DIY canister filter. DIY aquarium water filtration

The water in the aquarium must be constantly filtered. This is known to all owners of home decorative fish. Pet stores have plenty big choice aquarium filters various designs. However, such a device can be made independently from available material.

Some aquarists believe that you should not save on the fish themselves and their food, but you can find a replacement for expensive aquarium equipment. It is quite possible to make some supplies and accessories, including a water purifier, with your own hands. Of course, for this you need to know the basic principles of aqua filtration, as well as have some home craftsman skills.

How to make an internal filter yourself?

What is necessary?

Materials for the simplest internal aquarium filter are freely available in regular hardware stores. The only exception, perhaps, is a compact electric pump. However, you can also buy it at a construction hypermarket or electrical goods store.

So, for work you will need:

a plastic container with a tight lid (a container for storing bulk products is suitable);

thick porous material or sponge;

sealed water pump with a fitting for attaching to the container lid;

ceramic granules or rings for biological filtration (for fine cleaning, you can use plain cotton wool as a filter element);

2-3 suction cups, adhesive resin.

Operating procedure

Then a sponge is placed tightly into the container to rough cleaning, and on top - material for fine cleaning (cotton wool or biofilter elements).

A hole is cut in the container lid to the diameter of the pump fitting.

The fitting is inserted into the hole and sealed around the circumference with resin or silicone.

The pump itself is screwed onto it, which creates compression inside the container.

2 or 3 household suction cups are attached to the upper part of the wide side of the container.

Basically, internal filter ready. The suction cups will hold securely homemade device on the wall of the container.

This filter can also be placed directly on the ground. The latter will act as an additional level of filtration.

If you attach a plastic nozzle with a long tube going out to the outlet of the pump, then at the same time as the water is purified, it will be aerated.

DIY external aquarium filter

What can it be made from?

Making such a device at home will take more time.

You can use a round tall plastic canister as a body.

If there is none, then a piece of plastic will do. garden pipe large diameter. True, the top and bottom covers will have to be cut and attached yourself.

Progress

First stage

A hole is cut in the bottom of the canister, into which a metal or plastic fitting with a one-way inlet valve is screwed tightly.

There are 2 holes in the cover: for attaching the water outlet valve and the electric pump.

The pump itself is attached through a fitting to inside covers.

Second phase

Now you need to make cassettes, or cartridges, with filter elements. They can be made from plastic flower pots, cutting off the top wide part evenly.

The diameter of such homemade cassettes should be slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the canister.

Holes are burned in the bottom of each cassette to allow water to pass through.

The first cartridge, where the sponge is placed, is inserted into the canister so that its bottom is slightly higher than the adapter with the inlet valve.

Next, a second cartridge is installed, where the filter material can be fiber, padding polyester or cotton wool. The cassette with the filtering biomaterial is installed on top so that it is lower than the pump attached to the lid of the canister.

If the external filter housing is made independently, then its bottom and lid are sealed with silicone or resin.

Third stage

Tubes or hoses are connected to the inlet and outlet adapters with valves. Their length is adjustable depending on the depth of the aquarium and the distance to the filter.

The external aquarium water purifier is ready.

As in the first case, a working pump creates pressure, under the influence of which water is first sucked into the canister, goes through all stages of filtration and then flows back into the aquarium. Before starting use, it is necessary to check the canister for leaks within 24 hours by filling it with water.

The main element of the purifiers is the pump. When choosing it, you should take into account the volume of the aquarium. For example: for a 70-liter aquarium, a pump with a capacity of 300 liters per hour is suitable, and for a 200-liter aquarium - 1000 liters per hour.

Instead of a conclusion

At home, you can make a bottom filter or, as it is also called, a false bottom. However, this is already more difficult task, which true craftsmen can do.

Enough big number aquarium owners prefer not to spend money on expensive equipment. Water filters, carefully made with your own hands, work no worse than expensive branded devices. And the technology and frequency of their maintenance are the same as in the models sold. In addition, a self-made device has a slightly different moral value. Is not it?

Video on how to properly make an external aquarium filter:

One of important elements Aquarium equipment includes a filter. Many people think first of all about which one to choose: external or internal. If you are going to arrange a large volume, then the type does not matter. In other cases, it is better to use an external filter to save space. Specialized stores always have ready-made equipment, but its cost is sometimes quite high. In this article, we propose making an aquarium filter with your own hands.

How to make a filter with your own hands?

