Plant filter

[chris10]

This is a planted filter I set up in a window. Its nothing fancy. So far after two months all the water nasties have been zero. This is a 5 gallon tank filtering a 20 gallon with a fairly light fish load. The 20g has 6 dwarf puffers and a bristle nose. The 5 gallon also serves as a snail jail for the puffs.

The plants in the 5g are water sprite and anacharis. In the 20g I have some java lace and moss under 15 watts of light.

Again nothing pretty but it does its job. The pics show it full of algae mainly due to it getting a lot of sun. I'll be adding some shrimp to help the snails kept the algae down as much as possible. But as long as there is no algae in the main tank i'm happy.

5g was built out of some fire place door glass I bought at a thrift store for about $2. Since that glass is tempered I went to the hardware store and bought some float for the end pieces about $0.50. Then glued it together with some ge silicone 1. Unfortunately the plumping is were I took a hit. The tank is 8ft away with a 2 foot head and my girlfriend said it had to be somewhat nice looking and well hidden. So lots of elbows (10 for going to the 5g and 7 for the return), bad for flow I know. The plumbing was about $25.

Everything else I had lying around. Power by a fluval 104 with only mechanical filtration pumping water to the 5g, then water is siphoned over the edge and gravity fed back to the main tank. The top pipe over the tank wasn't suppose to look like that. I found out that in the event of a power failure, the pipe will siphon half of the water out if the pipe is in the water. So it has a temp fix.

So far its looking good for never having to do a water change. I'll give it a couple more months before I officially make that claim.

[intermediate_noob]

First of all, this is a great DIY project and goes to show that it is not always about having plants inside your tank! Great job on this.

I think that many of us have kicked around the idea of something like this. The only difference with my idea from yours is that the filter tank would sit inside my sump and serve as a grow out area for plants that would go into my cichlid tank. For whatever reason my cichlids just love eating all my plants. Go figure.

I had always planned a 10 gallon tank, but never thought of purchasing glass and doing it that way. How hard was it to put together? I have read the articles, but they always seem to say "It was so easy". Most of my projects start that way and then 20-30 emergency trips to Lowes later it is done and costs 10x more than I thought. Any first hand experience would be great.

Thanks again for sharing this. One suggestion, how about making a frame for the filter tank and making it sort of a window box? Maybe get a diamond drill bit and some fittings to hid the plumbing and then it could become a part of the decor? Oh the gears are turning in my head. Everyone better run!

Thanks again!

[chris10]

I know what you mean about the gears turning. Naja002 originally planted this idea in my head after posting his version. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/di...k-warning.html

But I didn't use his peace lilies because I have cats. At first I had some dwarf papyrus and corkscrew rush which are pond plants that can be submerged. I got them on clearance mainly because they were half dead. Took them out because I was having a hard time bringing them back to life and just left it with the other two.

Yeah you can literally put it anywhere and for any purpose as long as it has a light source either natural or artificial.

The glass was just pure luck. It just so happen to be the perfect width for my window sill. A ten gallon will be the cheapest unless you stumble on some really cheap glass. Building this small one was a piece of cake. Its the larger tanks that scare me. So unfortunately for you I have another "It was so easy". Just reread all of the tank building write ups and plan one out. The key is planing and it also helps if you have a partner

That ghetto overflow was plan B. Plan A was a nice plexiglas overflow box I built myself. The problem was it was to big. It sucked more water than the fluval could deliver. If I had a diamond drill bit the plumbing would have defiantly been different. Next time I will spend a little extra and drill instead of an overflow. It will look nicer and less parts.

The window box is a good idea. My girlfriend will defiantly go for that.

These pics were in its early stages when I had the pond plants.



I took this pic because I was excited that my pond snails were breeding.

[intermediate_noob]

Like I said, awesome start on this. I would be really interested how it all works out for you and whether you can truly move towards a water change-less setup.

I noticed a heater in there...do you keep that heated or is that just your heater for your main tank?

[chris10]

The heater is for the main tank.

I take care of a tank for a business. And of course they wanted the nice lush planted tank as we all do. Their tank is EI dosed with the usual C02. So when I decided to finally set one up in my apartment I opted for a low maintenance tank. Also this was a test tank for an 80 gallon I have sitting around. The only way I'll change the water on that one is with a python. But after this experiment it might have a planted filter under the cabinet. In fact the 80 will house my favorite of all fish, Tanganyikans!

Take care

[lauraleellbp]

Chris- there's a thread in the lounge where you could possibly win a free membership with this thread- check it out!