Filter Questions/Opinions

[JayJeep]

I'm going to build a doc filter for my pond. I have decided to use a 20 gal trash can that I got from home depot. I recently read a thread about someone else who used a trash can but suggested that it was not strong enough. I'm wondering if I partially bury the can and build up a hill around the trash can if it will provide enough pressure on the sides to prevent bulging.

What are others opinions on this? Also, rubbermaid has a Brute can at home depot that looks stronger. Anybody use one of those before?

I'm also wonder how large to make the overflow output? 2"? I think the input will be around 1" because I have some laying around.

Thoughts?

TIA
Jason

 

[addy1]

The tougher the can the better, burying it will help the dirt will help hold in the walls.

What is the pipe feed from your pump? You would not want to reduce it. 2 inches coming out will help with the flush job.

 

[JayJeep]

I don't have the new pump yet. Hopefully, coming today, its a Laguna Maxflo 900 and I don't know what it has for an output size. So i'll have a 2" dump/flush drain near the bottom but what size should I use for the overflow to the pond/waterfall? should that be 2" as well?

I see on the doc bio filter page he used 3/4" for the inflow??

 

[addy1]

I have not really looked at the thread, did build a filter sort of, following fishin's build. Making mine to be a pond vac. My input is 2 inches, output 2 inches, just back to pond and bottom drain 2 inches.

Stuffing it with fine filters to catch the muck when I vacuum.

If your pump is 1 inch use 1 if 1.5 use 1.5 etc.

I would have the outflow be 2 inches .

 

[JayJeep]

Thanks, that's kinda what I was planning on doing for pipe sizes. Now I just have to figure out how to build the bulkhead for the drain and overflow. Can anybody point me in the right direction?

 

[fishin4cars]

I would go 2" output, 3/4 or 1" for the input with that size pump should be fine. I would recommend using at minimal a HEAVY DUTY Brute can and the larger the better, 20 gallon will not work as well as a 35 gallon. The 20 gallon limits so much that is needed for the swirl in the bottom, and if you lift the bottom grating to get more swirl action then you have little room for the Bio-material. Before buying a can try going to a car wash and see if they have the plastic barrels. I got them for free and honestly they work far better than the trash can does! I found two sizes at the carwash, one 35 gallon one 55 gallon. Just be sure and rinse, clean, scrub, rinse, fill with water and let sit for a hour or two dump the water out and rinse again. MAKE SURE IT IS WELL CLEANED AND RINSED! LOL They will hold up far better in the winter and the botton is flat which greatly helps when it comes time to backflush out.

 

[addy1]

Use shower drains you can buy at home depot for the bulkhead if you wish, they have two inch slip fits. Just need to seal well.

 

[JayJeep]

Thanks for the input. The reason I didn't get the heavy duty brute can was because of the funky shape on the bottom. I also don't keep my fish outdoors in the winter so I was draining my filter anyway.

The reason I picked the can was because it was shorter, thus easier to hide. I really don't have room for a big 55 gallon barrel in my yard and will have trouble trying to hide it. My pond is pretty small and I only have 3 goldfish right now.

Now I am unsure about what I'm going to use. Might just use the cheap garbage can for now until I can get something else.

 

[addy1]

No harm in doing that, anything is better than nothing

 

[JayJeep]

That's what I'm going for right now. I need a bigger filter asap and I also am only planning to stay at this house for another year and a half. We are quickly out growing the house and small yard. So, I won't be too disappointed if I have to leave the filter behind when I move.

 

[fishin4cars]

By what you posting, be sure and check out the skippy filter design. That's been built more on a stock tank and lower profile design. Height is one of the factors that helps makes the 55 gallon type filters work so well, The shorter you go the less efficient and the more modifications may need to be made. Not that a shorter can won't work it will but Going more toward the skippy design it would be easier to hide, and still have the benefits of being able to install back flush capability, good bio-filter, easy to adapt to semi bog by adding floating plants in the top, and can be added as part of a water fall very easily. It doesn't use the swirling method of waste removal, so the more of the larger debris that can be caught before it gets the skippy filter the better it would function.

 

[JayJeep]

Getting ride of the large debri was the main problem with my current filter, that's why the doc type filter was so appealing. The trash can I have now is pretty tall, just not as tall as a 55 and not as wide.

Just looking on the internet, the can is about 2 ft tall. Would 4-6" be good for the swirl area and then that leaves 18-20" for the filter media and plumbing? Plus the garbage can gets wider as you reach the top so that helps too.

How tall is a 55 gallon barrel?

 

[fishin4cars]

I did 6" I think in the trash can and it didn't catch much at all. I went to 7" and rasied the swirler right to the bottom of the grating and got three to five times the amount when I back flush in the 35 gallon barrel. I'm wanting to try a 55 gallon and actually move the swirler pipe up to 12" and make a smaller area for the bio-media. I personally think that getting the swiler up higher off the bottom actually helps the bigger stuff to settle faster/better. I also want to do one like the original DOC filter with the fencing material and No modifications to compare the two side by side to see which traps more. Both ways work. No doubt. But having one on one pond and one on another there is no way to determine which design actually has the best overall performance. I fill like the way I designed will remove finer particles, but a issue I can see happening in the future at some point is channeling as the Bio build and soem clogging could take place. With the fencing material in The Dr. Dave filter clogging can't happen, no way for it to clog but then which is removing more??? I would like to know just out of curiosity. For sure the flat botton allows a cleaner sweep when a back flush is done. In the trash can it would not sweep as well between the grooves in the bottom, Oh and also, The strainer on the bottom of my original build didn't work well, As suggested to me, open bottom worked far better.

 

[markd]

For my small pond I cut a plastic 55 gallon drum down- took about a foot off the top.
Still playing with it- fishin- I like your idea of raising the swirler- I think I might try that, mine is mid-way down my clear area, it could be right up at the grating.

 

[ponderpaul]

"if I partially bury the can and build up a hill around the trash can if it will provide enough pressure on the sides to prevent bulging."
I used a 15(?) gal plastic storage tub buried in this fashion as a filter/pump box for 2 1/2 years ----- no problems with the structural intergity of the container