Water Filters went eco-friendly...

Adios to expensive and electricity - hunting water filters!! Now it’s time for us to build-up one of our own. Yes it’s easy to make aquarium filters with the simple homemade products powered by air displacement and requires no electricity or pumps.

Aquarium filters eliminate fish waste and food residue which clouds the aquarium water resulting in sickening or even death of fish. If needed, greater flow can be achieved by attaching an air pump to the filter, but that is not required with this filter. This filter will work both in saltwater and freshwater aquariums and without the air pump, the filter is suitable for aquariums up to 40 gallons.

The essential commodities required for making this aquarium filter are:

• Ice cream container or other plastic container (rectangular)
• A pop bottle (2 ltr)
• Two feet of air line
• Air stone
• Gravel
• Air pump (optional)

Homemade aquarium filters will be with us if we follow some simple process.

Initially start with cutting the pop bottle into half i.e. "V" shape along the cut edge of the top half then place the pop bottle into the ice cream container, with the cut end down. Lead the air line from under the cut edge of the pop bottle to the outside of the ice cream container and attach the air stone to the end of the air line inside the pop bottle. Encircle the pop bottle with gravel to keep it and the air line secure and fill the ice cream container nearly to the top with gravel. Keeping the free end of the air line outside of the water, place the container in the aquarium.

The filter is powered by air displacement i.e. the gravel which acts as a filter sucks out all the water from aquarium when the air bubbles rise out from the container. The filter should be dirt-free to avoid sickening fish and for that it should be cleaned then and there.

Certain important measures should be taken care to ensure the long-life of the filters. They are as follows:

• No submergence of free end of the air line in water.
• Air pump can be attached to the free end of the air line if you expect greater air flow through your filter.
• Filtering materials like carbon, sponge or cotton can also be added to the gravel but that is not actually required.