All the components that we will use to assemble the external filter with our own hands can be purchased at the construction market or in construction hypermarkets.

First of all, we will need garden quick-release fittings with a pressure seal. As well as a filter with different attachments, plugs with couplings and sockets.)
We make holes in the plug for fittings, pressure seals and nipples.
We assemble the first part of the external aquarium filter with our own hands: install fittings and a sealed lead with nipples, and then fix it all with silicone.
The filter comes with a special pump, which is also attached via an adapter. The “head” of the structure is ready.
The next step in assembling a do-it-yourself aquarium filter will be the internal part. It consists of an upper filter, intermediate separators and the filter housing itself. It is convenient to use ordinary kitchen sink nets as separators.
We place the bell on the mesh and trace its contours with a marker. Cut it out.
As an upper separator we will use a nylon saucer from flower pot. We drill holes in it: one for the inlet pipe and many small ones around it.
We install the workpiece into the socket, connect it to the coupling and fix it with silicone.
We assemble the finished parts of the aquarium filter with our own hands. We attach the “head” to the pipe and the upper separator.
We begin to fill the pipe. The author of the lesson suggests using the following scheme: padding polyester, separator, then bioballs, separator again and finally foam rubber.
The filter kit includes a special corner.
We prepare the second plug as follows: we attach rubber stoppers from medicine bottles along the edges with glue (you can use similar materials). Next we assemble the filter.
Now comes the assembly of connectors from the outer and internal thread, and installation of tubes. (photo 23)
We assemble the fittings for the external filter with our own hands. As a rule, everything necessary details Comes complete with filter.
We take any environmentally friendly tube and make holes in it to increase the suction area. You will also need a fence mesh, mosquito net(this will be a prefilter; it must be twisted into a tube and inserted into the intake pipe). The intake tube is placed on the intake using a silicone gasket. A small piece of garden hose will do. The kit should also include an outlet socket, faucet and corners. Even if you can’t find all this in a kit, there are definitely similar parts on the construction market.
The arcuate connection for butt reinforcement is called an "overflow". It can be made from any plastic tube or use the extension pipe of an Atman canister. The manufacturing process is simple: we fill the tube with wet sand and begin to slowly bend it over the switched on gas stove. As a result, you will get the desired shape and the tube will not crack.
Your DIY aquarium filter is ready! It works no worse than a store-bought one, and saves a lot of space and money.

Do-it-yourself external filter for an aquarium

What is an external aquarium filter?

There are two types of filters: external and internal. How to choose the one that is right for your case?

First of all, pay attention to the size of your aquarium. If it is big enough, then there is not much difference. But usually we have only limited areas in which to place either a small or medium-sized aquarium. It is in this case that it would be appropriate to use an external filter.

Unlike the internal one, the external filter is not installed directly into the aquarium, but outside it. This helps to save a lot of space.

External filter does not take up space in the aquarium and does not spoil its overall appearance

The operation of such a device is as follows: water from the aquarium enters the device, passes through the filter elements, and then returns back to the fish.

An external filter has the following advantages:

it does not take up useful space inside the aquarium;
the contents of the aquarium look more aesthetically pleasing without such devices;
Filter media purify water better.

Of course, among the huge assortment similar devices you can choose the one that suits all your needs. But their prices are also too high. So why not take the opportunity to make an external filter yourself? This idea is easy to implement. It turns out that everything you need can be easily purchased in stores and on the market, and the assembly and installation work itself is simple enough that even a beginner can handle it.

How to care for an aquarium filter?

For the filter to work properly, it needs to be cleaned regularly. clean. Otherwise, it will begin to work worse, and then even pollute aquatic environment(the latter applies to internal filters).

How smaller area filter and the larger the water volume, the more often it is necessary to clean the filter.

To determine how often you should clean the filter, you should not only carefully read the manufacturer’s instructions, but also observe the filter in operation. If it starts to work weaker, then it’s time to wash it. Small filters may require weekly cleaning, while larger models may require one cleaning every 2 months.

In order not to destroy the colony beneficial bacteria, wash the filter with water room temperature and don't do it too carefully. In addition, you should not wash the filter if you change the water in the aquarium, add new fish, or introduce new food, otherwise you will upset the established balance in the aquarium.

Replacing the washcloth in the filter - one more important point. You shouldn't do this too often. Wait until it begins to lose its filtering ability and shape. In addition, in the internal filter, the washcloth consists of several parts, and only one of them needs to be changed at a time, so that subsequently beneficial bacteria from the “old” parts quickly spread to the new ones.

