Just an FYI to Fluval 306/406 users - if you grab an extra set of the rubber hose adapters that go from the ribbed hose to the intake/outlet you can use them to attach an Eihiem prefilter almost perfectly :)
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Just an FYI to Fluval 306/406 users - if you grab an extra set of the rubber hose adapters that go from the ribbed hose to the intake/outlet you can use them to attach an Eihiem prefilter almost perfectly :)
Having now got my fish I realise that my prefilter sponge is too deep for me to service easily. I do like easy, it means I'll actually do it....so I've come up with two designs:
Attachment 110238Attachment 110239
See I want to be able to just pull the sponge from the surface when I open to feed or vacuum. First I thought I'd make it a rudimentary surface skimmer aswell but then a quandry...I want to pull water from the floor of the tank. Now my head hurts...any thoughts?
I like to put a ziplock bag over my pre filter sponge when removing it for cleaning, close it off allowing the water to be sucked out of the bag, then slip it off the intake and out of the tank without allowing any debris to escape from it and into the water column. I like your idea but can't think of a way to remove the sponge without releasing debris into the water.
Edit: thought of a way. Keep the prefilter box high in the tank and whole box removable (your first design)Slip bag over entire box and out of the tank. Keep a 90 degree slip on elbow with length of pipe that can be reach to the bottom of the tank for temporary install during water changes to not loose siphon on your filter or need to turn filter off during water change. Also make the tank look cleaner with out a long intake reaching down in the tank.
My tank is 30" deep, I have to put my head under water to reach! LOL, I'm only small! The boxes above are designed so that the top rim is above the water line and open top, just pull and plop into a jug.
I think it's a great idea and I might diy something like this myself. My worry is that when I lift out the sponge gunk will go in the filter intake. I'm OCD about stuff going in my filter. So an easily removable box will be what I come up with. If my kids will give me time to do it lol. Can't even get an update vid done these days.