DIY Grunty Filter

[Pegasus]

Hi All,

Having set up a tank recently I was faced with filtration. The tank came with a couple of U/G filters and some odds and ends.

I place the gravel in the tank, and despite washing it for what seemed like an hour, the tank became cloudy. I needed a filter in a rush, one with some grunt, so I knocked this together in around fifteen minutes.

After searching around I found an "Egg Bin" from a disused fridge. It's around 300x120x120, and is transparent, but is tinged a slight blue colour.

I bored two 15mm holes in the base, approx 50mm from each end and 60mm from front to back.

The rest of the base I randomly drilled will a 6mm bit to give a good perforated base.

I had several lengths of 15mm waste pipe from which I cut two uprights approx 40cm long. These were pushed into the 15mm holes I drilled in the base of the egg bin. A good fit is needed here. The pipes were adjusted so they were just above the upper edge of the egg bin, which had now become my filter.

I drilled a couple of holes in the rear of the box and attached a couple of suckers to hold the thing in place.

A bit of filter wool etc along with a couple of air lines down the tubes (from the top) and I was in business.... One grunty filter with two powerful uptakes. It cleared the tank to crystal clarity in just over two hours.

You can fit airstones down the tubes, but just pushing the air lines well down inside does the job. The resulting flow is strong enough to lift the water 30mm above the top of the pipes, so adjust the flow as needed. Mind you, I have a large pump. :)

If you need a sketch let me know.

Just an afterthought.

Cover the ends of the uptake tubes with a mesh of some sort or you will find your filter full of fish

A piece of nylon pan scrub pushed into the bottom of the tubes will do the trick, and won't restrict the flow too much if you don't pack it tightly.

Bill.

Happy Days