[jumpzakjump]

I am building a canister filter and need a specific cleanout plug. So far I have only been able to find it in canadian hardware stores that don't ship to the US. Can anyone help me find this plug please!

Home Hardware - 4" ABS Cleanout Plug

It is a 4" cleanout plug that has the lip on it with a gasket. The ones sold in the US don't have this lip, so they aren't watertight without being sealed.

 

[PlantedRich]

Since plastic (abs, pvc, cpvc) tend to be somewhat different when it comes to threads, I would be somewhat hesitant to assume one made for the Canadian market would necessarily match up with fittings made for the US market. Many will but considering what it may take to find and buy that specific item, I would want to see it actually work first.
Have you found a matching 4" fitting with the flat surface to make the seal?
Not an item I've seen.

 

[jumpzakjump]

I don't mean to buy that piece from canada, I mean is there something similar to this in the US. Your last statement pretty much sums it all up, I haven't been able to find anything similar here I am thinking about going with a 4" pvc union instead, just a bit more $$.

 

[redavalanche]

Dont know if these help cause not sure what is up.

https://www.plumbingsupply.com/cleanoutplugs.html
https://www.plumbingsupply.com/images/real-tite-expansion-plug-cleanout-cover.jpg
https://www.grainger.com/product/TEST-TITE-4-Mechanical-3EJP1?s_pp=false&picUrl=//static.grainger.com/rp/s/is/image/Grainger/3EJN7_AS01?$smthumb$

 

[SingAlongWithTsing]

Shop 4-in Dia PVC Cleanout Plug Fitting at Lowes.com

http://www.homedepot.com/s/4%22%20cleanout%20plug?NCNI-5

 

[PlantedRich]

Sorry but I think both those suggestions are missing the critical point. The cover the OP is looking at has a flat edge that will make a seal if he can find a matching fitting to screw it down on. Something like a flat washer seal?
The standard cleanout that I know in the US is the type you both mention and has external threads which require tape or goop to make the seal. Both are then more difficult to take off for cleaning and would not be what I would want.

 

[Hoppy]

If you plan to locate this DIY filter under the tank, don't underestimate the force on that plug from the weight of all of the water high above the filter. Assume you use a 4 inch diameter plug, that is about 12 square inches of surface subjected to the water's weight (head pressure). If the filter is 3 feet below the top of the tank, the pressure is about 1.5 psi, so there is almost 20 pounds of force trying to push the plug out. The plug may be plenty strong enough, but at least do some thinking and testing first to assure yourself that it is.

 

[PlantedRich]

And I'm guessing we have seen this story before!
Canisters seem very simple to build and seem very expensive to buy so it looks like a no-brainer to DIY one.
Until we actually get into building it and then using it. But then we all have get some experience even if it is a failure , we are apt to learn some things along the way.
It is not a process that I recommend.

 

[jumpzakjump]

And I'm guessing we have seen this story before!
Canisters seem very simple to build and seem very expensive to buy so it looks like a no-brainer to DIY one.
Until we actually get into building it and then using it. But then we all have get some experience even if it is a failure , we are apt to learn some things along the way.
It is not a process that I recommend.

I actually quite enjoy the researching/building/testing process. Even if it costs me a lot of time and most likely more money in the long run, I like the fact that I built it myself. In any case I've found a solution to the lack of these types of lids in the US. I'm just using a 4" pvc union, one side sealed to the canister and another will be sealed to a 4"-1/2" bushing that will hold the input. This way it is a removeable yet water tight lid!

I'll update with pics when I get all the parts in. The thing that costs the most about this is actually shipping. Buying PVC parts online not in bulk does cost quite a bit.

 

[PlantedRich]

I'm not against the idea. Just not found enough value for me to pursue it. Carry on and report back how it's going?
I certainly have chased worse projects. I spent about a month on reworking an orb shaped tank into what I wanted only to find an orb only gives a very limited water/air interface and ditched the project!

 

[jumpzakjump]

I'm not against the idea. Just not found enough value for me to pursue it. Carry on and report back how it's going?
I certainly have chased worse projects. I spent about a month on reworking an orb shaped tank into what I wanted only to find an orb only gives a very limited water/air interface and ditched the project!

Ah yes, the water/air interface xD. I have a Biorb Flow 30L from a long time ago when I didn't know much about tanks. I ended up taking out the horrible filter system and installed a small internal filter that blows a lot more air into the tank than the stupid bubble filter could. Also allows me to keep smaller substrate and some low light plants.

 

[PlantedRich]

I did the whole project with the thought that I would use a canister filter and did not want things running up and over the sides. And the whole idea was to avoid seeing equipment in the tank as I knew space for limited. So I worked out, heating filtration, etc. but did not consider the air.
All the pictures are gone but this is my build on it. It might give some ideas as a starter for a future orb to learn from my mistakes?
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/20-diy/927097-no-equipment-seen-challenge.html

 

[jumpzakjump]

Just for some closure on this thread, the 4" union seal was perfect and probably a better seal than the original cap that I was looking for. Here is the finished filter.

It is water tight (needed silicone at the bulkhead down near the bottom of course). It works great with an inline water pump. I went with the EcoPlus 396 gph pump. Spray paint is next, probably flat black or silver or something..we'll see.

Overall very pleased with this. If I had bought all the PVC parts together from the same retailer at the same time this would have saved me tons of $$, but I'm impulsive. It was still cheaper than buying a mainstream canister, but time counts for something.

Follow along with the whole build and the rest of the tank build here.

 

[user12345pk]

always cheaper to buy when it comes to canister.

 

[jumpzakjump]

always cheaper to buy when it comes to canister.

Not true in my case, but I wasn't building this to save money anyway. If you include the time it takes to make it then yes it would have been cheaper to buy but I truly enjoy building things that work, and in this case it holds the heater so I don't need it in the tank or a sump.