Bio filter help (water flow ?)

[jusluv2ski]

i currently have a 500 gallon pond, with a submersible pump pulling water from a small in-water filter box through the pump, up to a vase that feeds the waterfall pool. i would like to switch this setup and make myself a bio filter. only problem is, it seems they are all gravity fed.

It looks like they all pump water from the pump, to the bottom of the filter. water flows up through the media and gravity takes the "clean" water from the top and sends it to the pond.

How can i do this? i would like to use my existing pump. i could make the filter like it is supposed to be, but i don't see how the water would get back to my waterfall (15ft away, through hose).

any help would be appreciated.

thanks

 

[rebelangel_3733]

My DIYbio filter is like 2 ft from my pond but I would believe you would still have to have your filter higher than your water fall and would have to use a large pvc pipe to get enough pressure out to your waterfall. I had to add on 2" pvc to allow enough water to come out of the filter I made.I posted pics of my system if it helps at all.

 

[rebelangel_3733]

OH also I used a 10 gallon rubbermaid tub and have a 270 gallon pond. Used lava rock at the bottom of tub, grate then fiberfill course and finer on top. All my hose is 3/4" other than the 2" PVC coming out of the filter and I get a great flow for my waterfall. My pump is 800 gph for the waterfall itself. Overkill but I like the flow.

 

[vertigo72]

Why not use the vase? Im assuming its a fairly large one. Just pump the water to the bottom of the vase (or if needed, uses some pipes to force the water to the bottom of the vase), fill the vase with biomedia and you're done.

 

[addy1]

agree vertigo, take the input of the water, use pvc to send the water to the bottom of the vase so it needs to work up though some media

Can you post some pictures? It would help us see what you have.

 

[koiguy1969]

the whole filter need not be higher than the waterfall...just the filter's outlet...500 gal pond, 20-25 gal filter may suffice...BUT..**when it comes to filtration bigger is better.**

 

[koiguy1969]

the longer the water spends in filtration the better..the bigger the filter the more time the water will spend in it.without having to minimize flow rates.. going bigger allows you run a bigger pump and goldfish and koi like a good movement of water in their enviroment. I dont how big your pump is but 15' is adding a bit of head (approximately 1&1/2' of head). 10' of horizontal plumbing is equal to 1' of vertical.
you should figure out your total 'head' and see what your pumps rated at to see if its viable to use that pump, at that distance...you should turn your ponds water volume over about once an hour. to figure head out measure the the distance from the waters surface to the filters inlet..how many feet is it vertical and horizontal..
example:
1' verticle from water to start of horizontal..15' of horizontal run then 3' vertical up to filter inlet is 5&1/2 ' of head...you might find a 1000 gph pump at that head only puts out 400gph or less.

 

[jusluv2ski]

i was going to post a pic last night, but couldn't find one. lucky us, i found it this morning, and here it is (along with my excellent photoshop skills). My vase is small. I added it and all that it is doing is making the end of the hose that was there, a lot better looking. my pump is a 3000gph. using the vase would have been a great idea, but it just isn't big enough.

i was thinking of putting an external filter box buried in the rocks somewhere. my only problem with that was with the "normal" biofilters i wouldn't be able to pump it to the vase. Do you think a bio filter would work if i had an enclosed/sealed external filter box? any ideas as to what to use for this?

i was thinking i need to actually do like the second pic shows. Prefilter to external biofilter, to pump, to vase. do you think this setup would work? i know they say the biofilter needs air, but if i can aerate the water more, would that still be a problem?

we inherited this pond 5 years ago when we bought the house and i like it, but hate cleaning it all summer long. we have about 40-50 fish in it all year round.

thanks for all the info so far though.

 

[vertigo72]

You want to gravity feed the filter? It can be done, but you need a suitable filter and position it correctly (water level). I think a pressure filter is the easier solution. not many here are fans of them (myself included), but if you buy one thats rated for far bigger than your pond actually is, it should work. Then you connect the pump to the the filter, which you can bury if you like, and connect the outflow from the filter to your vase.

 

[jusluv2ski]

no, i do not want to gravity feed the filter. i would like to use the pump to suck the water through the prefilter, into the biofilter. Then out to the vase.

right now, i pump water through the prefilter into the pump and out to the vase. i think i just want to insert the biofilter between my prefilter and pump. doesn't that work? or am i missing something?

 

[koiguy1969]

you want to gravity return, not feed. i beleive this is the way you should go...
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/koiguys-70-gal-skippy-style-filter-t5089.html
you could go with a smaller container ..but bigger is better!

 

[jusluv2ski]

why can i not feed return instead of gravity return? that doesn't seem like it would work the greatest in my setup, without changing everything. i'd like to keep it the same setup.

 

[koiguy1969]

if you want pressure return, you'll need a pressure filter....most here would advise against it! did you look at the link i posted? my filter is the waterfall basin.

 

[vertigo72]

right now, i pump water through the prefilter into the pump and out to the vase. i think i just want to insert the biofilter between my prefilter and pump. doesn't that work? or am i missing something?

That does work, but then you probably want a pressure filter. Thats one thats closed, cant overflow and resists some pressure on the outflow. Most DIY filters that people here prefer, have gravity return, you cant go "up" after that filter, only down. That could also work, but then your DIY biofilter outflow would need to be higher than your vase (or replace it), making it hard to hide. A pressure filter could be buried out of sight, below the vase, because you can build up the pressure needed to go up to the waterfall again.

 

[koiguy1969]

first off...a prefilter goes before your pump. its in the pond underwater..your pump draws the water thru it and it removes solids such as fish waste, debris, etc.. before your pump purees them and sends them to your filter. this keeps your biofilter cleaner and its performance up. also prevents clogging up your pump.