Crystal Clear Water || Aquarium Power Filter Mod

Intro: Crystal Clear Water || Aquarium Power Filter Mod

I am an Aquatic enthusiasts, marine life really fascinates me (I spend hours looking at them). My roots are based to fishermans, but the day i started keeping fishes as hobby i quit eating fishes (its like eating my loved ones). I own a fresh water aquarium for quiet a long time. Those who visit my place are always intrigued by the water quality i maintain. I explain each single one of them with much interest. I have a dropbox file which explains he same and i forward it to those who request the mod for maintaining the crystal clear water.

Note : This may not be the best filtering mechanism, or better than commercial products available. But this custom mod suits my needs and very low in maintenance. It is not a replacement mechanism for water changes which are required in Aquarium.

I have other Ible published before for lighting using LED LINK which was featured here.

STEP 1: Problems

During early times i used to find the boyu canister power filter very troubling and have many shortfalls :

1. The waste collected is always inside the tank (need to push them out)
2. The force of the filter out was so high that fishes were overworked (need to control the flow)
3. Cleaning the filter media inside the filter was troubling which inturned made my water merkier during cleaning. (ease the process).

All this shortfall made me think of modding the existing filter and also provide good bacterial growth.

Note : Many will debate on this is not an bio filter. It may not be best but it provides a breeding ground for good bacteria in the cleaning medium itself.

To make things easier i devised a plan as shown above, where the filtering mechanism inside the filter is removed and pushed on top of aquarium. By doing this

1. waste is not collected inside tank but outside
2. cleaning process is done at ease without disturbing the tank
3. also the flow is reduced considerably where fishes stopped sweating.

STEP 2: Gathering Material | Reuse

I have used the

1. canister or candle used in drinking water purifier.
2. cold drink bottle to house them.
3. Synthetic wool/cotton used in soft toys awesome filter.

Every 6 months those candles are replaced and are useless for drinking which cannot be reused.

Once these are collected lets start rigging.

STEP 3: Prep the Bottle

Cut the bottom from where we can insert the filter media. It would be of immense help when we refill or clean the existing media for maintenance.

Remember the top where bottle cap is - INPUT (water flow in)

Bottom of bottle - OUTPUT (water flow out - in the aquarium)

STEP 4: Build

Have used enough images to make the picture clear.

Rig the filter candle

When we tear down the filter candle we get enough material to build our mod

1. Outer casting mat/mesh
2. Inner linen to filter minute particles (we wont be using this since it requires pressured water)
3. cotton like mesh
4. activated carbon

Make

1. we will fill our first medium i.e. synthetic cotton or wool

Adv : Will filter out the debris collected, this will collect almost all the dirt.

2. we fill second layer with activated carbon.

Adv : With help of activated carbon harmful chemicals get trapped (chemical adsorption)

3. we fill the last layer with striped cotton rigged from filter candle

Adv : Grow good bacteria colonies provides enough surface to breed.

Lastly close the open wide end of bottle with mesh with help of elastic band (this is where the grooves on bottle comes handy).

Note: in between each filter medium separators are used so that they don't mix/interfere with other mediums.

STEP 5: Cleaning

This filter will be used above the aquarium water, so all the dirt will not be inside water. Also cleaning is a breeze, where one just needs to unhook the bottle and clean/replace medium.

I do cleaning twice a month and complete material replacement once a month. Filter is kept running 24x7.

This filter will maintain water crystal clear with no odours. I have been using the same for past 4 years.

Note : Cleaning interval may change based on number of fish, tank size, feeding intervals and amount feeded and excreted.

Positive criticism appreciated towards upgrading the ible and its content with sole goal of enhancing the aquatic life.

STEP 6: Fish Tank Over the Years

Comments

[MarcoM60]

you show that you stripped out the filter candle, but would it work if we use the filter whole, with water being inputed in the inner part of the filter and going through it to the outside layer, going to output in the bottom of the bottle? maybe adding more cotton in the space between filter and bottle to make water even better (maybe adding some porcelain bits in the bottom of the bottle to give extra filter also)
to acomplish this, would have to cut bottle in halves and find a way to "screw" them toghether for convenience of maintenance, but could be simplistic overall just to "unplug" the filter, replace, fill cotton again in the space between filter and bottle, screw bottle back and ready to work..... good idea??

[samalert]

Try holding tap water and try holding water coming from filter if the pressure is same i assume that would work. From understanding what i have is the water filter works using pressure which passes from one layer to another. While our aquarium filter doesnt have so much of pressure (atleast not in mine). And yes there is no limit on number of layers to add for filter but adding more to them will complicate adn take more space which i didnt wanted to.

My filter is not the best or ideal but it surely works for me i still use it no stink no yellow / greeny water.

[BLASTFEMI]

I love your tank. I want to try this out. Thanks!

[karlpinturr]

To give a starting-point for calculating the size/duration of this filter for my tank(s), what capacity is yours?

Also, in step 2 you say a cartridge lasts 6 months - does that mean you manage 6x"complete material replacement" (above) from each one, or is that just how often they should be replaced in the machine they're meant for?

[samalert]

Tank Capacity ~ 24 Gallons or 90 Liters.

Candle get replaced twice every year. So whenever i get new material i kick out the old and swap with new material as a whole.

In between these 6 months i do change the material which are not dependent on filter(first layer i.e. Synthetic wool/cotton), sometimes they dont need replacement a through cleaning does the wonder.To add when one of the cartridge is rigged there is still plenty of material pending to be used, its always more than what we could use for the mod at a single go.

Ideally speaking i have habit of cleaning the Synthetic wool/cotton once a week and reuse. Change some materials monthly as and when needed, and when new candle is available we are in abundance of the material.

NOTE : Do not use synthetic chemicals like soap to clean for reusing, it may turn water toxic.

[karlpinturr]

That's a great help - thank you.

[samalert]

No problem,it was my pleasure pushing the info.,do let us know the outcome. And i bet it will be awesome.

[karlpinturr]

I will - it'll be a while yet (slow finances, amongst other things), but I'll at least use the 'I Made It!' button and may even publish an 'ible that references this (and probably your LED one, as well).

[samalert]

I see you are from UK the capacity i provided are in US Gallons
So if we convert it would be 19 UK Gallons

[karlpinturr]

Thank you!

[karlpinturr]

Do you have an image of the exterior of the type of "canister or candle used in drinking water purifier"?

I suspect you mean something like the image below, but I'm not sure.

[samalert]

The filter with its cartridge. The same have been ripped down in step two. It should just have multiple step filtering like Carbon | Fine Mesh | Grid. In some filters i have seen to increase adsorption carbon granules are used which can be even separately brought from aquarist.

[karlpinturr]

OK, Thanks!

[MsSweetSatisfaction]

The water looks great, even better considering how much you paid for that filter. Nice job, and thanks for sharing!

[samalert]

Yes it makes a lot of difference and admirers. My pleasure sharing.