Gravity fed filter this time still need some help

[diplodicus]

When i was looking at the drains i was looking at a 2" drain initially when the sales boy came over and started talking saying the 2" would get silted up in no time then he asked what size the pond was when i told him he said to get the 4 because there will be more flow he asked no other questions on the set up ie pump size/filters i wasn't convinced but had no experience with BD so took his word for it wasn't till you first commented on it that i new i had a problem so it now seems i have my very own BLACK HOLE in my pond totally my fault for not ding my homework..

 

[koikeepr]

That is true, 2" drains commonly get clogged. However, between a 2" and a 4" drain is a 3" drain. And he could have at least told you to neck down the 4" drain to 3" so there would not be so much draw down.

Yes, he's right about more flow on the 4"--the problem is will it be too much. Trust me, that you are not the only one to be sent down a wayward path thanks to an unknowing pond salesman.

As I said, all is not lost. You will simply need to be able to regulate the flow to balance things out. You have still not answered my questions of ball valves. Do you have them? If not, you should be able to still cut them into your piping now. For example, put one right after your pump so you can dial it back a bit, to help solve the issue of the BD.

 

[diplodicus]

Have had to pay my outstanding tax bill this month so i am totally broke took my pump back and got my money back . This is how my pond is at the mo my Black hole is in the pond is lined and filled and thats it so far havent got any other parts yet as have no money ,if you could come up with a solution to my super suction issues would be gratefully appreciated or is the answer simply get ball valved up to the eye balls and tweek and tweek.. whats my best option in regards to pump size ?

 

[koikeepr]

You need to get a pump that will turn over your pond water at least once every hour- hour and a half. So, as I said, if you have a pond that is 1200/US gals then the pump should be around 1800-2000gph (accounting for some fittings, stretch of pipe, and I'll assume a waterfall. I would personaly go with 2000gph.

 

[diplodicus]

thanks for your help koikeepr will let you know how i get on
could i also on the pipe to the waterfall tee of and run pipes back in to the pond to reduce
the flow to the waterfall to keep the flow up on the BD to stop it from silting up or will i just have to reduce the pull on the BD and deal with the blockage when it occurs

 

[koikeepr]

you could, but I don't think you'll need to.

 

[DrCase]

Not that i ever had a bottom drain
but my thought would be the smallest opening would be were your build up would occur that would be at the valve by opening it up .. it should let the clog flow through

 

[DrDave]

I'm still waiting to hear how to clean them when they get clogged with leaves and other stuff.

 

[koikeepr]

It's no different than if your filter pipes or your pump got leaves in them--you just yank 'em out. Or most folks simply stick a garden hose in and force water in, and that usually relieves the problem.

Bottom drains aren't some mystery to fear, they've been on pools, ponds, and in aquariums for many, many years. It's not some new fangled thing that just came out.

 

[DrDave]

I had a swimming pool for 13 years and spas for over 5 years. I know all amout them in that environment.

In a pond, where there are trees or bushes overhead or even next to them is what I am talking about. You take a deep pond, muck in the bottom, too deep to reach by hand or hose, that also has a build up of leaves that could happen almost ovenight in same places. How do you un jam them when clogged? As soon as you disturb anything it becomes a mess that you cannot see through. What do you do?

I just described about 60% of all the ponds I have been to and seen firsthand. Over 30" deep and I cannot reach by hand anything in the bottom of mine. Most folks have string algae, how do they manage that with a BD? You know the suction is going to draw it into the drain and eventually plug it.

I have had to pull my submersible pump 4 times in the past 8 weeks to clear it from algae. Fortunatley, it took only a few minutes each time.

I'm just saying that I have heard BD promoted by folks that don't have string algae, have no experience with string algae, without even a hint as to how to clean it, to the people who they are advising.

If you are going to promote something so adamantly, have all the facts available to the people so when it happens, and it will, you have done your due diligence.

 

[diplodicus]

I was thinking if and when it gets blocked as i am sure it will at some point i would rod the drain by taking a dip in pond water to lose-en the silt then put a blanking plug on the BD drain then empty the filter box then prize of the plug and let gravity do the rest in theory anyway.
After spending the money on the pipe work and BD the last thing i want to do is plug it permanently i do like the idea of the BD but not if in my case if the fish start going a bit to far down south due to the suction .