Low cost high volume aquarium filter.

Update 2011:04:10  [As expected the plastic on this canister broke.  The canister is so large I didn't have to do anything with it while running for about a month.  When I went to check on the internals I found the quick release connectors had joined to the lid and they broke when disconnecting.  I have this unit shelved until I find a way to economically update the design.]

I found a recommendation for this large canister filter at Aquarium Gardening.  Sorry, couldn't find the post again, so I cannot attribute it properly.  I purchased the unit.  Ebay seller, "topdogsellers".  The unit is a US$60 "Aquarium Canister Filter External CFS 500 GPG 60-100g".  Note it is sized at 11.5" x 14.5" x 17".  It is BIG.

So here is the scoop.  The unit is a nice design. Unit comes with "everything you need" to get it running out of the box.  Well, maybe.  It is a nice unit, that has been volume low cost manufactured in China.  That said, it can be modified to use making it a very good deal.

The included media is foam sponge and a fibre mat.  This material still smells of the petroleum processing.  I thoroughly rinsed it and left it outside in the sun for about 4 weeks to flush it. The new "media" is shown in the first picture. The pump is good, and I believe the 500gph rating. It sits at the bottom of the cannister so it will be self-priming.  I modified the intake as shown in the picture to put a "U" pipe on the pump so that the intake is from the bottom of the cannister instead of the middle. This mod is just a 2 0.75" PVC 90 degree joints connected make the U.  The input screen then fit onto a pipe I put on the end.

The modified intake is shown here.


I filled the unit 3/4 full with about 400 bio-bullets I got  from Jehmco (www.jehmco.com). The bullets are covered by about 2" of the white foam material, and this is covered by the blue fibre mat.  I didn't use the included hose or plumbing.  This was for my 125gallon tank, and it was already setup with a Pentair Aquatics, Lifegard CustomFlo plumbing system -- I got that from Jehmco.  Note, that the hose is 1" ID potable water safe hose I got separately from OSH.

This is a picture of the installed unit.  [I know, bad spot for the power strip.  I glued it down :-).  But, it is protected by a separate GFI.]  Those red towers are shutoff valve hose connectors and are quick release.  Nice touches but they are fairly light plastic so I think they may be the first things to fail if overused.  Note the nicely designed screw down top.  It works very well -- that is, it is watertight!