fish tank filter
fish tank filter
To add to my fish tank filter, there will be a small fish tank filled with water. In this fish tank l have to show how l can have the water pass through something to be purified. I am not able to use any sort of hydro or store boughten materials for this. Again, l have thought about the funnel with mesh on the inside, and this will be my means of getting the water back into the fish tank. l need some ideas on how to suck or vacuum the water out of the tank to go into the funnel to be purified. Or does anybody else have another idea? Also, does any one have an idea on how to make a battery operated pump? Thanks again.
I think you might want to post this in the Physical Sciences forum--that's where the engineers are.
I'm not sure I have a good mental picture of what you're trying to do, but would a siphon of some sort help? Here's a site explaining how a siphon works: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siphon. I know they're frequently used to change water in a fish tank.
I'm not sure I have a good mental picture of what you're trying to do, but would a siphon of some sort help? Here's a site explaining how a siphon works: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siphon. I know they're frequently used to change water in a fish tank.
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ChrisG
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"Store bought materials" includes a pump but does not include a battery, funnel, or the parts you'd need to build a rudimentary pump? Can you clarify? Why would it need to be battery powered? How about hand powered?
I recommend runing a search on google for "how to build a pump" or similar phrases. You will find many web pages with instructions and illustrations. If you have any questions about those, we will be glad to help.
I recommend runing a search on google for "how to build a pump" or similar phrases. You will find many web pages with instructions and illustrations. If you have any questions about those, we will be glad to help.
Just to fill you in on what is included in fish tank filters.
There are both biological and mechanical filters on fish tanks.
Biological filters have a surface that has an air/water interface that bacteria will grow on. Those bacteria will convert ammonia to nitrite to nitrate which is far less toxic to the fish.
Classic biological filters are called wet-dry filters, and have interesting plastic balls called bio-balls in them. Their characteristic is extremely large surface area for their size.
You should do searches on those above terms to see what they look like.
Mechanical filters are some sort of fibrous substance that only allows through liquid of a small pore size, and keeps all the larger muck on the surface of the filter. Think of swimming pool filter cartridges or fiberglass insulation for what that looks like. Some fish tank filters for small tanks have spinning fiber wheels that accomplish biological filtration, along with filter floss for mechanical filtration. I suggest you go to a pet store and look at inexpensive fish tank filters for 20 gallon tanks. You can get ideas by their designs.
Fish can survive without the mechanical filter (though the water gets pretty dirty.) They can't survive without biological filtration.
Another type of filtration device for salt-water tanks is a protein skimmer. It bubbles air through a column of salt-water, dissolved organic compounds turn in to pond scum, and that is removed. This only works for salt-water, not fresh-water. Their designs are quite simple, but finicky to use in practice.
There are both biological and mechanical filters on fish tanks.
Biological filters have a surface that has an air/water interface that bacteria will grow on. Those bacteria will convert ammonia to nitrite to nitrate which is far less toxic to the fish.
Classic biological filters are called wet-dry filters, and have interesting plastic balls called bio-balls in them. Their characteristic is extremely large surface area for their size.
You should do searches on those above terms to see what they look like.
Mechanical filters are some sort of fibrous substance that only allows through liquid of a small pore size, and keeps all the larger muck on the surface of the filter. Think of swimming pool filter cartridges or fiberglass insulation for what that looks like. Some fish tank filters for small tanks have spinning fiber wheels that accomplish biological filtration, along with filter floss for mechanical filtration. I suggest you go to a pet store and look at inexpensive fish tank filters for 20 gallon tanks. You can get ideas by their designs.
Fish can survive without the mechanical filter (though the water gets pretty dirty.) They can't survive without biological filtration.
Another type of filtration device for salt-water tanks is a protein skimmer. It bubbles air through a column of salt-water, dissolved organic compounds turn in to pond scum, and that is removed. This only works for salt-water, not fresh-water. Their designs are quite simple, but finicky to use in practice.
Alan Lichtenstein, MD
Anesthesiologist
Mens et manus
Veritas
He who laughs last...Thinks slowest.
Anesthesiologist
Mens et manus
Veritas
He who laughs last...Thinks slowest.