27 Gallon Container Filter

[Jason]

Hello Guys and Gals, I have been working on Two 27 Gallon Filters for my Future Pond that will be around 3,000 Gallons.
Let me first say that I have certain tools and supplies I will use through out this that most of you probably do not have access to but very easy to mimic with other tools and supplies from local farm or hardware stores. :cheerful:

This is my First DIY Filter that I have gone through with, so any feedback to improve design is welcome!

Supplies that I used:

27 Gallon Heavy Duty Tote Container From Lowes or HD (carry the same) with Yellow Lid $10
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15x24" Foam AC Filter Sheet From HD $1.97

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(2) 24x36" Cut-to-size AC Biodegradable Filters from HD $7 (Not sure if this one will work since I just looked at it and seems to be made out of Sticks, Bark, Pine straw, etc. but Coated? Will still try it)

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20x30" Cut-to-Size Furnace/AC Filter From Lowes $5.50 (NOT FIBERGLASS)

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12x24x1/8" UV Rated Outdoor Engravers Plastic Sheet $8(Already Cut it Out) Im not sure where you could get this as cheap as I can but Im sure other materials can be used like plexiglass or acrylic? Suggestions are welcome

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(8) 1" Bulk Head/Container Fittings (or what ever size you desire) From E-Bay $6ea Free Shipping
NO PICTURE UNTIL AFTER INSTALL SCROLL DOWN

(7) 1" Slip On Fittings for Corrugated Hose or Heater Hose (Cheaper and Stronger) From Lowes $1ea
NO PICTURE UNTIL AFTER INSTALL SCROLL DOWN

(2) 12x24x1/4" Blue Marble Outdoor Engravers Acrylic $10ea (I know you can buy Acrylic sheets at HD or Lowes I believe, But a local Glass and window store is probably cheaper)
NO PICTURE UNTIL AFTER INSTALL SCROLL DOWN

(7) 17"x1/4", 16" and 15" SS Threaded Trophy Rods $5 All 21 Rods, Nuts, and Bushings (Now this one is tricky as Im not sure if hardware stores carry these but you can go to your local awards store and they should have them in stock and sell them CHEAP)
NO PICTURE UNTIL AFTER INSTALL SCROLL DOWN

1-3/4" Hole Bit for Bulk Heads at Lowes or HD $6

Ok, Here We Go! :fingersx:

I started with the 27 Gallon Container
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Drilling 4 Holes at 1-3/4" each for the Bulkheads Outflow
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BulkHeads and Fittings installed
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Now Moving on to the Inlets, I added 2 for Future Tweaking, Depending on my pump power and plumbing setup. Will add spray Bar to both sides Later.

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Now to Move on to Building the Filter Basket Housing for easy removal.
I Cut the Blue Acrylic Sheeting 12x18.5" per 2 pieces with my Laser Engraver which you can use a saw for this if you do not have one. I also cut out my .30" holes into the sides walls for the rods to keep it stable and hold pads so they never warp under flow, You can use a drill bit for this if you do not have a Laser Engraver. Here is the Frame finished, 17" Rods top row, 16" middle, and 15" bottom to keep the shape of the container's slanted walls. In between Rods are 2" to hold 2 - 1" Filter Pads each row. The Thin Row is 1/2" to hold Fine Filter Foam Pad (Grey) and wide row is 5" to hold Bio Balls.

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I started Cutting out the Filter Pads to the exact Wedge wall dimensions, 12" Tall, 17.5" Top Wide, 14.5" Bottom Wide with the Laser engraver Or scissors will work too with steady hands.
https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=1FC3A60C4A3A53C8!165
Once Cut, I slid all pads into Filter Basket and cut a grid out of the UV Rated Outdoor Plastic to the same dimensions as the filter pads.

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I added Shipping polyethylene Foam strips to the first row on the inlet side behind the filter basket on each side touching the container to seal water off from going around.

