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

[cabinetman123]

I think you guys are over thinking this lol. Keep it simple.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I'm saying to get a protein skimmer effect going on as well. Lets say you have a taller column of half sand half water. Ok, the idea is basically a protein skimmer half filled with sand, but run on gravity.

Sorry, I misunderstood your point. Thanks for setting me right.

CM, I agree that the KISS method works. But I'd really like a back flush that worked rather than spending 5 or 10 minutes pushing a wand around in the filter sand. But that's just me.

 

[cabinetman123]

Sorry, I misunderstood your point. Thanks for setting me right.

CM, I agree that the KISS method works. But I'd really like a back flush that worked rather than spending 5 or 10 minutes pushing a wand around in the filter sand. But that's just me.

You don't know until you try it lol. There's something very rewarding about watching all that crap go to drain. I never get sick of it lol!

 

[Horace]

You don't know until you try it lol. There's something very rewarding about watching all that crap go to drain. I never get sick of it lol!

Im sorry but doing that every 3-5 days would get old IMHO. Unless it could be automated, I agree with some others, I dont think this method is substantially less work than a sock, and certainly a much larger PITA to setup, not to mention space issues for most folks. Dont get me wrong though, I think its cool, but unless I was able to automated the backflush, or at least make the process as simple as turning a couple valves and let it do its thing....I wouldnt go through the trouble personally.

 

[McPuff]

Im sorry but doing that every 3-5 days would get old IMHO. Unless it could be automated, I agree with some others, I dont think this method is substantially less work than a sock, and certainly a much larger PITA to setup, not to mention space issues for most folks. Dont get me wrong though, I think its cool, but unless I was able to automated the backflush, or at least make the process as simple as turning a couple valves and let it do its thing....I wouldnt go through the trouble personally.

If you put in a larger diffuser plate or more perforated pipes in the bottom then you wouldn't need to use the wand at all... especially if you increase the water pressure of the backflush. I'm sure the OP wouldn't need to use the wand either, but it likely makes the process go faster.

 

[zeemofree]

Im sorry but doing that every 3-5 days would get old IMHO. Unless it could be automated, I agree with some others, I dont think this method is substantially less work than a sock, and certainly a much larger PITA to setup, not to mention space issues for most folks. Dont get me wrong though, I think its cool, but unless I was able to automated the backflush, or at least make the process as simple as turning a couple valves and let it do its thing....I wouldnt go through the trouble personally.

I know he is on to something as I have a more advanced system that employs a sand prefilter which is easil cleaned and replaced and my large reversed upwelling sand bed has not clogged and I assume it will not cloth because it is a anoxic area that is designed to melt the coral sand and release the the effluent into the tank. Here are a few pics I will not be removing my plankton friendly skimmers either

 

[GMSR]

I am planning on having a tide pool zone that acts as a sand filter after trapping water durring high tide. The flush comes when tide comes back in (before it goes over the top of the barrier the water pressure pushes it up. In the tide pool I will have sea grasses, oysters, clams, snails, crabs, isopods, mangroves, etc... Hopefully the roots take up a lot of nutrients and the sand is deep enough to get a good cycle going on. Gonna have some sweet bonzai mangroves! Under the sand bed I want to put a sand net and some egg crate and create a bit of a cryptic zone where some sponges can thrive before the water escapes through some LR into a macroalgae zone before going back to the reef.

 

[karimwassef]

I am planning on having a tide pool zone that acts as a sand filter after trapping water durring high tide. The flush comes when tide comes back in (before it goes over the top of the barrier the water pressure pushes it up. In the tide pool I will have sea grasses, oysters, clams, snails, crabs, isopods, mangroves, etc... Hopefully the roots take up a lot of nutrients and the sand is deep enough to get a good cycle going on. Gonna have some sweet bonzai mangroves! Under the sand bed I want to put a sand net and some egg crate and create a bit of a cryptic zone where some sponges can thrive before the water escapes through some LR into a macroalgae zone before going back to the reef.

great concept. how are you engineering it?

