DIY 'Pond-arium' (small pond) bio-filter

[Chrysalis~]

Hey all,

Being a total noob I just realized I need bio-filtration (thanks Koikeepr) and being a total noob I thought I'd stage my project in a thread so you guys can alert me if I'm missing anything. I DO believe I'll have a few questions. Yep...here they come now. LOL I've aquired an 8 gallon canister from on old film processor. It's very hardy, not like some of the plastic products you get from the store. Let the questions begin:

Cleaning used containers.
This particular container held film developer. It's a non-toxic chemical, the recommended disposal is down the drain. How should I clean and prepare it for use as a filter? Do you guys ever bleach pond gear?

Container Media Ratio.
These canister filters have a space at the bottom for the intoduction and dispersal of water. Above this, the media. Is there any reason for reserving a larager portion of space for this water area? It stands to reason that the more media space you have the more effective the filter will be. I'm thinking about maximizing my media area and minimizing the base column water area. Any thoughts?

Media type.
Nylon dish scrubbers, scotch brite pads, what's the favorite?

Using glues in the construction of filters.
I'm thinking of using a glue to create the media platform. The reason for this is the small size of the filter. If I put it on legs, the legs will be space hogs in the water area and might inhibit circulation. Glues yes? No? Types?

Piping size.
It seems to me that the level of flow through a bio filter must be critical. I'm guessing the critters need to be able to set up camp and if the water is moving too fast they'll be impaired. Is this right? If it's too slow the filter just wont work well. Because my pond and filter are so small, I have to use a small pump. I think the small pumps are going to have a half inch in and out. I was thinking about using larger than half for all the piping and reducing down in and out of the pump. That way the pump could be blasting away but the larger piping would slow the flow through the filter. Does this line of thinking make any sense?

I plan to have the intake on the opposite end of the pond than the filter, the waterfall end and put the pump behind Buddha Boy somewhere so there's maximum travel between the pump and the filter.

I think that's all I got for now. Thanks for any help!

 

[koikeepr]

Yes, you would use a 10% bleach solution to clean it a bunch of times. Give it a good scrubbing.

What are the overall dimensions of this container, please? I think you will need to cut off the top of it with a jigsaw. It will be very hard to get mechanical media in/out of that round hole like a sponge.

With regard to media, you need two types: bio and mechanical. The mechanical media will be used to trap the gunk. Should be a sponge, and preferably something that you can get in and out easily and rinse. Then you also need bio media, such as strapping or other such thing (you will find lots of ideas when you search the forums) to grow beneficial bacteria from.

Not sure what you mean by using gglue as your media platform. You simply create a little stand out of PVC, and it's handy because you can take it in and out to clean it, etc. I don't see what kinda glue would be able to hold up media long term under water. Plus, it has to be fish safe. I think you're trying to avoid cutting the top of the thing, so you are looking for alternatives.

I would use at least 1" pipe. Anything smaller and you won't get good flow-through and you risk stuff getting stuck in the pipe.

 

[Chrysalis~]

Hi koikeepr,

The tank dimensions are 9x13x17.5h. It has graduation markings that indicate it holds 30 liters (8 gal)

You're right I don't want to cut it. the 7" porthole is adequate to get just about anything in and out of it. I'll make the shelf out of bendable plastic so I can 'fold' it to get it in or hinge two rigid pieces.

I'll forget the glue idea and build a pvc platform I can easily snap together inside the tank.

I'll search the forum to see what I need for pump type and capacity. If I use 1' piping, will the pump have to have 1" ports or can I reduce okay?

Has anyone built such a small filter here before?

 

[jason081180]

you could build something like this. its small. it does use all mechanical filter but the gunk will be stopped by the first bit and then the rest will be the bio.

[ame="[MEDIA=youtube]NgZWOXOonZo[/MEDIA]"]DIY Pond Filter[/ame]


as far a flow rate take your filter size/ pump flow rate * 60 to get the amount of time the water will stay in your filter. (8/pump flow)*60=time in filter. the longer the more time the bio has to work. but it has to be enough to keep the pond turn over rate correct. a good time would be between 2 and 5 min.

 

[Chrysalis~]

Thanks guys, I think I have a direction. If I'm understanding you Jason, your estimating that I need a 'dwell' time of 2-5 minutes. That being the time it takes for water to enter and then exit the filter. That equates to a flow of about 100gph so I'll target a pump capable of that. I may just get another 210 and turn it down.

Last question before I put it together, do I need to seed the media with a bacteria product and if so, what do you recommend? I think I'm going with nylon dish scrubbies atop filter panels.

Anyway, it'll be better than what I have now. Thanks.

