I like the filter media in the 1st barrel. I wonder if you could use toilet brushes from the dollar store.
filter media
- Thread starter Oldhead
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Sure, why not. Toilet brushes might not last too long if made with chromed steel instead of stainless steel or plastic. And if you could find the shape you wanted.
j.w
I Love my Goldies
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Looks like quite the nice set up he made and yes as he said it must have been a lot of work. I don't see why plastic toilet brushes wouldn't work.........you can get them in the long brush style.
they would seem to be very easy to clean
stroppy
stroppy
looking very good oldhead 
sissy
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gosh you will make a shortage of toilet bowl brushes .Better buy mine now to clean my pond and my toilet bowl
I would like to recommend to anyone who is fabricating a filter system using HDPE barrels to do one thing when cutting the tops off the barrels.
Don't remove the upper, hard rim around the top of the barrel. Cut and remove the flat portion of the barrel top "inside" the perimeter of the barrel rim. You can just use a good jig-saw to make your way around the perimeter and avoid the first ridgeline inside by setting the depth of the blade short. That outer rim provides a great deal of structural integrity to the barrel and will help it maintain it's cylindrical shape over time. If you cut the entire top away, including the upper rim, the barrel will, over time, collapse or buckle in from the sides. This may take several years and it isn't all that critical, but there is no need to do it in the first place. The sides can fold in quite a bit over time.
Gordy
Don't remove the upper, hard rim around the top of the barrel. Cut and remove the flat portion of the barrel top "inside" the perimeter of the barrel rim. You can just use a good jig-saw to make your way around the perimeter and avoid the first ridgeline inside by setting the depth of the blade short. That outer rim provides a great deal of structural integrity to the barrel and will help it maintain it's cylindrical shape over time. If you cut the entire top away, including the upper rim, the barrel will, over time, collapse or buckle in from the sides. This may take several years and it isn't all that critical, but there is no need to do it in the first place. The sides can fold in quite a bit over time.
Gordy
sissy
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True gordy as that is what my neighbors did and the deer ran the filter down trying to get away and I feel if they had not cut the lip away the barrel it may not have split like it did .They lived and learned .
I'll third Gordy's suggestion.
For anyone that thinks that is my filter its not. I was just wondering about the brushes being a good media. I also left the rim on my barrels. I actually had one without the rim and they do egg at the top.
sissy
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Thats a nice idea to hide the tanks too .Makes them look neater
Oldhead,
I hadn't assumed that the video was of your own filter system. It was just my observation of the barrels in the video that made me take notice. My PC and internet connection is kinda messed up lately (really bogging down), so it takes a long time for the videos to buffer and load up. So, while I was waiting, I was just looking at the barrels.
I am not sure about the toilet brushes or bathroom brushes for the media though. I think there are better possibilites. One that comes to mind is the all plastic, ladies hair rollers. I think these would be good as they would be inexpensive and have lots of open flow. But, I also like the "bristles" from the brushes for media. I am thinking that the plastic boughs from a Christmas Tree would be excellent (those without wire).
Gordy.
sissy
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The only thing is they may break down fast .Even toilet bowl brushes will break down faster because of the new EPA standards for plastic it is not made to hold up as long and most are made from recycled plastic that is not made to hold up as long .I was reading on the EPA sight how they are making some plastic things so these days break down faster in land fills.Can't blame them for wanting them to break down faster .Recycled things are made weaker when they are recycled .processing actually causes this to happen .
Sissy,
Very good point. And we are trying to use them in an environment / application that might even be accelerating the decomposition process.
Gordy
Very good point. And we are trying to use them in an environment / application that might even be accelerating the decomposition process.
Gordy
The one thing I was impressed with was the rolled up deer fence I have in my 1st barrel. Couldn't believe the sludge build up it had.