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  • Results 1 to 16 of 16

    Thread: DIY Rotating Drum Filter

    1. #1
      Cecil is offline Senior Member
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      DIY Rotating Drum Filter

      I'm very likely going to purchase one or more RDF's for my small scale aquaculture facility when I upgrade to a large building etc. Only thing is I love tinkering and building stuff myself and can't help believing I could build a low tech option for an RDF or at least try one. I've built several things myself including the following RBC (Rotating Bio Contact filter).



      Please correct me if I'm wrong but I have to wonder if one could use a poly drum as a super structure for the RDF with the micro screen attached to cutouts. Then use a PVC pipe inside another PVC pipe as an axle which is complemented by a flange as in the above RBC. I've either floated the RBC in a tank with a frame that feeds the center baffles with water, which turns the RBC, or I've mounted the axle through the the tank itself with Uniseals and an end cap. Virtually no friction with the axel lubricated by water in water. Turns very smoothly with no motor needed.

      Here's a pic of the center baffles being built which is simply 4 inch PVC pipe cut in half and siliconed to a plastic circle on both side. The center is pink foam board.
      Kind of neat looking if I don't say so myself. I'm thinking the baffles could be altered for the RDF as in not only the water turning the RDF but bringing in the dirty water.



      Anyway, with the screen and rotation out of way why can't there be a low tech way to cause the spray nozzles to clean as in a float valve -- that initiates this -- by a lower or high water level due to the screen being clogged? Or even just a timer that activates the nozzles at periodic intervals?

      My system will be indoors so no need for a skimmer or concern about large debris.

      Does anyone think this is doable?
      Last edited by Cecil; 01-12-2012 at 09:58 PM.
      The risk I took was calculated, but man am I bad at math!

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    2. #2
      lukef's Avatar
      lukef is offline king of the lilliputians
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      well you do have a will...
      "Those aren't poodles. They're Dobermans with afros."

    3. #3
      Cecil is offline Senior Member
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      ???
      The risk I took was calculated, but man am I bad at math!

    4. #4
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      I think he's implying that where there's a will there's a way... you've got the will therefore you will find a way.

      I don't understand what you are asking but I do like what I see in the photos. That is very clever and gives me some ideas... its too bad I don't actually have an application (or room) at the moment for such a rotating drum filter 'cause now that I've seen yours I'd sure like to build one (with my own personal 'twist' to it of course, like I tend to do with everything else).

      So have you been working on it? Any new photos?

    5. #5
      hallmat is offline Junior Member
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      could you give some more information on how you did this please?

    6. #6
      Cecil is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by hallmat View Post
      could you give some more information on how you did this please?
      Not my original idea. From a book called Small Scale Aquaculture by Steven VanGorder available at Amazon.com. The book is soft cover and very reasonable. Very good step by step directions on how to build it.

      There are many in the aquaculture industry community that feel the RBC is best choice among biofilters. It has the least energy cumpsumption.
      Last edited by Cecil; 12-24-2012 at 08:13 PM.
      The risk I took was calculated, but man am I bad at math!

    7. #7
      Cecil is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by monomer View Post
      I think he's implying that where there's a will there's a way... you've got the will therefore you will find a way.

      I don't understand what you are asking but I do like what I see in the photos. That is very clever and gives me some ideas... its too bad I don't actually have an application (or room) at the moment for such a rotating drum filter 'cause now that I've seen yours I'd sure like to build one (with my own personal 'twist' to it of course, like I tend to do with everything else).

      So have you been working on it? Any new photos?
      No new photos.

      I' m building a third one for an aquaculture conference March 2nd in Shipshewana, IN that will be set up in a 12' Intex pool along with a couple of 55 gallon drum clarifiers. A mbbr and possibly a fluidized bed sand filter and a trickle filter will be set as alternative biofilters. This will be presented as a small scale set up to learn the basics and produce 200 lbs. of fish or as a home system for fresh fish production for the table.
      Last edited by Cecil; 01-10-2013 at 10:57 PM.
      The risk I took was calculated, but man am I bad at math!

    8. #8
      vpkoi's Avatar
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      cant beat this set up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5_49HJU7Dc skip the add

    9. #9
      Urza is offline Junior Member
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      videos of this in action?

    10. #10
      vpkoi's Avatar
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      my question . what would be the difference between water spinning this vrs. the water just pouring down over it , any advantage ?. the corrigated material remind me of a cooling tower fill

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    11. #11
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      Rcbf

    12. #12
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      We got a little off topic on another thread discussing these filters so I wanted to bump this thread. Here is the off topic thread if you are interested.

      https://www.koiphen.com/forums/showth...04#post2360604

    13. #13
      BWG is offline Senior Member
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      This setup reminds me of the Marineland Penguin BIO wheel aquarium filter.

    14. #14
      Cecil is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by vpkoi View Post
      my question . what would be the difference between water spinning this vrs. the water just pouring down over it , any advantage ?. the corrigated material remind me of a cooling tower fill
      The water hitting the baffles causes it to turn and also aerates water at the same time. You can reverse the rbc in the frame and turn it via an air stone from underneath also. It moves very easily as it floats in the water and the pvc axel has no friction to speak of. The axel stays wet although part of the frame is sealed to provide flotation.
      The risk I took was calculated, but man am I bad at math!

    15. #15
      Cecil is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by BWG View Post
      This setup reminds me of the Marineland Penguin BIO wheel aquarium filter.
      Yes that's true.
      The risk I took was calculated, but man am I bad at math!

    16. #16
      tsippel is offline Senior Member
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      cecil do you have an inerest in vortec strainers

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