New Member Intro

[keyplayer]

I am a new member with four small interconnected ponds containing some 50-60 assorted baby koi and larger Red Comets - plain and fancy.

I had a couple of nasty experiences with POND PUMPS which I will share in a subsequent post. I'm VERY happy with my ponds, my fish, and their strictly biological home-made filter system which I developed with help from bloggers and youTube videos.

 

[fishin4cars]

Welcome aboard! :fish2:

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Welcome to the group :wave:

 

[Kristi Kelty]

Keyplayer can you possibly describe the steps you used for that?

 

[keyplayer]

Kristi;
I'll TRY to be succinct. I had a small and VERY GREEN pond which «experts» told me needed an expensive UV system and chemical agents to recuperate. Chemicals were out of the question [we are Organic Gardeners], and the cost of UV was in the stratosphere of our budget. SO, armed with some kind, sensible advice from a pond pro in (I think) Oklahoma, I began looking for a NATURAL solution. This guy was using commercial bio-filters which were also out of my league financially. THEN, I connected with a BRIT on YouTube who showed how to build an excellent filter from cheap and thrown-away materials. I recuperated the pump (650 gph) from my useless commercial pond-bottom filter and within only a couple of weeks I had CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER, and it STAYS that way as long as the filter is running. This filter was CHEAP, easy to build, needs cleaning only at season's end — what more cld you want? I can post the construction details if there's enough interest. I've become a pond missionary in my area and have saved several «failing» ponds using my humble system. This season, with a huge influx of «rescued» fish I've had to boost the productivity of the system and that's where the pump issues began and hopefully will now end. ###

 

[JohnHuff]

Now you'll have to tell us what filter you built!

 

[sissy]

welcome and i grew up on an organic farm my mom and dad had 5 acres and it was a lot of work .That was when organic was not a key word .I have no uv and use no chemicals .I have lava rock filters and use quilt batting and feed my fish only 3 or 4 times a week .I keep ph stable with crushed oyster shells and use activated charcoal .No one told me after 10 years my 2 koi would be over 2 feet long either .I have used harbor freight pumps for years now .I use peroxide to clean things in and around my pond and I use grasses in my filters and pond .

 

[slakker]

Welcome fellow Canadian from the other coast!

 

[Kristi Kelty]

Keyplayer I would like to see your setup step by step.....is that possible? Sissy I love your setup also-- I am "mechanically challenged" so I need to read the steps and see the pics if possible!!!!

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group! I have a big bog that is my only filter, keeps my pond water great. would love to hear about your build!

 

[keyplayer]

Parts List to construct a 2-cell Bio-Filter


2 clean 5-gal FOOD-GRADE poly pails with plastic bail handles FREE
1 HD, plastic BIN large enough and deep enough to fully contain the 5 gal pails with a little freeboard $10-15 wherever plastic goods are sold
1 2' x 4' plastic grill (used for fluorescent fixtures in suspended ceilings) $5.00 or less
• 3/4" IPEX pipe and fittings:
4 45° elbows (90˚ will do if 45s aren't available)
2 90˚ tees
2 90˚ elbows
1 length* of 3/4" IPEX pipe about $25 total
(you'll need only a bit of it but it's usually sold by the length)
• adaptor fittings needed to connect to your SUPPLY hose(s)
*** this will vary from one project to another
2 2" Bulkhead fittings to connect your OUTFLOW $20 at your local Yacht Supply
2 6 x 12 plastic soffit screens (optional)
• enough Green Scrubbie Pads to loosely fill (when WET) both 5 gal pails


Directions:
1. bore a continuous ring of 3/4" holes around one of the top «rings» of both 5 gal pails. This will be the first determinant of your water level so should be LOWER than any un-sealed holes you may make in the bin.
2. Place the pails in the bin equidistant from the ends and side walls
3. With a China Marker mark the OUTside walls of the bin where the centrelines of the pails fall.
4. Carefully measure the HEIGHT of the BOTTOM of the holes in the pails. The BOTTOM of your OUTFLOW fittings on the BIN will need to be at the same level.
5. If using the type of bin pictured, there are bosses in the corners where the Soffit Screens can be SLID to the bottom. You will want to locate your OUTFLOW fittings in these corners as the screens will prevent detritus from entering and possibly clogging your hoses.
6. Drill holes for your SUPPLY hoses/fittings to pass through the sides of the bin using the previously-marked lines as a guide. These should be as high above the water level as the box & cover structure will allow. This lessens the nuisance of leakage around the inlet fittings.
7. Cut 2 circles from the Grille tto fit loosely in the bottom of each pail.
8. Assemble the pipe and fittings accordind to the pic with the vertical pipe cut level with the bottom of the INLET holes.
9. Tighten all connections, place the BIN on a firm base where gravity will carry the OUTFLOW back to the pond possibly feeding a nice fountain head along the way.
10. Cut the Scrubbie Pads into ±3" triangles and run through the full cycle of your washer AT LEAST TWICE with ONLY WATER; then soak in clear UNchlorinated water overnight. Remove from the rinse bath and DRAIN.
11. Fill the pails with your newly-created «media» and fill the PAILS & BIN with safe pond water.
12. Turn on your pump, check for leaks, and watch the water flow up from the bottom of the pails and out through your two OUTFLOW hoses back to the pond.

MOST designs I have seen include some pretty major «drain-the-sludge» engineering. I do not. I've found that I need only pull and dump the buckets and scoop out a small amount of silt from the bin once a year when the filter is being shut down and stored fior the winter. I'll cover Spring STARTUP later.

THIS simple system may be all you need to keep your pond clean and clear. IF your pond is already suffering water quality problems it may take a considerable length of time to clear up OR you may need to «upgrade» this simple filter with some equally-easy options. (Coming next: Venturi & Lava Filter Enhancements)

 

[keyplayer]

 

[keyplayer]

Part 2 of Filter PIX

 

[keyplayer]

Last part - Filter PIXView attachment POND-F-parts.doc

 

[mtpond]

Welcome!