Fluidic Sand Filter

[Caswal]

A video of the first proper run of my newly built fluidic sand filter, for my new 350L tank and 100L Sump. This will hopefully give me a heap of space in the sump as most of my filtration will be managed by this.

 

This uses a 110mm PVC End Cap, 110mm Screw cap fittings. 800mmx100mm Clear Acrylic tube, 20mm Anka pipe fittings, 20mm Enduroflex pipe and a few 3D printed parts.

Firstly I thought the PVC Drain parts were 100mm, but they are actually 110mm external diameter. Which caused a little dismay when I got the rather expensive 100mm external diameter Clear acrylic piping. So I quickly designed and 3D printed a couple of flanges to take up the slack and silicone them in.

To keep the 20mm Enduroflex centered, I printed 2 spoked wheels. With the Enduroflex at the centre and the rim of the wheels against the acrylic.

I am using some coarse pebbles at the bottom to stop the sand fully compacting when the filter is stopped. I am using pool filter sand as the media, that I bought at the same time as Pure ammonia for Cloregene in Petone. I have about 2.5kg of sand in the filter currently. 

Trying to figure out the best way to fill the filter was a challenge. I ended up placing the enduroflex pipe and wheel spokes in first, as trying top get it to settle to the put through the media was impossible. The enduroflex is swiss cheesed for bottom 5-6 cm with a 4mm holes. I used this: https://www.bunnings.co.nz/anka-female-coupling-20mm_p00894396 fitting on the inside of the cap, and as it press fits into the tubing, it gets pushed into the enduroflex when the cap is screwed down. Seams to work pretty well and has a good chaotic motion. Might need about another half a kg or so of media to top it off.