my 70 gallon skippy filter

[koiguy1969]

my pads have been going for 9 months NON STOP.. NO CLEANING YET,NO SIGN OF CLEANING NEEDED... OR EVEN THAT THEY WILL NEED CLEANING ANY TIME SOON!!!! I DIDNT EVEN CLEAN THEM WHEN I BROUGHT THEM INSIDE FOR THE BASEMENT POND(the only 1/2 hour they werent filtering since last july)

 

[koiguy1969]

Hey guys...How much is is costing you to build these skippy filters start to finish ...not counting the pump???

$140.00 U.S. but they'll do the job better than any $300.00 store bought.

 

[koiguy1969]

Koi guy..Thank for the updated pics I like the lower profile one too. Anyway to give it step or little waiting pool or something...Just a thought

I am filling the top of the filter with water hiacynths and parrots feather to give it the natural upper pool look... these are just mockups dont know exactly how it will end up.

 

[koiguy1969]

this is the best product out there for starting your filters up...MICROBELIFT PL GEL filter innoculant...

 

[jameskoi]

Koi guy..Thank for the updated pics I like the lower profile one too. Anyway to give it step or little waiting pool or something...Just a thought...

James Koi...I know I'm new to the pond thing but not to biological filtration. I have been using the scotch brite scrubbies in my fish tanks for years. Like koiguy said as long as they are just the scrubbie pads no soap etc you should be good. I always give'em a good rinse first anyways...

Baraccus, I gave my scrubby pads a good wash. It made the water a little bubbly, like soap bubbles but not slippery at all... Did that happen to you? I left it soaking for 24 hrs now. Washed it a few more times and not bubbly anymore... Getting normal... Water is clear but of course, very fine pits of scrubby coloured bits flel off while washing them.

 

[Baraccus]

James koi....You would definitely know if there was some sort of additive/soap. I think your fine. I don't soak them cause I know scotch brite pads don't have soap. I'm just trying to get "stuff" that they may have accumulated in making,shipping,sitting on shelves etc... I'm willing to bet the bubbles are just air bubbles from the pads slowly getting soaked...

BUT we'll do a test.... I think I have some and will try soaking them tonight and will give you a better answer...

 

[jameskoi]

James koi....You would definitely know if there was some sort of additive/soap. I think your fine. I don't soak them cause I know scotch brite pads don't have soap. I'm just trying to get "stuff" that they may have accumulated in making,shipping,sitting on shelves etc... I'm willing to bet the bubbles are just air bubbles from the pads slowly getting soaked...

BUT we'll do a test.... I think I have some and will try soaking them tonight and will give you a better answer...

Thanks man!

I soaked a whole bunch and about 5 minutes, I can make bubbles with it (while squeezing them and taking it in and out of water quickly). Bubbles lasted for no more than a minute. But after soaking 'em for a day, it's much better now. Almost gone. But yeah, i'm sure it's not soap... it's something else but I'm sure it's safe too.. just want to be even more sure. I'm about to buy $100 worth of scrubby pads. Or 10,000 years worth of household scrubbing. lol Seriously is cheap method (kinda) 12 for $1. But 100 bags is only 38G. I could go for 50G of bio balls for $260. That's the cheapest I've found but i don't think it can out perform these scrubbies. At least it'll be the same.

 

[koiguy1969]

scrubbys have more surface area... i have a bag of bioballs that i took out of a filter and switched over. check out the filter inocculant i posted on to start your filters. it stinks like rotten eggs,and you have to take the time to apply it to your filter media,so do it outside, but man does it give you an active filter quickly.

 

[jameskoi]

koiguy1969, i can't seem to find that thread you're talking about.

 

[koiguy1969]

this thread, one page back

 

[wolfie8000]

http://doitbest.com/Scouring+Pads-Do+it+Best+Imports-model-10044-doitbest-sku-632989.dib
This is a case of scrubbies. 8 in a pack and 12 packs per case. You have to buy a case and the price is 15.48. So you get 96 scrubbies for 15.48. Thats 16 cents a piece! And you can have them shipped to the nearest doitbest hardware store for FREE, and you just go and pick them up.:twocents:

 

[koiguy1969]

those will do the job...no doubt!!

 

[wolfie8000]

Those are what I am going to use for my filter. Pretty cheap I thought.
I use them alot for my aquariums, and they work great.

 

[leeannecastro]

My barrel was $15
my Hose, PVC pipe, connectors and clamps were $40
My 1 1/2 Ball valve and Bulk head fitting was $14
Filter media was cut up strips of some plastic sheeting and some filter pads I already had. I will also probably spend about $30 on scrubbies at the dollar store.
Total cost less than $100.

 

[jameskoi]

Baraccus, I'm switching scrubbies. I found 15 for $1 at the dollar store. Upon closer look, there is a difference. It comes in all sorts of colours too but the fiber itself is dyed. The original scrubbies I bought had coloured particles stuck to clear/white fiber. I gave these new ones a wash. Doesn't do anything to the water. After 3rd wash with the first brand I bought, it still has a 'clean' smell to it. I'm switching brands. Going to get 100 bags sometime during the week.

I scored four free 55G barrels from a food producer!!! I posted full story on my DIY basement pond thread.

Now I need to source the parts for DIY bulkheads. I think the only prob is the rubber gasket. Too hard to find. I'm going to buy a sheet of rubber meant for custom gaskets.