DIY Combined Gravel Filter + Bio Filter

[mujaqo]

DIY Combined Gravel Filter + Bio Filter

Incase if you couldn’t view images try to copy image URL and paste it on your browser.

http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image000.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image000.jpg

½” PVC pipe and fittings
simply make small holes in the pipes
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image001.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image001.jpg


form the below shape according to your tank size
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image002.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image002.jpg


place it on the bottom of your tank and cover it with plastic fruit basket or any inexpensive plastic material
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image003.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image003.jpg


place air stones and gather air pipes in one transparent plastic pipe
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image004.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image005.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image004.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image005.jpg


attach ~30cm PVC to connector and make small holes as below
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image006.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image006.jpg


now you know what to do with it
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image007.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image007.jpg


fill the filter with Bio Media
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image008.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image008.jpg


use plastic pipe or hose to connect filters, I prefer hose easier for maintenance
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image009.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image009.jpg

http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image010.jpg
http://myaquarium.110mb.com/Image010.jpg

comments are welcomed
Regards,
OSS

[White Worm]

All I see is red X's where the pics should be but UG filters arent very good for a clean tank environment (discus). Most are crud collectors but it would be better if the pics showed up so we could tell what you were talking about. ;)

[Gilcano]

What are those canisters? Were did you got them?. Your idea is very interesting. I would like to learn more about it.

Thanks

Gilbert

[Graham]

Gilbert those cansisters are just house hold inline water filters that can be bought at any hardware store.

[Mick B]

Gilbert those cansisters are just house hold inline water filters that can be bought at any hardware store.

Hi Graham,

I use a very similar set-up, on a 60 gal and 300 gal, one partly planted (in pot, hidden in gravel, 60 gal and directly into the gravel, with the 300 gal!)

I also use an in-line UV to off-set the potential bug-trap perception.

UG as a pre-filter, to a cannister, works well for me.

Cheers, Mick B

[Graham]

Mick I used homemade UG's for years in fresh and marine set up's and they trap crud, and that's what they are suppose to do...you use yours as a pre-filter.

The problem is most hobbyists don't vacum them anywhere near enough and they can't get at the crud that builds up under the plate. All this will drop water quality let alone allow certain parasites and bacteria to build and thrive(not everyone has a UV).

For the last few years that I used them I reversed the flow so it became just bio........

G

[Mick B]

Mick I used homemade UG's for years in fresh and marine set up's and they trap crud, and that's what they are suppose to do...you use yours as a pre-filter.

The problem is most hobbyists don't vacum them anywhere near enough and they can't get at the crud that builds up under the plate. All this will drop water quality let alone allow certain parasites and bacteria to build and thrive(not everyone has a UV).

For the last few years that I used them I reversed the flow so it became just bio........

G

Hi Graham,

You are correct, the 60 gal uses UG plates, the big one 1" drilled pipe.

I use/say as pre-filter as I only Vuc once a week, but use basically an old canniser pumped filter and UG vac tube etc, so I'm NOT limited to syphoning a certain gallonage out, I can Vac for an hour or so, coffee breaks, re-planting, shifting gravel around plants etc etc, then just clean out the cannister, the filtered water is re-cycled.
(If doing a bit of corner cleaning and any black shows, add a carbon bag in the VAC).

Water-changes are done on auto each night

It works very well, and providing you push the Vac tube down to the plates, the powered Vac (Old cannister) has enough pull to suck it clean.

HTH, Cheers, Mick B

[Gilcano]

So, this is just like a "Canister Filter" (eg. Fluval, etc.) but with the PVC under the gravel and the pump to do the prime. This will actually clean everything under the gravel? This will maintain the water quality?

Thanks

Gilbert

[Graham]

Gilbert UG's are old tech....they do not maintain water quality with out a lot of effort

G

[Gilcano]

What exactly is UG’s

Thanks

Gilbert

[Graham]

It's an undergravel filter....it's a preforated plastic plate with a void area under it. The plate has one or more stand pipes that has airstones in them to lift water up. The plate is then covered with a couple of inches of gravel.

