Wow 8 years ago it's been a long time watching your videos . give us an 8-year update are you still using the pump canister combo or upgrades . what issues have you encountered if any or smooth sailing hopefully.
Well done, man this is by far the most useful DIY external I have seen on UA-cam and really cheap too. Groovy - I will put link to this on the Tyne Valley Aquatics facebook page.
Great job! Better than the many other 5 gallon bucket versions on UA-cam! Those versions are known to leak, and even crack under pressure, during power outages.
Your channel is absolutely amazing, thank you so much for doing what you do! I have watched many of your videos now and all of them are so useful. For me you are the best channel dedicated to aquariums and everything that comes with it.
Can you revisit this DIY project? I'd like to know if you figured out any better fixes for leaking. Or a better setup. I tried this build and it leaked all the way around the lid. Plus, how do you open the canister to clean?
Hi Nick, excellent video, I followed your instructions and made one for my self i have a 29gall an the wster is crystal clear but 2 weeks later I am having problems with a leak in the lid , what can I do??? Please help...
Loved the video, but I have 2 doubts. 1. How do you match the water flow down the aquarium and the pump ? Because, if the pump draws more water, you'll end up getting noise without water left in the bucket. 2. Similar problem occurs if the Filter media gets clogged. Wherein another question arises. What about the overflow to the filter ?
This is fantastic! Great job!!! I'm getting a 110G shortly and am canister shopping. I don't love the prices and want to experiment with this set up. Problem I'm having is figuring out how to take your set up, and be able to take off the lid for cleaning. I can't unscrew the lid without tangling the hose and making a mess so I would want to disconnect the input hose from the lid. If I disconnect hoses from the hose connectors every time then eventually the hoses will be stretched and leaky at the connections. I was thinking I could add a ball valve to the other side of the flexible connector at the bottom so I could halt water flow there as well to disconnect from the pump and output hose. To easily maintain the filter I would want to disconnect the input hose from the cooler and disconnect the output hose preferably from the point where the flex hose is (if I add a ball valve so the water in the output hose doesn't flow down) so I could take the cooler full of media to the bathroom or outside for cleaning. Any ideas?
I used the same canister and the lid leaks, not the best one to use for this project. Also, using the vent hole as indicated caused more issues as the drilled hole as the whole due to the curve in the lid in that area makes the o-ring less effective. Silicon can be used to plug the water input connector but for the lid this becomes impracticable as it would need to be redone every time the media is cleaned. Looking for a better canister.
My build has the water flowing bottom to top. My theory is that gravity will improve tha particulate filtration, much the way store-bought canisters flow. I'm not sure if this is a root cause of my problem, but I have a lot of leakage, even with liberal siliconing and plumber's taping. Firstly, the (Chinese made) risers I bought that connect from the pump output to the ball valve leak like crazy from both connections. My lid is also leaking very slightly and I wonder if the increaed pressure of my setup vs. the "stock" build is the cause. I'm going to try plumber's putty in the inner groove of the lid to see if that willl help and I will forgo using a riser and just drop the pump into the tank and connect the hose on both ends with threaded barbed connectors. The whole contraption also seems very fragile in that jostling the connectors can cause them to spring leaks. That's an important consideration when the canister or media need servicing and not touched upon in the video. I have to say that its a fun exercise, but its probably not worth it after all the connectors I bought for trial and error from a financial standpoint. Also, if it's not reliably watertight, its not something I can use indoors. Again, I am having fun and its still a work in progress. That Chinese canister filter that sells for $70 on Amazon looks like a bigger and bigger bargain every day.
so I've reversed the flow back to the gravity fill as shown int he video and it's definitely much better. I just need to reseal the top and add a tray for a base to give me piece of mind and I think I'll be using it for my main tank rig
this video is great! it is a few years old so I am wondering if there is any changes to your design you would recommend? ie filter materials or pump etc?
I really like this idea and design. I set this up today and ran into a few problems. Stopping the water from filling the container when I want to service it, too much pressure building up, and my flexible male riser. The solutions I came up with were: an extra ball valve on the top of the container for the filling issue, adjusting the flow out of the container with the ball valve near the pump for the pressure issue, and a plastic male riser for the flexible male riser issue. Although I am going to look for another container to serve as my canister. I'm not a fan of the cooler with all the pressure that is building up. Does any one have any thoughts on other suitable containers? I saw the homer bucket idea, but not sure how well it would handle the pressure.
Bravo..my friend.. this is hands-down the best and simplest video I've seen on how to build one of these... everyone else makes it so complicated....I think they do it on purpose to make themselves look more important...
Does this? Build set up work efficiently. I went and bought like every single part that you got right there to build one myself. Just haven't done it yet.
A man I met in the pet store yesterday told me about this video. It sounded great, but I was concerned that it might be too complicated. Thanks for a clear cut, easy to follow how-to. I will use this design to filter a 55 gallon, indoor turtle pond. My only question is, is it not necessary to use active carbon? I watched a couple other videos from people who used your design, but made some changes. You did not use carbon, but some of them did. Are there pros and cons to using carbon in the filter?
where did you get that transfer pump? all we can find is submersible powerheads, water pumps like for a Koi pond and sump pumps, but no small dry transfer pump that won't be crazy loud.
It is really wonderful tutorial. I have a question though. According to ADA ES-300, it has specs as follows Flow Rate 6.0L/min Maximum Pump Head 1.5m. It means 360L/H. But you use 1500L/H. It sounds way to powerful for making the similar ADA product. Or, could you give some calculation to determine what flow rate for which tank size?
First off, thanks for the very informative video...it is very handy!! I am in the process of building a similar canister filter with for my 75 Gallon tank for my Mud turtle (Head pressure: 3 foot drop & flexible tubing). I know you suggest the Eco Plus 396, but I'm not sure if this would work for my purposes or not, I have also seen The Sicce Syncra 3.0 & the Jecod DCT 4000. Any suggestion/constructive input would be much appreciated!
