Canister Filter Conversion

[thefirethief]

By replacing the filter media with LR rubble and coarse sand it seems like a pretty simple to way to make an easy unlit fuge however without algae/macroalgae growth how effective will it be at producing zooplankton? I've been thinking of ways to fit submersible lights in the canister by drilling and sealing them with epoxy which I imagine would provide sufficient light to encourage algae growth however I'm thinking this might not be neccessary?

My other idea was to make it an external deep sand bed to aid nitrate removal as well as zooplankton production. Hopefully this wee diagram will explain things better than words can. The biggest concern is too much flow prohibiting anaerobic areas.

So thats what tonights brainstorm came up with, do they seem inefficient and likely to fail at the job? I won't get into the debate over impellers mashing up zooplankton, thats for another day.

 

[timpetty]

First of all well done on the diagram. Much better than a squiggly MS Paint haha.
Secondly, I have seen the light in a canister filter mod before but cant seem to locate it at the moment. So if you are looking for inspiration I know its out there somewhere. In regards to the efficiency, I will have to direct you to one of the many super-knowlegable other people on here because I, personally, have no idea.

 

[SkiFletch]

How big is the canister? It's gonna have to be deep to be effective as a DSB. Also, if your goal is a DSB, remember that Oxygen is your enemy. As such, light and plants (which produce oxygen) might not be a good idea

 

[thefirethief]

The canister part is about 10 inches deep so should be fine for dsb, the only thing is whether the water flow will limit its efficiency. I would only be fitting lights if I was gonna use it as a rubble fuge, just to try and grow a bit of algae to encourage copepods etc. I've got a lot of Macro in the display tank so Nitrates are non existant as it is, the main idea behind this is to provide an area for live food's to proliferate without predation.

 

[steelhealr]

The canister is going to be ineffective as a DSB..inadequate surface area and will most likely cause headaches. There is something called a RDSB or remote DSB....a 5 gallon bucket filled with sand and water is trickled thru it. This has had some success. Although the idea is good, it's simply a bit too small. If the canister was clear, you could transilluminate it but a macro like chaeto would fill and clog it rapidly. SH

 

[thefirethief]

The canister is going to be ineffective as a DSB..inadequate surface area and will most likely cause headaches. There is something called a RDSB or remote DSB....a 5 gallon bucket filled with sand and water is trickled thru it. This has had some success. Although the idea is good, it's simply a bit too small. If the canister was clear, you could transilluminate it but a macro like chaeto would fill and clog it rapidly. SH

Yeah SH, thats right it would clog. Never actually thought of that. The canister is actually transparent green so lighting from the outside could be an option. Do you think it could be effective for zooplankton growth even without light?

 

[steelhealr]

Why not just build or DIY a regular sized refugium? That canister could be used for holding other filter medium tho'. Here's an idea....what about sawing the canister in half, siliconing it to a larger glass container..but...whoa...would you trust that seem to the pressure? lol SH

 

[thefirethief]

SH, I'm not totally sure what you mean with the sawing the canister but I have considered building a regular fuge. The main reason I haven't went down that route is because the tank isn't drilled and has been set up for about 8 months, so I'm not too keen on starting from scratch. If my understanding is right then my only option for plumbing it would be to synchronise two powerheads, which seems a bit dodgy?

 

[SkiFletch]

If my understanding is right then my only option for plumbing it would be to synchronise two powerheads, which seems a bit dodgy?

Not only dodgy but an idea that only exists in the realm of theory. Matching flowrates of pumps in the real world is impossible. Trust me, I've tried it :blush. You'll have to use gravity and have the canister's water level above that of the fishtank. Thus a pump supplying the canister above the tank and a drain to allow the water to flow back into the tank could work

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Is it possible to put a tank above your display tank or use a HOB filter? Both options could be used to make a fuge without having to drill your main tank. Then turn the Canister filter into a cryptic fuge.

 

[SkiFletch]

Is it possible to put a tank above your display tank or use a HOB filter? Both options could be used to make a fuge without having to drill your main tank. Then turn the Canister filter into a cryptic fuge.

Speaking from experience Barney?

 

[Adrinal]

Cryptic fuge vote here as well.

Live rock pieces 1" or larger, not packed too tight.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Is it possible to put a tank above your display tank or use a HOB filter? Both options could be used to make a fuge without having to drill your main tank. Then turn the Canister filter into a cryptic fuge.

Speaking from experience Barney?

lol yeah, only experience I actually have though so dont ask me any questions about anything else