sponge filters tend to be bacteria but in this case it can be either bacterial or mechanical. I just use them as a mechanical pre-filter. Bio is not needed due to the efficiency of the K1. Periodically just remove the sponge, rinse out under the tap and replace.
The only thing I would add is maybe a rubber bumper around the bottom stone. This is an amazing video. I've seen the 2 l bottle versions but what the sponge filter on the bottom that makes this a top gun filter. This is better than anything on the market when in conjunction with that media. 👍😊🥂
Pobrecito mi filtro de esponja, no sabe la tremenda modificación que le voy a hacer después de haber visto este vídeo, muchas gracias Brother!!. Si me eh tardado es porque en mi país encontrar bio bolas, canutillos y de estas que el amigo usa, son difíciles de conseguir pero imaginen como es de difícil las cosas que me pasan, resulta que un aventurero de los pocos con valor que hay en mi país, decidió poner una tienda de acuarofilia y el tiene y no se el precio, cuando ya estaba alegre de poder comprar esto tan difícil de conseguir se viene la bendita epidemia del corona-virus y no eh podido ir porque todo esta cerrado, que suerte no!!. así que mi filtro sigue en la impunidad tecnológica, sigue siendo un filtro de esponja mas.
I agree 100%. This is an amazing video and probably a game changer in the industry if people would understand it better. I also just stumbled on this too 😂
Thanks Mr Brown! Super easy to do and super cheap. I bought 3 cubic feet (a large garbage bag jammed full) of used K1 from someone that shut down their pond for $75. Enough to make a hundred or so of these!
just purchased 10x sponge filters, planning on building a similar setup. I have regular K1 media, but I have also ordered some micro K1 media so will be interesting to see if they preform differently. the sponge filters i could get don't have the same top design as yours but i'm sure i can make it work
The same amount of gas, through different diameter of the pipe, the speed is different. Therefore, the removal of the 20 mm upper pipe may reduce the water flow velocity.
I am using a linear air pump, an Alita. Not sure of volume but I run many different filters like this off of a large gang valve. Some tanks I just use smaller traditional air pumps. As long as there is enough air flow to tumble the K1.
Florida Fish Guy Not sure which filter you are referring to? I show 2 filters that run with sponge filters. The water enters the sponge and travels up through the bottle cap and then out the top of the filter (which was originally the bottom side of the bottle). The one with no sponge filter (5:24): I put holes around the narrow neck about 1 inch up from the grey plastic mount. Then of course holes out the very top. Does this answer you question?
hi ken.i use the same thing you use for almost 2 months now and the K1 only moving on the bottom the rest of them stuck on top.any idea why or maybe not enough air?
+Hung Truong My first thought is not enough air. Second thought is too much K1. Third is try changing where at the base the air bubbles rise. Having said that, I have ones where the air rises in the centre and also some where it rises more to the side and they both roll well. I run about 40-50% volume being K1. As the K1 matures it tends to roll better but my set ups roll well right from the start. Hope this helps and let me know how you make out!
Very nice. Thank you for the video. I find a straight soldering iron works much better and faster than messing with drill bits? Quick and easy. Cheers.
I bet you could use small lava rocks in a bottle just like this. It wouldn't be the same but it would actually increase the bacteria amount and the oxygen flowing past it would probably help greatly. These work great in a bottle because they are always bouncing off of each other and knocking any debris back into the water and then it goes back into the filtration of the sponge.
How do you know that the K1 is actually doing anything substantial? You'd blow a bunch of money on the K1, the sponge filter could be doing all the work, and you wouldn't even know it. Are you sure this works at this scale?
That is a very simple question to answer. Measure water parameters. If you don't get ammonia and nitrite building up the filter is working. I also run these K1 filters without the sponge so only the K1 is functional in the tank.
+Lilian T I hear some unfortunate people have nitrates in the water, ammonia is crazy. Florida seems to be like this from what I remember. Hope it works well for you.
+Lilian T I've used Purigen in the past, but I recently switched to API Nitra zorb and I am really blown away with how great it works. Ammonia, Nitrate and Nitrite all at 0. I kind of wonder if it works too well and is starving the bacteria, but just wanted to throw it out there in case the Purigen isn't getting the job done for you. Nitra zorb can also be refreshed like Purigen.