Remember that the filter in the aquarium must work constantly and without interruption, so choose responsibly suitable model and don't go for the cheapest option. Opt for high-quality equipment that has proven itself and will serve you for a long time.

Homemade external filter for an aquarium.

As an aquarium hobbyist with little experience, I came to the conclusion that the internal filter in my aquarium was not doing its job. And only the inhabitants of my aquarium suffered from frequent filter maintenance.

Having studied the information on filters, I came to the conclusion that the right decision is the use of an external filter. Biofiltration is extremely effective, and no method of water purification can even partially replace it.

The composition of water purified by an external filter is approximately similar to water from slow-flowing natural reservoirs. With a weekly refreshment of a third of the volume of the main aquarium, it can be considered that the ichthyofauna and hydroflora are contained practically in a flowing natural water- hence all the successes achieved in systems with biofiltration.

The bad news for me was that the cost of the external filter turned out to be commensurate with the cost of the aquarium itself.

Having become familiar with the design of the external filters, I decided to make my own analogue of the external Eheim filter.

To make a homemade external filter, we purchased:
- Pump (fountain pump), RESUN, made in China, 30 W, 2000 l/h.
- PVC coupling for sewer pipe d=200 mm. + 2 plugs for it,
- taps, angles, bends, etc.,
- PVC pipe d=20 mm. for receiving and supplying water to a 4 m aquarium,
- flask from a household filter,
- filter fillers.

To insert into the plugs, fittings of the following design were used.

I chose this pump due to the fact that the filter has many kinks in the tubes and the final performance eventually dropped by half.

I drilled holes in the top and bottom plugs for supplying and pumping out water. When installing the fittings, I used rubber gaskets with additional use silicone sealant.

I tried to insert the plugs into the coupling with sealing rubber bands and I couldn’t do it, it was too tight. Realizing that even if I manage to insert the plug, I won’t be able to pull it out. Based on this, I cut off the edges of the coupling so that when disassembling the filter, if anything happens, you can remove the rubber band and thereby depressurize the filter. Made at the bottom of the coupling seat under the inlet fitting.

The cut edge of the coupling will later be installed inside the coupling and will hold the mesh.

A mesh is installed in the lower plug above the level of the fitting. To do this, I had to beat up the vegetable drawer.

After this, with a clear conscience, we can install the lower plug into the coupling. Since sealing gum will not be used here, be sure to coat the entire area of the plug with silicone. And after installing the plug, we additionally coat the joints inside and outside with sealant.

I additionally drilled a hole in the lid for the power cable and air vent. There was no need to attach the pump to the plug; it was already securely secured using a piece of hose and a power cord.

To seal the network cable I used a fitting, similar to that, which is used in street lamps. I installed a switch in place of the broken wire.

Under the inlet pipe, I installed a bracket for attaching a household filter flask, which will serve as a pre-filter for coarse cleaning. It would be possible to do without it, but then you would have to install a sponge on the inlet pipe directly in the aquarium, or wash the canister every month (in my plans, the canister will be washed at least once every 6 months).

For the production of pred. sewer filter needed PVC pipe d=32 mm. In which many holes were drilled. It could be used, additionally, in the previous one. filter Activated carbon or zeolite, but first I decided to make do with a foam sponge.

When all the filter parts are assembled, we begin filling with fillers.

1 layer. First of all, we arrange the material for coarse filtration at the bottom. Foam rubber with a large cell is most suitable for these purposes. But unfortunately I was unable to find sheet foam rubber for aquariums of a suitable size. And instead he used what looked like a wad of fishing line.

2nd layer. Fill with ceramic rings. The purpose of their use in a filter is to branch water flows and uniformly distribute its current over the entire transverse area of the filter material.

3 layer. We lay a layer of foam rubber with a small cell. In my case, padding polyester was used.

4 layer. We fill the substrate with “bio balls” for colonies of nitrifying bacteria. All the mysteries of the nitrogen cycle take place in this section. Here heterotrophs, nitrifiers, and denitrifiers coexist peacefully, regularly fulfilling their duties; The working volume of the chamber should be 4/5 of the capacity of the biofilter housing. Expanded clay (preferably crushed) can be used as a substrate for bacteria because it has a porous structure.

