DIY Fish Aquarium Bio Filter-What do you use in the filter.

I need some advice on what I built for my fish tank. When I first got into having fish, I did some research on improving water conditions in my tank. However, 70 Dollars later, I think I might have built something that was a waste of money.

If your in the know, Please help me as to what I built (if there is a name for it) and what I can do with it.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• DIY
• Fish
• Aquarium
• Bio
• Filter
• tank
• help
• make
• your
• own
• fresh
• water
• salt
• build
• carbon
• gravel
• pvc
• pipe
• home
• made

[zachzachmorgan]

how big is your tank i can see that you have a dual filter

[MadatMedia]

@zachzachmorgan Small 29 Gallon.

[wlvsftbllplyr]

a sump is simply a supersized filter in that it can filter a larger amount of water per hour versus a hang on back filter. As well, you can add more filter media, like filter pads, carbon, ect..., they give you more customization than a hang on back does. I watched some of @LAFISHGUY's videos to help explain, he's got one that he does an entire vid and explains as he goes

[MadatMedia]

@wlvsftbllplyr Yeah, LA fish guy is great. Did you check out Jim's 500 gal setup. Id love to get that big someday.

[MadatMedia]

@wlvsftbllplyr Also thanks again for the info. I just had a huge attack of brown algae in the past week. I think my carbon must need changing out or something. I have not had a lot of time on my hands this week, so I have just been wiping it off what I can. From what I can tell online I have been leaving my light on too much. That or there is to much for the algae to eat in my water at the moment. Thinking of wipin out the 50-60% water change. Going to do some more research on it before hand.

[MadatMedia]

@wlvsftbllplyr Wait, I think the guys name is Scott, not Jim is the LA fish guy lol

[MadatMedia]

@wlvsftbllplyr Thanks for the info, I do plan on switching to saltwater at some point. But for now I am not thinking on a sump until I get a bigger tank. Any idea what that thing is (I found the specs to build it online)(Now I can't find it again) and what exactly it is doing for my tank, good/bad?

[wlvsftbllplyr]

I don't know what kind of aquarium your planning on keeping, but for this system you don't need a sump or a skimmer. Skimmers are almost exclusively for saltwater aquariums (usually reef tanks because of the extreme water conditions). A sump is usually reserved for large aquariums (my lfs suggested only doing it on like 55 gallons or bigger) you can use them on smaller ones, but  they arent necessary (its cheaper and just as effective to buy a hang-on-back filter, i like emperor 400s myself)