 

[McPuff]

I am planning on having a tide pool zone that acts as a sand filter after trapping water durring high tide. The flush comes when tide comes back in (before it goes over the top of the barrier the water pressure pushes it up. In the tide pool I will have sea grasses, oysters, clams, snails, crabs, isopods, mangroves, etc... Hopefully the roots take up a lot of nutrients and the sand is deep enough to get a good cycle going on. Gonna have some sweet bonzai mangroves! Under the sand bed I want to put a sand net and some egg crate and create a bit of a cryptic zone where some sponges can thrive before the water escapes through some LR into a macroalgae zone before going back to the reef.

Please start a thread on this as it sounds very interesting!

 

[Rwiesner20]

Truly impressed with this. I don't think I would have thought of it. The process seems a little complicated but I guess once its plumbed its no problem. Only real downside I see is it takes up some room.

 

[cabinetman123]

Truly impressed with this. I don't think I would have thought of it. The process seems a little complicated but I guess once its plumbed its no problem. Only real downside I see is it takes up some room.

When you got 700+ gallons to filter this don't take up much room lol. Imagine how many filter socks it would take. I am going to mess around with a more compact unit. I've got the basic unit made. It's a 8"x 24" piece of tube acrylic with a square base cemented on. I've gotta plumb it up and might install it on a friends tank to try. The hope is with the smaller size around the water pressure with stirr the sand enough to clean it. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[ravi197699]

What if you use 10000 gallon pool 12" sand filter which goes for around 125 dollars with 1200 gph pump, I am planning on using one of the output from my return pump to run it through the sand filter so that i don't have to use the pump that comes with sand filter or use the pump that comes with sand filter and since it comes with timer on the pump , i can have it run every 2 hrs or 3 hrs..and back wash the filter on weekly water change... what you guys think?

 

[Ron Reefman]

What if you use 10000 gallon pool 12" sand filter which goes for around 125 dollars with 1200 gph pump, I am planning on using one of the output from my return pump to run it through the sand filter so that i don't have to use the pump that comes with sand filter or use the pump that comes with sand filter and since it comes with timer on the pump , i can have it run every 2 hrs or 3 hrs..and back wash the filter on weekly water change... what you guys think?

How about a link to the pool filter you are considering? I ask because I'm interested in this idea, but I want it more compact and less maintenance (i.e. cleaning).

 

[cabinetman123]

What if you use 10000 gallon pool 12" sand filter which goes for around 125 dollars with 1200 gph pump, I am planning on using one of the output from my return pump to run it through the sand filter so that i don't have to use the pump that comes with sand filter or use the pump that comes with sand filter and since it comes with timer on the pump , i can have it run every 2 hrs or 3 hrs..and back wash the filter on weekly water change... what you guys think?

I think one would work great as long as you don't mind all the water they use during back flush and as long as there isn't any metal parts inside that will corode. If I had a bigger tank I might concider one myself.

 

[stage3-s4]

http://www.haywardflowcontrol.com/shop/en/flow-control/sand/ls-series

these are used in commercial aquariums all the time.

 

[karimwassef]

I think the Long Island Aquarium reef uses pool sand filters

http://youtu.be/2pxTBHtnl-s

 

[stage3-s4]

I think the Long Island Aquarium reef uses pool sand filters

http://youtu.be/2pxTBHtnl-s

yea Joe over at Atlantis knows what he is doing for sure. He has a great setup thats been running for years.

 

[Joey_bananas420]

Don't think they'd work for me man. I'm way over stocked. I need something way more aggressive.

The brightwell no3 blocks are good for 1200 gallons garaunteed. They recommend carbon dosing in conjecture with it. the denetrfying bacteria will take care of any nitrates you have quite aggressively. And it is small enough to fit in between baflles in a sump.

 

[Yagonyonok]

This is quite the idea. I'm just starting my first saltwater tank, but this might be just the ticket for my freshwater tanks.

CM, how has the filter been running the last few months?


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[cabinetman123]

This is quite the idea. I'm just starting my first saltwater tank, but this might be just the ticket for my freshwater tanks.

CM, how has the filter been running the last few months?


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I absolutely love it. theres no way I'd ever go back to filter socks or anything else. takes 10 mins once a week to maintain. Can't beat it.