5 layer. It's not required, but I decided to add FLUVAL substrate. Outwardly, it looks like ceramic rings, only the material has a porous structure. If you take a ring in your hand, plug the hole on one side with your finger, and blow into it on the other, then all the air will come out through the micropores

6 layer. The final layer, directly in front of the outlet intake hole (i.e. in front of the filter pump), should be placed with synthetic padding. It will protect the rotor from dirt particles getting into it.

The homemade external filter for the aquarium is ready, the assembly was successful. Testing showed very little bad job pump, although the performance characteristics of the pump turned out to be 2 times less. The top cover is not fully installed due to the strong tight fixation sealing gum. If you close the lid all the way, it is quite possible that you will not open the filter again.

Filter maintenance boils down to cleaning the prefilter as it gets dirty. Opening and washing the canister after half a year. I would like to note that only ceramics and foam rubber need to be washed in the filter, and always with aquarium water. The substrate is washed only as needed.

The first time after startup, a homemade external filter actually works only as a mechanical one. Beneficial bacteria have not yet colonized the substrate. Dirt fills the filter, which reduces its performance. The water pressure gradually drops. But there is also reverse process. Dirt is food for bacteria. They break down the organic substances that accumulate here and process them into nitrate, i.e. The biological self-cleaning of the filter begins.

Complete colonization of the substrate with colonies of beneficial bacteria occurs in 2-4 weeks. And then everything depends on which process will take over - pollution or self-cleaning. If the former, then the filter will continue to get dirty. Not as intense as the first two weeks, but inevitable. When the filter performance drops below 30% of the maximum, it must be cleaned and restarted, otherwise the so-called. “tipping over” is a violation biological processes, as a result of which toxic substances are produced and released into the aquarium.

If self-cleaning takes over, then the filter, on the contrary, is gradually freed from dirt and the productivity that has fallen to 50-70% of the maximum is restored. Theoretically, after this the filter should work forever. In practice, productivity is not fully restored, and over time, stagnant zones still form inside the canister. Therefore, I recommend cleaning it from time to time, even if the water pressure is strong.

In addition, I would like to note that all metal parts must be free of lubricant. Because a drop of oil can spoil a ton of water and thereby destroy all your inhabitants. For this reason, it is advisable to use plastic parts (fittings, corners, taps), which in turn are much cheaper than metal ones.

P.S. I later replaced the hoses with corrugated ones (which are used for draining washing machine), since PVC hoses easily wrinkled and thereby blocked the access of water.

The cover will need to be tightened with pins, otherwise it may tear out when the light is turned off.

I replaced metal taps and fittings with plastic ones that are used for irrigation.

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How to make your own aquarium filter:: how to make your own aquarium filter:: Equipment and accessories

An aquarium cannot function without a properly arranged and connected aquarium. It will ensure the purity of the water in the aquarium and, accordingly, the well-being of its inhabitants. You can make an external aquarium filter yourself.

You will need

glass tank, glass tiles, sealant, acetone, hose, broken brick, pebbles, sand, pump

Instructions

1. First, make a tank with four compartments. Glass tank rectangular shape divide into four equal compartments using glass tiles. Please note that the first and third partitions should start from the base of the glass tank and end a few centimeters before the surface. At the same time, the central glass tiles lift it 3 cm from the bottom so that water from the second compartment can flow into the third. To attach the baffles to the walls of the tank, use sealant. Be sure to degrease the places where the sealant comes into contact with the glass with acetone.

2. Wait for the sealant to dry completely (this will take several hours) and place a rectangular container next to the aquarium. In this case, it should be located slightly above the aquarium.

3. Make slotted plates to fit the bottom of each compartment. Please note that such plates need to be prepared only for the first, second and third compartments. The plates will ensure the flow of water without obstacles, while the compartments will not become clogged.

4. Install a hose that will pump water out of the aquarium. Such flexible hose at one end it will be able to suck water from the aquarium using a pump. The other end of the hose will be in the first compartment. Water will thus be able to pass through all compartments. A hose will come out of the fourth compartment, through which clean water will flow into the aquarium.

5. Next, fill the compartments with appropriate tion materials. Fill the first compartment with broken bricks, which can be very effective at trapping large particles of debris. Place pre-washed pebbles in the second compartment. Such a filter will retain smaller debris. The third compartment should contain sand or foam rubber.

6. To start the filter, fill all compartments with water, connect the hose that removes water from the aquarium to the pump. And the hose through which water enters the aquarium will work using siphoning.

Video on the topic

Any person involved in breeding ornamental fish knows about the need to filter water in an aquarium. To do this, they use special devices that can be easily purchased in the store, but their price, unfortunately, is not always encouraging.