@@ken6474 I have heard of people not needing to do water changes because of this type of media. Perhaps you need a much much larger amount of k1 to use to achieve that goal. But there are people out there That actually don't have any air any filtration and only use light in their tank and the plants stay alive and oxygenate the water enough for a few fish and they've lived for 5 years. My tanks are heavily planted and don't need a lot of water changes but I'm thinking in conjunction with the k1 I might be able to drastically reduce the need for any water changing. 🙏
thanks ken. I think so too my tank kind of deeper then your and not enough air flow.cause when I changed the water all of the K1 moving when the water down abit.
+Hung Truong then there's your answer. You need a stronger air pump or direct more air to that line then. I run my filters in tanks from 15" - 24" deep.
Ken Heinrich I see. Thanks for the reply. How long have you been using K1 filter? Doest it go well? I've been using this kind of filter based on your video for about a week and seems running well.
How long??? Probably 3-4 yrs. The styles I've built with the sponge filter have had zero maintenance. I built a couple of original ones without the sponge and I find muck can accumulate in the bottom of the bottle.
The extra length of air hose at the bottom, personally I would not do that. Now you are focusing all suction on one specific location the size of the air hose, up against the filter. Without it, it is pulling from all sides equally. More from the top than the bottom but as the top clogs a little, suction moves down evenly.
+ssn708 I believe you are mistaken. The strength of pull comes from the amount of air being used. The water is being drawn through the sponge and then up into the bottle, through a 1" hole, not an airline. The airline only supplies the air. In units where a sponge filter isn't being used then you place several holes at the lowest part of the bottle so that water is drawn up through several small holes. Re-watching the video may clarify this for you.
+ssn708 the water is not drawn through the air line. The air bubbles rising through the center of the sponge filter and through the bottle created a flow of water through the entire sponge, upward through the bottle/k1 media, and out the top. Systems like this create a highly efficient water current. I will say, however, that the sponge actually holds far more bacteria than the k1 media, but does not self-clean the way the k1 does.
It might not be able to move all of the ammonia. So whatever gets passed the sponge filter will be cleaned by the k1 media he also said he prints his sponge filter out with tap water which has chlorine in it and kills the beneficial bacteria in the sponge so it's basically a filter to catch debris
Yes it will work. My plan is to use K1 for biological filtration on an 8' 300g I have yet to set up. I don't have the formula to determine K1 amount needed. It will of course largely depend on your tank's bioload.
+Cod The Gamer I don't use carbon in filters, pretty much useless in my situation in my opinion. I use various filter medias for both mechanical and biological filtration. Never had any need to use carbon.
I have not had that problem. There should be enough air moving up through the uplift tube, creating upwards water movement, so that the K1 can't go downwards. Can you increase air flow?
Ken Heinrich It is a small pump and it can't put out any more air. I am trying to find something that will stop the media from sinking but won't restrict the airflow.
The ceramic rings will be so heavy that they will not tumble and that is what makes the K1 maintenance free. It would still function as a filter as you will be moving water past media.
@@richardramey5943 That might be a good idea. I just wonder if the powerhead would be too powerful and just push the media into one place in the bottle? Have you experimented with that idea yet?
@@richardramey5943 That might be a good idea. I just wonder if the powerhead would be too powerful and just push the media into one place in the bottle? Have you experimented with that idea yet?
+Chris Thomas I didn't actually measure it out. I use 40-50% of the total container volume. I find that works well and keeps a good roll to the K1. As the K1 matures you typically find that it will roll better as well. Hope that helps!
Absolutely for small tanks! You just need to make sure the upper K1 container is low enough to remain submerged. I use these filters with a smaller sponge and a orville popcorn kernel container.
King of diy showed how to make a Ki in a bottle then a while later did another video pointing out the surface area of just 30 pore sponge has many times more capacity ...surface area ...for bio filtration
I have the sponge filter and the moving bed filter in my tank now you just showed me how to combine the two together. Thanks for the video, great job.
Your welcome! I've made several of these and they work great.
I really enjoyed the way you explained the whole process, since the beginning till the end! Awesome I'll obviously make two of them for my 100g tank
thank you! Good luck with your DIY project!
