# Other Aquarium Forums > Equipment and Accessories > DIY Projects >  Super cheap DIY canister filter

## medicineman

I play around this lock n lock canister jar to make a super cheap canister filter. I cannot guarantee that this would work for extended time before it fails (leak), but initial testing proves it does not leak even at 3 feet worth of water pressure. Just to be safe side, it is good to run this one at tank level.

I reckon you can do it for less than $20.
The downside is, you dont have a pump placed in the canister. All the water source have to be pumped from main tank. A pump inside the canister would cause in great risk of leaking due to extra hole for power line not properly secured by just using silicone or glue gun.

The pictures explains it all

Lock n lock canister jar, 4L size


Plumbing components 


Some of the equipments (most homes usually have them)




Top side secured




Bottom part secured




Done


Testing

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## blue33

An old hobbyist ever told on this before. Is nice to see it appear here letting everyone know with the actual thing make.  :Smile:  You can use round one also, it'll look like classic Eheim. LOL. Just install a small pump and it works like wonder.  :Laughing:

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## craftsman

> An old hobbyist ever told on this before. Is nice to see it appear here letting everyone know with the actual thing make.  You can use round one also, it'll look like classic Eheim. LOL. Just install a small pump and it works like wonder.


You can make your own line of cannister filter leow! Blue33 Cannister! Wa ha ha ha ha ha ha :Laughing: 

Medicine man bro... Looks really good! Can't wait to see more pics!

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## blue33

I think i can open a shop, so many thing to offer, you can be my assistant. LOL  :Grin:

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## craftsman

> I think i can open a shop, so many thing to offer, you can be my assistant. LOL


Can can...  :Grin:  :Grin:  Heh heh...

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## RonWill

With such ideas popping up, I'm gonna hang around here more often  :Grin: 

Medicineman,
Which is the intended intake and output? If the intake is at the lid, maintenance will be so much easier because the debris and mulm will be trapped within the first layer of filter media. These can be cleaned or replaced without disrupting the bacterial colonies in the lower media layers.

Where is the pump located? If a submersible pump is used to feed water into the filter, there will be active pressure build-up once the clogged media layer reduces the flow to the outlet. If pump is located after the outlet, sucking instead of pumping more water in, then passive pressure is relatively harmless. Your pump will also run cleaner.

Just to nickpick a bit... a round lid will always have better peripheral seal than square or rectangular lids.

Over all, nicely done!

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## medicineman

I have just tested it using bucket, some hose and a powerhead to feed the canister.

Turns out the stock canister cap is not as strong as I have tested conventionally, without proper sealing and water input of course. At just 20-30cm below the bucket (translates to 60cm of water pressure or so), the cap begins to leak. Sure the plumbing does not fail meanwhile as these are designed to handle much higher pressure.

Sadly, I must say this one does not work as well as it looks. You just need to keep it level with the main tank, and it should be safe. I ran it for 15 minutes and nothing leaks.

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## RonWill

Retrofit the PVC parts into a cylindrical container with tight snap-on lid and see if you get better results. I'm quite sure you will. Only point to note is sealing the fittings to a not-so-flat surface.

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## Shadow

> I have just tested it using bucket, some hose and a powerhead to feed the canister.
> 
> Turns out the stock canister cap is not as strong as I have tested conventionally, without proper sealing and water input of course. At just 20-30cm below the bucket (translates to 60cm of water pressure or so), the cap begins to leak. Sure the plumbing does not fail meanwhile as these are designed to handle much higher pressure.
> 
> Sadly, I must say this one does not work as well as it looks. You just need to keep it level with the main tank, and it should be safe. I ran it for 15 minutes and nothing leaks.


Yup, try the same way before with 800 l/h power head and it leak  :Exasperated:

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## Robert

Hi,
I built such a Lock & Lock external canister filter in the past myself. It was working well most of the time. But the lid is not supposed to be tight under such conditions. The pump built up quite a lot of pressure and the lid was sucked inwards (a kind of partial vacuum). I I had a 600l/h pump running in a 1l box. From time to time air accumulated inside the filter and when it happened, it exploded. It was quite a mess with a 600l/h pump pumping water onto your carpet. 

Now I stick to Eheim external filters. They last for ever and I'm sure that nothing can happen at all.

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## Shadow

> It was quite a mess with a 600l/h pump pumping water onto your carpet.


Lucky I haven't reach to that stage yet  :Razz: . My power head it pumping the water in instead of sucking it out. There when I saw leaking and stop the project.

I guess the container was not designed to handle pressure.

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## blue33

There is those metal clip one with thicker plastic, lock n lock plastic is abit too soft for such use.

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## Viper007

Well an interesting DIY project... 

The way I see this can serve not beyond a 2ft tank. 

If it goes beyond the cost of materials will be high and not worth the effort... As a new eheim filter cost about $200 plus for a decent model.

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## craftsman

> Well an interesting DIY project... 
> 
> The way I see this can serve not beyond a 2ft tank. 
> 
> If it goes beyond the cost of materials will be high and not worth the effort... As a new eheim filter cost about $200 plus for a decent model.



