarantine tank. The purpose behind the quarantine tank is to isolate new fish before introducing them into the main tank. Under these conditions there will be one or at worst case a few fish in the tank at any one time. There is no need for "powerful" filtration. Of course, the design is flexible and any sized container could be used. The larger the container, the more bioballs and the more surface area for bacteria to colonise.

A wet/dry environment would make the filtration more efficient (not sure by how much) as the oxygen levels would be significantly higher. However, I don't believe this would result in the bacteria establishing any faster than if submerged when "setup or started on a hurry". In my experience, wet/dry systems take just as long as other filtration systems to become established.

I don't believe a wet/dry system would be practical for a quarantine tank, unless it is drilled and has a sump. Not that you couldn't have a quarantine tank like that, but most people use a standard non-drilled tank.

My advice is to have a quarantine tank set up permanently with a mature biological filter. It is easy to keep the biological filter active simply by feeding the tank every couple of days. In my opinion, this design will work well in that situation - which is its intent.

maroun.c · #5 01/31/2004, 09:58 AM

Thanks for your help ATJ for i ended getting 3 filters for my 10 G Q tank 2 aquaclears and a millenium wet dry one. and also eventhough i hanven't had any diseases since months i always keep it running to avoid the rush if anything goes wrong.
it sure is a relief knowing that even submerged bioballs so work effectively. i might even use yoru design for a small tank for a couple of clowns only or may be for some seahorses i'll only try to make it more aesthetical and may be use a rectangular opaque container.....
thanks again for the info.

ATJ · #6 01/31/2004, 05:45 PM

Maroun,

The two most important aspects of biological filtration are surface area and sufficient flow. This holds for undergravel filters, wet/dry systems, live rock and even deep sand beds.

The design of a bioball is to provide a large surface area in a small volume. According to Moe (1992), a single bioball has a surface area of 400 cm². My filter has 82 in it, so that's a surface area of over 3 m². That's not going to be enough to run a large tank with a lot of fish, but should be fine for 2 or 3 fish.

bunywail · #7 03/06/2004, 10:29 PM

AJT - I created a filter for my QT tank, based on your design. I think it's going to work out great. After losing a couple fish due to my own impatience - I'm ready to make a committment to a well-planned QT tank and this filter will be an important part of the new strategy. This is very cheap and simple. The only issue is finding the bioballs. I got lucky and got mine for $12.99 at an odd LFS. They were more difficult to find locally than I thought they would be.

ATJ · #8 03/09/2004, 08:00 PM

Cool. Let us know how it goes.

I'll probably putting some fish in mine for the first time this weekend. I'm off on a collecting trip on Saturday so I don't know what I'm likely to see or what I can catch.

gixxer337 · #9 03/14/2004, 12:32 AM

That is a nice design you got.
I got a tank that I just set up. It has crush coral and HOT magumn cansiter filter. I'm use that tank for quarantine. Is this an effiencient quarantine tank? Or should I break down the tank and go with the bioball design? Any answer will be appreciated.

ATJ · #10 03/14/2004, 02:49 AM

Crushed coral will prevent you from treating with copper. The tank would work OK, but if your fish became infected with Amyloodinium, you'd have problems.

gixxer337 · #11 03/14/2004, 09:19 AM

So its best to go with a clean bottom? can i put a under gravel plate at the bottom and have a tube running up to the power head. would this set up act the same way as your?
then I will use the hot magnum canister as a water filter. The reason why I'm going this route becuase I got these stuff on hand. If not, will diffinitely use your ideal.

ATJ · #12 03/15/2004, 07:10 AM

Yes, a bare bottom will be best. An undergravel filter plate without no substrate won't do anything. It is the sand/gravel that hosts the bacteria.

The canister filter will do the job if you have media in it with a large surface area. What do you have in it?

gwrulzmylife · #13 03/27/2004, 05:55 AM

great site ATJ! Keep posting updates! I'm redoing my QT tank this weekend.

Thanks!

ATJ · #14 03/27/2004, 06:57 PM

By the way, I now have four fish in my Quarantine tank that have been there for just over two weeks. They are all doing great and the new DIY filter is working very well.

tcarlson · #15 04/12/2004, 09:32 AM

I love to set one up but I can't see the pictures on your site.

tcarlson · #16 04/12/2004, 06:01 PM

Thanks the pictures are working again for me. Can't wait to try it I think I cam going to modify it and do a HOB filter in the style of a CPR Back Pack

ATJ · #17 04/13/2004, 06:31 AM

What was wrong with the pictures?

tcarlson · #18 04/19/2004, 10:21 PM

For a week at home at work all I got were Xs.

ATJ · #19 04/20/2004, 06:04 AM

That's odd. I wonder what happened. The pages and images are all hosted on the same site in the same directory.

jmsilhy · #20 04/29/2004, 11:20 AM

Hi ATJ! Thanks for a great idea, I'm definately setting up one. I'm thinking of a 10 galon, what if instead of a powerhead I use an air pum I have in handy, and with an airstone that goes down the tube through the bio-balls? Do you think it would work?

maroun.c · #21 04/29/2004, 03:09 PM

in that case would it be a good biological filter to raise some planctonic stage of larva of shrimps......?

ATJ · #22 04/30/2004, 06:34 PM

An air driven uplift would work well. You should probably use a fairly large diameter pipe for the uplift with quite a lot of air to generate a good flow rate.

If you were going to use the filter for growing crustacean larva it might be better to just pump air out the airline without an airstone.

RowSonic · #23 06/19/2004, 08:44 AM

I am curious if my quarantine is good enough. I use a 12 gallon eclipse and the only thing is use is just the filter it came with. It has a biowheel and I have no idea if this is better than the bioballs. Also can I just put a few bioballs in the filter itself for some bacteria to live?

RowSonic · #24 06/19/2004, 08:45 AM

You don't use any filter pads with that quarantine tank as well right?

bheron · #25 08/22/2004, 08:18 PM

I'm sorry if the answer here is to just "search the forum", but I've looked and looked and I can't find any pictures of any diseases!?! Maybe its something with my browser setting but its' hard to diagnose without a picture. anyhoo...

I bought home a baby, aquacultured ocellaris clown and immediately noticed something I missed at the LFS. He had a big white cotton type spot on his dorsal fin. I assumed this was ick and immediately QT'd him before ever putting him in my display. He's been there a week and I've treated him with some ick medicine I picked up and its actually gotten worse.

Needless to say I dont think its anyway after doing some more researching. The spots are big and now on his side fins and mouth. Almost like its rotting parts away. Fin rot? Maybe its Brooklynella or Amyloodinium? He's eating fine and seems very happy, just covered in the stuff. I tried to take tons of pictures but non came out good at all. I'll try to post one in a minute.

Anyone know what it could be or where I couuld see pics of diseases? From the only pics I found of ich it doesnt appear to be that.