# Canister filter for paludarium



## nsducktoller

I'm looking at converting an 18H X 18 W X 36 inch long ExoTerra terrarium into a paludarium. I am considering using a canister filter to clean the water pool, and perhaps building a waterfall so the outflow from the filter flows down, into the pond, and then back up into the filter. (MY DIY skills are NOT great, though!) Would a mini filter like this http://www.bigalsonline.ca/Fish_Fil...s-Mini-Canister-C-80_9902081_102.html?tc=fish
do the job for me? (Should this be posted in the equipment forum instead?)


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## Cypher

It really depends on how large your area of water is going to be. You have to take in account the total volume of water in your pool. Irregardless, I think that particular filter is small and you'll be cleaning the media out far more often than you'd like to. I've also read bad reviews the filter you linked to.


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## ryno1974

Doesnt sound too DIY, sounds like you could just pick up a used canister filter (the larger the better) and run the return line with no spraybar an maybe hide it under some rocks leading into the pool. Kind of hard to say without a picture or diagram, but I think you are on the right track. Just aim bigger.


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## nsducktoller

Thanks for the advice! The water volume would actually be fairly small so I though perhaps I could get away with a smaller filter. I suppose that one really can't overfilter, so I likely will be better off with getting a used Eheim or something than a small cheap filter. Yes, instead of sprayer bar I was going to have the water flow out of the filter down a waterfall or fake riverbed to a pool, then be sucked up from there back into the filter.


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## ryno1974

If you are certain about your design you could always drill the tank down low (to where the "pool" would be) and not have to worry about hoses etc over the rim and in your viewing area.

Keep us posted with what you do, would love to see some pics!


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## carmenh

I had a 24 x 24 Exo terra running as a paludarium for quite some time. I did use a Rena 3 for quite a while but I finally got frustrated... The head height (from in the stand, up and over the top of the tank and down to the intake at the bottom of the tank) was the problem. It was a nightmare to restart after cleaning. I finally went to a Fluval 2 in-tank filter, hidden in the water portion, with a hose running up to the waterfall. Worked like a charm 
Here's a tip. Hydroballs (hydroton at a hydroponic store...cheaper than the zoomed stuff) will be your best friend in this project...



nsducktoller said:


> I'm looking at converting an 18H X 18 W X 36 inch long ExoTerra terrarium into a paludarium. I am considering using a canister filter to clean the water pool, and perhaps building a waterfall so the outflow from the filter flows down, into the pond, and then back up into the filter. (MY DIY skills are NOT great, though!) Would a mini filter like this http://www.bigalsonline.ca/Fish_Fil...s-Mini-Canister-C-80_9902081_102.html?tc=fish
> do the job for me? (Should this be posted in the equipment forum instead?)


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## nsducktoller

Thanks, carmenh! That's what I was wondering. I thought that the canister filter might do all the work of lifting the water up from the pool to the top of the waterfall and spare me putting in a pump, but I was not sure about the headroom. Did you have a false bottom in your tank? If so, was the pool fenced off from the rest of the false bottom? I worry about an animal getting in behind the fence under the false floor and drowning.

Alternatively, I might just put a shallow depression, let it fill with water, then overflow so the water trickles through the plants and soil, down into the false bottom, then pumped back to the top, down a watefall or riverbed to the depression, over and over. An aquaintance did something similar to a cage with green tree python in it and reported that the plants and soil acted like a natural filter. When she broke down the tank over a year later, the water was clean, with only a slight earthy aroma.

Of course, now I am getting away from a paludarium and more into a straight terrarium with a water feature, so I guess I am getting off topic for an aquarium forum!


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## carmenh

The canister filter could be *made* to work by pumping water into it with another pump or a siphon bulb to start it, but it NEVER restarted on it's own after being unplugged, so after a power outage it would have fried for sure :-(

I had about 3/4 of the bottom surface built up with hydroballs. I put a layer of fiberglass screen over the hydroballs, which, anchored with rockwork, kept the balls in place and separate from the soil above, which was a thick layer of soil and coconut coir. The water level was high enough that moisture wicked up and kept the soil mix very damp but not soaked. I planted the entire surface with high moisture tropicals, ferns, etc...

In the back corner, I had a tall, thick, weathered chunk of wood. I drilled a hole through it and ran a tube from the filter up to the back opening, so that water flowed down the wood but the tube was hidden. It was covered with moss and had plants growing up either side. It flowed into a little rock pool, then down through the hydroballs and back into the water table. In the pond section, I kept long fin white clouds, which did quite well, even bred a couple of times...

My hope was to eventually get a red eyed tree frog or poison dart frog, but my other half vehemently objected so eventually I broke it down...


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