Flower Pot Filter: Making An Old School Aquarium Filter [DIY- Step By Step - How To Tutorial]

[@randomgeek6035]

Just the idea of making a sponge filter where the suction is giving plants nutrients automatically is freaking brilliant. Thank you.

[@AmazonasBiotop]

Great Mark! Nice filter. But how could resist to plant a root feeding plant in that gravel ? 😅😂❤

[@stevestheman642]

Great video Mark, I loved the pauses when you drank your coffee. I think the comedy element you bring keeps people watching, I love your videos and the terracotta pot filter is a great idea

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Thanks 👍

[@carolinekanuck4442]

This is my favorite video so far because of the artistic flair. Well done you.

[@dennisbinkhorst2039]

Clearly the sip and sigh is a tribute to Apetor.

[@EyezLikaFox̌]

Me too lol i was enjoying HIS coffee with him lol kept gigglin when he took a sip

[@Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

For any who made this and the filter is not working right, it is because you did not lick the pot. Please review 0:26 for proper procedure.

[@Centrioless]

Basically a more pretty and neat version of undergravel filtration 👍

[@stoneysscapes7544]

Hello Mark , as soon as I started watching this video I threw on my Norwegian sweater & found my stash of clay pots that I grew my pot in and I always watered the pot w/ this tanks dirty water that I put this pot filter in 🌲The simple things in life are always better !!! Had to say Tusen Tak for all your insightful videos as I am almost ready for my 1st shrimp tank ! #KeepitShrimple

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

"grew my pot in" Thug life 🤓

[@larryatkinson6838]

Oh my gosh, how cool! I'm definitely gonna do one of these. Maybe try a couple of rooted plants in the substrate and some java fern, anubis or something on the outside. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Go for it!

[@garystein9536]

Good frugal filter mark. Much more practical and better looking than diy bottle filters too. Cheers

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Thanks 👍

[@raisinggoldfishonabudget7058]

@Marks Shrimp Tanks I like the idea but could I put a plant it to grow to hide the pipe & does it ever need to be cleaned ??

[@whitewolf5886]

@@raisinggoldfishonabudget7058 i would love to know the answer for this too

[@savannahchapman9094]

The "but first" coffee is the best intro I've ever seen!!

[@sshomelab]

Licking terracotta pots make Mark go cray-cray. Fun idea for a filter! Looks way better than an empty bottle. Keep us up to date with how it goes! I share the annoyance with these sponge filters. The flow deteriorates very fast when the sponges start to clog. Especially when some brands use véry fine sponges. You can clean those buggers every week. For a small shrimp tank, that is insane.

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

I was cray cray many moon howlings ago 🤣

[@schauman1]

Mark when do you have to clean and how to clean pot filter??? Thanks Sandy

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

You never clean this filter, it will last for years.

[@75tamster]

Loved this one..laughed out loud a few times! Thanks Mark!

[@TheSotarn]

Helt grymt, jag tänker göra så här i alla mina kar. Tack för du öppnade min njure, haha. Bra tips. Tack!

[@English_Lessons_Pre-Int_Interm]

I like these creative improvisations and jokes. Keep on using them; they spice up the content :-)

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Glad you like them!

[@christinamorris2823]

every time you sip coffee makes me smile lol

[@caewalker9276]

Thanks Mark. What a wonderful idea.

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Very welcome

[@HeRo-qd6tk]

Hi Mark, pretty cool and easy.

[@meminustherandomgooglenumbers]

Great info, thank you! Maximum thumbs up! 😃👍

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Thanks for watching!

[@SquiresAquatics]

Mmmmm, coffee! Great video Mark, keep it up.

[@jamiea9067]

Good idea. Looks better then the clear ones I had

[@EyezLikaFox̌]

I think im going to make one of these for my 110g koi quarantine tank!!! Ty for the great idea!!!❤

[@erwinwinkler6172]

Awesome idea, looks great. Could you add some plants to the top for added filtration??

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Yes you can, in fact thats a great idea I didnt think of but adding plants to a filter is a good idea.

[@thelazyfishkeeper2730]

i like the pause to enjoy a hot cup of coffee/tea? as you are building the filter. see you next time stay well

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

its about all I get to enjoy nowadays 🤣

[@jlathem56]

Never thought about using it with gravel. I have used it to put a sponge filter inside and hid it with plants and it seemed to work better than the sponge filter alone. Going to have to try this. Thanks for sharing.

