# Custom Nano Filter Design / Material Question



## NayrP (23 Dec 2020)

I am looking into getting a Nano Cube 10-20l for a small corner in my living room and haven't had much luck finding a small enough external filter. I don't want an internal filter or a HOB for astetic reasons and was looking for something that looks nice that I can put on the table next to the tank. The engineer in me said to just design one, so that is what I did.  The idea is similar to your typical canister filter where the water inlet is on the bottom and the outlet is on the top. It uses a small 200l/h pump and has two baskets for sponges / biological media on the inside. I am thinking of making the body of stainless steel. Has anyone had any experience using stainless steel in an aquarium? I thought it would look great and shouldn't have the corrosion problems that come along with other materials. What do you guys think of this idea? Any design suggestions from your previous experiences that could save me some headaches down the road?? The filter is 17 cm tall and has an outer diameter of 8 cm, so it should be big enough for a 10-20 liter tank (definately more space for media than an internal filter) but still small enough to fit on the table next to it. Here are a few renderings of the idea (I didn't model the threads just to save some time)

Let me know what you guys think!
Ryan


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## Nick potts (23 Dec 2020)

Very nice renderings.

Stainless is fine, there are a few stainless filters about (ada etc).

I have no idea how much time and money something like this would cost for you to make, but I would be more inclined to ask these guys about shipping one to you as there filter is pretty much exactly what you want and nearly the same size.






						Liquidoaquadesign/Filtri esterni in inox
					

Costruzione di filtri esterni modulari per acquari e acquascaping




					liquidoaquadesign.wixsite.com


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## noodlesuk (23 Dec 2020)

Very nice renderings, like the design. It's very hard to find a small elegant external filter, I had a look for my nano and decided to stick with the internal filter in the end.

Also might need some banjo type connectors, if not in use already. Sods law says that when you tap the threads and screw in the hose connectors, they tighten up, facing the wrong way!

What pump have you used? I started looking at making one too and could only find external pumps, bought a nice mini Eheim one, but looks better integrated. The ADA one looks a bit agricultural, with its external pump.

Stainless 303/314/316 would be best, 303 is easier to machine. All very expensive to do, but will be nice. How does the top secure? Cost could be reduced if you use a standard SS large bore tube for the middle and make custom caps, maybe, might work out.

Great project, will look forward to updates.


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## dean (23 Dec 2020)

Why not put a small pump in the aquarium and pump the water to a canister outside 

Couldn’t you adapt a flask of a ss water bottle 

This would keep the costs down 


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## noodlesuk (23 Dec 2020)

dean said:


> Why not put a small pump in the aquarium and pump the water to a canister outside
> 
> Couldn’t you adapt a flask of a ss water bottle
> 
> ...


There's  quite a few projects online and YouTube using flasks or storage tins. Problem is the wall section is so small, can't get a decent thread for the couplings. Needs bonding , some sort of back but flange or welding (like ADA). Some guides seem to rely on a connector self tapping, which is never going to stay water tight after a few knocks in use. Also difficult to get the modded flask designs to look good, always look a bit too DIY imho.


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## dcurzon (23 Dec 2020)

If you have the inlet at the top and outlet at the bottom, then you could tap a co2 inlet nipple into it and have it also act as co2 reactor


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## NayrP (23 Dec 2020)

The plan is to use 316L stainless for the main body and the cap. The cap is threaded and screws into the body (the lowest diameter that seems to overlap is threaded) and it all seals radially with the shown o-ring. I picked couplings that use a tapered thread so I should have some wiggle room with the positioning. 

That small filter is pretty great. The only thing that I don't like is the pump on the outside. Since I am going to be sitting right next to this thing all evening the goal was to make it as quiet as possible. So my design uses a small submersible pump that is mounted to the inside of the cap to contain the noise within the filter and a gland to route the cable out and seal it from leaking. The whole filter sits on a rubber pad to dampen the vibration from the table it sits on. I will keep you guys posted as the first parts start to arrive.

