Maximum surface area for the $$$?

[SquidLab]

I converted a pool into a pond. It is about 7770 gallons. I converted a 55 gal drum into a filter and I am trying to find affordable media. K1 media is way too expensive for what it is and I don't want to buy plastic, if I use plastic it needs to be recycled. I was going to use lava rocks but I read that they do not even compare to pea gravel but I really doubt that, Does anyone know for sure? what about fishing line? or floor scrubber pads, I'm worried about the chemicals used on them. Also, why does everyone say sand is a bad bio-media? If it is fluidized would it be the best? I wonder if a bunch of shredded plastic soda bottles would do the trick, anyone try that?

Side question, I want to grow some grasses on floating screen mats, what uses the most waste?

Thank you.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome.

An upflow bog with PVC pipe used as a water distribution manifold — covered by pea gravel, and planted with water-loving plants. That’s the best filtration you can use. Lots of posts on here about bogs.

I’m between ponds at the moment, so am still using my Skippy filter, but my bio media is a combination of: cut up PVC pipe; Matalla mats and cut up Matalla mats; cut up garden soaker hose; bioballs; and various and sundry pieces of plastic. The main things to consider when choosing bio media are 1) surface area, and 2) how well the water can flow over, around, under, and through the media. You need surface area for the beneficial bacteria to grow, and it needs to have water flow to provide fresh oxygen.

I probably didn’t answer your question, but it’s a start.

 

[j.w]

@SquidLab

If I had it to do over I would have built a bog but I have used plastic bottle lids, cut up tubing, cut up Matala media and just about anything that's plastic will work cut up. Not using that type of filter right now. Just using layers of the Matala pads in a big pot at the edge of my pond w/a hose that runs pumped water from the pond flowing into my pond over the top. I have to clean it out a lot but it's not that big of a job.

 

[TheFishGuy]

like others are saying, there are a lot of things that will work. I like the idea of pea gravel because it is so avalible and cheap. I would think lava rock would have more surface area than pea gravel, and so could be better but you would have to fact check me on that one.

 

[GBBUDD]

Though the bog is king on this site IMO. The use of a sand filter and a shower would be a close second place in my book. the sand does a fantastic job removing floating bio load from the water column . However the sand is so dense that it not only traps debris it traps 02 that's where the showers are superb for bio as the more surface area you have in those trays the more oxygen you provide the bacteria. It's s like a turbo boost in automotive . throw more oxygen at it the more the bacteria thrives it works and works hard. thus removing and or converting ammonia, ,nitrates, nitrites.

Shredded plastic will certainly work shaved strips that they sell would be great in a shower application, years ago i used my mothers abandoned curlers. I know hows that for dating one's self.

I also have a bog for my filter both types actually and i pump air down into the matrix bog to give the bacteria as high a concentration of oxygen rich water that i can

In a 55 gallon drum i'd do plastic shavings sitting ontop of a foot of 3/8" gravel sitting in a elevated tier 4 inches up off the bottom

 

[mrsclem]

Check out Savio Springflo material. It is a course plastic strapping, easy to clean and lasts forever. I have used just about everything out there, lava rock gets heavy, plastic scrubbies get clogged.

 

[sissy]

I used lava rock . My father used it when I was a child in our farm pond we built so good enough for him ,good enough for me . .

 

[Swalker]

Blue Thumb Bio-Twist Biological Pond Filter Media, 2 cubic ft | eBay

The large surface area of Bacti-Twist provides a place for pond debris and other waste to accumulate and convert into beneficial bacteria.

www.ebay.com

 

[GBBUDD]

plastic shaving are great for bio filters as they have tons of surface area for bacterial growth yet any debris can get tagled up in it untill it breaks down and then can flush through not clogging the media

 

[Swalker]

I personally have a 55 gallon sand and gravel up flow. There are several places to see how to construct one. I use 9” of chicken grit instead of sand for the buffing layer.

 

[Swalker]

I personally have a 55 gallon sand and gravel up flow. There are several places to see how to construct one. I use 9” of chicken grit instead of sand for the buffing layer.

I’ve seen several videos on YouTube of people that use various plastics in consecutive barrels and have had great luck with them.

 

[GBBUDD]

They are even more effective in a shower

 

[Swalker]

I’ve never used lava rock personally but have seen in person that it gets filled up and no longer has the initial Porous surface layer advantage.

 

[SquidLab]

Thank you for your replies. While looking into some of these suggestions, I came across "Bio-Chips" by Mutag. They seem to be polyethylene foam cut to 1.1 mm thick, providing a protected biolayer of .5 mm on each side. Pool noodles are polyethylene foam; maybe I could cut 1.1mm slices of those, the only problem is that it involves buying plastic, which I want to avoid, but the all mighty $$ might make me break my ethics, lol. I will also save my bottle caps, now they at least have a use.

 

[TheFishGuy]

Thank you for your replies. While looking into some of these suggestions, I came across "Bio-Chips" by Mutag. They seem to be polyethylene foam cut to 1.1 mm thick, providing a protected biolayer of .5 mm on each side. Pool noodles are polyethylene foam; maybe I could cut 1.1mm slices of those, the only problem is that it involves buying plastic, which I want to avoid, but the all mighty $$ might make me break my ethics, lol. I will also save my bottle caps, now they at least have a use.

They sure are making a cut up pool noodle sound fancy! My only concern is that a pool noodle would have something unsafe for fish in it, otherwise I love the idea!