# DIY Canister Build



## enola

Summary of Filter use in last comment!!

New Pictures added 01/09/2012, 01/14/2012, see the end for final results and updated pics!


So we've got a new 29g tank, and my husband decided it would be a good idea to build a canister filter for it. 
He knows nothing about fish or keeping them. I have done all the research and I explained to him what the filters do and kind of how they work. Then I showed him a few filters online and he's like OK to the hardware store! We were able to get everything at the hardware store except for the pump. We purchased a 180 gph submersible pond pump at the plant nursery on sale for $24.99

Ok so on to the parts:

5' length of 4" PVC for the body
Other pieces. I'm not the technical one when it comes to building something. 

My explanation of how it works: The part at the Tee that the pump is connected to is the return side. What isn't pictured is a grate between the long 4" pipe and the Tee that acts as a divider so there is nothing around the pump itself. The intake is at the other end. The plan is to add bio media (not sure what yet we are using, 10 bio balls is like $8, there must be something less expensive, we have a lot of space to fill in there) then the mechanical filtering media in front of that. I will be able to clean out the filter media and replace it at the clean out in the end. 

We will use lengths of 5/8" clear tubing to go up to the tank, and from there we will use 1/2" CPVC to go up and over the tank so it is rigid. The return into the tank is a Tee bar and will have holes drilled on the front. The intake will pick up near the bottom of the tank and I'll put some kind of mesh or covering over it because right now it is a wide open 1/2" pipe. All of the CPVC intake and returns in the tank are going to be painted with black krylon paint so they disappear/blend more.

The total capacity of the canister is around a gallon and a half. We aren't quite sure this will work yet, we'll keep this thread updated. We are not complete yet, I can't put any water in the tank to test this until he reinforces the counter top. The canister will lay horizontal under the counter top in a custom cabinet he is going to build. 

I'll just go to the pictures:

















I'll add more pictures when we have more complete. 

More pics!:

Here is the canister in the custom cabinet my husband built. This will fit under the counter top to support it and hide the filter, still missing are the doors.  Also, pictures of the intake and return CPVC fittings that still need to be cleaned up, drilled and painted.







New Pictures: Custom Cabinet my husband built Still needs finish, not sure if we are going to stain or paint. 





Any suggestions are very welcome! Thanks for looking! (Especially a good suggestion for something over the intake )

**Update 1/11/2012: We tested the filter tonight, in a closed loop it runs great, and its very quiet. We need to find a new hose clamp, one we have leaks. No other problems, but it wasn't hook up to the tank and there is no filter media in it yet. Also, what do you think of shower poofs as the biomedia?**


***Update 01/14/2012: Alright! We have just water in the tank and running the filter to test for leaks. Everything seems great right now, very quiet and all that. We used 14 plastic pot scrubbers for bio media ( $1.19 for a 6 pack new at Goodwill, only place we could find them.) For mechanical filtration, we are using 2 circles of marine land cut to fit filter media, and 1 layer each of some pond replacement pads (we cut to fit, should get 1 more set from them $9, Menard's). We also picked up a pre-filter sponge that's made for the Fluval Edge, fits perfect on the intake ($2.99 at Petco) 

I currently have the driftwood tied to 2 coffee mugs to weigh it down so it can get a nice soak. This water will be discarded when we are ready to actually put in a substrate and plants, but that's for another thread.***

Ok, a picture too:


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## straydog

You can use plastic pot scrubber's instead of bioballs, they are alot cheaper and will do the same job.


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## drunkenbeast

This is a great idea. ill be sure to check the new pictures i wanna know how this turns out, looking good!


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## majerah1

Looks neat!


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## sik-lid

enola said:


> So we've got a new 29g tank, and my husband decided it would be a good idea to build a canister filter for it.
> 
> He knows nothing about fish or keeping them. I have done all the research and I explained to him what the filters do and kind of how they work. Then I showed him a few filters online and he's like OK to the hardware store! We were able to get everything at the hardware store except for the pump. We purchased a 180 gph submersible pond pump at the plant nursery on sale for $24.99
> 
> Ok so on to the parts:
> 
> 5' length of 4" PVC for the body
> Other pieces. I'm not the technical one when it comes to building something.
> 
> My explanation of how it works: The part at the Tee that the pump is connected to is the return side. What isn't pictured is a grate between the long 4" pipe and the Tee that acts as a divider so there is nothing around the pump itself. The intake is at the other end. The plan is to add bio media (not sure what yet we are using, 10 bio balls is like $8, there must be something less expensive, we have a lot of space to fill in there) then the mechanical filtering media in front of that. I will be able to clean out the filter media and replace it at the clean out in the end.
> 
> We will use lengths of 5/8" clear tubing to go up to the tank, and from there we will use 1/2" CPVC to go up and over the tank so it is rigid. The return into the tank is a Tee bar and will have holes drilled on the front. The intake will pick up near the bottom of the tank and I'll put some kind of mesh or covering over it because right now it is a wide open 1/2" pipe. All of the CPVC intake and returns in the tank are going to be painted with black krylon paint so they disappear/blend more.
> 
> The total capacity of the canister is around a gallon and a half. We aren't quite sure this will work yet, we'll keep this thread updated. We are not complete yet, I can't put any water in the tank to test this until he reinforces the counter top. The canister will lay horizontal under the counter top in a custom cabinet he is going to build.
> 
> I'll just go to the pictures:
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> I'll add more pictures when we have more complete.
> 
> Any suggestions are very welcome! Thanks for looking!