You are a lifesaver!!!! I have been looking everywhere for a filter water pump like this one that has an option for prefilter sponge or intake. I also heard this one was pretty quiet (in water) from other sites as well, BONUS FOR ME! I am going to use it for a corner HMF filter for my new 75 gallon aquarium. Should work perfectly with the outtake leading to a waterfall that extends on the back of my tank to help circulate the water throughout the tank better. Great project by the way! I may try that if I get interested in canister filters, heard good things about them.
I like it, I am building a bit of a similar filter except the feed is at the bottom with a cavity and a false bottom above that so solids can settle to the bottom, the output will siphon off of the top of the filter with bio media of some sort in between. I've been toying with the idea of either above water level or on the floor but think I am going to go with above since this is an indoor aquaponics experiment. Aq to Filter above, gravity flow to the grow bed then dump back into the tank. I got some good ideas from your video. Thanks
I got this up and running and am very impressed. Unfortunately my canister fills with too much pressure and begins to leak out of the canister lid. Before I go in and silicone the inside of the lid do you have any suggestions for pressure release? Did you run into this problem at all?
Lids can be tricky, I've set ones up before where I did have to wrap teflon tape around the seal. The leak was small but after about 2 days it resolved itself. I would try the tape first, before permanently sealing the lid.
***** Its on the outlet. I placed a ball valve on the inlet and slightly closed it and that seemed to solve the problem. It should be noted i don't have any media in it at this point. I've just been cycling it with a new tank to see if there are any leaks. Any potential motor issues by slightly closing the inlet? i thought about making the inlet tube smaller before doing this.
Joseph Montanez I don't know much about fish but I know a bit about pumps. You should be fine. You won't have to do that when u add filter pad because it will add resistance. In any case u should touch the pump. Warm is OK, hot is a good sign its burning up.
I have a (sort of dumb) question. If you have the same filters connected together. For example two fluval 406. Will that double the GPH? Or will it stay the same. I want to use one for biological and the other entirely for mechanical. Thanks for the help!
Would this work on a 55 gallon tank? Can you please put a list of things need for this on my post, so I can be sure of what I need. I am having a hard time understanding some of the info you are saying here. Maybe you should put list of what is needed for projects where the description goes. Are these filters pretty quiet? My aquarium is my headboard.
Hi DIY AQUAPROS Nice tutorial, I'm definitely going to try this. But I have one question: Is the link to the powerhead the right one? It looks kinda different. Grtz from Belgium
How effective is this filter with a 20 gallon turtle tank? Mines filled up 5 inches. I was also thinking of using this filter for mechanical and then use a Skippy/Wendy filter for biological. Will it work?
Why did you use a siphon as the input? What about using the pump’s intake to take water from the aquarium into the canister, and then an outlet from the canister to the aquarium?
Thank you for the great video! I built this filter as specified (same pump and everything) however found that the pressure in the canister was too high and resulted in water escaping from the top of the cooler. I ended removing the bulkhead and separating the pump. I then sat the cooler and pump unconnected in a 25 gallon plastic container ($4). Essentially, this created a perfect sump for my 55 gallon tank. As an added benefit the cooler stands taller than the container's water level and I found a drainage cap at Lowes (see link below) that sits perfectly about 5 inches from the top of the cooler. This allowed me to fill the top 5 inches of the cooler with bio balls creating a super simple wet/dry and sump system. All in all the system cost me $40; $50 if you count the massive 1.5in PVC overflow intake I built to feed the cooler. My overstocked 55g african cichlid tank has been running quietly on this system for 6 months now with perfect water parameters. Thanks again! www.lowes.com/pd_21588-676-10_4294612448__?productId=3132545&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_price%7C0%26page%3D2&facetInfo=
+Steven Tasker The way I had this system set up was to with filter floss on the top most layer under one of the grates I mentioned in my previous comment. I then had a circular cut filter pad under the floss. I change the filter floss every 2-3 weeks or so (costs next to nothing so why not). I only changed the filter pads if they start getting clogged; perhaps every 2 months. I maintained that system for over a year with 20 cichlids in a 55g with no parameter problems and very little maintenance. I have since altered my system from the one described above due to excess water pressure producing leaks and a wheezing sound from the top of the igloo cooler. Because you cannot drill a larger output on the cooler due to the insulation, I simply replaced the cooler with a 5g bucket ($4) and lid from Lowes. I then put a 2g bucket ($3) in the 5g bucket and cut the bottom of another 5g bucket so form a filter tray. Cut appropriate sized holes in the bottom of each bucket and you have a very similar system.
Hey dude, at 3:22 on this vid you say that the "canister should now be filling with water and as soon as it is close to the top, kick on the powerhead" How can you know when its almost to the top? I have seen coolers with a vertical see through strip (fluid/oz indicator?) but if it doesn't have it, how will I know.
The siphon will stop feeding water into when it fills up. Then when you turn on the pump it will start siphoning again. ...a good idea is to inspect it for leaks for about a before actually starting it. So it will be full at this time anyways.
Mike, I built this 2 weeks ago and its running great. I'm building another one soon but, I'm having a problem finding the 1/2" connectors with barbed ends. The ones at Home Depo and Lowes have 1/2" thread but smaller barbed end which will constrict the flow. Do you have a location to purchase the exact ones on the video?? Seems like the connector's you used in your video work perfect. Also thank you for making these do it your self projects. Maxxmann
correct me if I'm wrong, your pump before your canister is a submersible pump which you use outside the tank. If that is a submersible pump then you use it outside the tank or drawn out from the water, I think there is a problem on it. Just saying.