Any person involved in breeding ornamental fish knows about the need to filter water in an aquarium.

Therefore, we suggest you arm yourself necessary tools and materials and make an external filter for an aquarium with your own hands.

What is an external aquarium filter?

There are two types of filters: external and internal. How to choose the one that is right for your case?

Unlike the internal one, the external filter is not installed directly into the aquarium, but outside it. This helps to save a lot of space.

The external filter does not take up space in the aquarium and does not spoil its overall appearance

The operation of such a device is as follows: water from the aquarium enters the device, passes through the filter elements, and then returns back to the fish.

An external filter has the following advantages:

it does not take up useful space inside the aquarium;
the contents of the aquarium look more aesthetically pleasing without such devices;
Filter media purify water better.

Of course, among the huge range of such devices, you can choose the one that suits all your needs. But their prices are also too high. So why not take the opportunity to make an external filter yourself? This idea is easy to implement. It turns out that everything you need can be easily purchased in stores and on the market, and the assembly and installation work itself is simple enough that even a beginner can handle it.

Necessary materials

First of all, prepare everything you need. Here is a list of what you will need for a homemade external filter:

water pump;
sewer pipe with a diameter of 110 mm;
plugs - 4 pcs.;
input seals pg-7 and pg-16 - 2 pcs.;
Mayevsky crane;
valve that regulates the pressure on the outlet pipe;
hose with a diameter of 8–10 mm (preferably transparent);
fillers;
silicone

The pump is the “heart” of the filter. Most often, in the manufacture of such devices, used pumps are used, for example from old submersible filters.

Materials and parts for external filter

The above list necessary materials and instruments is averaged. You can change some parts at your discretion depending on the selected external filter model.

Step-by-step instructions for making the device

We suggest you make a simple and effective external filter, which is perfect for both conventional and nano aquariums (they are compact in size, with a volume of up to 40 liters).

Nano aquariums have gained great popularity due to the fact that they take up little room space and allow you to concentrate maximum of the beauty of the underwater world.

The external filter is perfect for both conventional and nano aquariums

The connecting coupling will serve as the filter housing. Its internal diameter fully corresponds to the increased internal diameter a regular pipe where the plug goes into it. You can also take a repair coupling or plumbing pipe. Cut a piece of the required length, for example 17 cm.
Cut 5 holes in one of the plugs. They will have seals and a Mayevsky valve installed. Keep in mind that the holes should be 1 mm smaller than the diameter of the tap thread and seals.
Cut holes in the plug for the oil seals and the Mayevsky Crane

Wrap all parts tightly and coat with silicone to seal.

Do not tighten too tightly: since the parts are made of plastic, they can be damaged by mechanical stress.

Seal the installed parts with silicone

Place a piece of hose tightly onto the tube coming out of the pump.
Select the diameter carefully: the hose should fit very tightly.

Insert the structure into the oil seal until it stops, tighten it. Check that the pump is seated tightly on the plug. Pull the wire from the pump into the small gland, after cutting it.
Install the plug on the pump, put on the hose, insert the wire
Insert a PVC tube into the second seal, putting a water intake hose on it. The distance between the tube and the bottom of the filter should be about 1 cm. Coat the plug with silicone and insert it into the coupling.
Pump with plug ready for installation in the coupling
Take two plugs, cut off the protruding side so that they easily fit inside the housing, drill holes: one for the intake pipe strictly in diameter, and also many small ones for water circulation in the filter. Close the pump so that it is inside the two plugs folded together.
Drill holes in the plugs
Make a bottom cover for the filter. Cut off the end part from one plug with holes.
Cut off the end part of the plug
Cut a ring (height - 1 cm) from the cut-off part and reduce its diameter.

For creating optimal conditions Aquarium inhabitants need water filters. It can be cleaned externally and internal devices. In this article we will look at how to make external and other filters for an aquarium with your own hands.

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External filter

Located outside the aquarium. It is more convenient to use, does not take up space in the aquarium, and works efficiently. It is necessary to filter the water in the aquarium. However, it is not necessary to spend money on buying an expensive device. Making an aquarium filter yourself is not difficult.

A homemade external filter for an aquarium can be made from scrap materials. For the base you can use plastic canister or pipe. You can’t do without fanfare when creating it. It is with its help that water is pumped out of the aquarium and, after being cleaned, returned back. One more important detail is the filter element.