The CO2 idea is also interesting! Will have to keep that in mind. Going for something low tech for this cube but if all goes as plan maybe an upgrade in the future!


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## noodlesuk (23 Dec 2020)

RyanP said:


> The plan is to use 316L stainless for the main body and the cap. The cap is threaded and screws into the body (the lowest diameter that seems to overlap is threaded) and it all seals radially with the shown o-ring. I picked couplings that use a tapered thread so I should have some wiggle room with the positioning.


Nice 316L, only the best, will be expensive, or are there some offcuts lying around at work 

The threaded cap keeps it nice and simple, but will be a pain to unscrew, with hose & power connected, but I guess your hoses could be removed from the tank as only short, but would flap around a bit. Or could fit quick disconnect couplings, something like this:-









						18000 1/4" NPT Thread Valved Insert : Colder Products Company (CPC)
					

18000 - 1/4 NPT Valved Coupling Insert (MCD2404 NSF)




					products.cpcworldwide.com
				




Or inline









						17100 1/8" Hose Barb Valved Body : Colder Products Company (CPC)
					

17100 - 1/8 Hose Barb Valved In-Line Coupling Body (MCD1702 NSF)




					products.cpcworldwide.com


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## Big G (23 Dec 2020)

Looks amazing.
Would have loved to have gathered the skills to fabricate. Must be very satisfying.
Beats the hell outta driving a desk for living.

Best of luck 👍

Bg


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## NayrP (31 Dec 2020)

So I have decided to do a small redesign based on all of your suggestions! Moving the pump to the bottom, having both the inlet and outlet connectors on the base so that the cap can be more easily unscrewed and adding a connection for a small CO2 diffuser which will be mounted inside of the filter body. Will post some updated renderings as soon as I have some! Thanks for all of the great tips thus far!


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## NayrP (5 Jan 2021)

Here's a quick update on the new design changes. Inflow is now located on the top and outflow on the bottom. Both hose connections are located on the body of the filter to ease removal of the cap during filter maintenance. An additional cap has been added to the bottom to allow access to the pump during installation. A bleed valve has been added to the top cap in order to help with priming and removal of trapped air after maintenance. An AQUARIO Neo Mini CO2 diffusor has been added to create smaller bubbles in the filter to hopefully increase the speed of CO2 dissolution into the water. The pipe can easily bent as it is made from acrylic and can be sealed using a cable gland just like the electrical cable from the pump. The only thing missing still is a small pipe which will connect to the inside of the inflow hose connector to direct the water flow upwards to help with mixing the CO2 into the water and prevent it from collecting at the top. Here are a few new renderings to show you how this will look. Let me know if you guys have any other suggestions before I start on the parts! Pump mouting bracket and the grid plate on the bottom are to be 3D printed out of an aquarium safe material yet to be determined. On top of the grid plate (from bottom to top) will sit a layer of bio media followed by a thin layer of filter floss and then a more porous sponge to help prevent clogging of the bio media and the pump.


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## Aqua sobriquet (5 Jan 2021)

Having right angle connectors for the inlet/outlet hoses can seriously affect the flow. If you look at the Eheim classic and ADA filters the bottom hose connector has a nice sweeping curve to it. You can buy the Eheim part as a spare so no reason not to use it? A straight connector on the top of the canister would also be better in terms of flow. Having a removable media basket will also make cleaning much easier. I like the idea of a nice stainless cylinder though and though I’d quite like one myself. The biggest issue I’ve come across with external filters of late is one of noise from the impeller, it can be extremely irritating! I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Edit: when I first considered making one I thought of using an existing container to save cost.


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## Wookii (5 Jan 2021)

Beautiful renderings @NayrP , some superb CAD skills there - I assume you have access to CNC machining to make these parts? They're are not possible from standard fabrication materials (tube and plate).

