55 Gal Fines Filter

[koiguy1969]

i could be wrong, but...if you pump the water in from the bottom, the water movement will keep the paticles suspended in the water and water flows the path of least resistance,if the fiberfill isnt tight against the sides alot will bypass it and wind up back in the pond. flowing down thru it the simple force of gravity will catch far more of it in the fiberfill.

 

[aviator79]

I was thinking the same thing, but I figured I would make it so this is not possible, so either it would be settled on the bottom or suspended in the water below the grate, which will be very close to the bottom (the grate will only be there just so I can do a dump without having to pull the filter material out). Any water that makes it up thru all the filter material will have to be clear. Because I will be using a slim jim garbage can:

I can pack the filter material in there with a grate on top with something holding it so it keeps the filter material down. In theory it should work just as good and the reason I want to do it this way is because I want to have the water come out higher rather than lower so do a second stepped down falls/stream.

I agree that it would be more ideal to have it go from top to bottom, but im hoping going bottom to top will work as well...

The other option is to do something like you drew up here:
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=961&d=1247513152
and just put an extension on the TEE up a little higher incase the waterline actually has to go abover where you drew it to equalize as the filter gets dirtyer. Im not sure, but now im thinking that would be better maybe. I think Ive got to buy another "egg crate" light fixture cover for my grates thou, which sucks as there $11. Wonder if I could use someting else...maybe I can get some baskets shopping baskets from somewhere.

 

[DrCase]

The good thing about it when it comes from the top, the dirt just stick in the stuffing and the clear water falls out of the basket,,the water in the bottom of my drum still has never been drained, its still clear

 

[aviator79]

hmm, so maybe then no need to put a drain on it? I can always just stick my shop vac down it. Its only another $20-$30 to do the drain, but its adding up.

 

[DrCase]

I started the fines filter back up , 2 days ago and i could really see a difference
Spring is hard on the water with all the sun & no plants
I have been in my wife's cabinet and have been trying a few modifications
I did this yesterday , Still needs some tweaking and larger bowls
I want to raise this drum and let all the water flow in to my 100 gal baby tank on the other side of the fence, then back into the main pond

 

[koiguy1969]

your just some bio media short of a small bakki shower there doc.

 

[DrCase]

Its a smaller poor boy model

 

[koikeepr]

LOL! I sure hope your wife doesn't need to store any food items in the fridge any time soon....

 

[stroppy]

oh dear poor wife !! :0) and now hes going back in there to find some bigger bowls !!!!

looks good drcase :0)

 

[koikeepr]

he's keeping tupperware in business! Gotta help the economy!

 

[DrDave]

What a crack up!!!

 

[PS3]

my friend made this for his pond he has a 5 gallon pale the big ones
he made a hole in the bottom to return the water he put a shamy at the top
of the bucket with clothes pins lol it works i will do this for my pond.

 

[aviator79]

Ive got to redo my fines filter. They way I have it set up now is very precarious. I have 1200gph pumping into slimjim trashcan. In the can I have quilt batting held up by shoping basket. Water flows thru this and then I have a pipe going from the bottom uo to a T and out the side. However water is 1/2 from the lip of the trashcan and some flows has to flow into the T and out the side. I assume the main mistake I made was putting the outflow to high. Had I put it lower then the height of the water in the can would not be so high...so I could either get another slimjim can and do it this way again or figure out another way to do it. Limited in space. But need to get the pond cleared up as pretty brown (like Tea).

Ideally if I could find something about the size of the slimjim can but sturdyer it would be better as I had to build a wood brace around it as it does not like to be full of water.