Loved the video ken.i have 3 of sponge filters just lying stored from old tanks so time to get the drill out! :)
I guess what you creating here is not only to get bacteria in the sponge , but also bacteria inside the bottle in the media . This is a great idea .
sponge filters tend to be bacteria but in this case it can be either bacterial or mechanical. I just use them as a mechanical pre-filter. Bio is not needed due to the efficiency of the K1. Periodically just remove the sponge, rinse out under the tap and replace.
The only thing I would add is maybe a rubber bumper around the bottom stone. This is an amazing video. I've seen the 2 l bottle versions but what the sponge filter on the bottom that makes this a top gun filter. This is better than anything on the market when in conjunction with that media. 👍😊🥂
thanks for the comments pull back
Thanks for the video, vwry informative and just what i was looking for. Thinking of using these in my IBC tank project 🤔
Pobrecito mi filtro de esponja, no sabe la tremenda modificación que le voy a hacer después de haber visto este vídeo, muchas gracias Brother!!. Si me eh tardado es porque en mi país encontrar bio bolas, canutillos y de estas que el amigo usa, son difíciles de conseguir pero imaginen como es de difícil las cosas que me pasan, resulta que un aventurero de los pocos con valor que hay en mi país, decidió poner una tienda de acuarofilia y el tiene y no se el precio, cuando ya estaba alegre de poder comprar esto tan difícil de conseguir se viene la bendita epidemia del corona-virus y no eh podido ir porque todo esta cerrado, que suerte no!!. así que mi filtro sigue en la impunidad tecnológica, sigue siendo un filtro de esponja mas.
I agree 100%. This is an amazing video and probably a game changer in the industry if people would understand it better. I also just stumbled on this too 😂
Good idea broo... i'll be waiting for your next vid :D
Very nice clean Job!! Thumbs up!!
Thanks Mr Brown! Super easy to do and super cheap. I bought 3 cubic feet (a large garbage bag jammed full) of used K1 from someone that shut down their pond for $75. Enough to make a hundred or so of these!
just purchased 10x sponge filters, planning on building a similar setup. I have regular K1 media, but I have also ordered some micro K1 media so will be interesting to see if they preform differently. the sponge filters i could get don't have the same top design as yours but i'm sure i can make it work
Guessing you need to take it apart to clean the sponge when needed ?
Honestly. This video is perfekt. I allready had the idea. Just wasnt sure if it was a good. No reason using air without filtratration imo.
Thank you for your comments and good luck with your build!
Beautiful 👍👍👍♥️
GOOD JOB. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
The same amount of gas, through different diameter of the pipe, the speed is different. Therefore, the removal of the 20 mm upper pipe may reduce the water flow velocity.
I'm going to be useing this idea in my fry tank 💯😎👍🐟
Good job !
What is the power air compressor (l/h)?
I am using a linear air pump, an Alita. Not sure of volume but I run many different filters like this off of a large gang valve. Some tanks I just use smaller traditional air pumps. As long as there is enough air flow to tumble the K1.
where are the air holes on the second filter?
Florida Fish Guy Not sure which filter you are referring to? I show 2 filters that run with sponge filters. The water enters the sponge and travels up through the bottle cap and then out the top of the filter (which was originally the bottom side of the bottle). The one with no sponge filter (5:24): I put holes around the narrow neck about 1 inch up from the grey plastic mount. Then of course holes out the very top. Does this answer you question?
yeah, thanks
hi ken.i use the same thing you use for almost 2 months now and the K1 only moving on the bottom the rest of them stuck on top.any idea why or maybe not enough air?
+Hung Truong My first thought is not enough air. Second thought is too much K1. Third is try changing where at the base the air bubbles rise. Having said that, I have ones where the air rises in the centre and also some where it rises more to the side and they both roll well. I run about 40-50% volume being K1. As the K1 matures it tends to roll better but my set ups roll well right from the start. Hope this helps and let me know how you make out!
Ken Heinrich
@@ken6474 I heard after the k1 is very mature you can add some more into there to add volume. It won't stick as much once most of it is mature.
@@pullbackbaby I have no issues ever adding more K1 to an established system.
Very nice. Thank you for the video. I find a straight soldering iron works much better and faster than messing with drill bits? Quick and easy. Cheers.
Very good idea! Quickly burn a hole vs. drilling.
is it okay to use small lava rocks?