Its the fun of discovery my friend!  :Blah: 
If Christopher Columbus thinks like apathetic Singaporeans, then there may not be an America today!!!  :Grin:  :Grin:  :Grin: 

Dun crucify me hor! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha :Cool:

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## Viper007

> Its the fun of discovery my friend! 
> If Christopher Columbus thinks like apathetic Singaporeans, then there may not be an America today!!! 
> 
> Dun crucify me hor! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha


I know what you mean... but the purpose of DIY is to low cost isn't it??  :Roll Eyes:

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## Shadow

> If it goes beyond the cost of materials will be high and not worth the effort... As a new eheim filter cost about $200 plus for a decent model.


depending on model, 2211, 2213 brand new is less than $90

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## Shadow

> I know what you mean... but the purpose of DIY is to low cost isn't it??


Because of hobby  :Grin:

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## craftsman

> Because of hobby


Thanks Shadow!!
There you go Viper... Nuff said...  :Grin:  :Laughing:  :Smug: 

Wah.. very power here... got Shadow & Viper.... ummmm....... :Grin:  :Grin:  :Grin:

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## RonWill

> I know what you mean... but the purpose of DIY is to low cost isn't it??


 Viper,
Money is something but it isn't everything. I believe the main addiction to DIY-ing is the satisfaction of grabbing a wild thought from the air, putting it to paper, screwing up along the way, to actualizing what you envisioned (or thought you saw). It is also the simultaneous combustion of enthusiasm and creativity.... that imaginary flashing lightbulb that goes off everytime there's a brillant idea! Even when the idea is not your own, it's knowing you've done it for much less (that's where the money bit comes in) and functioning to your requirement or space restrictions.

Failed DIY projects doesn't mean one has failed but rather, we found another way that didn't work and the next time, we are wiser. My motto is "better to have tried and failed, than not having tried at all" and often, the components we used in failed projects are hardly scraped but recycled, somehow, into the next.

I'd like to quote part of posting I made in a parrot forum, when I DIY'ed a nesting box for cockatoo...
_For losing hair between designs... priceless
Cutting myself while cutting alum... priceless
Finding my access doors won't open... pricelss
Getting the measurement not quite right... priceless
Fighting with the [email protected] alum sheet to stay down... priceless
Having contact glue on fingers while answering HP... priceless
For everything else, there's always VISA ! 
_

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## Viper007

> Thanks Shadow!!
> There you go Viper... Nuff said... 
> 
> Wah.. very power here... got Shadow & Viper.... ummmm.......





> Viper,
> Money is something but it isn't everything.


Yes yes craftsman  :Razz: 

RonWill of cos money isn't everything..... but saving money is a beauty!  :Grin: 

okokok I surrender!!!  :Embarassed:

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## medicineman

Good writing people!

It is all DIY craze, sometimes out of hobby and ideas. The cost may not always be cheap, but often I save some cash along the process. I have done DIY chiller, DIY lamp (often), DIY filter. Most does work, but some are not so good. But what choise do I get.... getting the real stuff that works too well is already not so easy around here.

No.... this one wont go into the trash at all. Of course it wont function anymore holding those cookies. Instead I'm using it for same level filtration, so that the pressure is not at all high at the height this canister jar can handle.

Maybe next time I'll go crazy and use leftovers industrial pipe  :Grin:

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## diazman

medicineman. that cover you got seal it tight or just leave it as it was??

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## medicineman

Leave it as it was from factory.

Still I wont be risking high pressure condition by placing this thing under the main tank. It takes something much, much better build to withstand the pressure.

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## diazman

> Leave it as it was from factory.
> 
> Still I wont be risking high pressure condition by placing this thing under the main tank. It takes something much, much better build to withstand the pressure.



ok thanks alot. maybe i go and try to make myself one D.I.Y canister then. wish me luck. lol :Grin:

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## choen

I built two of these early last year (the second was made cos I wanted to improve on the first). Both have 900 and 1100 l/h submersed pumps in them. Takes up a lot of space but you will have to go 'whoah!' looking at the flow. 

You'll need to reinforce the lid's lock- I do it by wedging anything from plastic pieces to cardboards. If it's not tightly sealed, then if you place it too low below the tank it may leak water, but if you place it on the same level as the tank...then it may leak air. The placement of the cannister is important to even out the pressure but to me there's only art to it. No science.

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## effox

> I have just tested it using bucket, some hose and a powerhead to feed the canister.
> 
> Turns out the stock canister cap is not as strong as I have tested conventionally, without proper sealing and water input of course. At just 20-30cm below the bucket (translates to 60cm of water pressure or so), the cap begins to leak. Sure the plumbing does not fail meanwhile as these are designed to handle much higher pressure.
> 
> Sadly, I must say this one does not work as well as it looks. You just need to keep it level with the main tank, and it should be safe. I ran it for 15 minutes and nothing leaks.


Old topic but good to the day. The first issue with this is that you didn't purge the air out of your canister. If you bleed the air out (filled it with water) there would be that additional pressure in the system, JUST water being sucked in and out and it shouldn't pop the top so to speak.

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