Make sure that none of your fittings are brass or copper. It will leach out and effect the fish. Great DIY man.


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## enola

I'll be adding in a few pictures shortly. My husband thanks you, man! 

We do have 2 brass fittings, but I'm really not worried about the effecting the fish. We used all potable water fittings and adhesives.


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## straydog

On the in take and return you could slide them closer together and slide the two of them down a larger peace of PVC so you would only have one pipe showing. Then take a 90 and slot the under side of it with a dermal so it acts as a cap for the two. Also krylon fusion would work to paint the pipe.


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## enola

straydog said:


> On the in take and return you could slide them closer together and slide the two of them down a larger peace of PVC so you would only have one pipe showing. Then take a 90 and slot the under side of it with a dermal so it acts as a cap for the two. Also krylon fusion would work to paint the pipe.


I understand about the 1 piece of PVC, but can you elaborate on the part about the 90?


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## straydog

On the bend that would go over the edge of the tank it could be cut out so that it acts as a cap that could be lifted off if you ever need to remove the smaller lines from inside it. A street 90 would look best because the edge of the pipe and the fitting would be smooth, instead of over lap.


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## enola

Here is a full set of pictures for the build that my husband posted in his Flickr.


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## drunkenbeast

looks pretty cool how does it run!?


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## Summer

nice!


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## majerah1

That is looking wonderful!


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## enola

drunkenbeast said:


> looks pretty cool how does it run!?



It runs fantastic. It is almost silent (can only hear it when the furnace and fridge are not running, and even then its barely audible.) It has a nice flow in the tank. If you look at my DIY lighting you can see the whole thing with water in it. I'll take a video of it soon, I may be able to capture the 'flow' with some by stirring up the dust that is currently residing in there. 

I feel that even though this build cost us around $100, it is better than one I could buy in a store. It has a greater capacity than the comparable ones, mine being almost a gallon and a half, the store bought was under 1 gal. for a 29G tank. Mine also has less expensive mechanical and bio media. I spent about $3.00 on the bio media and $16 on the mechanical. I will be able to get many replacements out of the mechanical filtration media that I bought because its a large sheet, and I only used about 10% of it for my filter. There are 2 other layers of foam type media that is meant for ponds that I cut down to fit. Of that media, I used approx. 50%. The largest expense was the pump for the filter. I bought it at a garden supply/nursery place for $24.99. IfIi ever have to replace it, I will go to the hydro store, they have an entire catalog of pumps at very awesome prices, and they also have the hoses and fittings made for the pumps they sell.


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## enola

I'm proud to say that this filter has been running for about 3 weeks now with no issues. I am still in the cycling process, but so far no leaks and the water is clear.


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## Tommyz44

Very nice! I love how it looks its so hidden to. some DIY stuff like my yeast co2 looks sooooo gaudy. The wood turned out nice glad you chose to stain and not paint. i think wood looks are so much better looking. Is that a golden oak stain seems close if not (personally my favorite stain)! Again great build looks amazing!


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## enola

Thanks. My husband built the cabinet, I'll have to ask him what color he used. Make sure to check out my other thread with the DIY hood and lighting.


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## deaver

this is really cool.

i'd be interested to know what its like for maintenance and how u start the flow/siphon.


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## chevyboy_0

That looks like a great idea, do you think you could post a parts list for me??


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## enola

Ok, Here is the results after almost 8 months of running this tank:

I'll list the Cons first:
1. It will get air in the intake hose and I will have to turn off the filter to let the bubbles out about once a week. We think this is due to the netting over the intake, it will cause cavitation which means it will make tiny bubbles in the water and those bubbles will fill in the hose.
2. There were a lot of snails in the filter.
3. It is cumbersome to clean out.

Pros:
1. It works! Its a great filter for my tank! Its a fantastic good guy bacteria holder. 

For those that want a parts list, I really don't know what to tell you. We bought the submersible pump, then we built around that for size. If you look at the pictures you can get a good idea of what we used. For the mechanical filtering I bought the Marineland blue and white sheet that you can cut up, for bio media I used the plastic scrubbies. This filter holds about a gallon and a half of water.

This is in a planted tank, so when i do my weekly water testing, my Ammonia and Nitrites are 0 and my Nitrates are usually less than 20. In this tank it takes months for the Nitrates to get over 40. *BUT *I do have a lot of plants in my tank that are growing like crazy.


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## slaw82

i wonder if the cavitation could be caused by the tiny microbubbles going up the intake and building up in the canister. could be bubbles from an airstone, the spraybar or even waterchanges. what kind of mesh do you have covering the intake? foam might work better,if you haven't tried that yet. looks good though. DIY is where its at.


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## tbub1221

This is brilliant. I want to make myself one I think , just to see it all work


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