Koi Forum (Nishikigoi - Japanese Koi Fish): KOI Talk: DIY Corner: how do i make a gravity fed system?

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how do i make a gravity fed system?

Maki
New User

May 4, 2003, 5:39 PM

Post #1 of 19 (4137 views)
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how do i make a gravity fed system?	Can't Post

how can i make one, specifically what pumps should be used? and btw the logic behind it, thanks guys

micky
Koi Lover

May 6, 2003, 9:07 AM

Post #2 of 19 (4113 views)
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Re: [Maki] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi Maki
A gravity fed system usually have bottom outlets piped to an external filter chamber that has the same or slightly higher height than the pond or FG tank. The filter depth shoud not exceed 3ft because the good bugs do not survive well beyond this. Just remember that water, without any mechanical interference, will find its own level.

Assuming that you have a multi-chamber filter, the pump is placed in the last chamber to draw the water back to the pond/FG.

The pump capacity will depend on your pond & filter capacity - as a guide its OK to turn the water 1 cycle between 1 to 2 hours. Hope the attached sketch is useful. Smile

Regards, Micky

(This post was edited by micky on May 7, 2003, 8:35 AM)

Attachments:

grv-fed.GIF (8.59 KB)

StateBorder
Koi Lover

Sep 14, 2004, 11:15 AM

Post #3 of 19 (3655 views)
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Re: [micky] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks for the info. I am also looking for the same info.
Father: Shusui. Mother: Platinum doitsu and showa. what am I going to get?

BoB/335
Koi Lover

Sep 14, 2004, 5:23 PM

Post #4 of 19 (3626 views)
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Re: [StateBorder] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Can you set a TT at that same level or do you have to pump it up to a TT?

koiguyoz
Member

Sep 14, 2004, 6:00 PM

Post #5 of 19 (3625 views)
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Re: [BoB/335] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

Can you set a TT at that same level or do you have to pump it up to a TT?

I have a trickle tower created from a 55gallon plastic barrel. The water is pumped into it. Others I have researched have the water pumped into it.

However, there was an exception which I believe was from a member here who had an internal trickle tower situated together with a Nexus I think, and coral shell buffer chamber. Its obviously rarer with this other trickle tower.

BoB/335
Koi Lover

Sep 15, 2004, 5:19 AM

Post #6 of 19 (3605 views)
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Re: [koiguyoz] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

I am makind a gravity fed filtration system in the ground and will hidden under a deck. Would like to incorporate a TT under there too but can't figure out without puming it.

StateBorder
Koi Lover

Sep 16, 2004, 9:42 AM

Post #7 of 19 (3522 views)
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Re: [micky] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi micky,
Just wondering, is there any possibility that the debris will settle in the pipe between the pond and the chamber instead of in the fist chamber (settlement chamber)? I just wondering because the pipe will be the lowest point in the system.
Also I am very sure that debris will settle in the pipe in case the water pump stop , but wondering will the debris stay if the water pump continue to operate?
Father: Shusui. Mother: Platinum doitsu and showa. what am I going to get?

mike c
Koi Kichi

Sep 16, 2004, 12:52 PM

Post #8 of 19 (3508 views)
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Re: [StateBorder] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

yes, debris settles in the pipes even when the pumps are running

thats why u need a ball valve for the pipe that enters the settlement chamber, you can flush the pipes by:
1) shutting off ball valve to settlement
2) draining settlement
3) opening the ball valve again ... which will blast a jet of water until the water levels are equal again (altho, size of the settlement is a big factor as to how hard the flushing will be ... bigger is better ... i dont know how good a 45-50 gallon barrel is in flushing your pipes ... but u can always repeat and repeat.

____________________________________

If you know how it works, you'll know how to fix it

StateBorder
Koi Lover

Sep 17, 2004, 10:43 AM

Post #9 of 19 (3468 views)
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Re: [aragorn] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

OIC... Thanks, now have clearer idea on how to design one.
Father: Shusui. Mother: Platinum doitsu and showa. what am I going to get?

F1rst_Timer
Koi Lover

Sep 17, 2004, 11:43 PM

Post #10 of 19 (3447 views)
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Re: [StateBorder] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Here are diagrams of my gravity fed system. Hope they help ( and I hope I attach them properly - my first time at posting pictures).

Attachments:

0_Plan_End.gif (6.98 KB)

0_Plan_Top.gif (14.6 KB)

BoB/335
Koi Lover

Sep 19, 2004, 8:01 PM

Post #11 of 19 (3343 views)
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Re: [aragorn] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

"i dont know how good a 45-50 gallon barrel is in flushing your pipes ... but u can always repeat and repeat."

