I have experimented with making my own filter, since I didnt see why I should pay the prices I see sometimes on these things, and I have 2 different ones running on my outside tubs and above ground pond now.
The first one is a 20 gl rubbermaid container from nnnnnn. Other things you need are
- pump (not more than 400 gl, otherwise its too strong)
- 3/4 inch or 1 inch clear tubing from Homedepot (depends on the output of the
pump
- 3 sponges from Aquaclear 500
- 2 bags of bioballs or other material that will hold the bio bugs
- clamps to hold the tubing in place

Connect the tubing to the pump with a clamp, and lead it to the rubbermaid container. Cut a hole or two in the top 1/3 part of the container for the water to flow back into the tub or pond. Put the sponges and bio balls into the rubbermaid, and turn on the pump! Done!
I put water lettuce or hyacinths as extra filtration into the container as well!

The second one is made out of plywood and sits on top of my above ground pond. It has the length of 3/4 of my pond, and is about 10 inches high. The supplies are

- plywood to make a rectangular box in the size you desire, stabilized with 1x1s
or 1x2s
- pond liner to lay the whole box out with
- water pump
- clear tubing from Homedepot
- clamps to hold the tubing to the pump
- 6 sponges from Aquaclear 500
- 4 bags of bio balls or other bio material
- fish safe silicone or aquarium sealer

After you have built the box in the shape you desire, lay it out with pond liner and fasten the liner on the outside of the box with a tacker. Connect the tubing to the airpump and lead it to the box. Fill the box with the sponges on the side where the water comes in, and build a barrier with the sponges somehwere in the middle, fill the bio balls into the container after the barrier. You can also add water plants like water hyacinth and water lettuce for extra filtration.

Cut a hole of 1 inch or 3/4 inch (depending on the size of your tubing) in the upper part of the box on the other end, clue it in place with the silicone, and let it dry. Then turn on the pump, and you have a filter! My hubby connected a UV after the box, and then the water goes back into the pond, but that required some more plumbing equipment....

That is really clever of you. I saw the photos and it looks nice too!

Ranchugirl, sounds cool! Do you have any photos of these?

Well, not of the filter alone, no. They are outside covered in styrofoam and plastic sheeting right now, since we are having the 40s at night. I will uncover them once the temps go a bit up, just a few degrees....

Ranchugirl the idea sounds good and cheap
and that's what I need. (on fixed income)
I would be very interested in seeing a picture
of your nooppee and home depot special as
soon as they are available. If you wouldn't
mind e-mailing the pix, I'll give you my address
if you'd ok with that. If not I'll look for it on the
message board form time to time. Mac

I second that ranchugirl I love to see it too. Great idea, you are so creative!

Okay, I went out and took a picture of the *nnnnnn* filter. The other one I cant take a picture of it right now, the pond is still in Ft. Lauderdale with my hubby, we didnt get to move that one yet, and hubby does not have a digital camera. I will take a pic of that one when we go down there after Christmas.....

I originally put 3 holes into the rubbermaid as output, but the flow was not all that strong, so I taped two of them shut again from the inside with aquarium sealer and a small piece of pond liner. I also added a few water plants, mainly water hyacinth and water lettuce, although they dont look too good right now due to the cooler weather...

Ranchugirl.

Think that would that work for an indoor tank.

If you used one of those GE "whole house filter" canisters, you could pack with sponges and carbon etc. You'd just need fittings to screw the tubing too the canister, but I think the "technology" woudl still work.

What do you reckon.? A home made indoor canister filter? The canisters are only $20 from HD.

Richy, it sounds do-able...I am always up for new ideas, especially since most filters are not cheap to buy, so if it can be done with our own brains, I would go for it...Are you trying it out?

Well I may...I might be taking Starsmom's used 55 gal tank...remember I have 3 goldies in a 10 gal .

If so I'll need a stand and I could get one of those rigged up. I can do i in the basement and leave it to run first befoe I ruin the rug.

I reckon it's about $40 to build and you get a home made jobbie that's $80 in stores.

The best part if it' under the cabinet... who cares if it is bright yellow with pinkspots? It doesn't amtter about visual appeal.

If it don't work...I 'll ust the powerhead on an undergravel anyway. Whic you could DIY too...


Rich

PS Do you have any tips on resealing a tank...?

