DIY dino catcher for AIO tank???

[phatduckk]

Hi folks,

I have a mild case of Dinos in my IM 10g Nuvo tank; I've been reading up on all the threads & purchased a microscope for ID purposes and some PO4 & NO3 from @FishOfHex to bring my nutrients up in a controlled manner.

One of the bits of info that caught my attention is the assertion that a 10 micro sock is fine enough to capture the dinos. So, I started thinking "how can I rig something to filter all my water through a 10micron sock".

My current idea is to use 2 ATOs and a spare aqueon to setup a makeshift sump. My goal would be to have one ATO in the sump and one in the DT, pull water from the DT down through a 10 micron sock, then send it back up from the sump with the other ATO (essentially acting like a normal ATO).

So here's my crazy idea:

• The tank is an AIO and the basis of this crazy/dumb idea is to fake a sump using 2 ATOs
• I already have an AquaGadet UV in chamber 1 where the filter socks normally go. So, step 1, water goes through the UV and flows into chamber 2
• Here, in chamber 2, I'd setup the "backwards" ATO's sensor to turn on a pump when the sump is low... pulling water out of the DT post UV and sending it through a 10 micron sock down to the "sump"
• Once the sump gets full enough the backwards ATO will shut off and stop draining from the AIO
• This would then trigger the normally functioning ATO to turn on & send the "cleaned" water from the sump back to the DT

I can see this go wrong a million ways but there's part of me that thinks it would be fun to set up.

Anyone want to chime in to tell me that this is a dumb idea? Any alterations you'd suggest?

 

[Gareth elliott]

I would not use a 10 micron sock for longer than an hour or so at a clip. And only when home watching the tank.
I find filtering them more useful in the manner depending on your dino species reaction to flow.
a). Enters water column with no flow.
B). Does not

a,) turn of wave makers, attach the 10 micron sock.
B.) blow your rocks and clean glass, etc get as many dinos in the water column as possible. Attach 10 micron sock.

Take offline and clean after tank clears over the next hour or so.
The tiny socks clog very quickly.

 

[phatduckk]

I would not use a 10 micron sock for longer than an hour or so at a clip. And only when home watching the tank.
I find filtering them more useful in the manner depending on your dino species reaction to flow.
a). Enters water column with no flow.
B). Does not

a,) turn of wave makers, attach the 10 micron sock.
B.) blow your rocks and clean glass, etc get as many dinos in the water column as possible. Attach 10 micron sock.

Take offline and clean after tank clears over the next hour or so.
The tiny socks clog very quickly.

good tips! ya I can definitely do this manually but its so tempting to try and rig crazy stuff together.

thanks