Ive used it on a planted 55 before, no issues. A big factor may be turnover which will be decreased as you increase the height the pump has to pump water. You can always get a stronger pump to combat this, I use the 663 model on the same canister that filters my 90 no problem.
There is a link to the pump in the description, its about 23 bucks. The cooler was about 12 bucks and the reset of the equipment fills in the remaining amount making the total cost about 50 dollars. If you have tubing and PVC parts laying around you will spend less.
Would I be able to split the input and output into 2 tanks using a Y adapter? And if so, what kind of pump power would I need to be able to split the canister between 2 side by side tanks? The head is 4.5 foot.
Great video and I already make one.I got a few problem with the water leaking at the lid. And I have try silicone glue on the thread and screw it down to the container, but when I got a power outage of course the power head gonna stop working and the water is still moving to the canister filter. Do you got any solution for this?
I'm always looking how to make filters and this is a good idea. I would also put those Eheim quick disconnect valve on the end of the input hose to hold the water in the tube to clean the canister. I gave you a *thumbs up* I like this.
Check out the DIY Essentials page on our site first, you may be able to find all you need online! Let me know if that doesn't work out! Here's a link! www.diyaquapros.com/diy-essentials.html
good point. if the filter is air right, the oxygen would build up pressure during priming. and either blow the lid off or refuse to take anymore water. considering the space of cooler. it wouldn't do either, but there would be unnecessary pressure... not the bad considering it's less the pump has to work. however the sound of water falling is what I'd dislike.
Way Cool! And it's insulated too! LOL Some points: Maybe the "Canister" itself should be inside a tub or large bucket in case it leaks. I put my Eheim Classic in a big bucket just for that reason. Apply a bead of silicon around those holes maybe? Quick release connections with shut off valves so the whole thing can be moved to a sink or bath tub for cleaning? Thanks!
Hi. I made the carnister filter like your video showes the difference is i ised 30l blue barell instead a bucket. Problem i having is that when the filter wokrs for about 2 to 3 hrs the sides of the barell start to sink in so there is some wacume in the batell as when take the intake pipe of it paps the sides back :( I fild the barrel to the neck 100% before starting the pomp. The pomp is 3000l/h pomp with 15mm hose out to tank and 22mm hose from tank to the filter. Can you please help me sort this problem out. Kind regards. Arek
Im planing on doing this with in my 55gallon tank but with a 1 gallon canister (cooler), a model 3 utility pump 8c99 (400g/h), 3/4 tubes instead of 1/2 ,and with two inputs and two outputs. I wanted to know if could have any problems with this since the diameter of the tubes is wider and it will require more of them. Thanks
I just made a five gallon with a bigger pump. The problem I had was getting enough water through the intake. If you have 2 outputs you might have a problem with having enough water coming through the intake.
Water siphons down from the tank into the canister. The pump also forms a vacuum in the canister pulling water from the canister and pumping back to the aquarium
I have a 150 gallon aquarium I was thinking of doing this for but with a EcoPlus 633 pump. Do you think the 2 gallon cooler with the bio media would work with that size pump? I'm not sure if you can have too much flow for the bio media to work. Thanks. Great video BTW.
With the 633 model the gal/hr will be close to 600. This means if the pump was at the same level as the output, you would be turning your tank over about 4 times an hour. The industry standard in 5 times an hour but is something I rarely abide by, all depends on your fish/waste load really. Keep in mind that when the pump in below the tank, say 3 feet for an average, your gal/hr rating will decrease. Id still go with the 663 or maybe even the 1056 model amzn.to/1nEcdTl (its only 10 more bucks) that would give you a turnover of 7 times an hour. KEEP IN MIND the 396 that I use in this video is the only one with matching 1/2 inch input/output attachments. All other pumps in the line will have different dimension that are listed on the page so make sure you double check before you commit. But as far as the cooler goes, I would fill it entirely with ceramic ring media, I use about 1 liter of it for every 20 gallons of stocked tank so you would be perfect there. Hope this helped!
Wow, this is the best DIY canister filter I've ever seen built for aquariums! Hats off to you buddy! Would like to see a spray bar attachment for this! Also, another cool thing to add would be a purge valve at the top to let air out from time to time. Love this though, found to build on this week or next for sure! Amazing channel man, simply amazing!
Thanks man, its way cheaper that using PVC (which i've made a lot of) haha. I need to make a few new spray bars, and yes a purge valve would be a good idea! Thanks again for watching, appreciate it!
how do you purge it exactly? I built one but seen to always have a small amount of air trapped in the lid which won't purge when unplugged and siphoning backwards because of the "u" shape of the pickup. if just like to reduce the trickling sound. .
ideas what to build next; Overflow system with wet dry filter? love to hear what your take is on the overflow system because I read and see too many different builds that make me hesitant to make one myself :)
Well done . Time well spent looking @ videos . I'm impressed by the amount of stuff I've learned. I would like to see how to construct a sand water fall though.
you said this setup was rated to about 75 gallons - what if I wanted to use on a bigger build, say 130 - can I just increase the flow rate of the pump or would I need to get a larger container and media as well?
You could use this exact setup on a tank much larger if you wanted, just depend on your waste load. Flow rate doesnt always equal more filtration so you may have to experiment with your own setup to see what works best.
I have a 112 gallon tank. I've made this exact filter using a 5 gallon bucket already but know I need to upgrade the pump. I've heard a tank 100+ gallons should cycle 6x per hour. Considering the media. What pump would you reccommend using on my diy canister filter?
I would go with the Eco 633 pump: amzn.to/1uiVYTx Its ~600 gal/hr flow rate should be close enough for your 112 gal tank! Im about to use this exact pump on a 90 gal planted tank.