I like the inclusion of the CO2 diffuser, however I would personally have the inlet in the centre of the lid. you will invariably get CO2 build up at the top of the canister, and if the inlet is in the lid, that trapped CO2 will get constantly diffused into the water by turbulence like a typical CO2 reactor.

If I was designing a filter from scratch myself, an easily removable pre-filter would also be a requirement for me. I would also suggest some taps on your inlet and outlet nuts, so you can clean the filter easily without having to break the inlet and outlet syphon.


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## noodlesuk (5 Jan 2021)

Looks great, nice to see the evolution. I like the use of the Radiator bleed valve on the top. Is the lid biased (conical) so any bubbles collect towards the bleed port?

If you want something that might be easier to connect to, other than the Neo diffuser, maybe a sparge might work. These are used in labs for dispersing gas, like an air stone, but can be threaded to allow easier connection. I've never used one in an Aquarium, so not sure how efficient it would be in terms of bubble size. You can get sintered, glass, PTFE, PEEK variants, something like <Sparger> . Or even a Pneumatics silencer could work <Silencer>. Or just stick with what you know, if you don't want the extra hassle!


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## Aqua sobriquet (5 Jan 2021)

These are some of the Eheim spare parts available.


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## noodlesuk (5 Jan 2021)

oops duplicate!, pls delete!


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## noodlesuk (5 Jan 2021)

Aqua sobriquet said:


> These are some of the Eheim spare parts available.



Be interesting to see the loss of the 90deg Elbow vs the Swept 90Deg, for the sake of aesthetics and keeping all parts (and threads) standard, I'd probably keep the current design, unless the pump is already struggling. There is some info on the effect of different bends here <Resistance Of Fittings>, assume fittings are around 12mm, effect of elbow vs swept is the equivalent of 400mm of extra hose. I always found those Eheim curved inlets a bit fragile, so much bend hanging out to allow leverage against the thin wall threaded section, which will also be in Stainless, so less forgiving.


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## Aqua sobriquet (5 Jan 2021)

I also wonder if sharp bends will accumulate the inevitable build up of dirt quicker, particularly in those tight corners? Cleaning them would also be much harder. From past experience the  gentle sweep of the Eheim bends are easily cleaned with a hose brush.
Some more thoughts. It’s a lot easier to fit seals on a flat surface like the lid rather than the curved walls. The later render looks a bit messy with those seals on the side IMO as well, but that’s personal.


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## NayrP (5 Jan 2021)

I had the same thought about the 90° elbows causing some flow loss but there were a few reasons for choosing them over the Eheim or other similar plastic bends. Number one was space savings. The Eheim bends have a radius of ca. 40-50mm (which puts the hose approximately that far from the body of the filter) whereas the 90° elbows allow the hose to sit only 12,5 mm away. When you think that the entire filter has an outer diameter of only 80mm that makes quite a difference. The next reason is positioning. The 90° Elbows have a tapered thread which gives me some wiggle room as far as positioning goes when tightening them into the filter body. With a plastic thread which seals axially to the body the thread needs to line up perfectly to ensure that the inlet/outlet pipes sit how I need them to sit and won't leak (something that is more easily done with a plastic body than a metal one). The pump that I have chosen does 200l/h and in a cube with probably 15L of water after substrate, hardscape, plants etc. I should be alright as far as flow goes even if I have 25% loss due to plumbing (still puts me at or just below that magical 10x turnover per hour).

The pump is mounted to a plastic bracket and has a layer of silicone between itself and the body of the filter. I think this should do a pretty good job of minimizing noise/vibration. The whole filter also sits on a rubber pad to help with vibration noise transferring to the table that it sits on. A media basket is also something I had in the first version of the filter. I am planning to try it first without one but if it turns out to be too much of a pain I will add one later. A sparge is a cool idea for injecting the CO2. Will have to look more in to those maybe for the future. The nano diffuser is already on the way. Will see how that goes and can adjust if necessary.

