I agree, plus DIY's are usually much easier to troubleshoot when things do go wrong. I would also like to try build a custom filter one day.
Nope. Not true. Let's break it down. There's chemical, mechanical and biological filtration. The most profitable for manufacturers is the present way of doing things. It is not the most efficient or effective. Just very profitable. Present way is chemical. mechanical and "biological" - which should actually be read as Bacterial. Most peeps have no idea what actually happens in a canister or any filter for that matter. Put da stuff in dere dat da man told me to. Kleen when book says so. Go buy more of da stuff. Looooook feeeeeesh swim. Anyway. Luis, go for it. I would. I believe in paying for quality goods but truth is if I can make a better system myself then I most certainly would rather make it myself. But I wouldn't copy someone's crap. That's just been cheap skate. Make your own. Innovate. How did Mr Amano get to where he did? Innovate. Come up with a new way of doing things. I hear the creaky wagon wheels of a revolution!
id still love to know how he runs his overflows without degassing the CO2 in his tanks, but that another topic for another thread
I enjoy doing DIY stuff for my tanks. It satisfies me know that I saved a little money and learned a little along the build, be it how the filter works, or how to make something more efficient. I did a small DIY two years ago ( I think...) but it needed some tweaks here and there. Here's a pic of what it looked like: A member in EL also made his own canister filter from PVC, I'll TAG him and see if he can post a pic. It really is neat and the most costly part was the pump...
Re: Re: Super filter Amano is an exhibiter (would it be rude to say exhibitionist?) whom himself copies from others, or let's rather quote and say "finds inspiration from his surroundings." Look at just about every ADA product and you will find that there already exists something similar prior to the glorified ADA exhibited release. For example the ADA jet filter (which I believe is the inspiration for Luis' DIY idea), it is the very same design as eheims classic series filters, only blinged up for exhibitional purpose. Okay, so it's of superior quality and materials too, but I mean it's not the kind of filter you hide in a cabinet right? It's the kind of thing you proudly exhibit in your fancy ADA glass cabinet. People are willing to pay for this just like they willing to pay for some abstract piece of art, which some may see as ludicrous for a few splashes of paint on canvas. But totally agree, very few things ready made beats a good DIY and then sometimes things just need a little customising to work the way you need or want it to.
Too true. By innovation I was referring to the whole carbon dioxide thing and then all the other stuff with lighting and tools and the riccia thing etc etc. I agree on the filter part though. The best filters are not exactly eye candy though. I am still very keen on trying an Algal Turf Scrubber. Raymond and Tyrone slammed it once upon a moon ago but the evidence is out there. Read the book not the interwebs! I'm sure it can do the biz. Just a bit costly to run (lights!) and requires a bit more thought than packing according to maunfacturer's recommendations.
An Algae Turf Scrubber will definitely work. Probably not on planted aquariums though. I would use one for malawi setups, biotope setups (with few plants), marine setups, etc... They are extremely effective at waste removal. And if you use Energy Saving CFL's then it wont be that expensive to run. I did all this research when I started my marine system, and I had all the parts to do it, then I sold my marine system. Amano copied the design of the Eheim Classic filters for his filter. Because it was a working design. (I'm not bashing the filter, or the copying of it) He used to run, and still does (Well, last year anyway) eheim classic filters in the gallery. With the addition of the new baby Superjets, I'm sure he is probably using those now.
No, of course no attack.. Yes, it is something to plan for, and it will take trial and error.. There are already many other industries that use sealed containers. My issue with eheim and fluval, and other filters are the parts.. however if for example I use a generic container, the parts will be easy to find and replace. See it this way, the container can be any size you want.. the money is on the pump, and a filter is really a simple thing, pump to suck the water, and container to hold the media..
Exactly.. why must I be dealing with shops for overpriced parts, and be without a filter till those parts arrive, or worse, buy a second filter to keep just in case the main one breaks? I had a JBL 1500, the impeler broke, took me the best part of a week to find a impeler and get it shipped, and this in London... not cool.
Here it go, this sort of stuff can be done for a nano, and it is small enough to attach a pump to it, and put in a cabinet.. easy to source, cheap to make, and most importantly, easy to replace.
But who says I am making someone elses stuff? A filter is a pump, and a enclosure for media, said it from the first posts.. no need to be fancy.. So if I get a pump and a container, hook them together and put some pipes on it, I am copying someone? There isn't no better way to filter a tank than a powerful pump attached to a container filled up with media. Add a CO2 diffuser as needed.
Re: Re: Super filter Actually what made me think about the DIY was the bucket eheim posted a while ago by MO.. I always wanted one, but never found one second hand.. so I thought, wait a second, I can make one.. it is one of the best filters there is, and it is simply a bucket, with a powerful pump on it.. ADA is just bling.. I like it, it is pretty.. but bling..
For a CO2 diffuser you can also not beat an enclosure that smashes all those bubbles to full disolving on water.. container, small, pipes, balls inside and a small pump sucking the water, add some filter moss as well.. for big tanks, use something similar to a classic eheim, but instead of media, just put balls inside, or mesh.. What I would like to find is a plastic company in cape town that could make some boxes for me, difference sizes, watertight.. from 200ml to 25L.
Oh, you previously mentioned wanting a stainless steel canister like that of ADA with reactor, but yeah, those eheims bucket filters are legend, again the classic series. There's not much to improve on this design other than material and bling, which ADA already did.
I mentioned stainless steel for the durability of it.. Those eheim buckets are all a filter needs to be.. mind you, if I find a cheap one online I will buy it.. but they are nothing more than a large bucket and a pump.. I would also like to have a mini sump for nano. Many years ago, mid 80's, my hang on filters were all air powered, and they did a good job.. we should be able to make some like that for nanos, small, but with a pump inline instead..
Many years ago, mid 80's, my hang on filters were all air powered, and they did a good job.. we should be able to make some like that for nanos, small, but with a pump inline instead.. [/quote] now you make me remember my first tank. check this one out My second prototype canister filter for 15 eur] My second prototype canister filter for 15 eur
... and those eheim pump heads have stood the test of time. My dad still has one from what I think must be around 20 plus year mark.
One hardly get a better testament to their resilience and engineering than that.. I really like the eheim pumps, they are simple, solid and do what it says on the tin. The new ones go up to 3400L per hour, that is a massive amount of flow.. add a bucket with media, and even if the flow drops to half, it is still very decent. For the really large tanks, add a few of them, attacked to 25L buckets, and you can see why they are favored.. Those eheims are the true superfilters.. Obviously not as shinny as the ADA kit.. but maybe enclose them on a shinny case..
