koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
thinking of converting a pool sand filter to a bead filter for your pond?
this is how i converted a "Doughboy" sand pool filter to a swirl bed bead filter. now this is biological only this way.
i'll be doing the one on the right next.
first I removed the internal water diverter and cut it down. this is the piece I cut off...
I cut that off so I could install the swirl assembly..
the piece is 1&1/2"diameter, so a 1&1/2" female elbow fits right on. I used a stainless steel screw to mount it. the 2, 90*s are glued together.
the top pictured plumbing piece is the one I cut off, leaving enough for mounting the elbow assembly .
heres the assembly mounted...
this assembly will create the swirl or vortex effect. the bottom pipe receiver in picture is for the upflow output pipe.
this is the upflowing outlet pipe and slotted inlet.
the original slots are thin enough to keep sand from making it thru..snip out some of the framing between them to allow for more flow, and less chance of clogging. this is it with enlarged openings.
notice how thin the tapered slots are. these slots and the having to push the water thru sand is why pool sand filters require higher pressure pumps, no sand, and the larger slots allow pond pumps to function with the filter nicely.
now this pic is the filter reassembled with a piece of light grid on its top to keep the media up and a nice open area around the inlet casing for the output plumbing...
I'm using 1&1/2" biospheres in this one so the grating doesn't need to be cut real exact..if I was K1 or K2 I would have been more exact. but none will get by.
this is the filter with some of the media I will be using...
this media, like K1 is of positive buoyancy. so it will tend to float. but as it gets colonized with bacteria it will become neutrally buoyant and swirl around the filter canister, creating a moving bed. making it semi-self cleaning and aiding in a stronger bacterial colonization.
* NOTE: this is intended as a biological filter only. you could fill the bottom with something like peagravel up to the top of output inlet casing to work as an added static bed, and maybe catch some particulates. but as a bio only filter the water pumped thru should be as mechanically cleaned as possible... thanks for looking. hope it helps.
this is how i converted a "Doughboy" sand pool filter to a swirl bed bead filter. now this is biological only this way.
i'll be doing the one on the right next.
first I removed the internal water diverter and cut it down. this is the piece I cut off...
I cut that off so I could install the swirl assembly..
the piece is 1&1/2"diameter, so a 1&1/2" female elbow fits right on. I used a stainless steel screw to mount it. the 2, 90*s are glued together.
the top pictured plumbing piece is the one I cut off, leaving enough for mounting the elbow assembly .
heres the assembly mounted...
this assembly will create the swirl or vortex effect. the bottom pipe receiver in picture is for the upflow output pipe.
this is the upflowing outlet pipe and slotted inlet.
the original slots are thin enough to keep sand from making it thru..snip out some of the framing between them to allow for more flow, and less chance of clogging. this is it with enlarged openings.
notice how thin the tapered slots are. these slots and the having to push the water thru sand is why pool sand filters require higher pressure pumps, no sand, and the larger slots allow pond pumps to function with the filter nicely.
now this pic is the filter reassembled with a piece of light grid on its top to keep the media up and a nice open area around the inlet casing for the output plumbing...
I'm using 1&1/2" biospheres in this one so the grating doesn't need to be cut real exact..if I was K1 or K2 I would have been more exact. but none will get by.
this is the filter with some of the media I will be using...
this media, like K1 is of positive buoyancy. so it will tend to float. but as it gets colonized with bacteria it will become neutrally buoyant and swirl around the filter canister, creating a moving bed. making it semi-self cleaning and aiding in a stronger bacterial colonization.
* NOTE: this is intended as a biological filter only. you could fill the bottom with something like peagravel up to the top of output inlet casing to work as an added static bed, and maybe catch some particulates. but as a bio only filter the water pumped thru should be as mechanically cleaned as possible... thanks for looking. hope it helps.
Last edited:
