DIY - 2 stage tote filter

[natbla]

Given the economics of the time I had to use exist items mostly to keep down the cost. I'll install this outside once I can dig out behind the current waterfall and add it it to my pond. Here are the parts:

Settling tank -

37 gal tote - blue w/ white lid - free on hand
2 in electrical male/female pvc connector $2.50 Lowes
2 in 90 degree pvc bend - $2 at Home Depot
3 inch electrical male/female connector - $5 Lowes
3 inch PVC tube - $4 Home depot


Biological filter

30 gal tote - blue with blue lid - free had on hand
2- two inch male/femal electrical connectors - $5 Lowes
1 - three inch male/female electrical connectors - $5 - Lowes
1 90 degree 3 inch pvc pipe - $3 at Home Depot
5 upbraided shower scrubbies from big lots ($1.50 each) - $7.50

Other: 1 tube silicone calk - $4.77 walmart
two hole Cutting tool for drill - $15 from Sears

Total cost: $43. 23 ( Used $40 in Sears, Lowes, and Home Depot gift cards for the project)

 

[sissy]

With those kind of totes you may want to double them up because the sides will bulge out and could crack .They are not very thick and if you can get another tote the same size and just cut it so this one fits inside it you will be safer .I had a tote in mine and all I had to do was buy 2 of them and cut the handles off the one and slip it inside the other one and then all I needed was the one lid .The other thing is you want to make sure the water never gets high enough to be near the handles as they have holes in them.For the hose from the pump all I used was 9.98 cent sump pump hose and it even came with one clamp

 

[natbla]

With those kind of totes you may want to double them up because the sides will bulge out and could crack .They are not very thick and if you can get another tote the same size and just cut it so this one fits inside it you will be safer .I had a tote in mine and all I had to do was buy 2 of them and cut the handles off the one and slip it inside the other one and then all I needed was the one lid .The other thing is you want to make sure the water never gets high enough to be near the handles as they have holes in them.For the hose from the pump all I used was 9.98 cent sump pump hose and it even came with one clamp

Once I have a few dollars I'll double the one tot. The larger one is much thicker than the Bio fliter. I've had the tot for a long time so it was frome before rubber maid started thinning the walls. I also filled in the holes on the larger tote. On the smaller one I'm hoping I set the outflow low enough to keep the water below the holes.

 

[sissy]

It may work for awhile but just keep an eye on it .I bought a sump pump vault for mine now and it works great as it has the flat areas to put the tank adapter .Ponds can be expensive and believe me I know what you mean .I even bought cheap harbor freight pumps and have been using them for years now and got the warranty for a few extra dollars is worth it .I try to check out local auctions on auction zip.com and I have gotten some great deals .You can get cheaper stuff at northern tool also .All my rocks I got free by just looking for some on my own property and others out on my treasure hunts around the area .Well not free when the truck uses gas .

 

[oldmarine]

Given the economics of the time I had to use exist items mostly to keep down the cost. I'll install this outside once I can dig out behind the current waterfall and add it it to my pond. Here are the parts:

Settling tank -

37 gal tote - blue w/ white lid - free on hand
2 in electrical male/female pvc connector $2.50 Lowes
2 in 90 degree pvc bend - $2 at Home Depot
3 inch electrical male/female connector - $5 Lowes
3 inch PVC tube - $4 Home depot


Biological filter

30 gal tote - blue with blue lid - free had on hand
2- two inch male/femal electrical connectors - $5 Lowes
1 - three inch male/female electrical connectors - $5 - Lowes
1 90 degree 3 inch pvc pipe - $3 at Home Depot
5 upbraided shower scrubbies from big lots ($1.50 each) - $7.50

Other: 1 tube silicone calk - $4.77 walmart
two hole Cutting tool for drill - $15 from Sears

Total cost: $43. 23 ( Used $40 in Sears, Lowes, and Home Depot gift cards for the project)

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I made a DIY filter simular to that idea for my 265 gallon pond in my back yard. It still works great after three years.

 

[sissy]

hey congrats on your wife hanging in there and how is mr buttons .