 

[koikeepr]

you don't need to buy bacteria in a jar, you can wait the 6-8 weeks for bacteria to naturally occur. There are many people that don't believe in the efficacy of bacteria in a jar and feel that it is an outright scam. There are those that believe in it wholeheartedly.

 

[Chrysalis~]

I've pretty much wrapped this up.

I built a simple table with plastic pipe and topped it with two layers of coarse furnace filter, one later of fine A/C filter and 25 shower scrubbies as pictured. As you can see I constructed the intake with dual-directional dispersal. Even though the tank isn't round I think it'll mix it up to a degree.

Because my pond is so small and because it's under cover, I went ahead and used a second 210gph pump with half inch tubing. It moves enough water and the biggest thing in my pond is going to be fish dung and string algae.

Clearly the 8 gal tank doesn't have a bottom drain, it's small enough to lift and dump. I rather like the partial bury thing I got going on so I may build a pond vac like I've heard talked about and just pump the water out when needed.

I had the flow going slower so I had a dwell time of about 4 minutes. When I turned it up, the fish responded by 'playing' in the increased underwater current the return was making. They seem to like a vigorous flow, schooled into it and hovered. I thought about using an old vacuum clearer attachement to attach to the return so it 'curtains' back into the pond for maximum aeration but after seeing the fish play in the stream I may just leave it.

Any warnings, recommendations of suggestions?

 

[Chrysalis~]

Here's the view that shows the partial bury I mentioned.

 

[koikeepr]

good for you!

There is no reason why you can't give it more flow for your fish to enjoy. Bacteria are very good at hanging on--unless it's Niagra Falls. So, by all means speed it up.

 

[Chrysalis~]

Thanks kk. I'm learning as I go.

Ya know...I gotta mention this and most of you know it already but the more you love your fish, the more they love you back. These are not stupid creatures! They respond behaviorally to gestures. They say thank you when you entreat them. Amazing!

The world story says that they're different from a cat or dog, that they're less aware or conscious. I see just the opposite of that even being brand new. They aren't carnival toss aways, they're intelligent and very sensitive. How does the greater populace miss that about them?

 

[koikeepr]

I agree with you 100%, Chrysalis. We've recently done a post on this very discussion, our fish recognize us, wait for food, come for affection, etc.

This is exactly what drives me crazy about some pond keepers. They will say, I never feed the fish and they sustain themselves with whatever falls into the pond. I say, would you not feed a dog or a cat and hope it snags a meal if something falls off the dinner table?

Others say they have no filtration and their fish do fine in pea green soup because it's "natural". Goldfish are certainly resililient, indeed. But our ponds are captured bodies of water. Would you allow you child to bathe in a bathtub that you never pulled the drain on and the water just kept getting murkier and murkier? No.

The last one is when some folks are having trouble maintaining proper water parameters (prob because of the reason above), and then they say that they will just buy new fish if the current ones don't surive. I mean, it's an animal--it may not be furry so that you can pet, it may not crawl into your lap to sleep, but, gosh, it's a living creature! It pains me to no end to lose a fish.

I'm not some animal rights, freak, but, I do believe in animals (or any living being) being treated approrpriately if you are going to keep them in your home.

 

[jason081180]

I'm glad to see your filter working. is it making a difference in the water?

 

[DrCase]

You did a nice neat job on the filter

 

[Chrysalis~]

Thank you DrCase. I'm confident the filter is working well Jason. I seem to believe I'm noticing a difference in the appearance of the water, though I'm sure the difference is in my mind as it hasn't been long enough to do anything. I guess it's not a bad thing to see a positive change in the mind first, I hear that's where we create our experience. :bouncycig: It looks like it's clearing even now.

I think I have another question. When I go to clean this filter out, I suspect I should fill a bucket with pond water, gently remove my shower scrubbie, bacteria pods to said bucket in order to access the sludge filters below, disturbing them as little as possible. Once the gunk is cleared from the filter area, refill the canister with pond water and again, gently returning the 'cultures' back. Seems I read that somewhere.

Am I thinking clearly here? Do any of you have recommendations for me after seeing this filter?

 

[Chrysalis~]

Hey koikeepr, as I watch my new little fish friends I have to conclude that they have more 'personality' than the average cat. My Comet washes it's face in the new filter-fall. This fish raises it's whole body out of the water an inch with it's face in the above surface stream, moves it's head back and forth like when I rinse the shampoo our of my hair and also opens it's mouth and gets some kind of oral wash. It's captivating to watch.

The way the fish match each other and school, they don't hold a grudge. They abide in the now moment in perfect flow. They're teaching me as I watch them. Simply delightful!