[@helengilbert4864]

This made me giggle on a Monday morning when I'm 'working' 😝 But a great little invention that

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@aylahanson866]

This whole video was a vibe!! You had me when you licked the pot 😂

[@sophiegale160]

How long can you leave this flower pot filter before it requires cleaning ,and how can you tell when it needs cleaning.thaks for the info,A Fan

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

hello Sophie it should last the lice of the active soil which will be 1.5 to 3 years if you are lucky.

[@pjp9383]

Don't know how it is that I've never seen one of your videos, but if they're all this funny then I am looking forward to being your newest subscriber!

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Thank you for the sub my friend its much appreciated :)

[@pjp9383]

@@MarksShrimpTanks You're welcome. And a quick story share ... I picked up some corydoras recently from a Craigslist / Kijiji re-seller, intending to shuffle around some fish to create a quarantine tank. But then discovered fry in one of the to-be-shuffled tanks. Didn't want to disturb them, so decided on a plastic bin for the corys' quarantine. Hmm. No extra filter! Getting late so LFS not open and a couple busy days coming up at work. But the grocery store was still open, so I went in and looked around a bit. Grabbed a kids sippy cup for a dollar or two - the kind with the straw integrated into the side of the cup - and stuck an airline tube down the straw. Filled it with pebbles and some filter floss. Voila! Quick and dirty filter. Not the most elegant solution, but it works, and required no work to prepare, late at night when I was finally getting it all set up. 😁

[@heatherrav]

Great idea thank you for sharing.

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Thanks for watching!

[@Bigglare]

my new favorite video!

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Thank you Lawrence, the idea isnt new but its a mix of what I remember old school filter being like.

[@simonark1176]

Great presentation!!! 👍 Top man!!!

[@davekhiangte488]

Good idea 👍

[@АндрейБаглайАквариумистика]

Great video Mark. Funny video.

[@crackers2767]

Great video Mark, editing comes across well.

[@RoboGoby]

Im a new subscriber i love the vid and your outro music

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Alot has changes since that video namely my hair has vanished but thank you for the nice comment.

[@jimmy4814]

Great very nice I learned if you put the same size holes at the bottom of the flower pot it would work even better, but not in that case because of the shrimp but great idea perfect. I have been making those out of old rum bottles, putting my hoes at the bottom and running the tube it looks very nice and it works very well. Keep up the good work.

[@theboesmani]

Nice . I would consider adding a layer of something like weed control fabric between the 2 layers of filter material , in order to make it less messy when it comes time to clean / replant the media . Have a question . What about Ammonia from the Active Soil ? Or will the amount be irrelevant in a mature tank that size ?

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

yes you dont need to worry about ammonia with the amount I put in :)

[@greghary2174]

Nice video, good idea. Waiting for more diy projects 😉

[@apss5736]

awesome video mark

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Thanks for the visit

[@Aquagold.goldysingh1313]

Wow..first i love your swag style 🤣🤗🤗🤘🤘. And second, this is ultimate diy filter . So perfect and beneficial for shrimps.. I will do this in future when I setup so many tanks ..love to learn new things from you legend. Thanks for all

[@carolebraswell982]

This is an amazing project!

[@SquiresAquatics]

Awesome, planning on putting them in each of my 50 gallon tanks. Also your diy under gravel in future tanks. Love the channel, great work!

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Thank you mate, I removed this one out the middle tank because it turns out that inert gravel I used in the video wasnt inert at all so make sure you get inert gravel for them unless its for a neo tank then that doesnt matter. 👍🦐

[@privateportall]

Great idea.. you can even plant that pot right? ;)

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Yes you can!

[@WorldAquariumSingapore]

Cheers Mark super good filter there and all your shrimp and crayfish tanks are awesomely good as well , and in the morning normally i have a cup of milo drink haha hot as well to start off anytime, and for me i just bought some cherry red and keeping it in my new tank for a start, and have some small success of small baby shrimps woo hoo i am so happy, thou of sharing this , anyway super nice video there, cheers and be safe

[@toriherron7784]

I love your idea. Could you do a video of how you clean your pot filters and how often it is needed

[@Ashwellx]

Pretty cool idea

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Glad you liked it :)

[@nataliedubious5241]

I've been using mini terracotta pots in my nano tanks (35 and 60l) to keep root tabs contained with hungry plants. Perfect timing to be able to convert some of the spare pots into being an even more practical application! Do you think biomedia would also work instead of gravel? I'm thinking of making some smaller ones but don't really like gravel

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

yes biomedia will work, the problem I always had with this type of filtration is if the power goes of shrimp climb into the filter and they go through the holes and into the media and cant escape, thats why I went with a finer gravel around the holes in the pipe.