Depending on the type, it carries out chemical, biological or mechanical water purification. You will need synthetic winterizer, foam sponges, ceramic and glass-ceramic fillers, coal, peat, expanded clay, bioballs, zeolite. If you use several fillers, the degree of cleaning will increase. To take water in and return it, you will need hoses or tubes.

Also prepare taps, plugs, nuts, fum tape, separator, silicone. Tools you may need spanners, screwdriver, knife, drill. You can also come up with your own version of the device and use other materials.

Instructions

Let's look at how to make an external filter for an aquarium with your own hands. specific example. Take a plastic pipe required diameter and length. At the top and bottom of the pipe you need to make covers with holes for the water inlet and outlet hoses. You can use fittings for this. The pump is secured inside using a fitting.

Next we make cassettes with filter material. The selected elements are laid in layers, separated by separators (pallets from pots, kitchen mesh). For pre-cleaning, use foam rubber or padding polyester. Then we lay ceramic rings, a biofilter or other materials. Hoses are attached to the fittings, and taps are cut in to release air.

The entire structure is sealed using silicone or other sealants. It should be checked before installation.

Internal filter

Suitable for small containers. They perform mechanical cleaning and are easier to manufacture than external ones. You will need a plastic bottle, a hose, a suction cup, a compressor, filler (pebbles), and a piece of sponge. Tools that will come in handy include a knife, screwdriver or drill.

Instructions

Making an internal aquarium filter with your own hands is very easy, even for beginners. Holes are made in the bottle cap to allow untreated water to enter. A piece of sponge is placed on the lid for rough cleaning. A hole is made in the neck of the bottle to install the hose. The other end of the hose is attached to the compressor.

You also need to make a hole for attaching the suction cup. You need to place pebbles or other filler inside. Then we place what we got into the aquarium and attach it to the glass with a suction cup.

Depending on the volume of the aquarium

For a 100 liter capacity, you can use an internal model made from a plastic bottle. To do this, you need to cut it, leaving the part with the neck. A plastic tube is inserted into it, and holes are made on the outside for water to enter. Filter media are placed inside: sponge, padding polyester, gravel. Then a hose is attached to the tube at one end, and the structure is secured inside the aquarium using a suction cup.

For 200 liter containers, external canister or mounted models are usually used. How to make an external filter with your own hands was described above. For a hanging model, you will need a plastic or glass container. Partitions are made of plastic. A padding polyester or sponge is placed in the first compartment and water flows in.

Other compartments can accommodate other fillings. A hole is made in the last compartment for water to escape. It is supplied using a pump (compressor). For homemade model you can use a pump from washing machine. The finished device is suspended from the aquarium.

In containers of 300 and 500 liters it is better to use external filters. The larger the volume, the more powerful the pump required, the larger the size of the structure itself and the amount of filler. Watch the video about the manufacturing technology.

Other models

An internal or external filter is used to purify water different models. The choice of a specific one depends on the size of the aquarium, its inhabitants, and existing problems. Moreover, any model can be made into an aquarium with your own hands.

Air

An airlift filter filters water using air. They are not expensive, but are very effective. It is necessary to use a compressor, a filter sponge, a hose, a suction cup, a plastic tube or a flask and electrical tape. A corner is placed on top of the plastic tube through which water will flow back. For better connection density, the tube can be wrapped with electrical tape.

A hole is made at the bottom of the tube. We insert the hose and place the entire structure inside the sponge. Using a suction cup we attach it to the glass of the aquarium.

Carbonic

A carbon filter helps to chemically purify water from unpleasant odors, yellow color, drugs and other substances. However, being an adsorbent, it absorbs from water and useful material. Therefore, their constant use with plants is not recommended. Coal can be either as part of a complex of fillers for external models, or separately.

Let's look at how to make an activated carbon filter yourself. Take metal mesh with small holes. Make two cylinders from it, one larger and the other smaller in diameter. You can fasten the seams using wire. Plugs are placed at the bottom of the cylinders; they can be secured with rivets.

Then the smaller cylinder is inserted inside the larger one, secured with self-tapping screws. Coal is poured inside, preferably of a large fraction. Close the top with a lid. We put a padding polyester prefilter on top. It is recommended to change the carbon periodically; the longer it is used, the weaker it performs its function.

Canister

A canister filter is a type of external filter that differs high performance. How to make such a device yourself? For this you will need plastic pipe or canister, pump, hoses, filler, fittings, plugs, rubber gaskets, tap, nuts. A hole is made at the bottom of the device to install the water inlet hose. The water then passes through the fillers inside.

