New to ponds but not to aquariums. Been keeping aquariums for years now. And i always build my filters. Now planning on building a small above ground pond. 10'x5'x33" so a little over 1000 gallons. Thinking about stocking it with Shubunkin goldfish. But leaning more towards albino channel catfish and US native fish. I have a few plans drawn out using 2 55 gallon barrels. And i wanted everyone's opinion. No deep digging with this build so not using a bottom drain. Maybe ill use a retro bottom drain. If not i was thinking of using the Oase Aquamax 3000 with the Oase satellite filter or skimmer. But also looked at the Aquascape Aquasurge. I have a few filter plans. First barrel will be mechanical filtration. The second a moving bed filter.
The first plan was to pump the water to the bottom of the fist barrel then have the water flow through filter brushes, Matala green and blue filters. One of each or maybe two of each. Or flipping it having the sponges on the bottom and brushes on top. Then the water will flow into the second barrel which is a moving bed filter, then back into the pond.
The second was to pump the water to the top of the first barrel having the water flow through skimmer baskets or filter socks, through filter brushes, then to the second barrel. My second barrel is going to be a moving bed filter. Not changing that. The baskets and socks would be easy to clean out. They'll hopefully catch alot of the crude and large trash that comes from the pump. Then i could just pull them out, rinse them out, then reinstall them. If the work well i wouldnt have to pull the filter brushes out to often.
The third plan is similar to the second but instead of skimmer baskets or filter socks, the water will flow over Matala filters.
The fourth is to have Matala filters on the top sitting over bio balls. I like the idea of the round Matala filters cause they are made for barrels. If they work great and are easy to clean i would pull them out wash them and run an air hose to the bottom of the barrel to churn the bio balls then drain it.
Only planned on using two barrels to save space. Didn't want the filters being wider then the pond. Although i could probably have the barrels run the length of the pond instead. Then i could do three barrels. And i could view the pond from three sides. But still thinking.
Some of my plans use both filter brushes and Matala filters. I dont know how well they work. Dont know if i should use both or if one works better then the other and not need both types. But the more the marrier right?
The first plan was to pump the water to the bottom of the fist barrel then have the water flow through filter brushes, Matala green and blue filters. One of each or maybe two of each. Or flipping it having the sponges on the bottom and brushes on top. Then the water will flow into the second barrel which is a moving bed filter, then back into the pond.
The second was to pump the water to the top of the first barrel having the water flow through skimmer baskets or filter socks, through filter brushes, then to the second barrel. My second barrel is going to be a moving bed filter. Not changing that. The baskets and socks would be easy to clean out. They'll hopefully catch alot of the crude and large trash that comes from the pump. Then i could just pull them out, rinse them out, then reinstall them. If the work well i wouldnt have to pull the filter brushes out to often.
The third plan is similar to the second but instead of skimmer baskets or filter socks, the water will flow over Matala filters.
The fourth is to have Matala filters on the top sitting over bio balls. I like the idea of the round Matala filters cause they are made for barrels. If they work great and are easy to clean i would pull them out wash them and run an air hose to the bottom of the barrel to churn the bio balls then drain it.
Only planned on using two barrels to save space. Didn't want the filters being wider then the pond. Although i could probably have the barrels run the length of the pond instead. Then i could do three barrels. And i could view the pond from three sides. But still thinking.
Some of my plans use both filter brushes and Matala filters. I dont know how well they work. Dont know if i should use both or if one works better then the other and not need both types. But the more the marrier right?
