My version of a diy canister filter

RoyalFizbin · 03-13-2008, 01:25 AM

This is actually my second atempt at this, my first version was done using copper elbows and 5 minute epoxy by lepage. It worked for about 3 months but eventually the 5 minute epoxy turned gummy and lost it's hold. This time I'm using jb-weld with pvc. I made the holes with a glass and tile drill bit, and then reamed it big with a dremel using a tile cutting bit. The glass drill bit isn't absolutely necessary but i have it handy. The whole thing could have been done with just the dremel. The powerhead is a maxijet 400.

If the Jb-weld epoxy holds up for 5 or 6 months, I'll go ahead and scale this up a bit and build one out of a 4 litre jar and a larger maxijet.

Picture to show the flow

This is being used in a 10 gallon shrmp tank. The flow is more than enough for me.

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colinthebassist · 03-13-2008, 03:31 AM

How the heck did you manage to drill a mason jar?

Birdman · 03-13-2008, 05:04 AM

Here's a trick I use on my ponds all the time. A cheap replacement for bulk head fittings, get PVC electrical conduit male and female adapters. they will screw together tight because elec. conduit has straight cut threads, unlike PVC which has tapered pipe threads.

ZooTycoonMaster · 03-13-2008, 05:08 AM

How do you get the water to flow out of the spraybar?

**fshfanatic** · 03-13-2008, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZooTycoonMaster

How do you get the water to flow out of the spraybar?

With the powerhead.

RoyalFizbin · 03-13-2008, 05:22 AM

Drilling the jar isn't hard. I just held it in my hand and drilled it. I used a drill bit that looks like this. http://power-tools.hardwarestore.com...it-652475.aspx

To make the hole bigger i just went around the hole with a dremel tile cutting bit.

The water is flowing in to the jar at the bottom and leaving the jar at the top then it goes into the powerhead which pumps the water back into the tank through the spraybar.

Bulk head fittings aren't gonna work well on a curved surface. You'd have to fill a huge gap with some kind of washer.

htn86 · 03-13-2008, 06:29 AM

Very nice job, but too bad your filter is not big.

**Blue Ridge Reef** · 03-13-2008, 02:13 PM

I think he said it's a prototype, Mr. backhanded compliment!

RoyalFizbin · 03-14-2008, 03:39 AM

Well it's not huge and it never will be. Hopfully i will make a bigger one though. I don't have jars larger than 4 liters so thats the maximum size I can make it. 4 liters isn't that small though, its 2 bottles of soda. I have an xp2 which is about 6 liters but if you compair the media holding capacity, I think a 4 liter jar holds more. The 2 media baskets of an xp2 looks to be less volume than a 4 liter jar.

ZooTycoonMaster · 03-14-2008, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fshfanatic

With the powerhead.

Well then how did you get the water to get sucked in to the canister/jar?

**Blue Ridge Reef** · 03-14-2008, 03:54 AM

With the powerhead!

**Blue Ridge Reef** · 03-14-2008, 03:55 AM

I kid, look at the first picture at the bottom of the jar, and you'll see the intake.

ZooTycoonMaster · 03-14-2008, 04:13 AM

So the powerhead at the top of the jar is powerful enough to suck up water from the other end?

RoyalFizbin · 03-14-2008, 04:42 AM

No its not powerful enough to suck it up. Thats not exactly how it works. It's assisted by a syphoning action of the water into the jar. The powerhead pumps it from the jar back into the tank.

helgymatt · 03-14-2008, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZooTycoonMaster

So the powerhead at the top of the jar is powerful enough to suck up water from the other end?

A powerhead is just a pump....meaning it PUMPS water! I think this is VERY basic.