I am very new to all of this. I want to make a better filter for my 6 gallon tank. Is is a design that can be scaled down? do they even make smaller pumps? Right now I have a few ceramic rings that came with a little air powered filter I got off amazon and some chips off of one of those bio rocks that have volcanic minerals and bacteria as well as a bit of gravel and some filter pads in my penguin bio wheel 100. I also have about a half dozen or so moss balls, some banana plants and a coconut husk log thing with plants growing on it in the tank. Is a small DIY canister a good idea? or should I use what I have? I was considering replacing my air stone with the little air filter I have, it's kinda like a canister version of an air filter. PM and I can show some pics of my setup.
+Aisha Kegawa cycling a tank could take 1-3 weeks, but if you add beneficial bacteria (which you can buy at the pet store) you can speed it up and on,y wait one week, which is what I did.. I personally like a canister filter more than a hang on back, smaller version would be cool, but this one would work too pretty well, unless you want to make a smaller version
Thanks for the info, I found out that you need to do regular water tests while your tank is cycling. I have my critters in a bigger 30 gallon tank now and everyone is much happier.
+chillbill216 actually it's bigger than a 5gallon bucket (your standard plastic bucket in the US). A fish bowl is typically less then a gallon usually not more than 2 gallons. Even 6 gallons is not suitable for more than 1 or 2 small fish. I have moved my guys to a 30 gallon I recently acquired and cycled.
All the items were purchased though amazon. Here are links to the poly fill and padding: poly fill: amzn.to/1rdW1ha filter padding: amzn.to/1nWCNvy (blue not pink) The pot scrubbers were purchased at a local super market, but you are bound to find them online as well.
John Cabansag www.ebay.com/itm/1Kg-2-2lbs-BIOHOME-ULTIMATE-FILTER-MEDIA-BEST-FILTER-MEDIA-EVER-/221373997960?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item338aeb2388
Thank you! Loved the video! Subscribed and liked! But a few questions... I'm new to this. I've always used a carbon filter on the back of my tank. The ones that you can buy at like Petsmart. How does this differ in filtration? And how is this better? Is it more efficient? Do I have to clean the tank less often? What are the benefits basically?
Activated carbon is used to primarily bind and reduce carbon based compounds that cause odors and discoloration of your water. Activated carbon will not bind NH3 NO2- or NO3- which is a common misconception. I dont use carbon in any of my tanks out of personal preference. Some swear by it, others such as my self, stay away from it. Carbon does have a very high surface area, but since it purpose is to bind and not necessarily release, over time it will be come saturated and will need to be replaced. I would only use it if you have a strong organic odor or tannin leach that wont go away with water changes.
I really appreciate the speed with which you get to the point. Easy to understand without being long winded.
Hey thanks a lot!
Wow 8 years ago it's been a long time watching your videos . give us an 8-year update are you still using the pump canister combo or upgrades . what issues have you encountered if any or smooth sailing hopefully.
Well done, man this is by far the most useful DIY external I have seen on UA-cam and really cheap too.
Groovy - I will put link to this on the Tyne Valley Aquatics facebook page.
Thanks Richard!
AQUAPROS
What pump are you using?
Dale Bryan Ajero look at description
Great job! Better than the many other 5 gallon bucket versions on UA-cam! Those versions are known to leak, and even crack under pressure, during power outages.
Your channel is absolutely amazing, thank you so much for doing what you do! I have watched many of your videos now and all of them are so useful. For me you are the best channel dedicated to aquariums and everything that comes with it.
TheWaterwhispers hi
Can you revisit this DIY project? I'd like to know if you figured out any better fixes for leaking. Or a better setup. I tried this build and it leaked all the way around the lid. Plus, how do you open the canister to clean?
Hi Nick, excellent video, I followed your instructions and made one for my self i have a 29gall an the wster is crystal clear but 2 weeks later I am having problems with a leak in the lid , what can I do??? Please help...
Amazing video on canister filter. U solved my problem.. I had a question. Can we use a submersible pump in this design. Please advise.
Loved the video, but I have 2 doubts.
1. How do you match the water flow down the aquarium and the pump ? Because, if the pump draws more water, you'll end up getting noise without water left in the bucket.
2. Similar problem occurs if the Filter media gets clogged. Wherein another question arises. What about the overflow to the filter ?
This is fantastic! Great job!!!
I'm getting a 110G shortly and am canister shopping. I don't love the prices and want to experiment with this set up. Problem I'm having is figuring out how to take your set up, and be able to take off the lid for cleaning. I can't unscrew the lid without tangling the hose and making a mess so I would want to disconnect the input hose from the lid. If I disconnect hoses from the hose connectors every time then eventually the hoses will be stretched and leaky at the connections. I was thinking I could add a ball valve to the other side of the flexible connector at the bottom so I could halt water flow there as well to disconnect from the pump and output hose. To easily maintain the filter I would want to disconnect the input hose from the cooler and disconnect the output hose preferably from the point where the flex hose is (if I add a ball valve so the water in the output hose doesn't flow down) so I could take the cooler full of media to the bathroom or outside for cleaning. Any ideas?
I used the same canister and the lid leaks, not the best one to use for this project. Also, using the vent hole as indicated caused more issues as the drilled hole as the whole due to the curve in the lid in that area makes the o-ring less effective. Silicon can be used to plug the water input connector but for the lid this becomes impracticable as it would need to be redone every time the media is cleaned. Looking for a better canister.
I really like the fact that you did this with a cooler. It absolutely has to help with maintaining temperature.
My build has the water flowing bottom to top. My theory is that gravity will improve tha particulate filtration, much the way store-bought canisters flow. I'm not sure if this is a root cause of my problem, but I have a lot of leakage, even with liberal siliconing and plumber's taping. Firstly, the (Chinese made) risers I bought that connect from the pump output to the ball valve leak like crazy from both connections. My lid is also leaking very slightly and I wonder if the increaed pressure of my setup vs. the "stock" build is the cause. I'm going to try plumber's putty in the inner groove of the lid to see if that willl help and I will forgo using a riser and just drop the pump into the tank and connect the hose on both ends with threaded barbed connectors. The whole contraption also seems very fragile in that jostling the connectors can cause them to spring leaks. That's an important consideration when the canister or media need servicing and not touched upon in the video.
