My Diy Sand Filter. I'm sick of filter socks!!!

Did a video last night showing how I backflush this thing. As far as I'm concerned this is the ultimate way to mechanically filter a large aquarium. I haven't had any filter socks for 2 months now and my water is clearer now than it ever has been. It's so easy to clean its almost a pleasure to do watching all that crap go to drain. Anyway here's the vid I did. Not the best but had to share.
http://youtu.be/AEku-Xnbxw8
 
Looks great! I like the fact that you just made it. With out the "community approval first". We need more like you, that's the only way our hobby will evolve. Whether it works or not isn't as important as just doing it. Good on you! Also, I think it works.
 
I wonder if you could do the same thing through a large reactor that pushes down through the sand rather than up through it? And you simply reverse the flow to flush it.
 
you know I always wondered why we dont do this in the hobby?
so you took your protein skimmer off line? bold with that many fish.
are you gonna do an ATS or just your sand filter?

keep us posted :D
 
Isayso said:
Like to fluidized filter sand

Please explain better
Click to expand...



Ok so everyone has seen a reactor, and media tumbling inside right? That's because the water is forced up through the media from under. What if you reversed the flow, and forced water through the sand from above. Then when flow became restricted you would simply reverse the flow and throw away the dirty water until it's clear again.
 
bif24701 said:
Ok so everyone has seen a reactor, and media tumbling inside right? That's because the water is forced up through the media from under. What if you reversed the flow, and forced water through the sand from above. Then when flow became restricted you would simply reverse the flow and throw away the dirty water until it's clear again.
Click to expand...

Practically that's what I doing. ,so but you want to do it in in close reactor chamber???
Hey I might work..
 
Isayso said:
Practically that's what I doing. ,so but you want to do it in in close reactor chamber???

Hey I might work..
Click to expand...



Exactly, just on a much smaller scale. I don't have the water volume that you have nor predators. So a simple but large reactor and pump might get the job done.
 
definitely,
looking at his video the sand filter box its not huge compared to the 500g plus the ray tank
the only obstacle I see is that been in a chamber the water needs to be forced in
like a calcium reactor,( otherwise as soon is clogged wont work ) but instead of recirculating its only in -out,
and when needed to back wash close a couple of valves and is done ....
 
Time for an update. Since setting this thing up I couldn't be more pleased. My water is always crystal clear and filter socks are a thing of the past and so is my skimmer. I've got a pile of cheato growing in my system but my nitrates are still high. Huge huge bioload and heavy feeding don't help. So I've been reading a lot about carbon dosing lately and someone said something I read that said you either need a real good skimmer or a diatom filter to remove the bacteria that grow from the carbon dosing. That got me thinking. Is the sand filter catching fine enough material that it will catch the bacteria. I know it catches super fine material. I've got a 150 gallon tank plumbed into my system and it shares a sump with my 350 display. I wanted to add some crushed coral to the 150 so I got a5 gallon bucket from someone..they said it should be cleaned but hey I'm lazy lol so I basically dumped the whole bucket full into the 150 in a matter of minutes. It was bad. The water was like milk. But guess what. The main tank stayed crystal clear and in an hour or so the 150 cleared right up to. So the sand filter caught that fine stuff that we all know about lol. I'm hoping if it caught that it should catch the bacteria from the bloom I'm going to get dosing carbon. If it don't I guess I'll have clowdy water???
 
The bacteria will be caught by your sand filter but I'm not sure if rinsing the sand will do enough to remove it. Sure it can remove larger particles but bacteria stick to stuff really well. It also can cause your sand filter to slow down or clog much faster. Have you looked into using Marinepure 8x8x4" blocks? Many have with great results. I put mine in two weeks ago, so far so good!


Aaron
 
bif24701 said:
The bacteria will be caught by your sand filter but I'm not sure if rinsing the sand will do enough to remove it. Sure it can remove larger particles but bacteria stick to stuff really well. It also can cause your sand filter to slow down or clog much faster. Have you looked into using Marinepure 8x8x4" blocks? Many have with great results. I put mine in two weeks ago, so far so good!


Aaron
Click to expand...

What good would those blocks do? You have to be able to remove the bacteria that's why you need a good skimmer, or what I'm thinking a good filter that a person can flush out regularly. I only have to back flush ever 4-5 days now and even then I could go longer but it's so easy I don't mind. I just love watching all the nasty brown water going down the drain knowing its outa my system. Time will tell anyway. Doser is all set up and running so I'll know after a short time I'm sure.
 
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