Hi all,

I want to introduce my DIY external filters for 20 and 85 liters.

First one is for 20 liters tank. I made it from 3 liters plastic pickle jar. Powerhead is HAILEA. very silent. You can check out sound on youtube link. Just direction is wrong wate inlet is on top and outlet is at bottom. Anyway, still working very well. I use lots of hot glue and silicone on this version.

Second one is for my new 85 liters tank. It made from same pickle jar but bigger, 5 liters. Water inlet is at the bottom and outlet is on the top. This time I used some garden hose fittings. So very strong, leakproof and hose can turn 360 degree freely. Plugging in and out of hose is just 1 second.

So, both filter working very silent and effectively. I hope it will be inspiring for someone...

If you want to ask anything, dont be hesitate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=ytPe9erY4U0

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interesting. so you're going with turd water straight to the bio before the mechanical? i've always hit mechanical first then bio.

does it work ok like that?

cool idea. congrats.

fyi you may wear out your powerhead sooner like that. turds and plant chunks etc. hitting the impeller.

It seems like it may be better to unhook your powerhead and reverse it. That way It would suck in water from the tube on the right side of the picture, the water would pass over the mechanical filtration (scrubbies), then go through onto the ceramic bio rings then to the powerhead and back into the tank. This way the filter would catch all the junk before it got to powerhead impeller. Just a suggestion, I'm no expert.

Thank you all,

I am already using a thin layer of filter floss over inflow pipe. Big paricules cant come in to the powerhead.

In the Ver.1 mechanical filter media is over the bio rings, so water hitthe mechanichal media and then bio and powerhead and back to aquarium. Just as you say.

Ver.2 Its not obvious but i put a layer of sponge under the rings, but rigns smashed that sponge layer. I must du something about that in the next filter cleaning. Maybe I can make some plastic seperators.

Dolfan, Yes it looks better but as i say before turds or any big waste of plants cant hit the impeller directly. and if i reverse the powerhead water will stream from top to bottom. But best filtration direction is bottom to top.

Anyway thank you all for your messages. Theres no problem at all (for now )

I will make little bit more mechanical media before rings.