Homemade Filter

[koiguy1969]

so you want to slide a trash can inside a trash can the inside trash can is a solids filter and the bottom can is biological...its top fed from a spray bar thru the upper or inside can to the bottom can and out the bottom port. using like a 20 gal top can and a 30 gal bottom can?
i admire your creative spirit but i think the 2 cans would be better utilized as seperate upflow filters.. but thats just me...

 

[DrDave]

I agree, the two together are a clogg waiting to happen.

 

[koikeepr]

instead of a can, perhaps you can use a laundry basket that has lots of holes/slits?

 

[ZmanArt007]

i admire your creative spirit but i think the 2 cans would be better utilized as seperate upflow filters.. but thats just me...

I don't know what you mean...


BTW
When I say holes drilled in, I mean 1" or bigger in diameter. If that makes a difference?

 

[DrCase]

How do you clean a filter like that Zman ?

 

[ZmanArt007]

Well, I didn't show it in the model, but attached to the lower can will be a male garden hose end with a valve. For weekly/biweekly cleaning, I will simplely attache a hose to drain it while turning on another garden hose with a sprayer and spraying through the top. For more complete cleaning, I will find a way to make the inlet pipe removeable and then take the upper can completely out.

 

[koiguy1969]

cleaning your filter with the hose is not recommended... you will killing and / or removing the bacterial colony from the media... this is not a good thing!!! cleaning it that way you'll never build a colony large enough to get your filter working at its potential...

 

[DrCase]

It would be better to just pour pond water in the filter to flush it out

 

[koikeepr]

right let your pump continue to pump water into the filter while you are flushing it at the bottom. That way you can avoid the buckets, but you are using pond water to flush your media.

Then you add water with the hose back into your pond with the proper water conditioner product to rid the new water of any nasty stuff that will kill your fish.

 

[koiguy1969]

theres no need to dechlorinate unless your doing a water change over 10% the level of chlorine or chloramine will be so dilute that it will pose no threat to your pond inhabitants.(do not rush refilling). and pouring the water thru the filter will do a better job of flushing due to the fact you can pour it quicker than your pump can pump it and its the faster water movement that will do the rinsing.. and your flush valve should be atleast 1&1/2".., 2" would be better yet, a garden hose wont be adequate for a proper flush flow.

 

[DrDave]

Koiguy is right on. I have never added anything with a 10% water change. And anything less than 2", in my opinion will not provide a good flush. Think about it, your toilet has a 4" drain... That is over 400% more than 2".

 

[koikeepr]

yes, if you are just flushing the barrel you do not need to dechlor. When I flush my barrel, I usually do a 25-30% water change at the same time to kill two birds with one stone. In that case you would use dechlor (unless you are on well water that has good parameters).