I have to say that its a fun exercise, but its probably not worth it after all the connectors I bought for trial and error from a financial standpoint. Also, if it's not reliably watertight, its not something I can use indoors. Again, I am having fun and its still a work in progress.
That Chinese canister filter that sells for $70 on Amazon looks like a bigger and bigger bargain every day.
so I've reversed the flow back to the gravity fill as shown int he video and it's definitely much better. I just need to reseal the top and add a tray for a base to give me piece of mind and I think I'll be using it for my main tank rig
this video is great! it is a few years old so I am wondering if there is any changes to your design you would recommend? ie filter materials or pump etc?
I would love it if you had put in the description what materials you used and your measurements.
is there anywhere I can get a list of everything I need
This video
Been searching for diy canister filters, best design so far..
Great vid can all submersible pumps be used out of water
I really like this idea and design. I set this up today and ran into a few problems. Stopping the water from filling the container when I want to service it, too much pressure building up, and my flexible male riser. The solutions I came up with were: an extra ball valve on the top of the container for the filling issue, adjusting the flow out of the container with the ball valve near the pump for the pressure issue, and a plastic male riser for the flexible male riser issue. Although I am going to look for another container to serve as my canister. I'm not a fan of the cooler with all the pressure that is building up. Does any one have any thoughts on other suitable containers? I saw the homer bucket idea, but not sure how well it would handle the pressure.
Awesome stuff!!! What makes the water crystal clear? Is it the bigger the pump? or the bigger the bucket? Thanks for the info...
Bravo..my friend.. this is hands-down the best and simplest video I've seen on how to build one of these... everyone else makes it so complicated....I think they do it on purpose to make themselves look more important...
Does this?
Build set up work efficiently. I went and bought like every single part that you got right there to build one myself. Just haven't done it yet.
Cool build. Can you give an estimated cost if you had to go out and buy all the items needed?
$12 for the cooler, pump was $21, all the pvc for the input/output and hose connectors is about $ 10-15 and the tubing was close to $5.
what if the pump stops working all of a sudden?? Will the water leak out of the Canister or will the flow stop??
wow wow wow.. Does GPH depend on the size of the pump???
I can not stop the leaking from the cooler even after trying the suggestions. Any other options for a container?
all power heads will work although not submersed in water?
we can stick the powerhead to the external wall of the canister to save space?
A man I met in the pet store yesterday told me about this video. It sounded great, but I was concerned that it might be too complicated. Thanks for a clear cut, easy to follow how-to. I will use this design to filter a 55 gallon, indoor turtle pond. My only question is, is it not necessary to use active carbon? I watched a couple other videos from people who used your design, but made some changes. You did not use carbon, but some of them did. Are there pros and cons to using carbon in the filter?
where did you get that transfer pump? all we can find is submersible powerheads, water pumps like for a Koi pond and sump pumps, but no small dry transfer pump that won't be crazy loud.
Can you prime the pump by filling the bucket with water so it has a minimum run time with no water.
It is really wonderful tutorial. I have a question though. According to ADA ES-300, it has specs as follows Flow Rate 6.0L/min Maximum Pump Head 1.5m. It means 360L/H. But you use 1500L/H. It sounds way to powerful for making the similar ADA product. Or, could you give some calculation to determine what flow rate for which tank size?
First off, thanks for the very informative video...it is very handy!! I am in the process of building a similar canister filter with for my 75 Gallon tank for my Mud turtle (Head pressure: 3 foot drop & flexible tubing). I know you suggest the Eco Plus 396, but I'm not sure if this would work for my purposes or not, I have also seen The Sicce Syncra 3.0 & the Jecod DCT 4000. Any suggestion/constructive input would be much appreciated!
You are a lifesaver!!!!
I have been looking everywhere for a filter water pump like this one that has an option for prefilter sponge or intake. I also heard this one was pretty quiet (in water) from other sites as well, BONUS FOR ME! I am going to use it for a corner HMF filter for my new 75 gallon aquarium. Should work perfectly with the outtake leading to a waterfall that extends on the back of my tank to help circulate the water throughout the tank better.
Great project by the way! I may try that if I get interested in canister filters, heard good things about them.
Hi Mike! I have submersible water pump will it pump water back into the aquarium if i keep filter below the tank?
I like it, I am building a bit of a similar filter except the feed is at the bottom with a cavity and a false bottom above that so solids can settle to the bottom, the output will siphon off of the top of the filter with bio media of some sort in between. I've been toying with the idea of either above water level or on the floor but think I am going to go with above since this is an indoor aquaponics experiment. Aq to Filter above, gravity flow to the grow bed then dump back into the tank. I got some good ideas from your video. Thanks
I got this up and running and am very impressed. Unfortunately my canister fills with too much pressure and begins to leak out of the canister lid. Before I go in and silicone the inside of the lid do you have any suggestions for pressure release? Did you run into this problem at all?
Lids can be tricky, I've set ones up before where I did have to wrap teflon tape around the seal. The leak was small but after about 2 days it resolved itself. I would try the tape first, before permanently sealing the lid.
DIY AQUAPROS
i think he may have put his pump on the inlet side and thats why he is "building to much pressure", just a thought
***** Its on the outlet. I placed a ball valve on the inlet and slightly closed it and that seemed to solve the problem. It should be noted i don't have any media in it at this point. I've just been cycling it with a new tank to see if there are any leaks. Any potential motor issues by slightly closing the inlet? i thought about making the inlet tube smaller before doing this.