I bet you could use small lava rocks in a bottle just like this. It wouldn't be the same but it would actually increase the bacteria amount and the oxygen flowing past it would probably help greatly. These work great in a bottle because they are always bouncing off of each other and knocking any debris back into the water and then it goes back into the filtration of the sponge.
How do you know that the K1 is actually doing anything substantial? You'd blow a bunch of money on the K1, the sponge filter could be doing all the work, and you wouldn't even know it. Are you sure this works at this scale?
That is a very simple question to answer. Measure water parameters. If you don't get ammonia and nitrite building up the filter is working. I also run these K1 filters without the sponge so only the K1 is functional in the tank.
How does it benefit by doing this one
Neat! Have you tried this with purigen or phosban type media? Maybe with a bit of sponge or filter floss around the top?
+Lilian T No I haven't. I don't have any reasons for purigen use. Just large regular water changes and lots of filtration.
My tap comes out with 40ppm nitrates and some ammonia. I'm going to give this a shot with Purigen. Thanks for the build info!
+Lilian T I hear some unfortunate people have nitrates in the water, ammonia is crazy. Florida seems to be like this from what I remember. Hope it works well for you.
+Lilian T I've used Purigen in the past, but I recently switched to API Nitra zorb and I am really blown away with how great it works. Ammonia, Nitrate and Nitrite all at 0. I kind of wonder if it works too well and is starving the bacteria, but just wanted to throw it out there in case the Purigen isn't getting the job done for you. Nitra zorb can also be refreshed like Purigen.
@@ken6474 I have heard of people not needing to do water changes because of this type of media. Perhaps you need a much much larger amount of k1 to use to achieve that goal. But there are people out there That actually don't have any air any filtration and only use light in their tank and the plants stay alive and oxygenate the water enough for a few fish and they've lived for 5 years. My tanks are heavily planted and don't need a lot of water changes but I'm thinking in conjunction with the k1 I might be able to drastically reduce the need for any water changing. 🙏
thanks ken.
I think so too my tank kind of deeper then your and not enough air flow.cause when I changed the water all of the K1 moving when the water down abit.
+Hung Truong then there's your answer. You need a stronger air pump or direct more air to that line then. I run my filters in tanks from 15" - 24" deep.
Hi Ken, did you use air stone on the end of the little hose?
I did in the beginning but now I don't. I just leave the 1/4" airline tube open and it bubbles.
Ken Heinrich I see. Thanks for the reply. How long have you been using K1 filter? Doest it go well? I've been using this kind of filter based on your video for about a week and seems running well.
How long??? Probably 3-4 yrs. The styles I've built with the sponge filter have had zero maintenance. I built a couple of original ones without the sponge and I find muck can accumulate in the bottom of the bottle.
I suppose by adding the bottle filter to the sponge will help with the nitrates removal....
Biological filtration like this doesn't remove nitrates. I remove nitrates with water changes.
Living plants are the answer to that possibly. Look up 19 best plants to keep in your aquarium. That seems to be a good article
The extra length of air hose at the bottom, personally I would not do that. Now you are focusing all suction on one specific location the size of the air hose, up against the filter. Without it, it is pulling from all sides equally. More from the top than the bottom but as the top clogs a little, suction moves down evenly.
+ssn708 I'm sorry but I am not following what you are referring to. Can you be more specific?
all of the draw is coming in through something the width of the air tube, meaning lots of flow through one very small spot.
+ssn708 I believe you are mistaken. The strength of pull comes from the amount of air being used. The water is being drawn through the sponge and then up into the bottle, through a 1" hole, not an airline. The airline only supplies the air. In units where a sponge filter isn't being used then you place several holes at the lowest part of the bottle so that water is drawn up through several small holes. Re-watching the video may clarify this for you.
Ken Heinrich I understand quite well, thanks. Tried to help. Have a good one.
+ssn708 the water is not drawn through the air line. The air bubbles rising through the center of the sponge filter and through the bottle created a flow of water through the entire sponge, upward through the bottle/k1 media, and out the top. Systems like this create a highly efficient water current. I will say, however, that the sponge actually holds far more bacteria than the k1 media, but does not self-clean the way the k1 does.
How can the beneficial bacteria survive on the k1 media if your sponge filter is removing the ammonia from the water?
