Might as well, everyone else has a thread on their pond rebuild :lol:
I've been getting started on the new bio filters in anticipation of rebuilding my pond this coming Spring. Can't do much digging this time of year, but I can at least have the other stuff built ahead of time.
The full set of pictures will be available from this link, but I'll include a few pictures here to whet the appetite.
First off, the inlet and swirler pipes... I'm going with 2" pipe to reduce the chance of clogging, although 1.5" pipe is sufficient for most applications. The Y at the top includes a cleanout cap (I'm including a lot of "just in case" options this time). I used reducers on either side of the T so the swirler pipes are 1.5". In the final mounting, the T is inside an old plastic flowerpot, so it is suspended off the bottom. I'm going to fill the inside of the pot with spray-foam to prevent debris from getting inside that area, and to help the flower pot hold together over time.
Here you can see how the assembly sits inside the 55-gallon barrel. There is a space of 4-5 inches under the swirler pipes for the debris to settle, and I will be adding some plastic light fixture grating to hold up the media.
My outlet pipes are a pair of 3" ABS pipes, with threaded pieces forming the coupling through the barrel. A 45 elbow hangs down the inside, which will be drilled full of holes later, and hopefully provide clog-free water flow. The 45 elbows on the outside will be warmed in the oven and spread into a wide narrow outlet to direct the water over the waterfall.
A quick shot of both barrels with the pipes in place. My waterfall will be a pile of slate between the two barrels, with a slate wall in front of the barrels. I should have enough water flow that I can direct some water directly over the falls, and some water will trick down the wall.
And finally, my drains. These are just standard shower drains, but they had those green strainers nearby, and I thought these would be much more clog-resistant than the original metal grating over the drain. I had to trim about 1/2" off the length of the green strainers, then I was able to tap them all the way into the drain, so the final assembly still sits flush to the bottom of the barrels.
That's as far as I've gotten in construction this week. I've been on the lookout for the plastic strapping to make my bio-media bags out of. I've found a 9000-foot roll of 1/2" polypropylene strapping material for $30, but the shipping is another $24. Not sure if I can find a cheaper source, but that's a decent price for a lifetime supply of bio media.
I've been getting started on the new bio filters in anticipation of rebuilding my pond this coming Spring. Can't do much digging this time of year, but I can at least have the other stuff built ahead of time.
The full set of pictures will be available from this link, but I'll include a few pictures here to whet the appetite.
First off, the inlet and swirler pipes... I'm going with 2" pipe to reduce the chance of clogging, although 1.5" pipe is sufficient for most applications. The Y at the top includes a cleanout cap (I'm including a lot of "just in case" options this time). I used reducers on either side of the T so the swirler pipes are 1.5". In the final mounting, the T is inside an old plastic flowerpot, so it is suspended off the bottom. I'm going to fill the inside of the pot with spray-foam to prevent debris from getting inside that area, and to help the flower pot hold together over time.
Here you can see how the assembly sits inside the 55-gallon barrel. There is a space of 4-5 inches under the swirler pipes for the debris to settle, and I will be adding some plastic light fixture grating to hold up the media.
My outlet pipes are a pair of 3" ABS pipes, with threaded pieces forming the coupling through the barrel. A 45 elbow hangs down the inside, which will be drilled full of holes later, and hopefully provide clog-free water flow. The 45 elbows on the outside will be warmed in the oven and spread into a wide narrow outlet to direct the water over the waterfall.
A quick shot of both barrels with the pipes in place. My waterfall will be a pile of slate between the two barrels, with a slate wall in front of the barrels. I should have enough water flow that I can direct some water directly over the falls, and some water will trick down the wall.
And finally, my drains. These are just standard shower drains, but they had those green strainers nearby, and I thought these would be much more clog-resistant than the original metal grating over the drain. I had to trim about 1/2" off the length of the green strainers, then I was able to tap them all the way into the drain, so the final assembly still sits flush to the bottom of the barrels.
That's as far as I've gotten in construction this week. I've been on the lookout for the plastic strapping to make my bio-media bags out of. I've found a 9000-foot roll of 1/2" polypropylene strapping material for $30, but the shipping is another $24. Not sure if I can find a cheaper source, but that's a decent price for a lifetime supply of bio media.