DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

[edmlfc]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

Home depot is no better. They didn't know what a bulkhead was either. I couldn't find styrofoam at either place, corrugated hose or the peg board.  

[fshfrk]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

pvc glue- thats it. corigated hose go to the washing machine drain dept. gray about 6 ft long. comes with flexable couplings. hose clamp them. you don't need another bulk head. just stick the pipe in   . you know what i mean . you already have the 90's in the lid. right. ?

[edmlfc]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

I need two bulkheads for something else.

I worked on my own drip tray last night. I took another lid from a bucket and put holes in it. Here you go:



My husband is going to try and find the last few things I need. He did some measuring and explained a few thing to me.  Like how to measure pipe, hose and other things. I usually just stick it together and see if it works, if it don't I get a bigger or smaller size.  I found out what ID and OD are.  :rockon: I can honestly say I am learing alot from this little project. I think he might be impressed. :P

Tonight, if I'm good he's going to let me use his saw to cut pipe. :king:

[PhishPhreek]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

Ask him for a miter saw &  miter-box so you can get straight cuts on your pipe.
Ofcourse if he has a power "cut-of / chop" miter saw, that's even better.

You may have a few too many holes in your drip tray.  The purpose is to aerate the water and spread the flow out in the filter.
If you do not have that much flow, all the water will go through the closest holes and not spread out very far.
Its going to have to be trial & error.   Make holes, run max flow and see if the water backs up, if so make more holes & try again.
also, here is where your bypass comes in.  If all the holes plug (for whatever reaason) where will the water go.
You may want to drill the center out and glue a piece of PVC pipe there for an overflow.

All DIY projects are Trial & error. Sometimes the little things get you down.
But when it all comes together and you've got success, It makes your day.

LOOKIN GOOD

[edmlfc]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

Thanks PhishPhreek,
Before I put it on the tank I'm going to try it on a 55 gallon trash can. I have 3-4 weeks to get it right. My tank won't be here until then.  :(  I don't have much patience, but I'm learning how to take things slow. Maybe I should add a few more items to What I learned on HFB.  Nah! I'll wait until I actually built this thing. :P

[edmlfc]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

Here are some pictures of my progress. I held and measured the pipe and my husband cut it for me. I then put it all together hung it on a trash can outside and started the siphon to test it. I have not glued anything in place yet. This was just my test run. I won't be able to totally finish until I get the tank here. Anyway here you go:
My two overflows:


My test run on the trash can, as you can see I got one going really good and the other just a trickle. I'm going to try it again in a few minutes.:

[fshfrk]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

NICE JOB!  

[edmlfc]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

Thank you, Thank you!  :mrgreen:

I appericate all your help fshfrk, this was lots of fun for me. Now I just have to finish.

[fshfrk]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

if you put a 4" pc pvc out the drain that gray washing machine hose will fit snugley over it. then hose clamp it. when you glue the over flow. dry fit it in a tank first so you can compress it as small as possible.

[edmlfc]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

4" pc pvc? You lost me.

[fshfrk]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

4" pc of 1" pvc. probably 2 1/2 or 3" of 1" pvc will be good. you did use 1" pvc for the over flow,right? did you find that drain hose?

[edmlfc]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

I haven't looked for the drain hose yet. That's tomorrow's project. Yes I did use 1" pvc pipe.

I get it now. Had to read it again.  

[edmlfc]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

So I need to cut two pieces at 4" of pvc pipe to come out of the t then hook the hose to the pipe and clamp it. Am I right?

[fshfrk]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

yea but 3" would be good. no sense to make it to long. get your hose then dry fit it. then you have to figure out how to fit it in the 90. but that's easy. you are 95% done.

[edmlfc]

Re: DIY Wet/Dry Filter - Suggestions?

I pulled out the 2 90's. I just put those in there to check the hole size. I think I'll probally just use a cuppling (If I spelled it right) or bulk head. I'm trying out different options right now.