Tomorrow I am Adding Pea Gravel to the bottom of the container about 1/4" to 1/2" since the bottom of the container has a beveled pattern that needs to be level. I am also adding the other 2 Bulkheads tomorrow, 1 for a bottom Drain on the bottom back of the container and the other on the bottom front below to outlets and elbow up inside to a 1/2" below the top as a Over Flow.

Thanks for taking a look, what do you all think so far?

 

[JohnHuff]

Looks great! Can't wait to see the rest of the build.



but I was hoping to see a moving bed filter in this thread...

 

[dieselplower]

I have a a few of those totes. I use them to hold 240 pounds of sand, each, in the back of my pickup truck when I plow snow. Very sturdy tote for a great price!
I noticed you have the input and output holes at the top of the tote. I am not sure where you will be mounting the spray bar but one comment I would like to make is that I think I would have put one set of holes at the top of the tote, and the other at the bottom. This would keep the water circulating through the filter better than having both sets of holes at the top. Unless, that is, if you are going to have the spray bar run to the bottom?

By the way... it looks like you have a lot of extra room in there... have you thought about adding additional material for biofiltration after the mechanical filtration pads?

 

[addy1]

I would think you would want a way to drain the bottom, to flush it out too. Those green bio-gradeable filter pads do just that they degrade. Might not be your best choice in a filter, I used them after a while they mush up. Just a pipe with a ball valve would work fine to drain the bottom of collected muck.

looks like a great filter, will be watching your build

 

[dieselplower]

At the very end he said he was adding a bottom drain.

 

[addy1]

At the very end he said he was adding a bottom drain.

oppps missed that! Thanks

 

[Jason]

Thanks you guys! Dieselpower, The 5" wide row that is empty with just rods is where the Bio Balls will go before out to pond. The 4 Outflows are 1-1/2" below the inlets, I made them higher than the Laguna Build I mocked due to the wedges inside the container walls were closing in too tight to put bulk heads there and for better settlement collection on bottom, to get water through all of the filter pads height. The spray bar will be slightly above water level enough to add oxygen and the Over Flow will be the same height as the inlets. I will be adding more pictures after lunch today hopefully!

Addy, I figured once i seen they were recycled twigs and vines lol, Just curious, How long did they last for you until turning Mushy? I know the Blue ones last over a year before falling apart, I guess I could just use the Blue Pads throughout?

 

[koiguy1969]

i have some of the blue ones that are 4-5 years old.. they flatten to about 1/2" from 1" thick. then you just double them. the flattening just makes them a finer pad!... the green organic biodegradable ones will add to the bioload, just like any plant matter as it biodegrades. spraybars are ordinarilly used for down flow filtration. this leaves me wonder why you'd use spraybars on verticle pads?

 

[Jason]

Thanks KoiGuy, Blue Pads it is then! Im using a spray bar (Maybe) only to oxygenate the water inside the filter for a stable environment for Bacteria on the bio balls as the lid will be shut on this filter. I made it as a "Behind a Waterfall Filter" so it it will oxygenate the water anyways from the fall, But I always read on here it was important to have plenty oxygen for for Beneficial Bacteria to thrive, But if it is a bad idea having the spray bars, I could always cut some holes in the lid?

 

[addy1]

Less then a summer jason, they fell apart pretty quick. Had a lot of water flow through them.

 

[koiguy1969]

if you want to oxygenate the filter why not have the input pipe extend to the bottom and venturi it?

 

[Jason]

I just watched your Video a few hours ago how you made one with a Bic pen, SO COOL! I will have to do just that And I subscribed to your channel. Thanks again for the help

 

[sissy]

my second filter is that tote but I can tell you those stiff green filters the sell at walmart do not hold up .They start to break up after a month

 

[Jason]

Thanks Sissy, I have all blue in there now (Except Fine Grey) But i will be posting everything tomorrow as I am finished with 1 filter now and it is in a test phase in my original pond! How has the Tote held up for you and how long have you had it?

 

[sissy]

I use all the blue ones and buy them by the case online they are cheaper that way