Here is a quick render of the filter with a 40mm bend radius pipe vs. the current 90° Elbow. Think this shows the difference pretty well.



 



PS: Thanks for the input!!


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## Aqua sobriquet (5 Jan 2021)

Another random thought!? Many filters rely on the water flow to expel trapped air - rocking the filter whilst it’s running aids this. I’m not sure what problems you may encounter if the water flow is out of the bottom of your filter?


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## NayrP (5 Jan 2021)

That is one of the reason for adding the bleed valve to the top. Plan is to bleed the filter after filling it to prime it and remove trapped air before starting to inject the CO2. The volume of CO2 will be so small that I am hoping it will be dissolved before it can form too large of a pocket at the top.


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## Aqua sobriquet (9 Jan 2021)

I’ve just been working on my old Eheim classic and I think you’ve over egged the bend on your drawing.


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## NayrP (10 Jan 2021)

Could very well be the case. I only had pictures to go on. Could you measure how far the hose sits from the threaded connector of the bend if you get a chance?


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## Aqua sobriquet (11 Jan 2021)

Does this help?


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## dean (11 Jan 2021)

Which Filter media are you thinking of ? 
As it’s for a nano and to eliminate the need fir a basket why not use one piece of filter foam ? 
Easily obtained 
Easily cut to shape 
Easy to get out 
Easy to clean 


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## Aqua sobriquet (11 Jan 2021)

dean said:


> Which Filter media are you thinking of ?
> As it’s for a nano and to eliminate the need fir a basket why not use one piece of filter foam ?
> Easily obtained
> Easily cut to shape
> ...


I’ve actually been thinking about this recently. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have a foam filter insert with a hollowed out space in it for biological media?


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## dw1305 (11 Jan 2021)

Hi all, 


Aqua sobriquet said:


> Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have a foam filter insert with a hollowed out space in it for biological media?


You can <"if you DIY them">.  Ten or 20 PPI Foam sheet, cut the five sides to the shape you want and then sew, silicone or Gorilla glue them together into an open ended box. 

I have an old Rena Internal filter (<"iV3 Filstar">) that has that design (<"it was a gift">), but the amount of foam and sintered glass media that they hold is pathetic.

cheers Darrel


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## NayrP (15 Jan 2021)

As far as media goes I was thinking of filling the bottom half with some sintered glass bio media (I have a bag of unused Eheim Substrate pro) and the top with sponges. Like the idea of using the sponge to contain the media but I think it might take up to much room. Think I might just put the bio media in a mesh bag for easy removal while cleaning.

The redesign let's me fit a 400l/h pump on the bottom without losing hardly and space so I am excited about that. The flow can be turned down if it turns out to be too much but I like having the option!

I just stumbled upon these fittings that I really like as well. They are supposed to be used in liquid CPU cooling loops but they could be perfect here and they swivel. What do you guys think of these? Think I might order up a set just to see.


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## dean (17 Jan 2021)

Those connectors look very nice 


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## PM_ME_YOUR_NEONS (17 Jan 2021)

Amazing project, watching this. Also, how and when can i buy one?


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## NayrP (17 Jan 2021)

Ordered a set! Couldn't resist. Look like they have a smoother bend inside than the ones I currently have. Won't be here until the 29th though. Hoping to have the filter body and caps done by then!


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## NayrP (3 Feb 2021)

Parts collection is slowly growing!


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## NayrP (3 Feb 2021)

And one more rendering with the new connectors


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## zozo (3 Feb 2021)

Very nice build and design... 

What about an automatic air vent valve  to add a little more intrigue and comfort?






						GENEBRE: Automatic air vent valve
					

Automatic air vent valve




					www.genebre.com


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## NayrP (3 Feb 2021)

Thanks! Thought about an automatic valve but since I am injecting CO2 into the filter I don't want to have it being vented instead of dissolved if it starts to collect on the top.


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## zozo (3 Feb 2021)

Wrong post sorry...


