DIY Canister Idea

[ROB281]

I am thinking about doing a DIY Canister using a Home Depot Bucket

I think if I use gravity I shouldn't have to worry about blowing the lid of with pressure.

Saw a 1200 gph pond pump, and thought that should move some water but would it implode the bucket?

I attached a quick sketch of whatScanned from a Xerox Multifunction Device.pdf

Any tips, or warnings to save me from blowing up my house with water?

[mnemenoi]

I have seen them, but honestly a larger DIY sump might be easier and less dangers of imploding. Easier to clean as well. Those really large totes are easy to work with (double it for ease of mind), section it off, start with a sock filter off the overflow, fill with bioballs or scrubby pads, and even add a fine filter floss for final water polishing. Set the pump rate to the overflow amount and your finished with no worries

[hungvanvo]

Rob, Please check out this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxFb...ujLx3VpXLjQrAg

[ROB281]

I have seen them, but honestly a larger DIY sump might be easier and less dangers of imploding. Easier to clean as well. Those really large totes are easy to work with (double it for ease of mind), section it off, start with a sock filter off the overflow, fill with bioballs or scrubby pads, and even add a fine filter floss for final water polishing. Set the pump rate to the overflow amount and your finished with no worries

I've never quite gotten my head around sumps, guess it can't hurt to do some homework though

[mnemenoi]

Basically its an open air canister. Makes media changing easier and water top offs a breeze. The big issue is flooding. If the power goes out, the sump needs to stop draining prior to the sump flooding. Otherwise the pump keeps up at the same rate the overflow produces. Old scratched up tanks work well for sumps if you have one lying around. Its just pumping water, so no issues with it imploding the container and water pumps are not hard to control via the water outlet valve. You can hide your heater in it as well to cleanup the tanks appearance and adding refugiums (think growlight and fast growing plants to eat up Nitrates that is on for far longer then an aquatic set up) can export Nitrates quickly.

[mnemenoi]

p.s. I love the user pic, it always makes me laugh when I see it...

[Austy16414]

Check this one out too Rob, it's smaller and less powerful, but a pretty sweet design in my opinion. Looking forward to seeing how yours turns out

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?216044-DIY-canister-filter-done

[ROB281]

would the size of the canister really change anything?

Using pvc would more than likely provide a cleaner looking end product, but anything above 6" diameter starts getting pricey

hard to beat a $2.85 bucket

[Austy16414]

Depends on the pump. With a stronger pump, I would want a larger canister volume to reduce the pressure. 2 feet of 6" PVC is essentially the same volume as an eheim canister. I only suggest PVC because it's more pressure-resistant than the plastic on a home depot bucket

[troy tucker]

IMO: It would be a matter of time but the plastic would fail. You can do a PVC overflow and sump as Roy said or PVC canister. The idea the hung shown was pretty cool.
There are a few DIY. Sumps on here. Check them out.

[ROB281]

finding a Marineland C530 new for $170 has me debating on going forward with a DIY canister

[Linh Nguyen]

finding a Marineland C530 new for $170 has me debating on going forward with a DIY canister

That or the SunSuns are good bang for the buck. After having drilled tanks and DIY sumps, I would personally never have it any other way. Too many advantages.

[Austy16414]

finding a Marineland C530 new for $170 has me debating on going forward with a DIY canister

What'd you end up going with? I'm surprised noone has suggested the Odyssea CFS series yet

[ROB281]

currently running two marineland canisters