55g drum filter design

[Steve91]

Hello everyone. I decided to join this forum to get some advice and inspiration. I recently bought a house and the previous owner had a pond in the backyard. It is, however, a bit run down and needs some love. I want to give it a full filter and clean up the plants, but I need some help with the filter design. I'm including pictures of the pond and a sketch of the design I have so far. A bit overkill, I know, but I want to over build this to worry less.

Please note that the pond has no water outlet. So I have to either put a pump in the pond to push water out into the filter or figure out a way to put the pump in the filter itself and pull water in.

Any and all input on the design is greatly appreciated. I'm new to this and could use some help.

Thank you!

 

[Tula]

Welcome @Steve91 You've uncovered a lovely pond. I have a 1700 gallon pond and one of my filters is a 55 gallon sand & gravel filter. The pump is in my skimmer and the filter is gravity fed back to the pond.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome to GPF!

 

[j.w]

@Steve91

 

[Nevermore44]

Nice. Do you know the general gallons in it?

 

[Steve91]

Nice. Do you know the general gallons in it?

Not a clue. It's about 8ft x 5ft, roughly 3ft deep.

 

[Steve91]

Not a clue. It's about 8ft x 5ft, roughly 3ft deep.

Google says this is about 900 gallons.

 

[Nevermore44]

So similar to Tula above, I have a 1K pond but I only use a submersible pump (with mesh bag) that feeds to a Sand & Gravel filter in a 55g barrel which then feeding to a shower filter in a 34g barrel next to it. I have (way to many) koi that I feed twice a day, so I end up cleaning my filter every few weeks. My water is crystal clear and parameters are in target. Cleaning just entails pumping air to the bottom and which pushes up all the muck and then essentially "boiling" the top filtering grit later.. releasing everything into the waste water. Once you shut the air off, the grit falls back into place and reforms the "filter pad". It's a great system. Prior to this, I had just been using a pressurized canister filter.. and can say that I hated cleaning the filter pads!

If you are only planning on goldfish, you could probably get away with less of a footprint of filtration then what you have sketched out. My in-laws have a GF pond that is probably 500G and they built a S&G filter from smaller a 33 gallon drum and his water is clear. They only clean their filter once a month.

 

[Steve91]

So similar to Tula above, I have a 1K pond but I only use a submersible pump (with mesh bag) that feeds to a Sand & Gravel filter in a 55g barrel which then feeding to a shower filter in a 34g barrel next to it. I have (way to many) koi that I feed twice a day, so I end up cleaning my filter every few weeks. My water is crystal clear and parameters are in target. Cleaning just entails pumping air to the bottom and which pushes up all the muck and then essentially "boiling" the top filtering grit later.. releasing everything into the waste water. Once you shut the air off, the grit falls back into place and reforms the "filter pad". It's a great system. Prior to this, I had just been using a pressurized canister filter.. and can say that I hated cleaning the filter pads!

If you are only planning on goldfish, you could probably get away with less of a footprint of filtration then what you have sketched out. My in-laws have a GF pond that is probably 500G and they built a S&G filter from smaller a 33 gallon drum and his water is clear. They only clean their filter once a month.

Beautiful design and drawing. I know the system I drew is really overkill, but my goal here is to only have to take out and rinse off the filter pads monthly. Im not too familiar with a sand and gravel system but that seems like more work than filter pads and bioballs. Would sand and gravel be a cheaper approach?

 

[Nevermore44]

Are you just doing goldies?

If so, a S&G filter also acts as a bio filter as well since all the stone media will support bio bugs as well. So you could probably skip your secondary bio ball containers on your size pond.

If I had to choose between cleaning filter pads in a barrel vs running air into a S&G filter.... No questions the S&G is easier and less time consuming by a long shot. It takes me 5 mins to clean my filter and I don't get my hands wet for the most part.

I don't know why it's called a sand and gravel filter really..... it should be called a stone and grit filter.... since no traditional fine sand is even involved. Cost wise compared to what you are thinking of... i couldn't' tell you since I know a lot of people repurpose pads for other uses as koi filter pads. The S&G is just filled with a size gradation of of rocks that you can purchase at at BB store in bags. The top layer of chicken grit or course "sand" was purchased at a Tractor Supply store, though you can get it at other places too. you might just have to look at bit. The main cost in either set up would be the piping fixtures

Here is my set up with the smaller shower filter to the side that's filled with feather rock. I have since painted pipes and buried the waste exhaust pipe to the right.

 

[Steve91]

There are maybe 20 koi in the pond and I'd like to have more just goldfish. Would your set up be insufficient for koi?

 

[Nevermore44]

20 koi! I assume they are all small at this point. They say that an adult koi needs 500-100g per fish alone! I would not look to add any. Post more pics of the pond close up and the fish.

I have 10 small to medium koi in mine and I will be thinning the herd every year as they grow down to maybe 3 to 4.... depending on my water quality.

 

[Mmathis]

There are maybe 20 koi in the pond and I'd like to have more just goldfish. Would your set up be insufficient for koi?

If you can, take a few pics of the fish swimming around in there! Wondering if they are goldfish and not koi. Do they have whiskers (barbels) like a catfish?