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## noodlesuk (3 Feb 2021)

NayrP said:


> And one more rendering with the new connectors



Wow, looks great. I really like that diffuser, really tiny! Have you got to do the bend on the glass? Can't wait to see the machined parts, are they being CNC'd or have you got to do them manually?


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## NayrP (3 Feb 2021)

Thanks! Thought that diffuser would fit perfectly in the filter. The body of the diffuser and the connecting tube is made of acrylic and is made to be bent. It even included two shorter acrylic tubes to practice on before bending the real thing which I thought was a cool idea! Can't wait to have the machines parts done as well. They are going to be CNC'd so I think they will look pretty awesome. Will post pics as soon as they are done!


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## GHNelson (3 Feb 2021)

I better put my order in now.....remember the UK plug!


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## dean (3 Feb 2021)

£10 each I’m sure they will sell well 


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## dw1305 (4 Feb 2021)

Hi all,


dean said:


> £10 each I’m sure they will sell well


I must admit I spent some of yesterday afternoon, when I should have been working, looking at water-tight, stainless steel, food storage containers. I couldn't help noticing that some of them had <"ADA Superjet style clips to hold the lids on">..........which made me wonder how difficult it would be to drill them? and put on some the nice fittings that @NayrP has sourced?

You would <"still need an external pump">, but not necessarily an Iwaki one.

cheers Darrel


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## noodlesuk (4 Feb 2021)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I must admit I spent some of yesterday afternoon, when I should have been working, looking at water-tight, stainless steel, food storage containers. I couldn't help noticing that some of them had <"ADA Superjet style clips to hold the lids on">..........which made me wonder how difficult it would be to drill them? and put on some the nice fittings that @NayrP has sourced?
> 
> ...



Stainless is fairly tough and can snag a bit when drilled. For me, it's more the thin wall section that makes adding water tight connectors difficult, to existing storage vessels. The thin wall section means you won't be able to tap a thread, like in a thicker machined housing, as in NayrP's project. Some online guides use the pipe fitting to tap the thread, but that will only last so long. The cylindrical faces also make it difficult to get a seal, using o-rings or seals with a backnut. Hence why the nice looking ADA ones are all welded pipe fittings. The best option would be use  a container with a nice big flat lid, then you have the room and the flat surface to drill through holes secure the pipe fittings with a backnut. Might not be elegant, but would get the job done. Assuming you can have an inlet/outlet in the lid and still get the desired flow, probably not.


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## Aqua sobriquet (4 Feb 2021)

With some thought it may not be too difficult to put both inlet and outlet connectors on the top* of the filter like the vast majority of externals on the market. Actually, even placing just one on the side like the ADA and Eheim Classic would make things a bit easier. There are other solutions though like bonding thick material to the container for fittings. If it’s on the inside you’d never see it.

* I actually think this is a much more elegant solution anyway.


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## dw1305 (4 Feb 2021)

Hi all,
It was just idle speculation really. The only thing I don't like about the Eheim Classics is the plastic canister body. I've found that, while they are otherwise fairly indestructible, they break if you drop them from a great height when they are full of water and media.


noodlesuk said:


> The cylindrical faces also make it difficult to get a seal, using o-rings or seals with a backnut. Hence why the nice looking ADA ones are all welded pipe fittings.


I wondered if that was the major issue.


noodlesuk said:


> The best option would be use a container with a nice big flat lid, then you have the room and the flat surface to drill through holes secure the pipe fittings with a backnut.


I think there may be some of those.

I like the ADA Superjet / Eheim Classic design, with the input at the bottom and outlet at the top, but it isn't essential.

cheers Darrel


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## Aqua sobriquet (4 Feb 2021)

The inlet pipe could enter the top of the canister and go down to the bottom. This is pretty much what most modern external filters do anyway. They use “tubes” built into the media trays to do it but that’s not the only way I’m sure.


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## NayrP (18 Feb 2021)

Parts are here! Can start putting things together this week!