Joseph Montanez I don't know much about fish but I know a bit about pumps. You should be fine. You won't have to do that when u add filter pad because it will add resistance. In any case u should touch the pump. Warm is OK, hot is a good sign its burning up.
Excellent DIY video.
one question now, what canister filter size you recommend for a 40 GL aquarium
Easiest explanation...great solution when custom size canister is needed
I have a (sort of dumb) question. If you have the same filters connected together. For example two fluval 406. Will that double the GPH? Or will it stay the same. I want to use one for biological and the other entirely for mechanical. Thanks for the help!
Would this work on a 55 gallon tank? Can you please put a list of things need for this on my post, so I can be sure of what I need. I am having a hard time understanding some of the info you are saying here. Maybe you should put list of what is needed for projects where the description goes. Are these filters pretty quiet? My aquarium is my headboard.
@AQUAPROS How many gallons is this filter good for?
Hi DIY AQUAPROS
Nice tutorial, I'm definitely going to try this. But I have one question: Is the link to the powerhead the right one? It looks kinda different.
Grtz from Belgium
It is the same one, the picture on amazon includes the filter input cover. Hope this helps!
How do I figure out what size canister I need for my tank or does it matter? Great video btw. Thanks!
I have a question. Since the powerhead is outside water, won't it overheat and get damaged?
How effective is this filter with a 20 gallon turtle tank? Mines filled up 5 inches. I was also thinking of using this filter for mechanical and then use a Skippy/Wendy filter for biological. Will it work?
Why did you use a siphon as the input? What about using the pump’s intake to take water from the aquarium into the canister, and then an outlet from the canister to the aquarium?
Power head is not self priming so it requires a siphon to start the flow
Can you run 2 canister filters in series? So the 1st canister catches the majority of the waste?
Thank you for the great video! I built this filter as specified (same pump and everything) however found that the pressure in the canister was too high and resulted in water escaping from the top of the cooler. I ended removing the bulkhead and separating the pump. I then sat the cooler and pump unconnected in a 25 gallon plastic container ($4). Essentially, this created a perfect sump for my 55 gallon tank. As an added benefit the cooler stands taller than the container's water level and I found a drainage cap at Lowes (see link below) that sits perfectly about 5 inches from the top of the cooler. This allowed me to fill the top 5 inches of the cooler with bio balls creating a super simple wet/dry and sump system. All in all the system cost me $40; $50 if you count the massive 1.5in PVC overflow intake I built to feed the cooler. My overstocked 55g african cichlid tank has been running quietly on this system for 6 months now with perfect water parameters.
Thanks again!
www.lowes.com/pd_21588-676-10_4294612448__?productId=3132545&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_price%7C0%26page%3D2&facetInfo=
How often do you clean/replace the filters on this?
+Steven Tasker
The way I had this system set up was to with filter floss on the top most layer under one of the grates I mentioned in my previous comment. I then had a circular cut filter pad under the floss. I change the filter floss every 2-3 weeks or so (costs next to nothing so why not). I only changed the filter pads if they start getting clogged; perhaps every 2 months. I maintained that system for over a year with 20 cichlids in a 55g with no parameter problems and very little maintenance.
I have since altered my system from the one described above due to excess water pressure producing leaks and a wheezing sound from the top of the igloo cooler. Because you cannot drill a larger output on the cooler due to the insulation, I simply replaced the cooler with a 5g bucket ($4) and lid from Lowes. I then put a 2g bucket ($3) in the 5g bucket and cut the bottom of another 5g bucket so form a filter tray. Cut appropriate sized holes in the bottom of each bucket and you have a very similar system.
Would this be too much flow for a 20 gallon tank using this exact filter and set up? What size tank is it used on in the video? ? Thanks!
What exactly is the red material you put in the canister last? And what are good cheap alternatives?
Hey dude, at 3:22 on this vid you say that the "canister should now be filling with water and as soon as it is close to the top, kick on the powerhead" How can you know when its almost to the top? I have seen coolers with a vertical see through strip (fluid/oz indicator?) but if it doesn't have it, how will I know.
The siphon will stop feeding water into when it fills up. Then when you turn on the pump it will start siphoning again.
...a good idea is to inspect it for leaks for about a before actually starting it. So it will be full at this time anyways.
im going to try this with my 85 gallon turtle tank. My one question that I have is what size of container should i use?
Will this canister support a 55 gallon tank. Great video
Allen, this 2 gallon filter system could easily filter a 55, I would use it comfortably on up to a 90 gallon, always depends on fish load of course !
If you make the submersible inline, it does not overheat?
Mike, I built this 2 weeks ago and its running great. I'm building another one soon but, I'm having a problem finding the 1/2" connectors with barbed ends. The ones at Home Depo and Lowes have 1/2" thread but smaller barbed end which will constrict the flow. Do you have a location to purchase the exact ones on the video?? Seems like the connector's you used in your video work perfect.
Also thank you for making these do it your self projects.
Maxxmann
joe Ortiz jr check out the water irrigation plumbing section for those thread to barb connectors
correct me if I'm wrong, your pump before your canister is a submersible pump which you use outside the tank. If that is a submersible pump then you use it outside the tank or drawn out from the water, I think there is a problem on it. Just saying.
Please get back to me on what size tank would that filter work on and what size i should do on a 55 gallon cichlid tank
Ive used it on a planted 55 before, no issues. A big factor may be turnover which will be decreased as you increase the height the pump has to pump water. You can always get a stronger pump to combat this, I use the 663 model on the same canister that filters my 90 no problem.
DIY AQUAPROS You have to know the "head" pressure of the pump; i.e., every decent pump is rated for how high it will pump water up--the head.
I wonder, have you tried to put the Pump inside the cooler?
Love this diy filter for project. But where do you get your pump and water dispenser so cheap that it makes it in $25?
