# DIY HOB Filter



## Aceranch (Jun 7, 2013)

I'm a DIY kind of guy and I'm looking for project to tinker on over the long weekend. What I've been pondering is if I can build a HOB filter for my small 29G tanks. I keep mostly medium sized SA cichlids in these tanks as well as plants. Currently I use 2- AquaClear 50's on each tank for filtration but I'd like to make a HOB hybrid planter/filter to replace one of the Aquaclears. What I have in mind is using acrylic to create the box with chambers for 3 types of filtration, including a bed for planting emersed plants. PVC for the plumbing and a small pump in the tank to feed it. Gravity feed back to the tank via a small overflow. I could use the Aquaclears as a standard and improvise to get the details right. What I am looking for is someone who has done something similar themselves and can lend pics and/or crucial advise before I create a problem for myself, thanks!!


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## FishFlow (Sep 13, 2011)

Did you give this a shot over the weekend? I've been wanting more and more to have an emersed and submersed planted tank.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Following


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## Aceranch (Jun 7, 2013)

Well, I'm not getting much done on this. Over the holiday we had a three day long ice storm so I couldn't get to town for supplies. Now I'm back to work so I guess I have more time for planning. I know I want two stand pipes for drains, the second of the two would be slightly taller to act as a failsafe to prevent overflow. I know I want a small inlet chamber for a sponge, a large chamber for my media, a small chamber for purigen or carbon when needed, and last an open chamber for drainage. Anyway, hopefully I can find time for tinkering.


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## bigcountry10 (Sep 24, 2011)

i didn't do a full blown hang on back but i had a chamber that sat on the back of my old tank which was the first part of the filtration process. I used Plexiglas but it was a lot of work and was very expensive. If you want to add plants to the filtration you should look into PVC hydroponics they usually just slap a bunch of T's in a row and just fit plants into the wholes. you could easily use separate holes for different types of filtration.


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