 

[natbla]

We'll I did the install today. Its a taller waterfall. I still need to go get more stones, as I ran out of them. I filled up the two chambers with water to sit for 3 days and let the chlorine evaporate some. I turned on the bubblers in the bio filter to help agitate out chemicals from the tap water as well.

Unfortunately, the settling tank (back tank), as a leak around the intake. I dropped it on the concrete pad when I went carry it over for installation, and popped the silicone caulk I used to seal it. Its leaked 1/2 the tank full in 1 hr. My plan is to let it drain out and then tomorrow use roofing cement to seal it up again on the outside. How does that sound for a solution?

Once that's fixed, and I refill it, I'll let everything sit for three days, then trow in the bio balls and one of the mechanical filters from the current box filter into the biofilter to start growing in the bio filter. I'll turn the whole thing on next weekend once I hook the pump up to the hose I'm using. Its too long now, but once I get time to build a new pond up the hill, I think it should be the right length.

You can see by the firts picture, I'll need to come up a couple rows above the bio filter, and then build the walls around to the back. Its working well, I am considering filling in behind the wall so that I can hide the filters under large flat rocks.

 

[sissy]

Heat the silicone up with a hair dryer set on high heat and it will seal back up in most cases .I had a leak in mine this spring and did not want to take the whole thing apart and tried the hair dryer to heat it up and it sealed itself back up .I have to ask you about the grey connectors are they screw together as I could not find them at my home depot or even at lowes .I know they are electrical connectors but mine only had glue together ones like that .

 

[sissy]

Is that a pool hose and how is it working out .I got a roll of it unused from friends who took there pool out and a bunch of fittings yesterday and was thinking about how to use them on my pond .I got a large box of stuff from there pool take down even the liner .They recycled the metal parts and made good money but the rest they were going to take to the dump and I told them leave the stuff here I may be able to use some of it .Forever the recycler here ,there garbage my so called treasure .Well maybe

 

[koiguy1969]

sissy,,,those gray "bulkhead style" connectors are for electrical pvc conduit...Lowes and Home Depot both have them, but in the electrical dept.

 

[sissy]

I did look in electrical but the ones I found are glue together and not threaded .Those look like there threaded and I asked one guy in that department and he just looked at me like I was nuts .They should have more knowledge but they never do .

 

[natbla]

Is that a pool hose and how is it working out .I got a roll of it unused from friends who took there pool out and a bunch of fittings yesterday and was thinking about how to use them on my pond .I got a large box of stuff from there pool take down even the liner .They recycled the metal parts and made good money but the rest they were going to take to the dump and I told them leave the stuff here I may be able to use some of it .Forever the recycler here ,there garbage my so called treasure .Well maybe

Yes that is a pool hose, I'm not sure how it will work. I used it to drain the settling tank and one end has a small leak so I just got back from Tractor supply where I picked up an adapter that will let me seal the end better. That hose is 5 years old so I figure its a short term fix.

That grey coupling is a screw on I got at home depot, it was also available at Lowe's here too. A closer look shows I did't get it tight enough. I can't get it tighter so I'm going to pick up some marine goop today to seal it on the inside, and wet roofing cement to use on the outside.

 

[koiguy1969]

dont keep adding goop if you can avoid it.. get some of your extra pond liner and cut some gaskets, or some pliable plastic.

 

[sissy]

I saw the pic when you first posted and looked in lowes and home depot and they did not have it here or it was out of stock and they did not fill the spoy it should have been in and that seems to be normal for here .I went to the electrical supply house but by the time I got there they were closed .Still can't understand why they close at 3 o'clock ,makes no sense to me and they are only open 4 days a week .Same thing at the plumbing supply store closed and they wonder why they loose business .I should have tried the pool supply stores but did not think of them until I saw your hose .Went through the box of pool stuff but nothing like it in there either .gosh raining again .They sell rubber washers in all sizes also

 

[natbla]

dont keep adding goop if you can avoid it.. get some of your extra pond liner and cut some gaskets, or some pliable plastic.

I can't get the bulkhead apart to put a gasket on it. So I figured that I would use a marine grade liquid gasket and sealant. I wanted to do the gasket but couldn't get it apart or tighter.