Aquariums: Cheap, foolproof, baby and invert safe, keeps your tank almost maintenance free!!! my brainchild invention…. The easy, fun, pvc, over the side, gravel bed filtration system

I’ve designed this system from experience over the last 35 years in the hobby. This system is designed to be used with live plants, and a mix of small to medium gravels, porous is better, if you don’t have much experience with plants, that’s OK just grab some cheap ones and get them planted after you install the gravel bed. This system uses half-inch or three-quarter inch PVC stick and elbows. The first system I used three-quarter inch then the next one I used half inch and I liked it better. I think half inch is the premium size and the saw cuts going to the middle of the tube is just about perfect. I spaced my saw cuts every 2 to 3 inches apart, getting closer together the farther away you get from the pump if that makes sense …This design is adaptable to any size aquarium , it can be fitted together by hand before sawing and final fitting. I used a hacksaw blade to notch all of the PVC sections, bear in mind if you put two many notches too close to the filter, the end PVC sections will not pull any vacuum. If anything you need to stagger the slits so they are wider apart the closer they come to the filter inlet tube. This will ensure the vacuum flow stay consistent out to the end of the under gravel pick up tube. Bear in mind that the width of the hacksaw blade stacked together across the inlet tube of the filter pump, multiplied by 1.5 , will give you the total number of cuts you can make and still have flow to the end of the cap. Do you need help, babe There you got some cooking in the oven. Is it on a timer I’m just checking I don’t want none of your shit to burn babe. the PVC pushed together. I didn’t have to use any cement. I did use it. Heat shrink tubing to connect one of my pieces, you’ll just have to find what works, but that’s half the fun. Make sure you cap the very end piece. I turned all my vent slits down toward the floor of the tank so that the gravel did not fall directly down into the tubing. I did not use extremely small gravel with the system because I feel it will clog up the slits standard gravel works perfectly. When the system is built, it takes 2 to 3 weeks to establish bacterial colonization, but once established it’s highly effective at keeping all the tank waste and excess food dissolved in the gravel bed. I do not run a filter in the over the side filter system, one of mine has a small bag of bio balls in it, I ran a filter for the initial 2 to 3 weeks, to catch dust from the gravel then I removed it after the gravel colonized. The gravel does all the work and it does a fine job. I’ve had issues with sand clogging up the slits as well , and luckily, with this system, there’s no need for sand, the gravel does a great job of colonizing. If you wanted to avoid using the over the Syed filter, you could run a large powerhead on either side and it would do the same job as the over the side filter would, all you’re doing is moving the water through the gravel, feeding the bacterial colony. Just understand any leaks around the powerhead could cause problems if you have small invertebrates or babies in the tank, this system is really good for protecting delicate species and babies. I’ve had struggles in the past with crushed black glass type labeled as volcanic invertebrate media, being volcanic it was slightly magnetic, and these type gravels, because the dust is magnetic, can foul up the pumps magnetic motor. If you have a chance, use natural stone, decomposing granite gravel, and stay away from magnetics. I always run the filters on the highest flow rate. This system was designed to be used with live plants. If you’re new to live plants use low tech or low light plants for the best results. Enjoy, and God Bless you!