[beeswaxx]

I have searched the forum, but could not come up with a straight answer. When you have a false bottom, waterfall, and stream, I take it that it is good to have a filter of some sort. If I were to have a filter, what would be the best kind, while still being able to pump a good amount of water (not just a trickle)? Also, where do you put the pump, inside, outside (I would prefer not to have to drill through the glass)? Also, I don't want to spend too much on the filter.
If the area that the water is going to 'pool' has gravel on the bottom, will you be able to tell the difference with or without a filter?

Hope that made sense, and I am sorry if this has been answered before.
Thanks
-Beeswaxx

 

[Guest]

I used the Zoo Med 501 canister filter. It's a small filter designed for turtle tanks but it works great as a vivarium filter for a waterfall. I have the pick up under the false bottom. The return comes down right on top of the waterfall and the tube was hidden using black pond foam. The canister sits on top of my viv for easy access.

I don't have any pics posted of the filter alone but here's a link to my gallery with pics of the false bottom...

http://www.dendroboard.com/coppermine/index.php?cat=10824

 

[bgexotics]

Eheim or Fluval canister filters are great, maybe a little pricey, but you will have clean filtered water. You can even put peat into the canister to give nice softened black water. They stay outside of the tank adn you can put a spray bar of the hose to give a different effect.

 

[Guest]

Eheim or Fluval canister filters are great, maybe a little pricey, but you will have clean filtered water. You can even put peat into the canister to give nice softened black water. They stay outside of the tank adn you can put a spray bar of the hose to give a different effect.

I've used them too for fish tanks but they are probably too strong for a waterfall.

 

[bbrock]

Filters aren't really necessary for a false bottom setup. The vivarium itself acts as a high efficiency biofilter.

 

[Blort]

I just bunched up some window mesh around the intake. So far no problems and doesn't restrict inflow of water. I would stay away from pond filters though if you look closely enough you will see a California carcinogen warning on many of them. Another solution to a canister if you just want to move water around might be these guys:

http://www.overclockers.com/articles723/

I"ve seen some good reviews on the Hydor L20. What might make all those pumps good for moving water around is that they have an intake that you can hook up a hose to and have the pumping take place outside the vivarium or away from the water feature. I don't know how much (if any suction they produce) and some of these pumps are a little larger, so I would definately look at those variables. A hose intake allows for less water depth than the pumps that have a slotted front for water intake in front of the impeller. When the water drops below the top notches on the intake on those models, the pump can make a pretty annoying sound. With the hose intakes, you can route the hose to the deepest part. To filter, you can just cram some mesh or a polyurethane mesh (like an orange bag) in the tube. Keep in mind that with some impellers the debris that gets sucked is often just shot out the output end and you really only have to worry about the intake clogging or something large enough to muck up the impeller (which shouldn't make it pass the screen anyway).

You also touched on wanting to have a high water output (I think), those pumps above have pretty good flow rates if I remember correctly. I saw a picture of somebody using an L20 and pushing water up like 15 feet. Also, having a high water output from the hose is hard to manage without either a manifold to make more of a curtain effect or a reservoir that the pump flows into and in turn overflows into the water feature.

If you already have a pump, with a slotted intake, some pump vendors sell a hose intake front that you can switch out.

I know it all may sound a little confusing, but I can post some pictures of what I am talking about if you are intersted.

Marcos

 

[HansV]

I use a Eheim 1046 or 1048 depending of height. I don't use the standard filter, but a selfmade like Vivaria, with use of standard filtermaterial. I have a drawing and picture how to make it, only this is including the dripping system for the backwall. It is recommendable to use the by-pass valve (the first-one after the pump) and a stop if you don't use the dripp-piping. The second valve is normaly for the waterfall.

 

[beeswaxx]

I think that if I end up using a filter, I will use the Zoo Med one. I take it that this has to be external...does anyone have some pictures of what this looks like?
Also, does it have a pump built in? It kind of sounded like that from what I heard.
Thanks
-Beeswaxx

 

[Guest]

PM'ed you

 

[dmartin72]

Eheim makes really nice products! I have a couple of their canaster filters that I have never had a single problem with. Plus they're super quiet.

 

[HansV]

For my corner vivarium I also use an external Eheim filter with built-in heating element. Its working for 6 years now and without problems. The inletfilter in the vivarium is made the same as the drawing. You can easy remove the sponge filter, clean it, and place it back.

 

[HansV]

Sorry dubbel post

 

[bbrock]

For my corner vivarium I also use an external Eheim filter with built-in heating element. Its working for 6 years now and without problems. The inletfilter in the vivarium is made the same as the drawing. You can easy remove the sponge filter, clean it, and place it back.

Hans, I would love a tour of the electrical components of your vivs. This level of organization and detail shown in your pictures is what I wish every viv could look like. That attention to detail is what makes the Dutch so revered. Nicely done!

Excuses for my non-Dutch English

 

[Blort]

For my corner vivarium I also use an external Eheim filter with built-in heating element. Its working for 6 years now and without problems. The inletfilter in the vivarium is made the same as the drawing. You can easy remove the sponge filter, clean it, and place it back.

Hans, I would love a tour of the electrical components of your vivs. This level of organization and detail shown in your pictures is what I wish every viv could look like. That attention to detail is what makes the Dutch so revered. Nicely done!

Excuses for my non-Dutch English

Me too! I'm dying to know what all that stuff is. Looks like CAT5, relays, and all sorts of other wonderful stuff. Frogs need Internet too.

I've scoured Hans' website and tried to glean as much as I could from the pictures.