No, sorry, Richy, never had to do that! Well, actually, once, just as a precaution, when we got our 160 gl tank. It was used, and we thought one spot was looking a bit suspicious. So my hubby just put new aquarium sealer over the old one in that spot, although I have learned now to scrape off the old sealer first, to make the new one hold better. That was a good 4 years ago, and never needed to do it again..
Do you have to reseal a lot, or just a tiny spot?

Cool

It's pretty scary when your wife is reading over your shoulder to your post Ranchugirl and I hear, "ya know, that would be fun to build." just beforer she goes off shopping.

But I like the filter plans. Thank you for sharing.

ADuPont, what was your wife shopping for - 2x4s for the stand? She sounds like she is into the fish!

hey RanchuGirl, can you explain how you put the pump together with the tubing? I have been really studying the directions and the picture and can't picture that part of it. What sort of pump is it? an air pump? Or a waterfall pump? I can't picture it. I see the tubing going into the rubbermaid, but how does it make a suction to get the water into the tub?
I'd really like to make one of these.

Panda, you can do it with any kind of pump you like, and I used a 19$ powerhead from nnnnnn. With that I went to HomeDepot into their plumbing department, where they have the clear flexible pipes, and tried them out until I found the size that would fit right over the intake,and secured that with a metal clam (I believe thats how you call it). You put it over the pipe when its on the powerhead, and screw it tight.
As soon as the powerhead is turned on, it will pump the water through the tubing into the rubbermaid.....

ok thanks!!! I think I can do it now I will try it out and let you know how it goes!

Finally got around and remembered to bring my camera so I can take a picture of the diy filter. Here is a view of it from the side. The water gets pumped in on the right side through the clear pipe, runs through 8 Aquaclear sponges #1, then the blue bio balls, and out the other end. After the filter I connected a 40 watt UV sterilizer, and from there it goes back into the pond. Thats the part thats under the shade cloth....


Here is a top view picture of if, with some leftover duckweed in it. During most of the year I have parrot feather, water lettuce and water hyacinth in that filter, but they didn't do too well in the cooler weather, and will be back in the spring.


Here is the picture of the outflow, especially the UV sterilizer. Its made by Aqua(something) and is 40 watt, very easy to clean as well.


With this system its very easy to do a filter cleaning. All I have to do is shut off the ball valve that goes to the pond, open the end of the UV sterilizer and turn the pump back on. While I stir up the gunk in the filter, the dirty water runs out through the UV and into the lawn. If I want, I catch some of it with a bucket and water my garden plants with it. When done, valve gets opened, UV light in and closed, and voila! Done!

And here is the one I made out of a 18 gallon rubbermaid container. It has the same "ingredients" then the one made out of wood above, except for the UV, since its in a shaded area under a gazebo, and I like to have the algae covered pond for the koi fry inhabitants to have lots of natural food. ....

I just saw this now, and Ranchu, what a wonderful idea! That is great! B)

great pics and set-ups, andrea!

i like the idea of having plants in the filter trough! it adds a very nice extra level of filtration. looks like its big enough to really help with nitrates and very visually appealing! nice job!

ive got so many unique ideas spinning around in my head about pond/ watergardens, terrariums and different filtration rigs that i had to go get a notebook to keep my sketches in order! im going to attempt each one in time! now i just have to think about where im going to get the money to do them with! <_<

paul

From the tax refund?

That is so cool ranchu

not this year!

Hey, I'm planning on building one for a 300 gal rubbermaid pond. How big should my nnnnnn tub be and will I really need a pump that goes for 3000 gallons an hour?

Thanks, Tabi

Tabi, the same size rubbermaid container filters my 300 gl tub right now, and it does great. I just added a couple more bags of the bio balls, and a few more sponges, thats all. The plants in it actually doing an amazing job, and after a few days you can see all kinds of gunk clinging to the roots of the plants sitting in the more quiet spot of the filter.
The pump runs at around 1000 gl/hour, if I remember right. But even if I would go out and look right now, I wouldn't see much, most of the pump is covered in a thick mat of algae....

Thanks a ton Andrea!!!!

I don't think plants are going to be an option for mine because of placement (it will be tucked tightly under a roof), I'm thinking of dressing the pond up to look like a large old well - but I haven't seen the rubbermaid up close and personal yet - so it'll depend.

Anyway, thanks!!!!