03-13-2008, 01:25 AM	#1 (permalink)
RoyalFizbin Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 83	My version of a diy canister filter This is actually my second atempt at this, my first version was done using copper elbows and 5 minute epoxy by lepage. It worked for about 3 months but eventually the 5 minute epoxy turned gummy and lost it's hold. This time I'm using jb-weld with pvc. I made the holes with a glass and tile drill bit, and then reamed it big with a dremel using a tile cutting bit. The glass drill bit isn't absolutely necessary but i have it handy. The whole thing could have been done with just the dremel. The powerhead is a maxijet 400. If the Jb-weld epoxy holds up for 5 or 6 months, I'll go ahead and scale this up a bit and build one out of a 4 litre jar and a larger maxijet. Picture to show the flow This is being used in a 10 gallon shrmp tank. The flow is more than enough for me.

03-13-2008, 03:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
colinthebassist Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1) Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 190	How the heck did you manage to drill a mason jar? __________________ 33G: Eheim 2224, Finally have pressurized Co2 and Reactor

03-13-2008, 05:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
Birdman Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Crooked River Ranch, Oregon Posts: 231	Here's a trick I use on my ponds all the time. A cheap replacement for bulk head fittings, get PVC electrical conduit male and female adapters. they will screw together tight because elec. conduit has straight cut threads, unlike PVC which has tapered pipe threads. __________________ Steve Joneli Crooked River Ranch, Oregon High Desert Koi Ponds www.highdesertkoi.com

03-13-2008, 05:08 AM	#4 (permalink)
ZooTycoonMaster Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Santa Clara, California Posts: 367	How do you get the water to flow out of the spraybar? __________________ 10 Gallon Planted Tank

03-13-2008, 06:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
htn86 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (12) Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: CT Posts: 189	Very nice job, but too bad your filter is not big. __________________ 125G - 1 Arowana, 2 flowerhorns, 1 red eared slider, 1 spotted pleco, anubias on driftwood 92G corner - huge colony of frontosas, 1 spotted plecos, 1 galaxy pleco, 2 spotted raphael catfish, 2 clown loaches, anubias on rock 55G - 2 breeding flowerhorns 20G - RCS, HC carpet, HM, anubias on driftwood, dwarf hair grass, 1 banana plant 2.5G - Iwagumi - RCS, HC carpet/rocks

03-13-2008, 05:22 AM	#6 (permalink)
RoyalFizbin Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 83	Drilling the jar isn't hard. I just held it in my hand and drilled it. I used a drill bit that looks like this. http://power-tools.hardwarestore.com...it-652475.aspx To make the hole bigger i just went around the hole with a dremel tile cutting bit. The water is flowing in to the jar at the bottom and leaving the jar at the top then it goes into the powerhead which pumps the water back into the tank through the spraybar. Bulk head fittings aren't gonna work well on a curved surface. You'd have to fill a huge gap with some kind of washer.

03-13-2008, 02:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
Blue Ridge Reef I do stuff (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 548	I think he said it's a prototype, Mr. backhanded compliment! __________________ Nothing good happens fast in an ecosystem.

03-14-2008, 03:39 AM	#9 (permalink)
RoyalFizbin Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 83	Well it's not huge and it never will be. Hopfully i will make a bigger one though. I don't have jars larger than 4 liters so thats the maximum size I can make it. 4 liters isn't that small though, its 2 bottles of soda. I have an xp2 which is about 6 liters but if you compair the media holding capacity, I think a 4 liter jar holds more. The 2 media baskets of an xp2 looks to be less volume than a 4 liter jar.

03-14-2008, 03:54 AM	#11 (permalink)
Blue Ridge Reef I do stuff (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 548	With the powerhead! __________________ Nothing good happens fast in an ecosystem.

03-14-2008, 03:55 AM	#12 (permalink)
Blue Ridge Reef I do stuff (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 548	I kid, look at the first picture at the bottom of the jar, and you'll see the intake. __________________ Nothing good happens fast in an ecosystem.

03-14-2008, 04:13 AM	#13 (permalink)
ZooTycoonMaster Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3) Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Santa Clara, California Posts: 367	So the powerhead at the top of the jar is powerful enough to suck up water from the other end? __________________ 10 Gallon Planted Tank

03-14-2008, 04:42 AM	#14 (permalink)
RoyalFizbin Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 83	No its not powerful enough to suck it up. Thats not exactly how it works. It's assisted by a syphoning action of the water into the jar. The powerhead pumps it from the jar back into the tank.

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