3d printing filter media
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ต.ค. 2024
- Quick 3d filter media project, with a giveaway. Leave a comment saying you want a set and I'll pick some winners in a couple of weeks!
If you've got a 3d printer and want the file, it's available here: www.thingivers...
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I’m new to 3D printing but old school aquarium nerd. I’m a little surprised there’s not more out there in the way of printable HOB filters and such. I might have to take a stab at it after I get up to speed on CAD.
hi i think you can get much more area for this by just printing a cuboid with 0 top and bottom layers, then use 60% hilbert curve infill(available in orca slicer). you will get much more surface area .
How well did it do over the years?
1:11 You are now my official no. 1 youtuber
thinking do this for me sump how u get on with it it any good and best doing ruff print or smooth
They seem interesting, Ill take some! Can you do an update on water properties if you use it in a main filter? Just to be certain they are effective because the holes seem bigger than sponges and your basic bio media.
The holes are huge compared to a sponge, but that's on purpose.
The efficiency of media goes up with flow rate (to a point), there's a handy little graph here: biofilters.com/websizejan15_files/image002.gif
So even though ceramic media have HUGE surface area, the flow rate per sq foot surface area is incredibly low, so they have incredibly low actual efficiency (far lower than anything on that graph). They still work well because of insane surface area, but they plug up easily, so maintenance is a pain.
These were designed with the reverse in mind, high flow being primary concern.
That said, the surface area is still pretty high. These run about 280-320 sq feet surface area per cubic foot (though only about 180 if printed at ultra fine quality). Here are some best estimates on some other media: Kaldness k1 210-240, pot scrubbers 350-370, sponges 75-200, bio balls 100-175, lava rock 15-40 (they seem hollow, but they aren't really, the cells are all closed)
So these should, in theory, outperform all of those. I'll definitely be doing some tests once these cycle to confirm that my math is right (part of an upcoming video on sizing filters)
Angelfish Unlimited Nice! Can’t wait for the test video, if they do outperform those, this would be the most simple and effective bio media to probably ever exist but I have doubts. I am using matrix media so doubt it will outperform that but who knows.
They'll just be more effective than other plastic media, but only because they're 3d printed in a way that leaves a really rough surface. Nowhere near sintered glass stuff like matrix or biohome ultimate.
Stuff like matrix is super low efficiency per sq foot surface area, but there's so much surface area that it doesn't even matter that it's low. Pretty sure the comparative numbers to the above stuff for matrix is like... 7500, which this won't touch
Angelfish Unlimited Yep, would have thought so, I can see them being more effective than k1 or bio balls and maybe sponges but lava rock is want I want to see this be better than, lava rock is probably the most used diy bio media used and most effective diy bio media. The fact this was 3D printed is just so cool, I bet as 3D printing progresses, there are much more things than media to make in the hobby.
The reason that something like matrix is so high is that all of the holes interconnect, so they're like really long complicated tunnels running from one side of the media to the other. Like a really rough incredibly fine rock sponge
But lava rock isn't like that. All the holes are closed, so the only area that anything can grow is on the outside surface. That's why the numbers for lava rock are so low. It's also why pumice floats.
I've actually reached out to a couple of places to get some gas exchange tests done to get some real numbers for lava rocks that aren't coming out of companies trying to sell something, but haven't heard back from any of them yet.
I don't want to make a video going "hey, uh, guys? This thing is actually pretty awful" without some real numbers behind it, because it's possible that all the really low numbers online are wrong
Oh sweet. I'll take it.
Def worth a try. Solid technology and save money! Perfect combination.
Awesome fish stuff!
Is the plastic from a 3D printer safe for fish and long term use underwater?
About the only thing released by PLA plastic is lactic acid in very small amounts. This is functionally harmless.
But some 3d printer hot ends contain weird things, so I only feel safe making these on my 3d printer that has a stainless steel hot end.
The PHA additive used in some PLA is likely already in our tanks as a bacterial byproduct, but I don't know if more matters, so I generally use additive free color free PLA. I also feel safe using regular black, since the EPA classifies the carbon black additive as "inert"
I stay away from other colors just in case, though
What about PETG
Could you use these in a trickle filter? They look pretty neat. I like your style. 🐡🐡🐡
You could use them in anything, but I'd probably go higher surface area + lower flow rate for a trickle filter. These were a "highest flow rate, easiest to clean" mock-up.
Angelfish Unlimited , you’re an interesting guy.
Wow never thought about this. Excellent video, thanks for uploading
im in WI and i would love to try them out
I would love a set