I am new to this forum and an avid keeper of turtles and a few common
cichlids. I had the pleasure of making a few DIY filters previously. Some
very simple ones of moderate size. Yet I never did too much research and
proper planning. I've been researching some online articles about pond
filtration as I would like to make a new filter for my 300G rubbermaid stock
tank. The enclosure houses a young adult male common snapping turtle which
is just over 15'' and 35 pounds he's still growing rapidly at an average of
1'' per year.
As you could imagine a snapper of this size waste load is huge. I have very
nice water quality in my other enclosures yet my snapper easily makes a muck
of his cage when he eats and defecates. I presently have 2 filters set up
for the enclosure one 5 gallon bucket filter filled with only lava rocks and
pump with a mag drive #3 (300 GPH pump). The 2nd filter is a laguna 4500
external pond filter which is probably about 15-20 gallons housing bio balls
and pea gravel for filtration. It is also pumped via a magdrive #3.
I would like to remove both of these filters and replace them with a DIY
project I have in mind. My plan is using 2 18Gallon roughneck rubbermaid
storage containers and a 32 gallon outdoor trash can. I want the filter to
gravity feed water into the pump and be configured as such.
1st stage is a 2'' bulkhead fitting put into the 300G stocktank at 20''
(20'' water line) the water will exit the stock tank via the bulkhead.
2nd stage is the water exiting the stocktank enters the 1st 18G storage
container via another 2'' bulkhead. This container will be a settlement
container which would be my attempted to limit heavy waste from entering
rest of the filter. The bulkhead would located at the bottom of the
container with a PVC extension so water is released at the water line. At
the other end of the container another 2'' bulkhead will allow the water to
exit into the 2nd 18G storage container. This exit bulkhead will be a few
inches below the waterline with elbow extension at the water line.
3rd stage is the 2nd 18G storage container again water enters via a 2''
bulkhead fitted at the bottom of the filter which extends to the center of
the container with an eblow extension which directs water upward. There
would be egg crate directly above this and then filter floss (mechanical
filtration) then and egg crate. At the top of the container just below the
water line a 2'' bulkhead with an extension and elbow facing upward to the
waterline is attached which directs the water out of this container.
4th stage the water exit the mechanical filter into a 32 gallon outdoor
trash can. A bulkhead fitting is put into to the trash can just a couple
inches above the very bottom. There is an extension and elbow fitting in the
inside of the bulkhead to direct the water upward in the center of the trash
can. And eggcrate will be located in the trash can just above the PVC
fittings. Above it will be a few course matts for some mechanical filtration
and then free moving biological media. Above the media will be a 2nd egg
crate and then a 2'' bulk head just below the waterline. There will be an
extension to this bulkhead fitting and an elbow facing upward to the
waterline.
5th stage the water exits the top of the bio filter and gravity fed into 1
or 2 mag drive #3 pumps. The pump/s will send water to the stock tank via
the drain plug whole built into the stock tank and feed water into the tank.
To summaries water is pumped into the stock tank and exits the top of the
stock tank into a 2'' bulkhead to 3 filter containers and into the pump. The
2 18G containers will be elevated to ensure that the waterline is equal to
that of the stock tank. The 32 trashcan is 27'' tall and will not required
to be elevated. I do question the amount of GPH which is ideal for this
stock tank as stated its 300 gallons with I'm guessing 230-250 gallons of
water plus the amount in the filters and piping (another 50-60 gallons)
Diagrams are attached. If anyone mines please provide your input. To me I
think all this will work yet I want some input before I find out the hard
way.
Birds eye view of stock tank and filter placement
Side view input and output bulkheads for stock tank will not actually be on same wall.
Side view of all filters
Bio filter feeding into stock tank
Thanks
Xavier
cichlids. I had the pleasure of making a few DIY filters previously. Some
very simple ones of moderate size. Yet I never did too much research and
proper planning. I've been researching some online articles about pond
filtration as I would like to make a new filter for my 300G rubbermaid stock
tank. The enclosure houses a young adult male common snapping turtle which
is just over 15'' and 35 pounds he's still growing rapidly at an average of
1'' per year.
As you could imagine a snapper of this size waste load is huge. I have very
nice water quality in my other enclosures yet my snapper easily makes a muck
of his cage when he eats and defecates. I presently have 2 filters set up
for the enclosure one 5 gallon bucket filter filled with only lava rocks and
pump with a mag drive #3 (300 GPH pump). The 2nd filter is a laguna 4500
external pond filter which is probably about 15-20 gallons housing bio balls
and pea gravel for filtration. It is also pumped via a magdrive #3.
I would like to remove both of these filters and replace them with a DIY
project I have in mind. My plan is using 2 18Gallon roughneck rubbermaid
storage containers and a 32 gallon outdoor trash can. I want the filter to
gravity feed water into the pump and be configured as such.
1st stage is a 2'' bulkhead fitting put into the 300G stocktank at 20''
(20'' water line) the water will exit the stock tank via the bulkhead.
2nd stage is the water exiting the stocktank enters the 1st 18G storage
container via another 2'' bulkhead. This container will be a settlement
container which would be my attempted to limit heavy waste from entering
rest of the filter. The bulkhead would located at the bottom of the
container with a PVC extension so water is released at the water line. At
the other end of the container another 2'' bulkhead will allow the water to
exit into the 2nd 18G storage container. This exit bulkhead will be a few
inches below the waterline with elbow extension at the water line.
3rd stage is the 2nd 18G storage container again water enters via a 2''
bulkhead fitted at the bottom of the filter which extends to the center of
the container with an eblow extension which directs water upward. There
would be egg crate directly above this and then filter floss (mechanical
filtration) then and egg crate. At the top of the container just below the
water line a 2'' bulkhead with an extension and elbow facing upward to the
waterline is attached which directs the water out of this container.
4th stage the water exit the mechanical filter into a 32 gallon outdoor
trash can. A bulkhead fitting is put into to the trash can just a couple
inches above the very bottom. There is an extension and elbow fitting in the
inside of the bulkhead to direct the water upward in the center of the trash
can. And eggcrate will be located in the trash can just above the PVC
fittings. Above it will be a few course matts for some mechanical filtration
and then free moving biological media. Above the media will be a 2nd egg
crate and then a 2'' bulk head just below the waterline. There will be an
extension to this bulkhead fitting and an elbow facing upward to the
waterline.
5th stage the water exits the top of the bio filter and gravity fed into 1
or 2 mag drive #3 pumps. The pump/s will send water to the stock tank via
the drain plug whole built into the stock tank and feed water into the tank.
To summaries water is pumped into the stock tank and exits the top of the
stock tank into a 2'' bulkhead to 3 filter containers and into the pump. The
2 18G containers will be elevated to ensure that the waterline is equal to
that of the stock tank. The 32 trashcan is 27'' tall and will not required
to be elevated. I do question the amount of GPH which is ideal for this
stock tank as stated its 300 gallons with I'm guessing 230-250 gallons of
water plus the amount in the filters and piping (another 50-60 gallons)
Diagrams are attached. If anyone mines please provide your input. To me I
think all this will work yet I want some input before I find out the hard
way.
Side view input and output bulkheads for stock tank will not actually be on same wall.
Side view of all filters
Bio filter feeding into stock tank
Thanks
Xavier
