Last year when I began my excursion into ponds, I had this little pedestal style filter/pump/nozzle setup. I hated it with a passion, I decided to replace it with a submersible pump, and make my own filter.
I researched youtube. It's one of my favorite reference tools. I like the flopper videos best, where things don't work, and how to fix them... but that's another topic. I found people creating 'biofilters' in containers, and after watching a video or two, I found the perfect setup to use in a Tidy Cat litter bucket.
Basically water is fed into pump via PVC, angled 90 degrees to 2 inches from bottom, where I placed a T and two 90 degree angles. This creates a little circular motion to the water in the bottom of the bucket. I then have a basket with approximately 1/4 inch mesh placed between T and inlet. You want basket to touch bottom of bucket, with at least 2 or 3 inches of space for water. On top of bucket I placed green nylon scratch pads. Like... 200 of them. I buy then 10 in a pack for $1 at the dollar store. I use the 3x5 size ones, color doesn't matter. I leave them in stacks, and place them on a side, instead of layering. This lets some water flow completely between pads, and some is forced threw... then I put shower scrunchies as many as I can jam in to fill the bucket. a piece of window screen to cover to keep them from blocking the bucket outlet, and that's my bio filter.
This isn't the video I used for inspiration, but shows the setup perfectly.
I can post pictures if anyone is interested. I take a lot of pictures during projects so I can see where things went wrong!
I used this same concept, inside a 4 quart lock and lock container, you can see it in this picture in the lower right.
I researched youtube. It's one of my favorite reference tools. I like the flopper videos best, where things don't work, and how to fix them... but that's another topic. I found people creating 'biofilters' in containers, and after watching a video or two, I found the perfect setup to use in a Tidy Cat litter bucket.
Basically water is fed into pump via PVC, angled 90 degrees to 2 inches from bottom, where I placed a T and two 90 degree angles. This creates a little circular motion to the water in the bottom of the bucket. I then have a basket with approximately 1/4 inch mesh placed between T and inlet. You want basket to touch bottom of bucket, with at least 2 or 3 inches of space for water. On top of bucket I placed green nylon scratch pads. Like... 200 of them. I buy then 10 in a pack for $1 at the dollar store. I use the 3x5 size ones, color doesn't matter. I leave them in stacks, and place them on a side, instead of layering. This lets some water flow completely between pads, and some is forced threw... then I put shower scrunchies as many as I can jam in to fill the bucket. a piece of window screen to cover to keep them from blocking the bucket outlet, and that's my bio filter.
This isn't the video I used for inspiration, but shows the setup perfectly.
I can post pictures if anyone is interested. I take a lot of pictures during projects so I can see where things went wrong!
I used this same concept, inside a 4 quart lock and lock container, you can see it in this picture in the lower right.