[@lizzyanthus1]

Love your videos! Always informative and entertaining, Thanks! I didn't know clay pots had iron in them. Good for plants I'm assuming. Iron, that is. Great added benefit to using clay pots! Thanks again, and have an awesome day!

[@richardgreens7510]

Awesome idea

[@OO-ex5iq]

How did you get on with the flower pot filter and what is the outcome 2 years down the road !!

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Active soil doesnt last 2 years in most setups, this was taken apart after it started to compact, if your using gravel then this isnt an issue.

[@vincentmarceau2249]

Might try!!!🤔

[@poquito808]

Very brilliant! Amazing ideas! Thanks mark!

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Glad you liked it Poquito!

[@poquito808]

@@MarksShrimpTanks btw can i ask what’s the ideal size of akadama soil for shrimps? Thanks!

[@krisgoyette9938]

good video thanks for sharing

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Thanks for watching!

[@marymccannon5610]

My way of filter media layer is (from bottom to top): pumice, inert gravel, shrimp soil. Works like magic, thanks to the loads of beneficial bacteria inhabiting the pumice.

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Thanks for sharing

[@marymccannon5610]

@@MarksShrimpTanks your welcome.

[@edwardmorgan4547]

Hey Mark, I was thinking something similar for a few small tanks, I just got. I was going to use corner filters for Caridina tanks with an active substrate in them. This might work better! I don't see why you couldn't use the active substrate in the whole pot. It would make it work like an Asian under gravel filter.

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Yeah you could use all active soil just be aware most soils will turn to mud on the bottom layer though.

[@bigbotno1]

0:04 'But first.... A nice hot cup of Akadama, ahhhhhhh. ' 😆

[@georgekohn9372]

Loving the clypotundersoilfilter!😎👍🌿🦐🍀

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

I knew you would :)

[@lorishareddy2163]

What did you attach the tube to that has the green part?

[@redbull8536]

Coffee is life

[@gedGOD]

Pretty keen to try this one. I'll let you know how it goes if I do. Such a small coffee mug Mark! How does that suffice!

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

I drink about 20 cups a day 💪

[@yukimura1sanada]

You cracked me up many time Mark 🤣 but why not use filter media instead of gravel? Would provide much more surface area for bacteria's.

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

I am using up everything I have, I made more filters with loads of different media, and anyways gravel is old school.

[@blooky102]

can plants be planted in the substrate of that plant pot filter? to use the nutrients that gathers from the suction of the filter?

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

yes for sure

[@paulakreinberg1448]

cute editing! I enjoyed it!

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Glad you liked it!!

[@LeahhJett]

Sassy!!! 😂 another great idea🙂 I wonder if the gravel will start to release KH over time being in soft 💦 water?👀

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

I would say yes over time if its the right stone.

[@anneblaum9355]

Awesome idea to use in my next new tank. What soils could be used for ghost shrimp and would this also be a good filter for blood red parrot fish?

[@danajackson504]

Ok so I just saw this the other day and so I made my own. But I’m nervous that it’s not going to filter the water as well as the other in tank filter I had. Do I still need a water pump in the tank? I put volcanic rock, zeolite and carbon, and aquarium gravel, fluval stratum with hair grass that’s grown on top.

[@lanagujardo3137]

a number of giggles at your sillines but loved it and you got me thinking i know what my next tank improvements gonna be specally as ive a load of pvc sitting in the utility closet

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Little projects are awesome, let me know what you build.

[@Dunamis_82]

Awesome. Going to try it but on a smaller scale for my 10 gallon

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

same, i will be changing more.

[@darrenparsons6398]

Hi mark. I just wanted your advise. It is not related to the video but I have galaxy pintos but the females have died is there any other shrimp that I can put in there that will breed pintos ?

[@nonmiricordoilnome5410]

Hi Mark. I see this video is months old so I hope you still answer to the comments. Does this kind of filter need any maintenance at all? Or is it maintenance-free like an under-gravel filter?