For example, a prefilter (foam sponge), then a biological filter, then a ceramic filler. The pump is mounted on top under the cover. Holes are also made in it to attach a hose that releases purified water. Hoses can be secured with fittings and nuts.

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Video "How to make an external filter"

This video details the making of the external model.

Novice aquarium hobbyists, as a rule, buy small aquariums and very quickly become convinced that in such aquariums they grow poorly, adult fish feel uncomfortable, and the water height is too low for plants. Such aquariums have to be replaced with other, larger ones. In large aquariums, the population grows evenly, and it becomes increasingly necessary to clean the aquarium of accumulated dirt.

As a rule, to maintain the cleanliness of the aquarium, they use various mud scoops, regularly remove dirt from the bottom using a hose, and also use special filters. By using filter You can clean the water in the aquarium from dirt particles (turbidity) and at the same time saturate the water with oxygen, which is necessary for the breathing of fish and other aquatic inhabitants.

As necessary, activated carbon is placed in the filters, which absorbs dissolved harmful substances from the water, peat to acidify the water, and various pharmaceuticals that can have a beneficial effect on the inhabitants of the aquarium.

Filter designs

Functionally, filters are divided into internal and external.
The designs of internal filters are ordinary. They tend to be small in size and have low performance. They operate using a microcompressor that supplies air through a tube. Air bubbles rising in the tube capture water with them and raise it above the water level in the aquarium. The resulting flow of water passes through the filtration material and thus the aquarium is cleaned of dirt. Such filters, in accordance with their operating mechanism, are called airlift.

External filters Most often used for large aquariums. They are driven by an electric pump, which forces aquarium water through the filter material located in the filter housing. Such filters are complex, relatively large in size and are installed next to the aquarium or hung on its wall.

The performance of filters, in other words the volume of water that passes through in a certain period of time, depends on the volume of air transmitted by the compressor, as well as the size of the filter. Internal filters placed on the ground (day), wall and under the soil of the aquarium. When feeding the inhabitants of the aquarium, it is better not to supply air, so that the food does not enter the filter and decompose inside it. The filter must be cleaned frequently to remove dirt so that harmful bacteria do not grow in it.

Fine or coarse quartz is used as a filter material. river sand(pre-washed and boiled), and synthetic fabric and threads (nylon, nylon and others). Waterproof foam rubber is also used as a filter material, in the large pores of which dirt accumulates well.

Aquarists can be offered several options for very simple, but very effective internal airlift filters, which are used to purify water in aquariums up to 100 liters in volume. They can be easily made with your own hands from scrap materials.

You can use a box with a tight-fitting lid as a housing for the filter. To do this, you need to find a ready-made box (made of plastic). You can use trimmed plastic bottle or glue it together from organic glass.
In order to be able to observe the accumulation of dirt in the filter and promptly clean the filter material from it, it is better that the filter housing or cover be made of transparent material. A plastic tube with a diameter of 15-20 mm and a length of 150-200 mm is tightly inserted or glued into the housing cover. An air atomizer should be used commercially purchased ceramic. A series of holes are made in the side wall of the housing of such a diameter that snails or fry cannot get into the filter through them. The filter housing is not filled too tightly with filter material. It should be noted that the effectiveness of the filter largely depends on the operation of the atomizer, since smaller sizes air bubbles, the larger their total surface that comes into contact with water, in other words, the water is much better saturated with air oxygen, therefore the flow of water through the filter material increases.

Another internal filter can be do it yourself. A standard filter is used as a filter housing. glass jar with a capacity of 0.4 to 1 liter. Its body is covered with a regular polyethylene lid, in which holes are made for the flow of aquarium water, as well as a hole for installing the tube. A partition is made from a similar lid (filter material is placed between the partition lid).

Does not require high costs time for assembly and the next filter. Its body is a clay bowl in which a regular funnel is installed on top of the filter material. To ensure that the funnel does not go deep into the filter material, pads are placed under its edges. The filter is made of two layers of quartz sand and nylon threads. Sand should be medium-grained with a grain size of 1.5 - 2 mm. The air atomizer, as in the manufacture of other models, should be used ready-made, purchased in a store.

Aquarium filter - do it yourself., 3.6 out of 5 based on 33 ratings

Just a couple of decades ago, when acquiring an aquarium, hobbyists installed a minimum of equipment in it: a lamp and a compressor. It was believed that plants were enough to purify water. However, the volumes in those days rarely exceeded 30 liters, and the fish were quite unpretentious: guppies, swordtails, gourami. A lot has changed since then.

