Bead filters

Hi all,

I have been thinking about increasing my filtration rate through the use of
a bead filter either purchased or DIY.

I've found plans for a DIY version here:
http://pw1.netcom.com/~larry_l/diy_bead.htm

Does anyone have any experience with these either the DIY or manufactured
version? Specific brands, etc.

Would I use it as a separate system, ie: with it's own pump and plumbing, or
would I integrate it into my existing stuff? I have a skimmer that also
connects to a bottom drain and thought I might be able to MacGyver the
bottom drain connection to the bead filter.

My water is actually pretty clear, but there seems to be a lot of stuff
floating about. I'd thought about additional veggie filters or a settlement
chamber, but I don't really have a good (or bad) place to put them.

Thanks,

San Diego Joe
4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
Koi, Goldfish, and RES named Colombo.



San Diego Joe

You could also consider a DIY Fluid Bed Filter such as the one at:
http://www.fishkeepersforum.org/hard...r/content2.htm

Thinking of incorporating one of these into my new setup.

Cheers

Gordon

"San Diego Joe" <> wrote in message
news:C2A00FA0.3B4A4%...
> Hi all,
>
> I have been thinking about increasing my filtration rate through the use
> of
> a bead filter either purchased or DIY.
>
> I've found plans for a DIY version here:
> http://pw1.netcom.com/~larry_l/diy_bead.htm
>
> Does anyone have any experience with these either the DIY or manufactured
> version? Specific brands, etc.
>
> Would I use it as a separate system, ie: with it's own pump and plumbing,
> or
> would I integrate it into my existing stuff? I have a skimmer that also
> connects to a bottom drain and thought I might be able to MacGyver the
> bottom drain connection to the bead filter.
>
> My water is actually pretty clear, but there seems to be a lot of stuff
> floating about. I'd thought about additional veggie filters or a
> settlement
> chamber, but I don't really have a good (or bad) place to put them.
>
> Thanks,
>
> San Diego Joe
> 4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
> Koi, Goldfish, and RES named Colombo.
>

Oops, hit send before I finished

You could also consider a DIY Fluid Bed Filter such as the one at:
http://www.fishkeepersforum.org/hard...r/content2.htm

I am thinking of incorporating one of these into my new setup.

I did wonder if its efficiency could be improved further by incorporating an
air disk in the bottom to give the bacteria an even more oxygen rich
environment, in the same way that the "Nexus Eazy" filters aerate their
media

Cheers

Gordon


"San Diego Joe" <> wrote in message
news:C2A00FA0.3B4A4%...
> Hi all,
>
> I have been thinking about increasing my filtration rate through the use
> of
> a bead filter either purchased or DIY.
>
> I've found plans for a DIY version here:
> http://pw1.netcom.com/~larry_l/diy_bead.htm
>
> Does anyone have any experience with these either the DIY or manufactured
> version? Specific brands, etc.
>
> Would I use it as a separate system, ie: with it's own pump and plumbing,
> or
> would I integrate it into my existing stuff? I have a skimmer that also
> connects to a bottom drain and thought I might be able to MacGyver the
> bottom drain connection to the bead filter.
>
> My water is actually pretty clear, but there seems to be a lot of stuff
> floating about. I'd thought about additional veggie filters or a
> settlement
> chamber, but I don't really have a good (or bad) place to put them.
>
> Thanks,
>
> San Diego Joe
> 4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
> Koi, Goldfish, and RES named Colombo.
>

For my two ponds, I have three bead filters. The first was a BBF-2
bubblebead and it uses gravity drain and air comes in to agitate the beads
for cleaning. This somewhat works, but by plumbing to have water backflow
similar to Larry's scheme, after about half the water escapers, really does
much better. The second one I got was a Sacremento Koi 15, and this one
uses a spa blower to agitate the beads for cleaning. I like the desing of
this one the best. The third is an Aquadyne 4.4 and it also uses a spa
blower to agitate the beads. Aquadyne makes one without the air blower, but
it was found that to accomplish a good agitation cleaning of the beads, you
need a large two speed, high power pump, and even then, you would need to
take the filter apart periodically to break up the bead pack.

I love the convenience of cleaning the bead filters, the ability to locate
them in my shed, away from the ponds and out of sight.
"San Diego Joe" <> wrote in message
news:C2A00FA0.3B4A4%...
> Hi all,
>
> I have been thinking about increasing my filtration rate through the use
> of
> a bead filter either purchased or DIY.
>
> I've found plans for a DIY version here:
> http://pw1.netcom.com/~larry_l/diy_bead.htm
>
> Does anyone have any experience with these either the DIY or manufactured
> version? Specific brands, etc.
>
> Would I use it as a separate system, ie: with it's own pump and plumbing,
> or
> would I integrate it into my existing stuff? I have a skimmer that also
> connects to a bottom drain and thought I might be able to MacGyver the
> bottom drain connection to the bead filter.
>
> My water is actually pretty clear, but there seems to be a lot of stuff
> floating about. I'd thought about additional veggie filters or a
> settlement
> chamber, but I don't really have a good (or bad) place to put them.
>
> Thanks,
>
> San Diego Joe
> 4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
> Koi, Goldfish, and RES named Colombo.
>

Gordon,

Where do you get the beads?

Jim

Jim,

The design that Joe refers to says:
"You can buy plastic beads for your filter from plastic suppliers or Aquatic
Eco-Systems (part AB1 - Filter Beads). Get enough beads to fill your drum
half way (2 cubic foot for a 30 gal drum, 3.5 cubic foot for a 55 gal drum).
Be sure to get beads that float."

The example I refer to uses sand rather than beads, Coral sand is much
smaller than beads and has a good surface to allow bacteria to grow (but is
very abrasive - see problem below).

The advantage of the sand based one is that it grinds any solids up to
nothing and allows the bacteria to attack them at the microscopic level.
Some people have described sand based filters as good for "polishing" the
water.

I think you may still want some mechanical filtration in front to keep out
the bulk of the blanket weed etc that can go through a normal solids
handling pump. But anything that will go through the course mesh filter that
is often integral to a pump, or the home made planting basket pump cover
will be ok.

The sand version is also a lot smaller than a bead filter as its only a
vertical length of 4" sewer pipe rather than a 30 or 55 gal drum.

The only problem is that the sand will eventually wear away the walls of the
filter and it will leak and you will need to build another main tube. :-(

The bead design has a fine mesh on the inlet / outlet pipes so it definitely
needs to be after any mechanical filtration and simply provides biological
filtration.

Cheers

Gordon
<long time lurker on r.p and now r.p.m>


"Phyllis and Jim" <> wrote in message
news: oups.com...
> Gordon,
>
> Where do you get the beads?
>
> Jim
>

bead filters can go anaerobic too easily. I will stick with my nearly
no maintenance veggie filter to do it all. Ingrid