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

It should last a couple of years my friend.

[@KevinThePengWIN]

Im so confused, what were the 2 tablets you dropped before making your coffee?

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

sweetener 💪

[@granddeluxe123]

Mark I remember watching your video that you made small aquaponic on rectangular pot on top of your tank. Can you please show us where the video is?

[@bigrhom55]

Hey, could you use this method with ADA Amazonia, I assumed it would give off too much ammonia....?

[@nchn8198]

how do you find the Platinum soil? I am thinking to try some

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

Very good so far, I would use it in all my tanks.

[@nchn8198]

@@MarksShrimpTanks yes. i just got 1 litre pack of the fine grain. i find the ph is abt 6 for a 5gallon tank after a week. the instructions did mention it need presoak to get right of ammonia.. if u ever do review of the soil i will happy!

[@toycamerauser]

great!

[@shanel4196]

Hey Mark hows your plant potd coming along? I was wondering if you would remove the sponge filters so that the plant pot is all the filter?

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

That is what I did actually

[@shanel4196]

@@MarksShrimpTanks arr did you how long did you leave it before you took the sponge filters out? Id not want to crash the tanks.

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

I had other filters in the tank so that wasnt an issue for me, I would just squeeze out the sponges in the tanks and let the new filter suck it all in.

[@shanel4196]

@@MarksShrimpTanks thank you very much Mark. I shall do that before WC maybe day before :)

[@teresah8772]

Very cool!

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

thank you

[@rrahbit]

you crack me up

[@animaloverload7465]

Subbed for content and accent.

[@lionheart1164]

How does the water get into the bottom of the flower pot? The hole on the bottom of the pot is currently covered by your substrate? Giving the bottom of the pot space would allow water to be carried entirely through the entire filtering setup?

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

The substrate isnt water proof, water flows through it.

[@barbarapearson1138]

lol... awsome, thank ypu...

[@6895Anna]

How do you clean this filter and perform maintenance on it? Especially with the dirt?

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

You dont clean this filter, it will only last about a year.

[@6895Anna]

@@MarksShrimpTanks thanks! I think I'm going to go for it. It will match all the pots from my houseplants.

[@DysPlexiC115]

Hi can you use soil for any shrimp?

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

soil is best for soft water shrimp like bee shrimp and sand/gravel is better for neos like cherry shrimp

[@apolloravindran]

Can you plant some low light plants in that pot to make it even better?

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

cant see why not

[@totenvt]

i'll never look at a coffee mug again without smiling

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

oh I love my coffee!!

[@BigShrimpin416]

When he licked the flower pot I lost it 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

It was a used one as well 🤮🤢

[@BigShrimpin416]

@@MarksShrimpTanks even better!! Nice and tangy!! 🤣🤣🤣🥴

[@Miss.kittty]

I've got sponge filters in my aquarium at the moment, and I'm about to set up 180 l tank. I hate the sponge filters they are so ugly. You can't disguise them. Could I use this concept in a larger tank? I'm sick of all the very expensive canister filters. I've had them all from Eheim to Fluval. Great video it's the first time I've seen this. Thank you from Australia 🇦🇺

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

yes you can but I have to warn you this doesn t last as long as plain gravel like a pea gravel before it blocks up and compacts.

[@Wijnfles]

I made these for every aquarium i have, the L201 and L333 love it! Give a lot of extra flow and i even adde carbon, cotton and lave stone. Looks great, adds something very cosy to the aquarium. Not to mention it costs 90 cents for a pot, 2 euro's for a lot of pvc pipes and the rest is just what u have laying around. Super nice, tnx!

[@sampennington2808]

could you put some plants in the top to make it look even better?

[@диванныйэксперт-ъ4ъ]

молодец руки и голова арбайтен !!!!!!

[@btw4447]

Maybe put some lava rock in the bottom, for bio-filtration

[@melperryman]

Ha!

[@JoyfulKatt]

Slow and late. Please later show how that filter goes! Want to see if you get fun things growing on top as you suspected!

[@MrsBJPalmer]

Sorry, Mark. I'm not licking any flower pots, clay or otherwise! It's not lady-like! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤪🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@seaquatics4666]

I copied you and licked a terracotta pot... then I was kicked out of Bunnings.

[@MarksShrimpTanks]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