Aquariums for 150-200 liters of steel common occurrence, and their population is now more exotic and fastidious. For comfortable and healthy life Many fish require certain water parameters. And some species, for example, cichlids, do not accept any vegetation. However, the water for them must be thoroughly purified. So you can’t do without filters.

Types of filters

Filters are divided by placement method:

internal,
external.

The first ones work while located directly in the aquarium, while the external ones remove and purify water outside of it.

External filters also vary depending on the type of design, filling and power. There are small hanging backpack filters for small aquariums, phytofilters, canisters, and quite impressive-sized filtration systems - sumps.

The advantages of external filters are obvious:

They also have their disadvantages:

require separate place,
much more expensive than domestic ones.

However, even in small apartment you can disguise the filtration system, and in some cases even make it beautiful. As for the cost, it is possible to make a filter with your own hands and thus save a decent amount. In addition, it will be possible to customize a homemade system to suit the characteristics of your aquarium and its inhabitants.

Budget airlift external filter

An airlift is a type of pump designed to lift water to a certain height.

What you need

To make such a filter you will need:

small plastic container for bulk products,
air compressor,
filter filler (expanded clay, foam rubber),
silicone tube,
syringe 20 ml,
hose,
silicone sealant.

Progress

At the top of the container a hole of the same diameter as the syringe is melted. The syringe plunger is removed, and the syringe tube itself is inserted into the hole. Next, a hole is melted into the syringe itself into which a silicone tube is inserted. The nose for the syringe needle is sealed with silicone. A slot is made at the bottom of the tube for the hose from the compressor.

A hole is made near the bottom of the container for silicone hose, through which water will return to the aquarium.

Places of all joints are being processed silicone sealant so that there are no leaks. A padding polyester or sponge for the filter is placed at the bottom of the container. Expanded clay or pebbles are poured on top.

How does it work

IN assembled form The filter is placed next to the aquarium. After turning on the compressor, water under air pressure will rise through the tube. Getting into the container, it first passes through expanded clay ( mechanical cleaning) and then through a sponge (biofilter). Under its own pressure, it flows out through the hose at the bottom of the container, returning to the aquarium already cleaned.

Nuances

It is necessary to take into account that the silicone tube should not reach 5-6 cm to the ground at the bottom. The hose that returns the water back is laid behind the back wall of the aquarium and should rise smoothly. The container itself must be installed so that its middle is slightly above the water level.

This homemade filter has a low cost and is suitable for aquariums with a volume of up to 50 liters.

Phytofilter

This is also a type of external filter. Making it with your own hands is not at all difficult. This method of water purification appeared relatively recently. Its meaning is that plant roots are involved in the process. Thus, nitrogen compounds are neutralized. This method filtration is especially good for cichlid aquariums where there is no underwater vegetation. The disadvantages include the fact that such a filter must be located above the aquarium. The undoubted advantage of the phytofilter is that this method of water purification forms an almost closed, interdependent ecosystem, combining two hobbies into one.

How to do

To make such a filter will be needed rectangular container. You can take plastic box for flowers. Some craftsmen glue the glass parallelepiped themselves or order it from professional aquarists. In the glass box you need to make partitions with holes for water circulation. In a plastic flower container you can put walls cut from five-liter water bottles. The partitions should be below the sides of the box. They are needed to ensure that the flow of water is dispersed and does not erode the soil. Holes are made at different ends of the box for the water supply and outlet hoses. You will need a pump.

In the box, in the first and last compartments (they should be slightly smaller than the others) put a sponge or padding polyester. The rest of the volume is filled with expanded clay or aquarium soil. Plants that are suitable for the hydroponic growing method are planted in it:

spathiphyllium,
anthurium,
tradescantia,
violets, etc.

Under the action of the pump, water will rise into the box. In the first compartment, mechanical cleaning occurs with the help of a sponge, then water, passing through the ground, gets rid of nitrogen compounds, which plants need so much, and is saturated with oxygen. In the last compartment, thanks to foam rubber or padding polyester, small particles of soil will be retained. Next, the purified water flows through the hose back into the aquarium.

Using these principles, you can make many different filters for aquariums with your own hands. The main thing is to show ingenuity, patience and perseverance! Homemade equipment- this is an opportunity to save money, get what a particular aquarium needs and spend time interestingly and usefully.