DIY Water Polisher???

[greeneyed]

On my 135g, I have a wet/dry filter. I use quilt batting before water flows over media. But I still have alot of suspended particles. There is good circulation and flow. I am turning over the tank 6-7 times/hour.

Does anyone use a dedicated polisher?

I DIY everything, and I am quite confident in my abilities to build just about anything.

I do not want to pay the $$ for a diatom filter, even though I know they are about the best.

Really don't want anything else IN the tank. But there is plenty of room in the stand. And I have ~5" behind it.

I know fluidized bed filters are great for harboring bacteria, but do they also work as a polisher? I can get just about everything to build a PVC one out of 4" for nothing or maybe just the cost of a few adapters. But not sure if it would help me out.

I have considered using the whole house canister filters. I have 2 pumps in my W/D. Could I use one of these to power it? Or would I need a dedicated powerhead so I didn't put extra wear and tear on my pumps?

I have a couple of extra HOB's that could be filled with filter floss...But again, I really don't want anything in the tank....

So, what is the best, most economical polishing options?

Discuss...

[flamenco-t]

Are you running an internal overflow ? external overflow ?

The higher turnover just gives you "more" water movement and flow, but if the way the water exit to your W/D is not startegically placed, you're making it worse by constantly throwing suspended particles around.

If you have an internal overflow with overflow separator (an acrylic or glass piece that separate the overflow section to the main tank section) then you may want to add a few extra cuts or holes in the separator from the mid section and lower section to give more ways for the suspended parctiles to exit to your WD

If you have an external HOB overflow that only skims the top, you may want to just add a small canister filter as a true dedicated polisher. make sure you have plnety of ways for the particles to exit out of the tank.

[spxsk]

I use a DIY Fluidized bed filter to "polish" my water. I have a power head in the sump return, that sends water into the Fluidized bed filter, and then returns it right back to the sump return area. This highly over filters this area, but I like the cleaner return water, and the extra bio filtering area. Attached is a photo of what I am talking about.
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l148/spxsk/FLuidizedBedFilter001.jpg

[yim11]

This may be way off base from what you are looking for, but I recently tried Seachems Purigen (http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Purigen.html) based on a recommendation, $10 for the bag at True Perc, and I've noticed a significant difference in clarity in the 110g I use it on. Just dropped it the canister filter.

HTHs,
-jim

[greeneyed]

It is an external overflow box unfortunately. So it just skimming the top could be part of the problem.

Greg, that is basically what I had in mind. But since Stan has brought up the fact that the particles are probably not even entering my filter, I may have to have my inlet in the tank for it to work optimally.

[spxsk]

Dave, you can also put the inlet for this fluidized bed in the tank. Just place the power head and hose wherever you need it. I realize this is one more thing in the tank, not optimal, but a solution

[greeneyed]

Yeah, that is probably what I will end up doing.
Where did you get the clear pipe?
Are you using PFS or blasting sand?

[flamenco-t]

Just stick a small canister filter, drill several holes along the intake tube to have more ways for the particles to exit. Try with one and see how much it'll helps.

By doing this, you're also adding more bio filtration as well as water movement.

[kewlkatdady]

this is why i like canisters over wet/dry....

I just add pillow stuffing to my canister.

[Joe Reborn]

They make Power Heads that have a Filter hook up to it. I used to run a Hagen Aquaclear 402 power head and quick Filter attachment with it. all it is a polisher. The Media is only like 3 bucks for 2 filters and in fact you could cut out a bio media and wrap it around the quick filter and the "dirt" just gets sucked into the quick filter and stays there.

[Stickzula]

A lot of people use a magnum 350 with the micron cartridge for a day or 2 after a water change just to polish the water. I have also seen DIY projects along those lines. They use a house water filter linked to a pump/powerhead. It seems that in the end the DIY version ended up costing more than the retail version in most cases.

I use a DIY "canister" and I have been pleased with it. Basically it is a 16" length of 4" pipe filled with pillow stuffing (polyfill) with the inlet at the bottom and the outlet at the top. All connected to a pump. My pump is in the tank, but an inline would do just as well.

[greeneyed]

Fuggit, found a XP3 for $60. Cleaning it now.

[Stickzula]

Fuggit, found a XP3 for $60. Cleaning it now.
sweet deal!

[kewlkatdady]

Fuggit, found a XP3 for $60. Cleaning it now.


fill it with poly fill...


nice find btw

[cichlidkeeper]

x2 on the nice find. i found mine about a year back for $40 but it was barely worth it to deal with Mr. Douche, the seller....

[Joe Reborn]

i got a Fluval 404 for 20bucks a few weeks ago and yes i have heard all the horror stories that go with a 404 but i haven't had an issue we shall see in the future.

[iron]

I ran the Lifegard 300 fb on my 20 gallon and it was beautiful. Right now I am running a much smaller unit on a much bigger tank. It isn't quite getting the job done.
I highly recommend from my own experience to build a large fluidized bed filter. I have sand that I get from work. It works great and its clean. Its run through a kiln and then poured onto rail cars. I like to use 40/70 mesh. It is heavy enough to handle a pretty good push.
With a tank that size, which isn't much different than mine I would build it to hold maybe 2- 3 lbs of sand and use a pretty good pump to move it. I will be building one soon. I totally miss my lifegard. Its well worth the effort and they are really quiet. Nothing escapes it if it is set up right.
The biggest problem I see with it is that it only handles a small section of the tank. I think I would put the input at one end of the tank and output at the other to ensure maximum effectiveness.