Water and crud are drawn down into the gravel...the crud stays put...not a good thing....... the water goes through and the nitrifying bacteria in the gravel oxidize the ammonia/nitrite.

If the crud is not cleaned out regularly then it may go anaerobic...not a good thing

[Gilcano]

Ok, I’m getting it now. But you still need filtration

Gilbert

[Graham]

Years ago the UG was all that anyone used, it was the filter.....Old news now...the sooner that organics/mulm are physically removed from the system, the better

[Gilcano]

Ok Graham. So I can use this system to keep the water cleaner? The principle here is to recycle the water after you cleaned it, is that right?
Basically this will help me to do fewer water changes/gravel vacuumed. I like that! :)

I’m thinking to do a 3D background for my 150g tank

Gilbert

[Graham]

Basically this will help me to do fewer water changes/gravel vacuumed. I like that!

WRONG...time you Googled it

[Gilcano]

I'm confused now :confused:

Then why bother.

Gilbert

[Graham]

There are no magical filters....they all need to be cleaned and the water needs to be changed and the more the better

[Mick B]

Hi Chaps,

Let me clarify, this is NOT going to reduce the amount of Water changes, but it does allow me, to only do maintenance (cleaning) once a week.

UG's are 'Old-Hat' but who said old is bad?

In isolation, with an air-stone to power it, not brilliant, but connect your external cannister (sealed filter-box with pump) to the up-lift tube and the UG becomes a pre-filter for the cannister (think if it as a large strainer, on the inlet).

Yes food gets drawn into the gravel (as it does into a sponge or filter-box),
I use approx 4 to 6" deep river-washed gravel (1/4" to 1/2") and this is colonised by turbo-snails (conical meat eaters, malaysan, I think?)
The snails keep the gravel 'loose' as they dig through to find that trapped food, which is then "not rotting" in the gravel.

Once a week, a few hundred snails are culled with the Vac session, effectivly removing the excess food;)

I think 2 things make this Old-Hat variation work;

1, High flow from pump, draws the UG plates much cleaner than an air-stone (My large tank, uses a 3500 ltr/hr pond-pump).

2, Utalising the snails, prevents food from rotting in the gravel, but allows you to remove it periodically, once a week or so (not every 5 mins with a tube!)

HTH, Cheers, Mick B
PS Heres the 300 gallon tank (With UG, 250 Kgs of Gravel)
31708

[Gilcano]

Well, thanks Mick. I think I'll stay put with my tropical cichlid for now, but i'm very interested in build one of those UG's in the pictures for my tank. I have one question; This UG runs 24/7 or only when you want to clean the tank?

Thanks

Gilbert

[Mick B]

Hi Gilbert,

IMO/E 24/7 allways! (even when I'm cleaning the tank! (unless the pump fails:mad:)

It acts as a pre-filter but also 'houses' zillions of nitrifying bacteria (large surface area), so best to keep it moving to ensure oxygen gets into the UG and minimises/prevents anorobic (oxygenless) activity.:)

HTH, Cheers, Mick B

[pete321]

In my opinion for a non bare bottom tank. an UGF if about the best filter providing the gravell is deep enough. What makes it even better is if you have the bottom of your tank drilled and insert a bulk head with a drain valve so that for water changes you can drain all the gunk that collects under the plates. If this setup that you show with the canister filter was connected up via a hole in the bottom of the tank and had a prefilter just before the cannister, then this work well in my opinion.

Pete

[korbi_doc]

Hey guys, like the idea when used with bulkhead as Pete proposed to empty the detritus on the bottom, but:

have you seen the under-gravel jet system shown on cichlid-forum.com? I like this idea & am going to try to set this one up in a tank one of these days.....has anyone tried it?

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ug_jets.php