There is a link to the pump in the description, its about 23 bucks. The cooler was about 12 bucks and the reset of the equipment fills in the remaining amount making the total cost about 50 dollars. If you have tubing and PVC parts laying around you will spend less.
Would I be able to split the input and output into 2 tanks using a Y adapter? And if so, what kind of pump power would I need to be able to split the canister between 2 side by side tanks? The head is 4.5 foot.
Thanks.....does it matter how many gallons the cooler is? Would a 5 gallon be better or the same?
Bigger bucket, bigger pump may help. Check out the Eco Plus 663 model: amzn.to/1E5NWA0
Great video and I already make one.I got a few problem with the water leaking at the lid. And I have try silicone glue on the thread and screw it down to the container, but when I got a power outage of course the power head gonna stop working and the water is still moving to the canister filter. Do you got any solution for this?
plumbers grease on the lid thread and o-ring.
Also simply take the Input out of tank to stop the siphon.
You actually need to take the input and output out, water will come through the output. Our you can do like me and put a valve in both ends
Great video!! For a tank with 370 liters i need to change de powerpump right?
Thanks! The 633 model would be a great fit! amzn.to/1tY4oRM
How many gallons is this good for? If i used a bigger bucket and stronger pump would it be possible to make one for lets say a 300 gallon tank
I'm always looking how to make filters and this is a good idea. I would also put those Eheim quick disconnect valve on the end of the input hose to hold the water in the tube to clean the canister. I gave you a *thumbs up* I like this.
Thanks Ruben, the quick disconnects would be a good idea.
unable to get all the hose connectors you told can you please help me what alternates can be used thanks
Check out the DIY Essentials page on our site first, you may be able to find all you need online! Let me know if that doesn't work out!
Here's a link! www.diyaquapros.com/diy-essentials.html
Hey Mike what about the air pressure inside the plastic
tank.Air needs to be removed as water is being moved inside the plastic tank
good point. if the filter is air right, the oxygen would build up pressure during priming. and either blow the lid off or refuse to take anymore water.
considering the space of cooler. it wouldn't do either, but there would be unnecessary pressure... not the bad considering it's less the pump has to work. however the sound of water falling is what I'd dislike.
Way Cool! And it's insulated too! LOL
Some points: Maybe the "Canister" itself should be inside a tub or large bucket in case it leaks. I put my Eheim Classic in a big bucket just for that reason.
Apply a bead of silicon around those holes maybe? Quick release connections with shut off valves so the whole thing can be moved to a sink or bath tub for cleaning?
Thanks!
Would this work for a shallow 8" deep stream? To clarify, will it siphon if the water is shallow?
will the power head get heated up? Isn't it designed to be immersed in water. Please advice.
Does the power head heat up? And the power head is external or internal?
Hi. I made the carnister filter like your video showes the difference is i ised 30l blue barell instead a bucket. Problem i having is that when the filter wokrs for about 2 to 3 hrs the sides of the barell start to sink in so there is some wacume in the batell as when take the intake pipe of it paps the sides back :( I fild the barrel to the neck 100% before starting the pomp. The pomp is 3000l/h pomp with 15mm hose out to tank and 22mm hose from tank to the filter. Can you please help me sort this problem out. Kind regards. Arek
I wonder what happens if you place both intake and outlet hoses where the lid is. That would make it so much easier for my setup.
Im planing on doing this with in my 55gallon tank but with a 1 gallon canister (cooler), a model 3 utility pump 8c99 (400g/h), 3/4 tubes instead of 1/2 ,and with two inputs and two outputs. I wanted to know if could have any problems with this since the diameter of the tubes is wider and it will require more of them. Thanks
I just made a five gallon with a bigger pump. The problem I had was getting enough water through the intake. If you have 2 outputs you might have a problem with having enough water coming through the intake.
I surprised about running the power head outside of the tank. I thought it's body must be fully soaked in the water.
SAME!
Is there any problem to make it worked outside Water in long term?
some pumps are designed to be amphibious like periha pb series
Hi. Great Video . I want to ask how will the water flow from aquarium to the cannister ? Are you using a pump/motor for that too? Thankyou
Ojasvi Khandelia the pump pulls from the canister and pushes to the tank
Water siphons down from the tank into the canister.
The pump also forms a vacuum in the canister pulling water from the canister and pumping back to the aquarium
I know this is really late but, how would you open it to clean?? Another shut off valve on the top hose?
Will submersible pumps work outside of water?
I have a 150 gallon aquarium I was thinking of doing this for but with a EcoPlus 633 pump. Do you think the 2 gallon cooler with the bio media would work with that size pump? I'm not sure if you can have too much flow for the bio media to work. Thanks. Great video BTW.
With the 633 model the gal/hr will be close to 600. This means if the pump was at the same level as the output, you would be turning your tank over about 4 times an hour. The industry standard in 5 times an hour but is something I rarely abide by, all depends on your fish/waste load really. Keep in mind that when the pump in below the tank, say 3 feet for an average, your gal/hr rating will decrease. Id still go with the 663 or maybe even the 1056 model amzn.to/1nEcdTl (its only 10 more bucks) that would give you a turnover of 7 times an hour. KEEP IN MIND the 396 that I use in this video is the only one with matching 1/2 inch input/output attachments. All other pumps in the line will have different dimension that are listed on the page so make sure you double check before you commit. But as far as the cooler goes, I would fill it entirely with ceramic ring media, I use about 1 liter of it for every 20 gallons of stocked tank so you would be perfect there. Hope this helped!
+DIY AQUAPROS know what I can see ig the
I think it's the best system I met hasat now. It is very easy to assemble, and is very practical.
Thanks Juan!!!!
Hi. if i siphon for the input to the canister and have a cut of electrical service, do i have to siphon again?