It might not be able to move all of the ammonia. So whatever gets passed the sponge filter will be cleaned by the k1 media he also said he prints his sponge filter out with tap water which has chlorine in it and kills the beneficial bacteria in the sponge so it's basically a filter to catch debris
What type of sponge filter do you use?
I believe there are API sponge filters. About $5-6 a piece if I remember correctly.
Would this work for 300 gallons? If so, how much media or what bottle size would you say is needed?
Yes it will work. My plan is to use K1 for biological filtration on an 8' 300g I have yet to set up. I don't have the formula to determine K1 amount needed. It will of course largely depend on your tank's bioload.
Which filter is better a carbon filter or a media filter
+Cod The Gamer I don't use carbon in filters, pretty much useless in my situation in my opinion. I use various filter medias for both mechanical and biological filtration. Never had any need to use carbon.
Carbon create hole in fish head
@@kk5114 How so what would I search for on the internet to discover that information?
I built one of these, but the media is sinking down the lift tube and partially blocking the upward flow. Suggestions are welcome!
I have not had that problem. There should be enough air moving up through the uplift tube, creating upwards water movement, so that the K1 can't go downwards. Can you increase air flow?
Ken Heinrich It is a small pump and it can't put out any more air. I am trying to find something that will stop the media from sinking but won't restrict the airflow.
Is this Good is it safe? How often need to clean it
100% safe and works great. The K1 never needs to be cleaned. The sponge periodically is cleaned based on how heavy you feed etc.
which another media we can use? which found in home.
ashok patil sponge, straw, searocks or driftwood.. indian almond ketapang is good too
Nice Filter
hello can i use ceramic ring in it?
The ceramic rings will be so heavy that they will not tumble and that is what makes the K1 maintenance free. It would still function as a filter as you will be moving water past media.
How much K1 Micro (in gm) needed for a 1.5lt and 2lt bottle?
fill the bottle 40-50% and see how it tumbles. It can take a while before the K1 is mature.
has anyone tried using a Venturi outflow to drive the moving bed, rather than an air pump?
Is that the same as a power head ?
Thanks
@@richardramey5943 That might be a good idea. I just wonder if the powerhead would be too powerful and just push the media into one place in the bottle? Have you experimented with that idea yet?
@@richardramey5943 That might be a good idea. I just wonder if the powerhead would be too powerful and just push the media into one place in the bottle? Have you experimented with that idea yet?
How much k1 media do you have there
+Chris Thomas I didn't actually measure it out. I use 40-50% of the total container volume. I find that works well and keeps a good roll to the K1. As the K1 matures you typically find that it will roll better as well. Hope that helps!
what is inside the bottle bro i cant understand that mpving object is what..??
k1 media.
Ky media
Hey there I’m wondering can you use this in a small tank to replace haven’t to buy a 3 stage filter ?
Absolutely for small tanks! You just need to make sure the upper K1 container is low enough to remain submerged. I use these filters with a smaller sponge and a orville popcorn kernel container.
WHAT IS THE MEANING OF BIOLOGICAL FILTER
Biological refers to the nitrification process, breaking down ammonia to the end product of nitrate.
King of diy showed how to make a Ki in a bottle then a while later did another video pointing out the surface area of just 30 pore sponge has many times more capacity ...surface area ...for bio filtration
The author Ken is trying to use the k1 for the bio and the sponge for the mechanical. I don't think he's trying to save the bacteria in the sponge.
Nice design.
thank you, I can't say I can really claim it as my own. I just watched several vids and put this style together. :)
i use 2 on a ehiem 400 which gives all the airflow you will ever need.
Nice! why you so smart?
some just are ;) :)
Where did you get the sponge filter in that style?
+karizma Blue Sorry for the delay Karizma. The sponge filters are API brand I believe and come in about 5 various sizes.
Awesome video!!
+samuel bloch Thanks! Simple and cheap...
Nice amazing ideas..
Nice
Well that would filter a 5 gallon tank
Do you think that would be the maximum for that unit? Would you use a 2 l or larger bottle for a much larger tank like a 20 or 30 gallon?
Muito bom Brazil
Vaya tontería, se trata de que el agua ingrese por la esponja y salga por arriba, pero solo logran hacer un carrusel con las bolitas, muy mal.
Are you mad bro?
Iki ngomong opo toh...
He has many bouncing balls. They bounce around and clean the water.