Very often lovers of aquarium fish comprehend a strong disappointment, when suddenly, for no apparent reason, their little creatures suddenly begin to alternately fall ill and die. The thing is that very often in water the level of nitrates and nitrites exceeds the norm. The optimum concentration of these substances is the figure of 15 mg / l, higher values (20 mg / l and higher) for fish are already considered dangerous. In addition to them, phosphate and other harmful impurities, also dangerous for the inhabitants of the aquarium, can be present in the water.
The situation can save the simplest device - a phytofilter, which everyone can easily make by himself. Expensive biofilters often only oxidize toxic components, and in the future they need to be recycled. Necessary plants that consume these substances. It should be noted that not all organisms can cope with them.
The most common plants for a phytofilter:
- Ficus creeping.
- Spathiphyllum.
- Fittonia - differs elegant green, red or silver leaves.
- Chlorophytum crested.
- Tradescantia is the most famous plant we have, often found in the most ordinary offices or schools. There are many varieties of this beautiful plant.
How to make a phyto-filter for an aquarium?
- Such a device is easy to make even from a plastic bottle, you just need to know how it works. The phytofiltration scheme for the aquarium is extremely simple. It can be replaced by a small trough with holes for filling and draining the water , in which two partitions are made.
- Many amateur exotics such a primitive unit does not suit. We offer to make a phytofilter from ready-made factory rectangular plastic containers, which are easy to buy in any flower shop. We will supply water with the help of an ordinary pump and a plastic tube, and for a drain we use a standard siphon.
- Saw a hole for draining the water, using a round nozzle for the drill.
- The opening in the container should match the siphon diameter to the maximum so that the connection is sealed.
- We connect the corrugation. For reliability, we lubricate the hole with a sealant. A flexible pipe will make it possible to direct the jet of water in any direction.
- Partitions glue using aquarium sealant.
- The jumpers will be two. In the first, located near the sink, we perform small round holes.
- It is better to make them from sheet plastic 3-4 mm thick.
- In the second (near the water intake) we perform from below a rectangular groove, about 2.5 cm wide.
- To ensure that the holes are not clogged with soil, it will be necessary to pour a layer of ceramic onto the bottom. Compared with expanded clay, it has more pores, and it does not lie as tightly.
- To install a phytofilter is desirable on the shelf, it is better not to put such heavy things directly on the aquarium
- Pour the pottery and plant the plants.
- Pottery occupies the lower layer, its thickness will be about 10 cm.
- From above we will have a dry ground (about 3-4 cm). Good for this purpose, expanded clay. It holds water well, but gives it away badly. Therefore, the water in the room will evaporate less.
- Decorated with exotic plants, our phytofilter for the aquarium, made by hand, looks pretty aesthetically and attractively.