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## noodlesuk (18 Feb 2021)

Shiny! Looks very nice in the flesh.


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## X3NiTH (18 Feb 2021)

It would be intriguing to know the cost of that marvellous piece of bespokery!


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## Wookii (19 Feb 2021)

X3NiTH said:


> It would be intriguing to know the cost of that marvellous piece of bespokery!



A LOT!

@NayrP it looks beautiful, an incredible piece of engineering. I assume that has all been machined from solid blocks of stainless?


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## Paul27 (19 Feb 2021)

NayrP said:


> Parts are here! Can start putting things together this week! View attachment 163179View attachment 163180View attachment 163181View attachment 163182


What a Beauty!


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## Aqua sobriquet (21 Feb 2021)

Looking good!
I was wondering how you’re going to balance the CO2 injection? If it’s set too high, even slightly, won’t it eventually fill up most of the canister with CO2?


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## castle (21 Feb 2021)

Looks very nice


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## dean (21 Feb 2021)

Don’t think I’ve ever thought of a filter as beautiful before 


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## NayrP (24 Feb 2021)

Hey guys. Thanks for all of the great feedback! I am really happy with the way it turned out! All parts were machined from solid 316 stainless steel. I am looking forward to getting the new pump mounted and the CO2 hooked up so I can see how it all works out. I am adding an Oase Optimax 500 which should give me all the flow I need (it’s adjustable if it has too much) and since it has a removable impellor unlike the no-name pump I was originally looking at, maintenance should be much more comfortable.

As far as CO2 goes I am hoping that the injection rate is so low on a 20L that I won't be accumulating too much at the top before it gets absorbed by the water. I added a small plastic bend that directs the inlet flow of the water right at the top cap to help with CO2 mixing if it does start to accumulate.


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## Aqua sobriquet (24 Feb 2021)

NayrP said:


> All parts were machined from solid 316 stainless steel.


Gosh, lots of swarf making that! I thought you said earlier the canister would be made from thick wall stainless tube.


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## NayrP (5 Aug 2021)

So I finally have had time to get my nano cube up and running with the new filter. Just threw a few plants in there for now (need to figure out how I want to scape it). Also, I havent hooked up any CO2 yet but the filter seems to be running great and all of the plants are swaying lightly in the flow. Think it looks pretty sweet! I am still waiting on my glass filter inlet to replace the temporary plastic one in the pictures. Think that will help with the overall look that I am going for as well. Let me know what you guys think!


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## Aqua360 (5 Aug 2021)

Very cool!


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## Driftless (5 Aug 2021)

Very nicely done!  Congratulations.
How many sizes will you be offering the filter in and when does production start?


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## X3NiTH (7 Aug 2021)

Very nice bit of bespokery!


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## luca6901 (15 Apr 2022)

Wow that's really impressive. If you are considering selling one, feel free to contact me!
I've found the Liquido Design Nano 100, but it's not as good looking as yours!


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## Stu1407 (16 Apr 2022)

It's fantastic to see a project like this move from concept to finish that combines beauty and functionality in one. I'm jealous


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## Yugang (16 Apr 2022)

I love the idea of a high quality filter housing, that lasts forever. Pump separate, can be changed at end of lifetime. Sustainable, rather than disposable. As a serious hobyist, I am willing to invest in modules that I can use for a decade or longer.


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## Dogtemple (20 Apr 2022)

What a great design and execution.  Well done. We need more of this stuff!


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## dean (23 Apr 2022)

Which filter media did you end up using 


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## Keys_Tanks (25 Apr 2022)

Hey [mention]NayrP [/mention] nice work! Very impressed. I have access to a machine shop and CNCs myself but only millers for the CNC. I had a go earlier last year at my own little project from a thermos it was functional but god it was hideous. Seeing this has made me want to give the ball a kick again but properly. 

I was wondering where you got the pipe fittings from they look bob on. 

Cheers 
Josh 


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