Five gallon bucket filter

[Aaron88]

Has anyone done this? If so please tell me how. How many pumps does it need? And how should it be set up? Pictures would be nice. Thanks in advance.

[Goes to 11!]

Aaron, The search feature here is very useful.. But only if you use it. :wink:

Oh... And click here. (http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=60394&highlight=filter) :22:

[Aaron88]

Thanks! I tried using the search feature but my phone won't let me. The only other thing i didnt see was a pump. And do you think that I could attach a diffrent overflow pipe to pump bank into the tank? Its going under my fifty five.

[Goes to 11!]

How many pumps does it need?
One.

The only other thing i didnt see was a pump. And do you think that I could attach a diffrent overflow pipe to pump bank into the tank? Its going under my fifty five.You can use whatever is suitable but generally an overflow is used to provide flow INTO the sump. You are going to have a hard time 'overflowing' water into a tank above it lol.

Aeons pump is in his large tank and it gravity feeds back from the filter [You can see it in post #5]. Your sump for your 55 will work the opposite [I am guessing] with an overflo and a return pump.

[Aaron88]

I belive your going to be right on that one. Ill let you know how it turns out and thank you alot.

[Goes to 11!]

Good luck, Post pics of your process if you can.

[Aaron88]

Okay I think after poking my brain with a stick for awhile now I have come up with the solution to this. I will need one pump and it will go on the intake side forcing water in to the bucket thru the media and then up thru the outlet. As long as the lid on the bucket can hold up to the pressure and not pop off.

[Aeonflame]

Will the water simply pour out of the bucket or will it be pushed up through a tube exiting the bucket?

[Aaron88]

Aeon first off I love your post you did on this. Mine will be under the tank so it will have to be pushed back up.

[Aeonflame]

Thanks! much appreciated.

Im not sure your design will work, because the pump will need to push the weight of the all the water in the bucket up through the outflow tube. Is there a way you can get the filter behind the tank?

[Aaron88]

unfortunely no. The tank is aginst a wall and my wife wont let me move it out. From what I have seen/read canister filters use only one pump thats where I came up with using only one. I would use a oversized one to make sure it had the power.

[Aeonflame]

I think I may have visualized your design wrongly.

Will the pump be going into the tank itself or will the filter be siphon/overflow fed with the pump going into the bucket?

[Aaron88]

You know I didnt even think about putting the pump in the bucket..... I might have to go back and think some more.

[Aeonflame]

In a canister filter, the pump does not need to bear the weight of all the water in the filter itself. This can cause the pump to burn out.

Putting the pump in the bucket also poses a different unique set of problems. Pumps are made to push and not pull water. If the water pressure in the top area of the bucket is not enough it can cause the water to boil. (research cavitation)

This may be a better solution for you. Forgive the sloppy paint image

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn193/amithrius/DSC01202-1.jpg

[Aaron88]

Hey that is great art work! From what i'm seeing here the filter would over flow into a small tank then the water would be pushed up from there. Is that right?

[Aeonflame]

You got it. The small tank acts as a catchment area and can also serve as a growout tank for fry etc if you put a prefilter on the pump. This way the pump will just need to deal with the head pressure of the water in the tube.