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Home: KOI Talk: Pond Construction & Water Filtering System:
Filter Systems

 





 


nathan751
New User

May 28, 2007, 12:05 PM

Post #1 of 7 (1924 views)
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Filter Systems Can't Post
Hi all,

I have constructed a huge pond. I lent my pond contractor a book on pond construction with plans for bottom drains for a gravity fed system. Instead he assured me that he had a better system. I deferred to his better judgment. Thus he constructed an above ground filter with 2 skimmer boxes. The floor had 24 holes of 3/4 inch leading into a looped 3 in pipe that went into the side wall of the pond straight up and then out slightly below ground to a 2 HP Hayward Pump. The floor is more or less flat. I had told my contractor to slop the floor and make it steeper but he said with so many holes you don't need sloping. Again I deferred to his judgment. The pump then fed the water through the filter. (My pond contractor actually builds swimming pools and has built a number of ponds.)

My mistake is using a pump fed system all the poop is juiced up making settlement and filtration more or less impossible. Also this particular pump is too powerful pushing the water through very quickly.

I am contemplating adding proper bottom drains and then punching a whole through the pond wall to a small gravity fed system of 3 or 4 chambers to be constructed which could then flow into the above ground filter by using submersible pumps. With this the fish poop will not be turned to emulsion.

My fear however is that I will be left with a leaking pond by punching a whole through the wall. My existing pond is 5ft 5in, I feel that with the pipe work I could bury all the pipes to make the depth 4ft 10inches thereby sealing the punched hole in concrete.

A friend suggested that I build another settlement chamber. The current design is flawed as there is no pre-settlement before it reaches the pump so I see little good in adding a settlement chamber as it would be after the pump after all the juicing of poop.

Another friend suggested that I just convert to a Bakki Shower filter. There are lots of suggestions however by this post I hope somebody has experienced my problem of a pump fed filter which feeds all the poop to the Pump First making settlement all but impossible.

Please help

Completely Lost.


At present to keep the fish alive I am changing lots of water and washing the filter frequently. it is becoming such a chore that I am getting fed up.

Nathaniel


eddie244
Koi Lover

May 29, 2007, 3:41 AM

Post #2 of 7 (1885 views)
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Re: [nathan751] Filter Systems [In reply to] Can't Post
hello,

1st. i dont know whether you have a raised pond or a level pond. but i tried to understand from your explaination. here is how i think your pond is...

my suggestion..

since water will always seek itself, i would extend the existing 3-inch pipe leading to the pump but the pump removed. one thing a bit tricky is how to start the syphon. One thing first is by filling the new settling chamber with water then with the trap air between those two is to suck the air out either by using a pump or a syringe (i use this to start my DIY aquarium overflow), you said your pond depth is 5.5 feet depth. so the partition should be at least 2.5 feet high, not more as you'll reduce the syphon suction.

You can convert to a bakki shower system, but the filter media (recommended using Momotaro bacteria house) is expensive.

got any pics?
=====================================
For Pics here--> http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u122/highresvid/

For videos here--> www.youtube.com/highresvid
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ayranjim
Koi Lover

May 30, 2007, 8:04 AM

Post #3 of 7 (1844 views)
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Re: [nathan751] Filter Systems [In reply to] Can't Post
Hello, well here is a good example of what happens when people think that pools and koi pond are basicaly the same, they are not! So in the future if any one hires someone to build a koi pond, he will be able to give you details as far as bio filtration, ( which does not exist) with swimming pools! And bio filtration is an absolute when we talk KOI! So I would say, get some one who works in the koi industry to find the right contractor!


nathan751
New User

May 30, 2007, 9:54 AM

Post #4 of 7 (1834 views)
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Re: [eddie244] Filter Systems [In reply to] Can't Post
Hi Eddie,

You have got it correct. I have given my contractor all the stuff on ponds and he agrees with me that it should be by way of a gravity fed system. Thus now he suggests that we re do the floor by putting 4 proper bottom drains with 4 pipes that he will punch through the wall of the pond. Then more concrete will be poured on top. My pond does become a little shallower about 4ft 10 in deep but I think that is the best solution.

I have pics will work out how to email compressed documents first.

Thanks for the time and effort.

Nathaniel


tangigi3
Koi Lover


Jun 5, 2007, 9:56 AM

Post #5 of 7 (1657 views)
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Re: [nathan751] Filter Systems [In reply to] Can't Post
please use 4 inch pipes if you are going to redo your bottom drain. you have a powerful pump and you will need big diameter pipes to keep up with the flow rate of the pump. the problem with a settlement chamber with a 3 inch supply from the main pond is that you will drain the settlement chamber empty cuz a 3 inch pipe will never keep up with a 2 hp pump.

too bad you can't keep your depth. a bakki shower might save you a lot of time and construction cost.

regards

lar


Koi323
Koi Lover

Aug 1, 2007, 5:56 AM

Post #6 of 7 (1176 views)
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Re: [tangigi3] Filter Systems [In reply to] Can't Post
Hi all,

I am a guy with a brand new pond here asking stupid questions...

Instead of having a real bottom drain, could a 4" pipe be laying down on the bottom (inside the pond) then elbow up to go thru. the side of the pond below pond water level? The reason I ask is because it might be a little late for me to install a bottom drain. Also what would you think about the following biofilter set up?

(1) use the "bottom drain" described above.
(2) having a biofiler sitting below pond water level but have the upper rim above the pond water level. Say this biofiler has 4 vertial compartments going from left to right. The biofilter is sitting on the right side of the pond.
(3) connect (1) to the first compartment (right most) so water will enter this compartment and pass thru the next 3.
(4) pump water out of the last compartment (left) back to the pond over a waterfall.



|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|........|.....filter...............|
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|=====|=>~|~~|~~|~~~|
|~~~~~ Pond~~~~~~~~~~=|........|~~~|~~|~~|P ==|=> pump water back to pond
|______________________===_|........|____|___|___|____|


Any comment will be greatly appreciated.
Frank


tangigi3
Koi Lover


Aug 1, 2007, 10:02 AM

Post #7 of 7 (1163 views)
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Re: [Koi323] Filter Systems [In reply to] Can't Post
hi frank,

re: the 4 inch exposed drain pipe. yes, it will function as a drain. not exactly pleasing to the eye, but will do the job. The size of your pond will also determine the amount of bottom drain to have. a good size 30 ton or roughly 7500 galon pond will require 2 bottom drain. try to get a mushroom dome for your 4 inch pipe.

Since your drain will be elevated, make sure to add aeration to your pond so it will churn the pooh and sediments that will settle below your drain.

there are a lot of illustrated filtration system in the forum that looks similar to yours, check it out and you won't go wrong.

lar

 
 
 



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