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Gather Your Materials
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For this filter you will need:
One plastic bottle (16 oz. soda bottles work the best)
One plastic container with a flat bottom (to set the bottle in)
One aerator
One aquarium air stone
Aquarium air line tubing (plastic tube that runs from the aerator into your filter)
Aquarium gravel
Assemble the Filter
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Cut the plastic bottle in half. We will be working with the top half only; the bottom half can be thrown away.
Next you will want to cut V shapes into the top of your bottle: this will allow the water to flow freely underneath. Next you will want to connect one end of your aquarium air line tubing to the aerator.
The air stone should be placed at the other end of the tubing. Take the assembled tubing and bottle and place them into your flat-bottomed container. The tubing should be placed under the bottle through the V-shaped cuts, and not through the opening at the top. After this is complete add your aquarium gravel to the container to cover up most of the bottle.
Place Filter into your tank
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Place the completed filter in the center of your aquarium. Plug in your aerator and let the filter begin to work.
As the bubbles rise, they will pull water into the gravel and up through the top of the bottle. This action will help to trap any loose debris floating in your tank, as well as encouraging the growth of beneficial bacteria needed for your tank.
This is a simple and cost-effective way to maintain a healthy and vibrant-looking aquarium.
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Do it Yourself Aquarium Filters
Filters come in all shapes and sizes. Usually your needs will dictate what type of filter you will decide on. Here we will be discussing an affordable way to build a do-it-yourself filter for smaller freshwater tanks (around 10 gallons and below). This filter works well and it's easy to assemble and take apart for cleaning. It is made with common household objects, but relies on the same principles as commercial filters.