You will regret using lava rock unless you don't mind the extra work to clean them.
How Would You Filter It?
- Thread starter clemsonguy1125
- Start date
How much extra work is it? I figured Id get 8 bags with 4 in at a time and after the bacteria builds up on the first 4 replace 1 every week, rinse out the old one a soaking in a bucket. Media of scrubbies would cost about 40 bucks for enough to fill a 20 gallon tub. This will cost about 6 bucks. I pmed koiguy about where he bought his scrubbies, sounded like he got them cheap. Would you suggest not using the sponge type ones. You made some mention of them on your website. And is the only difference between yours and the skippy the media.
clemsonguy1125 said:
The Skippy, which the inventors of, claim that the 55 gallon drums don't work. So by definition, there is no such thing as a 55 gallon drum Skippy Filter.
That said, the 55 gallon drum Doc Filter which does not use scrubbies can be built for less than $50 not counting the drum. Many get them free, some pay for them, so I leave them out of the equation.
I have used plastic fencing in mine the past 2 years and the results are commendable. Water is crystal clear, nitrates and nitrites 0 and it takes only seconds to clean it without getting your hands wet.
So judge for yourself what costs more, is more difficult to clean and what works without those inconveiniences.
Thanks, main difference seems to be the medi and container. I really like the doc filter but I can't get clean 55 gallon drums around here. So I'm between a trash can with fencing or strapping and a flower pot and scrubbies, all the decently priced trash cans seem flimsy and immafraid they willmcollapse when filled.
sissy
sissy
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go with rubbermaid commercial quality they are a lot heavier duty .If you can get it so the lid fits tightly it is better as I put an air line hose in my filters .The air pump I bought at petco and was less than 30 dollars and has 4 outlets and is for a fish tank so you have to protect it from weather .I use a flower pot up side down but set it on a 2x6 to let air circulate to the air pump.This way the pot is not setting flat and I use a flat stone on top to weigh it down.Tractor supply and places that sell commercial have heavy duty rubbermaid
Heres th final plan-
Doc style BioFilter
Poultry netting media
Problem is I cant find a container for the life of me.
I need either a 15-20 gallon flower pot or 15-20 gallon barrel, any ideas where to buy one.
Doc style BioFilter
Poultry netting media
Problem is I cant find a container for the life of me.
I need either a 15-20 gallon flower pot or 15-20 gallon barrel, any ideas where to buy one.
sissy
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have you tried places like tractor supply or your local paper seems there are selling a lot of them here .says in my paper they where pickle barrels for the food service( heck of a lot of pickles) .I got mine for rain barrels at my local flea market
also do you have the piedmont shopper down there as I know they are in NC they usually have them listed for 5 or 10 dollars they have online paper too
also do you have the piedmont shopper down there as I know they are in NC they usually have them listed for 5 or 10 dollars they have online paper too
Thanks for the leads, would a pickle barrel be safe for my fish?
sissy
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just make sure it was not used for any type of chemicals and that you clean it well .Use peroxide to clean it as I find that is the best even with what I used and it was new I still cleaned it well
pickles are done with a brine and would seem safe .Thats what 2 of my neighbors used and we soaked them good inside and even out with peroxide and then filled them with salt water to soak too
of course lowes and home depot sell heavy duty ones like brute and heavier rubbermaid ones all the same
just be careful in moving it you do not crack it and clean it too you never know .With my first one I had a small one and doubled it up by cutting the top off and putting the other one inside the cut one safer that way
I used an 18 gallon tote this time on 1 of my filters and still doubled it up and a plantainer for my other filter and doubled that too .You never know and better to be safe than sorry .I guess thats just me thinking the worst could happen and with my luck it would LOL
I find rubbermaid is tough but you could still cut one and put the cut one under the whole one to make sure it does not crack and that way you have double protection .Better to be safe than sorry .
tank adapter if you have a tractor supply near you they have those .
funny I use them to hold plants in and they are 3 years old you can see them here they used to be yellow but remember you will have no top on it and things could fall in them .Have you got a commercial supply store near you they sell heavier duty stuff for offices and factories The pic show them there are 3 of them
Iused 2 spray bars in my other filter this is the pond as I was redoing it and now has 2 filters
I have 2 falls now 1 on the corner at the other end and this one I will grow plants in the top of this filter
pickles are done with a brine and would seem safe .Thats what 2 of my neighbors used and we soaked them good inside and even out with peroxide and then filled them with salt water to soak too
of course lowes and home depot sell heavy duty ones like brute and heavier rubbermaid ones all the same
just be careful in moving it you do not crack it and clean it too you never know .With my first one I had a small one and doubled it up by cutting the top off and putting the other one inside the cut one safer that way
I used an 18 gallon tote this time on 1 of my filters and still doubled it up and a plantainer for my other filter and doubled that too .You never know and better to be safe than sorry .I guess thats just me thinking the worst could happen and with my luck it would LOL
I find rubbermaid is tough but you could still cut one and put the cut one under the whole one to make sure it does not crack and that way you have double protection .Better to be safe than sorry .
tank adapter if you have a tractor supply near you they have those .
funny I use them to hold plants in and they are 3 years old you can see them here they used to be yellow but remember you will have no top on it and things could fall in them .Have you got a commercial supply store near you they sell heavier duty stuff for offices and factories The pic show them there are 3 of them
Iused 2 spray bars in my other filter this is the pond as I was redoing it and now has 2 filters
I have 2 falls now 1 on the corner at the other end and this one I will grow plants in the top of this filter
Attachments
Piedmont shopper seems to be mainly in Virginia, do you think a trash can would work
http://www.homedepot.com/Cleaning-T...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
This looks good, only thing is one person said the newer ones crack easier but itll be in the corner untouched, in the winter I may shut it down, depends if the catfish goes into brumation.
This looks good, only thing is one person said the newer ones crack easier but itll be in the corner untouched, in the winter I may shut it down, depends if the catfish goes into brumation.
Or one of these filled with media and a spray bar over that.
I went to clean out the pond and found this brown and white gunk growing on the filter cage, I wonder if I left a dead goldfish in over the winter by accident, would you drain and refill the pond or what.