Wow, this is the best DIY canister filter I've ever seen built for aquariums! Hats off to you buddy! Would like to see a spray bar attachment for this! Also, another cool thing to add would be a purge valve at the top to let air out from time to time. Love this though, found to build on this week or next for sure! Amazing channel man, simply amazing!
Thanks man, its way cheaper that using PVC (which i've made a lot of) haha. I need to make a few new spray bars, and yes a purge valve would be a good idea! Thanks again for watching, appreciate it!
how do you purge it exactly? I built one but seen to always have a small amount of air trapped in the lid which won't purge when unplugged and siphoning backwards because of the "u" shape of the pickup. if just like to reduce the trickling sound. .
ideas what to build next; Overflow system with wet dry filter? love to hear what your take is on the overflow system because I read and see too many different builds that make me hesitant to make one myself :)
i have a 100 gallon wide turtle tank will that pump work or what kind of pump should i use?
Is it harmless for those submersible power heads to be used out of water?
Well done . Time well spent looking @ videos . I'm impressed by the amount of stuff I've learned. I would like to see how to construct a sand water fall though.
Nice to see you using the Biohome media. It's best to promote the growth of anaerobic bacteria which is a must-have to lower nitrate levels.
Bro sump tank or cansister filter which is the best
you said this setup was rated to about 75 gallons - what if I wanted to use on a bigger build, say 130 - can I just increase the flow rate of the pump or would I need to get a larger container and media as well?
You could use this exact setup on a tank much larger if you wanted, just depend on your waste load. Flow rate doesnt always equal more filtration so you may have to experiment with your own setup to see what works best.
Great! Awesome video btw, great idea!
Hey, am I able to build this DIY canister filter without having an overflow? Because my 40gal tank is actually sitting on the floor.
Hi, did you use a powerhead for input?
This is a major $$$ saving project. Sweet. 😊
Thanks for the tutorial. I tried the same setup but the male flex raiser is leaking from the inside (on both ends). Do you have a solution for that?
I have a 112 gallon tank. I've made this exact filter using a 5 gallon bucket already but know I need to upgrade the pump. I've heard a tank 100+ gallons should cycle 6x per hour. Considering the media. What pump would you reccommend using on my diy canister filter?
I would go with the Eco 633 pump: amzn.to/1uiVYTx Its ~600 gal/hr flow rate should be close enough for your 112 gal tank! Im about to use this exact pump on a 90 gal planted tank.
I am very new to all of this. I want to make a better filter for my 6 gallon tank. Is is a design that can be scaled down? do they even make smaller pumps?
Right now I have a few ceramic rings that came with a little air powered filter I got off amazon and some chips off of one of those bio rocks that have volcanic minerals and bacteria as well as a bit of gravel and some filter pads in my penguin bio wheel 100.
I also have about a half dozen or so moss balls, some banana plants and a coconut husk log thing with plants growing on it in the tank.
Is a small DIY canister a good idea? or should I use what I have? I was considering replacing my air stone with the little air filter I have, it's kinda like a canister version of an air filter.
PM and I can show some pics of my setup.
+Aisha Kegawa Also is there a way to tell if your tank is properly cycled?
+Aisha Kegawa cycling a tank could take 1-3 weeks, but if you add beneficial bacteria (which you can buy at the pet store) you can speed it up and on,y wait one week, which is what I did.. I personally like a canister filter more than a hang on back, smaller version would be cool, but this one would work too pretty well, unless you want to make a smaller version
Thanks for the info, I found out that you need to do regular water tests while your tank is cycling. I have my critters in a bigger 30 gallon tank now and everyone is much happier.
A 6 gallon tank....Lol. I wonder if that ity bity thing even needs a filter. 6 gallons sounds like the same size as a fish bowl.
+chillbill216 actually it's bigger than a 5gallon bucket (your standard plastic bucket in the US). A fish bowl is typically less then a gallon usually not more than 2 gallons.
Even 6 gallons is not suitable for more than 1 or 2 small fish. I have moved my guys to a 30 gallon I recently acquired and cycled.
i was wondering where did you get the light weight plastic pot scrubbers , the poliester filling and the filter padding from?
All the items were purchased though amazon. Here are links to the poly fill and padding:
poly fill: amzn.to/1rdW1ha
filter padding: amzn.to/1nWCNvy (blue not pink)
The pot scrubbers were purchased at a local super market, but you are bound to find them online as well.
awsome thanks. for the pot scrubbers can they just be any plastic pot scrubbers or is there a certain type?
I don't think you can go wrong, ive used tons of different brands and they all worked out fine. Good luck!
DIY AQUAPROS please send the link for the bio home media
John Cabansag www.ebay.com/itm/1Kg-2-2lbs-BIOHOME-ULTIMATE-FILTER-MEDIA-BEST-FILTER-MEDIA-EVER-/221373997960?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item338aeb2388
Thank you! Loved the video! Subscribed and liked! But a few questions... I'm new to this. I've always used a carbon filter on the back of my tank. The ones that you can buy at like Petsmart. How does this differ in filtration? And how is this better? Is it more efficient? Do I have to clean the tank less often? What are the benefits basically?
Activated carbon is used to primarily bind and reduce carbon based compounds that cause odors and discoloration of your water. Activated carbon will not bind NH3 NO2- or NO3- which is a common misconception. I dont use carbon in any of my tanks out of personal preference. Some swear by it, others such as my self, stay away from it. Carbon does have a very high surface area, but since it purpose is to bind and not necessarily release, over time it will be come saturated and will need to be replaced. I would only use it if you have a strong organic odor or tannin leach that wont go away with water changes.
I have a 55 a 40 and 2×29.
what is the best and most efficient way to filter all together
which pump are you using to pump water back to the tank, coz I tried getting one i'm unable to get it.