Making an extreme budget filter
Every time I buy a small sponge or corner filter, I feel like I could make this stuff better and cheaper, so I did.
This is like one of those online recipes where the author fills the content with so much backstory I get bored after 4 seconds and just want the facts. So here:
Ingredients for bulk:
First you make all the bulk items into a small assortment of items you actually need to make the filter:
Wash the filter wool and the scoria to get the waterproofing and dust off them respectively.
Drill the required holes in the takeaway container in the correct spots: One large hole in the middle of the lid for the 13mm poly, a line of small holes around the top for the main container, that draws the water in over the sponge type material, and finally a hole to feed the airline through for the updraft. I made a video doing it with a dremel, you get the idea, you could poke the same holes with scissors but it takes too long for me personally.
Attach the 6mm joiner to the small length of airline you have feed it through the hole you drilled, then the joiner face will be on the outside of the filter, making it easier to jam the 6mm (or 4mm if you're not just a cheapo) airline tubing on it without the joiner disappearing up and into the filter.
Fill the container with scoria, while holding on to the airline so it sits up at the end and makes the airline visible from the top.
Jam the small length of 13mm poly through the hole you made for the lid.
Try and pad down the craft material into the container and put the lid on the container with the 13mm poly tube and insert the 4-6mm airline tubing up the 13mm poly tube as you put the lid on. This creates the updraft with the bubbles shoot through. You have to part the craft material around the airline tubing to make the airline exit obvious. The airline tubing has to be long enough to sit up inside the poly tube creating the column of water.
Pull off any excess craft material sticking out of the containers, the medaka will spawn on it.
I tried to get it all on video, but putting the lid on is awkward to get on camera, so I left it out. Most the obvious stuff is below.
There you have it, the cheapest you will ever pay for bulk air filters. Scalable to how ever many you need to build.
In action above. There are a few ways to make this filter, but this filter in particular was designed to be for shallow tubs and have all hard sides so the medakas don't spawn on it. Cheers and welcome.
