# Need thoughts on a filter project



## djcraig (Feb 5, 2015)

Hi all,
I need a bit of advice and am looking for any potential problems with my proposed new setup. I have a tank full of beautiful Africans living peacefully (thankfully).
I'll start by saying I have a 300l tank mounted into a wall in my house and due to it's placement, unfortunately the filter has to be plumbed in down the side of the tank 
and through the floor to the cavity under my home. I have no problems with access and it is very clean under there, but where the main problem arises is head height.
I previously had an Eheim Pro 600 which was doing the job well until I added some more stock to make the tank more attractive. Then slowly over time the water just wasn't as 
clear as before. After a bit of research I found the Pro 600 only has a MAX head height of 1.8 metres. So I guess I should be thankful that it was doing as good a job as it was,
because the distance from the top of the filter, ( which is right up under the floor) to the top of the tank to return the filtered water is 2 metres!!!

So to cut a long story as short as possible, I went out and bought a new filter, an Aqua One Nautilus 2700UV. It was the best I could buy with my budget with the biggest head height.
If money were not an issue, I would have bought an FX5/FX6 and we wouldn't be having this conversation!
Now, it is doing a good job, better than the Pro 600, but the flow rate into the tank is WAY lower than hoped for.  
So my plan. I am looking at boosting the flow rate/head height by putting another pump on the outlet side of the 2700UV. I am looking at getting a 30l sealable nylon drum, 
like a home brew beer barrel, plumbing the outlet of the 2700 straight into the top of it on the same level ground as the 2700 therefore hoping to attain around it's rated lph.
Next, I was going to mount an Aqua One 106 pond pump, which I have for free if I need it, at the bottom of the drum and take the outlet of the 106 through the threaded hole
at the bottom of the barrel and onto my inlet to the tank. I am going to fill the drum with bio balls and screw down the top with the rubber seal in place.
The 106 has a Max head height of 3.5 metres which should get the water flowing at a much better rate therefore clearing my tank faster (my Africans are dirty little buggers).
The 2700 and the 106 are very close lph wise, and with the fact the 106 has to do all the lifting, I don't see the extra 300lph it has as a problem.
And as a possible up side, no junk will ever get to those bio balls, only the beneficial bacteria we love, so I should really never have to clean it out?

Ok, so there it is, any thoughts, advice, criticism or thoughts of potential problems are very much welcomed.
Thanking you all in advance,
Djcraig


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## djcraig (Feb 5, 2015)

Hi Guys and Girls,
Well my post has had 33 views so far and no comments, I might take that as no one has any objections to what I am planning. :lol: 
I was really looking for so creative criticism but I guess I'm on the right track?
Well, to those who read it, thanks, I am planning to start the modification tomorrow.

Cheers everyone.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I would hold off on your proposed project for now.

I understand that your tank is mounted IN the wall of your home, do you not have access to the portion of the tank that is behind the wall since you stated that the plumbing lines are on the side of the tank? It may be helpful if you can post pictures of your existing set up for clarification.


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## djcraig (Feb 5, 2015)

Here are the pics of my tank, as you can see, it is almost hanging in mid air.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Thanks for the pics!! Is the tank sitting on a stand or a cabinet?

I can just see the plumbing on the right side of the tank in the 1st picture.


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## djcraig (Feb 5, 2015)

It sits on a timber base with just 2 legs under the front.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Thanks again!

I have never attempted a project such as yours so this would just be my opinion. Your plan as I understand it, is to place the new canister filter and the drum barrel in your crawl space and then put the filter intake into the aquarium and the filter output into the drum barrel. The pond pump in the drum barrel will then return the water to the aquarium, correct?

Some potential problems I see is that the canister filter may be difficult to initially prime with water due to it's placement next to the drum barrel. Also, in the event that the canister filter becomes clogged, the pond pump will pump all the water in the barrel into your aquarium and overflow it as well as potentially cause a failure of the pond pump.

If you had room between the legs that support the front of the aquarium, you could put the canister filter there and just make a false front to hide the filter.


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## djcraig (Feb 5, 2015)

Thanks Deeda, but if there was any room between the legs at the front, that is where the filter would have been. it is only about a space of about 5 inches, no where near enough room for a decent sized filter.


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