# Water filter for a paludarium



## grahamhypher (Dec 30, 2008)

Hi folks, I hope this is the right place to ask. I'm looking for help to make a half rain forest half water enclosure for a yet undecided snake. My thought was that it would be similar to a frog type enclosure. I've been looking at aquaria filters and even the smallest seem like they chuck loads of water around. Could a somebody point me in the right direction, i was think to include fish if it's possible, i though that I might as well if the water would be suitable, though it's not imperative. Thanks in advance, or as the cool kids say TIA. Cheers, Graham


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## el Snappo (Mar 4, 2017)

Graham; I fully appreciate ye perceived problem there, mate. Sometimes we just don't want that swirling, current effect.

Just an idea here, and I _may_ be talking out of my backside. It has been known! But; Do they still even Do the old fashioned, green box things, run by an air pump? Sit in the corner of a tank and just emit a constant trickle of bubbles to the surface. Remember them? Used to be practiacally all there was, back in the day.

Maybe todays equivalent would be one of these foam sponges I've seen? Never seen one in action. But, I'm wondering if they too may not cause the surge of recycled water we see with the modern day, canister types.


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## grahamhypher (Dec 30, 2008)

el Snappo said:


> Graham; I fully appreciate ye perceived problem there, mate. Sometimes we just don't want that swirling, current effect.
> 
> Just an idea here, and I _may_ be talking out of my backside. It has been known! But; Do they still even Do the old fashioned, green box things, run by an air pump? Sit in the corner of a tank and just emit a constant trickle of bubbles to the surface. Remember them? Used to be practiacally all there was, back in the day.
> 
> Maybe todays equivalent would be one of these foam sponges I've seen? Never seen one in action. But, I'm wondering if they too may not cause the surge of recycled water we see with the modern day, canister types.




Not sure, I've never been a fish keeper. So how do you keep the water clean? I'm ok with a slow waterfall type thing, I just assumed that you would need to keep the water filtered, am I overthinking this?


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## el Snappo (Mar 4, 2017)

Don't think ye over thinking it at all, personally. If ye've never done this sort of thing before, it's always worth throwing it out there, to see what the house can come up with.

One thing that's occurred to me, since I've been away, it's the Ultimate in not causing swirling currents form of filter: Under Gravel! Maybe that could be your ideal?

It's, basically, a plastic tray, full of slits. You pop it into the tank and put gravel on top. Attach an air pump to it and away ye go. As I remember, it sucks all the detritus down, into the gravel. No doubt some micro bio stuff then takes place. Someone else might explain that?

Then, ye get what's called a Gravel Cleaner. Plastic kitchen roll middle with a plastic hose attached. Ye, basically, plunge the big bit into the gravel. It sucks up gravel and a cloud of dirt. 

Only, it's made such that it can't hold the gravel, which falls back out into the tank. The dirt though gets sucked up into the hose and goes into ye bucket.

It's actually far simpler than it sounds, and, I'm sure, any aquarists shop would be happy to show ye one in action. 


Waterfalls I have absolutely no personal experience of. There we'll have to wait and see who else comes along to share their own views on all this. But, there's a start


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## FishForLife2001 (Sep 23, 2014)

grahamhypher said:


> Not sure, I've never been a fish keeper. So how do you keep the water clean? I'm ok with a slow waterfall type thing, I just assumed that you would need to keep the water filtered, am I overthinking this?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


Essentially modern filters are good for mechanical filtration- removing particles and keeping the water visually clean. Mechanical filtration is irrelevant to inhabitants, but may make water quality easier to maintain. Modern filters also perform biological filtration.

The box filter Snappo mentions are less mechanical but still perform biological filtration- using bacteria living in the filter for carrying out the nitrogen cycle. 

Both types are fine, but the air powered old fashioned types like box filters and under gravels fill a niche in not needing much space as the pump is basically outside of the tank. This will make them good for a shallow water setup like your paludarium. 

If you want water inhabitants you will need a filter with a few exceptions. Plants alone will keep the water fresh if it won't have inhabitants. 

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## Fargle (Aug 8, 2013)

The only thing to note is that air driven filters require an exterior air pump, which can be noisy. This is not a MASSIVE problem, just something to consider if the palidarium is in your front room, or bedroom.

Under gravel filters will keep things clean, both biologically and mechanically. You could couple this with a powerhead feeding a waterfall to both move the water but avoid the strong currents/swirling.


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## grahamhypher (Dec 30, 2008)

Thanks for all your replies, I think the under gravel thing is the way to go. Noise isn't a problem luckily as it's in a separate room. All I've got to do now is build it!


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## GhostDog (Mar 13, 2017)

Even if you have reached a decision, this could still be used for others or you in the future if not now:

For my chinese water dragon's paludarium I use the Tetra Fauna Repto-Filters.. I have two 90gph filters in his 55g (He's still small enough for it). They are quiet, strong, and give little current. The decorative waterfall one provides more of a natural bubbling stream sound and does create gentle water movement, but not a lot. The other filter doesn't have the decorative piece to it, and it creates more bubbles but a little less of a current. Still very gentle. 

Submersible filters, sponge filters and under gravel filters as everyone else suggested are also great in the way that they aren't too expensive but at the same time they can be decently strong and create little to no current. I personally love the decorative Tetra Fauna since it doesn't have a strong current and it has the natural stream sounds, but also does the job very well. The intake holes are also small but can be covered in some gravel and still work efficiently.


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## aberreef (Aug 10, 2010)

Are you planning on planting the water area? If so under gravel filters won't be suitable I'm afraid.
How big will the water area be? This is the biggest decider with a filter choice. The output stated o the box sounds like a lot but on smaller filters this isn't much at all, if you want to limit surface movement then set the filter deeper in the water?
For a waterfall (if you're planning on having one) an external filter would be ideal, all you need is to T off the return pipe and add taps to the ends.
You could even incorporate a trickle filter into your background and use a small pump to run it. Not something I've ever done but perfectly feasable with a little research ?


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