Frosty
Koi Lover
Aug 15, 2007, 4:04 AM
Post #9 of 12
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Re: [miafunk] New Pond in Miami
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Hi Miafunk,
My background also included successful maintenance of marine aquaria, and hopefully, the following (from a previous post here) will be of use to you:
Now to the filtration system (patent pending), which comprises a matrix of 1.5" pipe work under a bed of mixed grade coarse shingle and grit of between 4 - 6" deep. This arrives at an 'Oase' (Tm) 15000 pump (3K gallons per.hr.) via a fixed stand pipe up to the shallow area trough where the pump sits (for easy maintenance), and then up via a continuation of the stand pipe to the header pond. Operational time is 24,7,365 uninterrupted, and very low cost. Maintenance to the filter bed is absolute zero! The fish are absolute gluttons, but due to the volume of moving current from the waterfall, are all beautifully shaped due to the exercise they enjoy by swimming against the current.
I have recently completed a total re-modelling of the pond, expanding its capacity to some 2,250 gallons. I have also added another (slower babbling type) water feature at the new north end, which is fed by an 'overflow' surface skimmer to the north west of the pond perimeter. This clears the surface of ANY debris inside 20 mins! Again, due to their reliability and power, this is driven by an 'Oase' (Tm) 15000 pump, which is attached to a smaller version of the main pond filter matrix (patent pending) under a similarly graded shingle bed. We 'kick-started' the old shingle material with a proprietary 'sceptic tank enzyme starter powder'.
Since the post above, the natural nature of the Koi activity has given rise to relatively high levels of 'silt', which is usually captured in the top header pool, which is aprox. 4' X 3' elliptical in shape, and 2' deep. Whereas the silt usually dropped to the bottom due to the vortex action of the elipse, much of it was remaining in circulation and falling back to the main pond. It then struck me that the solution was right under my nose, a vortex and reverse flow bio sponge filter medium to effectively 'polish' the water. This was duly constructed last weekend, with 2/3 of the header being divided into a tear shape, with the sides re-concreted to create the vortex shape proper. Although many vortex diagrams depict intakes at a low level, I find that entering from a waterfall not only oxygenates what could become an anearobic set of chambers, but really aids a downward spiral to the vortex. This is important, as when the sponge chamber starts to back up, the rising level in the vortex chamber that feeds it, can overflow relatively clear water into the top of the sponge chamber, thereby avoiding overflows in the vortex. A 4" soil pipe elbow is now sited at the end furthest from the incomeing waterfall, with it's mouth on the lee side of the flow and facing upwards, with a slight angle. This ensures that any debris not caught in the vortex current swirls past the mouth intake. Another soil pipe elbow fitted to the short pipe through the dividing wall houses the 4" pipe down under the sponge filter plate in the egress chamber the other side. Cleaned water then flows up over a small wall to the stream egress of the header pond. The fall back to the main pond is approx 4', running over stones and limestone rocks. I read a poor Japanese translation some years ago, which said; "For water to be pure, it must fall at least 4' over stone!" Don't ask me why, but it has worked for me. The vortex is drained when silt levels rise by means of a Karcher (tm) basement pump, and the sponge layers flushed with the header pond water down the drain. In summary, I'm still enjoying crystal clear water and happy fish with the minimum cost and a little imagination 
Long-Time Koi Lover
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