I am planning a 55 gallon drum settlement tank. Why don't you think this is big enough? Someone I, I believe on this forum, suggested that 55 gal. is also lot large enough for Vortex, yet there are many on other forums that use 55 gal. drums for Vortex. I am getting several food grade drums for free and would like the best way to use these in my system. How many should I use and what material should I put in them.

mike c
Koi Kichi

Sep 19, 2004, 10:11 PM

Post #12 of 19 (3314 views)
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Re: [BoB/335] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

bob, big and small are relative terms ... for example, for a big pond, the 55 gallon settling tank is small and vice versa.
people use a formula to compute for the time the water stays in the settling tank, u need so and so minutes of stay time for the settlement to work.

how big is your pond? oh and yes, many people use barrels as settlement. i use barrels for the biomedia. i use cut up ribbed flexible hose (but i DO NOT guarantee safety from toxicity)

the only downside to a barrel is the fact the bottom is not sloping to a drain. so, you should vacuum it of the muck that settles regularly

____________________________________

If you know how it works, you'll know how to fix it

BoB/335
Koi Lover

Sep 20, 2004, 9:48 AM

Post #13 of 19 (3294 views)
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Re: [aragorn] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

11x16x4'deep
2-4" bottom drains each going to a 55 gal drum settlement/vortex tank.
The 2 drums into a 2" Y into a 55 gal. drum mechanical filter to a 55 gal. drum bio filter.
I figure 2 settlements into one system should slow the water down in each drum to work efficiently. What do you think?

StateBorder
Koi Lover

Sep 20, 2004, 10:32 AM

Post #14 of 19 (3284 views)
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Re: [F1rst_Timer] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

hi F1rst_, saw your plan and have couple question:

1) where the water from skimmer go? not into the filter?

2) Does the partition height between bay 1 and bay 2 higher then
partiton between bay 3 and 4?
my current filter ( fiber glass) partition between chamber is not the same.
Father: Shusui. Mother: Platinum doitsu and showa. what am I going to get?

F1rst_Timer
Koi Lover

Sep 20, 2004, 3:26 PM

Post #15 of 19 (3264 views)
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Re: [StateBorder] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hi State,

1) The output from the skimmer joins the output from the filter (just before the pump). This allows me to vary the flow through the filters and skimmer, or turn off one or the other (to allow cleaning and to still circulate the water around the pond).

2) Yes the difference in height is about 2" inches, because the level in the last bay will be lower than the other bays due to water 'friction' through the filter media. This is a homemade block filter.

Here are a couple of photos.

(This post was edited by F1rst_Timer on Sep 20, 2004, 3:31 PM)

Attachments:

Pump_Bay1.jpg (72.6 KB)

MVC-493S.JPG (36.0 KB)

mike c
Koi Kichi

Sep 20, 2004, 6:35 PM

Post #16 of 19 (3258 views)
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Re: [BoB/335] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

bob, if im not mistaken, your pond is about 5000+ us gallons

if u are planning to pass all your water through the filter every hour, it is too fast for a 55 gallon drum.
also, what is the pipe size of the Y after the 2 drums? you need at least two 4"s there too.

cant u make a settlement tank out of concrete?

____________________________________

If you know how it works, you'll know how to fix it

BoB/335
Koi Lover

Sep 21, 2004, 3:28 AM

Post #17 of 19 (3230 views)
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Re: [aragorn] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Maybe I'm taking on more than I can handle. I started off with a simple water/ garden pond kit. Skimmer/ filter, Bio-falls filter. Thought I would put in some koi, maybe some gold fish and plants. I'm now leaning towards a koi pond. What to make it deeper than originally planned and scratched the kit because I felt it would be inadequate filtration. Trying to get all this figured out BEFORE I start digging. It just keeps getting so complicated.

mike c
Koi Kichi

Sep 21, 2004, 12:50 PM

Post #18 of 19 (3212 views)
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Re: [BoB/335] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

bob,

u know what answered many of my questions about this koi hobby before i started my first pond?

a GOOD koi book.

i can suggest "koi - living jewels" by steve hickling

-or-

interpet "how to keep koi: an essential guide" (cheaper)

people say, u should get koi kichi by peter waddington but i havent read it word for word myself, so i cant refer it

____________________________________

If you know how it works, you'll know how to fix it

BoB/335
Koi Lover

Sep 21, 2004, 5:32 PM

Post #19 of 19 (3191 views)
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Re: [aragorn] how do i make a gravity fed system? [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks! I'll look into it.

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