Mega Powerfull Mechanical Filtration algae removal

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qxcontinuum

qxcontinuum

Reefing newb
I just did something cool and cheap yesterday. A method of mechanical filtration and algae removal in your tank.
I am not sure if you guys ever tried but id does working well for me and it's better than any canister.
It contains parts from an RO installation including a 5 microns cartrige filter. The algae size is somewhere between 5 and 20 microns and any filtration under 5 microns should hold this algae. A 20 microns cartrige will stop and filter the brownish color of the tank water, the sediments and debries of course a 5 microns will do it even better including algae.

Please see the video, everything i bought from Home Depot was the body 23$ +tax, the filter 8$, a few PVC and fittings and a tube.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XApbkjVcbBE[/ame]

I am using a cheap chinese 1100 gallons /hour pump. So basically this device flters 1100 galons / hour in your tank.

1) - GE - GE Household Water Filtration Unit - GXWH04F - Home Depot Canada

2) - filter. I couldn't find it online on their catalog but is like a rolled paper, thick and usually has about 5-10 microns filtration. The cost should be about 16-23$ per two rolls.

3) - fittings and tubes 1.49$ each
 
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The reason I asked was because I have a Mag 350 canister that has a fine filter like that but it gets clogged very quickly. So fast that it wasn't worth the trouble using it. It created too much work.
 
Very novel idea....I think it will clog real fast and stop. We shall see. How much of a bit*& will it be to change that cartidge? You better secure it with more than that wire tie...they do break and then you will pump the whole tank out.
 
nice idea, also curious of how long it will hold up.. also you need to put that tube into the water. or your gonna get tons of salt creep..
 
qx also ive noticed. not to discourage you. DIY can be fun and not saying dont do it. but you seem to try and get around cost on everything, in this hobby this can become a big failure for your tank. this hobby is by no means cheap and you are gonna eventually need to fork over the money to buy yourself decent equipment or i think your heading down a road for failure especially when you start to get a bigger bio load on your tank.just my :twocents:
 
here is something even better;

I just found out big als is selling replacement cartridges for like 7 $

I just bought two;

1) Activated carbon to run once in a while to remove odors and other organic if accumulated
2) 1 micron filtration cartridge. This one for sure won't miss and algae. Also the fish diseases are caused by some tiny parasites of 3 microns. So in this case this filter will get them as well

The interchangeability of this newly created device it make it even better.
 

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XxKnuckleheadxX said:
qx also ive noticed. not to discourage you. DIY can be fun and not saying dont do it. but you seem to try and get around cost on everything, in this hobby this can become a big failure for your tank. this hobby is by no means cheap and you are gonna eventually need to fork over the money to buy yourself decent equipment or i think your heading down a road for failure especially when you start to get a bigger bio load on your tank. Just my
Click to expand...

not really; this s a very destructive theory and it runs your pocket empty.
I noticed in this industry that nothing is genuine. Everything is imported from the water industry, including protein skimmers. The protein skimmers were used since 1940's in massive tap water filtration.
1) Between my device and canister filters there is 0 differences except just the body. Also noticeable a pond canister filter with build in UV filter at Home Depot cost 160$ and it was build for 1000 gallons/hour. How much d you pay for a 1000$ canister filter for aquariums? 3-400$ what’s the difference? The one from home depot is even better since has a UV built in.
2) Another example of phosphates removers; based on ferric oxides (the reddish grains) were taken from industry when the real cost is a few cents / pound and they are selling 250 grams for 50-60$.
3) The lighting; metal halide set ups or florescentic set ups, Home Depot 60$ a base with 6 T5's the aquarium stores are selling them for 300-400$
The metal halides used in industry are now used in aquariums. You can buy the base and the bulbs from specific stores for like 5$ a 200 watt bulb and like 15-30$ the base.

There is a huge misconception around live rocks. There isn't such of thing as live rock except in the ocean. Nobody will ever ship a live rock from the ocean in the same water. The cost of transportation will just make it impossible. These rocks are only shipped humid and by the time you are buying them from resellers they are 99% dead rocks. So you are only buying base rock.

I think we should be careful and smart. There are a lot of traps and triggers in this business and yes, many of us will pay for a 2.000.000 house or 200.000 Mercedes of these retailers which are only packing something already existent adding 500% value.
 
YOu paln on using a 1 micron filter in there? Good luck, I had one on my fresh water tank years ago, all I remember is changing it all the time. You are right about the cost of things...I built my own sump for under $50, they sell for $300 and up. I heard a guy talking about buying a $800 sump, I said I built mine for under 200, now he wants me to build him one and with the money he is saving he's getting a bigger tank. I think that filter you have on the back of your tank there is a disaster waiting to happen, the thing will clog for sure, you have no valves to shut it off while changing it, and what holds the return line in the tank? What if it moves? It will pump all the water right our of your tank. I don't mean to sound harsh, but it looks a little hokey to me. You see, I had a tank drain out on me, 50 gallons on the floor. Lost the carpet, dining room set, it was a mess. Just be careful. Remeber, the pump does like a thousand gallons an hour, so it will drain the tank in like 2 minutes.....
 
And another little fact: you use all plumbing stuff? Did you know that the water pressure coming into your home is around 90lbs. of pressure? That's why you can put those in-line on your water line on the domestic water. 90lbs. pressure at 3/4" pipe = a lot of water pushing through the filter. Fish tank pumps aren't that strong...You can take all that and put it in the sump that you will eventually build....you like all that hanging on the tank?
 
the return of course wasn't finished yet. The plumbing is solid pvc with screw able elements and it'll hold any kind of pressure.
I am not planning to run 24/7 1 micron. I currently have 20 microns cartridge for evaluation. Then i'll ad the 5 microns and eventually 1 micron.
when the clogging happens this set up has a red button that opens allowing air to come in the installation and you will notice air bubble coming out before replacing.
I know is to early to have a feedback on this one but i am optimistic and i'll ad informations in the next few days,.
 
Here's a pic taken right now, after 24hours since set up.
The cartridge is brown from the brown algae i have in my tank. Remember i am using 20 microns not 5 or 1.
 

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I'll bet your wife/girlfriend wishes you put the Vagisil away b-4 you post a picture all over the internet....
 
I have successfully added the 1 micron filtration cartridge. This is the most important one and desired. I will see and check the flow every now and then. I must see when and how fast it will clogged
Meanwhile i have cleaned the glass of my tank, full of green and brown algae. I will see tomorrow how much green the cartridge would be.

At 1 micron filtration, this system has reached the diatom filter systems which remove the "green water" caused by algae.

I don't want to be very enthusiastic but this thing may be revolutionary in fighting against algae and bad water.
 
It's gonna clog....revolutionary is that live rock and a sump do the filtration the natural way, nothing to change or get clogged. You'll come around.....
 
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