Looking for DIY filter ideas

[sleepyreef]

I run a bare bottom reef. Detritus usually settles in convenient piles in the display due to the flow. But my sump is large and the flow is slow so it has a more uniform detritus build up.

I usually pour my water changes in the display, but tonight I came up with the bright idea of lifting the water less of a height and pour it in the sump. What a craptacular mistake I made. Since the sump is not deep there is no easy way to pour water gently into it. Therefore, I made a massive detritus cloud that kept getting pumped back in my display from my return.

Long story short.

I want to add an internal filter in my sump when I do water changes to collect the detritus. After looking around and seeing all these internal filters that require cartridges I decided DIY was the way to go.

I first thing that came to my mind was cutting some holes in a 20oz soda bottle, filling it with floss, then attaching the end where you sip from to a power head. I like things as simple as possible and this seemed like the simplest idea next to doing nothing.

I was curious if anyone else has some kind of mechanical filtration in their sump when they do a water change. I now about a filter sock, but that only filters the display to the sump. I need something to filter the sump.

 

[jef4y]

SleepyReef;786001 wrote: I now about a filter sock, but that only filters the display to the sump. I need something to filter the sump.

This is exactly what you want...

If you filter the display to the sump, then crap doesn't build up in the sump.

What you need to do in the meanwhile though is clean up your sump. If you have sand in it, vacuum it. You can also vacuum your tank glass bottom when you change water to get it cleaned up.

 

[straydog]

If a filter sock is not an option maybe add a filter sponge in the bubble trap to filter it out with a powerhead before the sponge to keep things moving to the sponge

 

[legalreefer]

If you already have a sump. can you add baffles? If so, you can put filter floss in between the baffles. Only problem is, you need to change it usually at least once a week and can get expensive over a year (I used to do this and switched to filter socks). I beileve in the less equipment you have, the less opportunity for a problem.

As far as doing water changes, if you were to put baffles in your sump, depending how big you make your return section, when you do wc you can take the water out of the return and use a small power head with a ball valve to pump the fresh sw into the return. That way you dont have turn off your return.

 

[sleepyreef]

I do not have baffles in my sump. I purchased a filter sock yesterday and will find a way to attach it today. That should eliminate detritus in my sump. I will just siphon what is in the sump out. Thanks for the input.

 

[sleepyreef]

Installed the sock. I did not need to mod a hanger. It just sits there perfectly so far hanging on the lip of that acrylic tank I have in my sump. My plan on the bare bottom is to siphon from my display, vacuuming the floor, to my filter sock so that I can vacuum anytime without having to do a water change.

Here is a pic of my simple sump. I'm sure it defies the laws of Sumpdom but I made it myself so I don't care. I am thinking about increasing the water level and adding a basket of cheato and a light. I have not vacuumed my sump yet, nor cleaned anything, just dropped the sock in.

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[reefstinger]

Sorry for the discussion change but where can i get some filter floss to go in my HOB's? homedepot or lowes?

 

[eagle9252]

i have used the fiber pillow stuffing. super cheap