Pond Filtering Opinions

[DerekMD]

Hi all, new here, looking for some advise...

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/topic/12625-new-member-from-md/

As described in my introduction, pond started out with a small tetra kit, that in my opinion was way undersized for the pond. I found a great deal on a 1300gph pump with uv at lowes, regularly 140, discounted to 80 but I should have read up on the filter kit that is sold there, smartpond. The pump is doing great and I figure I couldn't go wrong at the price but the pressurized filter container not so much. I noticed randomly that the pond would be low and found out that the filter where the hoses attach was leaking. I purhased more hose to make them longer to not put as much tension on them. That seemed to work but yet pond low randomly still. Also noticed that over time, I'd say a week or so, the water flow would decrease. I assumed this meant that it was dirty and needed to clean. I'm not the type that enjoys cleaning my pond every weekend, so I went to town building a pre filter to put the pump in. Before this point the pump is only in a mesh type bag in the pond. I took bio parts from the old tetra system and a large flower pot I had in my shed to put the pre filter together. Things seemed to be runnning fine, water level steady, having to clean every couple weeks now.

A little over a week ago, came home and pond is low by about a inch. Think well it beens pretty hot so just evaporation and move on. Last week we had a huge storm roll through while I was on my way home. Knew that the pond would be overflowing, so as soon as I got home, I went to the back to let some out, to notice that the filter is spraying out of the lid and about to blow with the pressure.

Now I'm not sure why, I just cleaned it the previous weekend, and once detached from the outlet hose, water ran through clear as day. So there's my leak and it doesn't really matter why because I'm done with this filter. Today it was one day over 90 days, I took it back to lowes and they honored a full refund. I am now just running the pre filter and the pond is staying clear. I believe its been 3 or 4 days now. I'm thinking that it may do for now, but more fish, more heat, and the fact that I will probably be back to servicing every week is making me consider a secondary filter. What do you experts think? The newer tetra system looks nice and would save me a good bit of time but is it worth the $. I have thought of a diy filter or possible just more lava rocks to filter. So what would you do in this situation.

 

[sissy]

Those hoses are not the best either they get brittle and because they are clear allow light into the hose which means green stuff .I just made a filter and used cheap sump pump hose and it has worked for years now and at 10 dollars cheap a tote 6 dollars cheap and lava rock 4 bags for 10 dollars cheap on sale cheap .call me cheap but that's it .

 

[DerekMD]

Cheap is good, yeah I figured the clear hose stuff out afterwards, it's been a 10+ year learning experience :banghead3: , once I figure out where I'm going with filtering, the whole valve thing going on there is going to change.

 

[dieselplower]

I doubt that filter was rated for 1300 gph. Also the longer the hose the more pressure it builds up, not less. Also, longer hose will decrease the flow from the pump. The filter was performing fine, you just overloaded it.

 

[addy1]

Want easy build a bog, I hardly ever do anything to my pond except pull out overgrowing plants. Every now and then rinse out the leaf basket. I have an external pump.

Do a set up like sissy, her ponds stays beautifully clean. She uses an submersible pump. She is the mother lode of creation and saving money knowledge.

 

[DerekMD]

I doubt that filter was rated for 1300 gph. Also the longer the hose the more pressure it builds up, not less. Also, longer hose will decrease the flow from the pump. The filter was performing fine, you just overloaded it.

Can you explain why this wouldn't happen right away? Why several days before too much pressure? I did have a outlet before the filtering system feeding one waterfall, so not all flow from the pump was going into the filter. Also I am not the only one that has leaking problems with the smartpond filter. Should have read the reviews on lowes before purchasing. Thanks for your insight.

 

[DerekMD]

Want easy build a bog, I hardly ever do anything to my pond except pull out overgrowing plants. Every now and then rinse out the leaf basket. I have an external pump.

Do a set up like sissy, her ponds stays beautifully clean. She uses an submersible pump. She is the mother lode of creation and saving money knowledge.

I am consider a bog, I worked on the pond a bit last night, all is still running well with just my pre filter, clear water, fish seem happy, frogs never seem sad, they have it easy, lol.

 

[dieselplower]

Can you explain why this wouldn't happen right away? Why several days before too much pressure? I did have a outlet before the filtering system feeding one waterfall, so not all flow from the pump was going into the filter. Also I am not the only one that has leaking problems with the smartpond filter. Should have read the reviews on lowes before purchasing. Thanks for your insight.

As the filters pads get dirty over days or weeks or whatever, the water will not flow through them as fast. You did say that the water output flow decreased. The flow going into the canister remained the same though. Eventually input exceeded output and the canister "overflowed".

 

[DerekMD]

As the filters pads get dirty over days or weeks or whatever, the water will not flow through them as fast. You did say that the water output flow decreased. The flow going into the canister remained the same though. Eventually input exceeded output and the canister "overflowed".

I understand this but would not have post this thread if it was a easy being dirty, when the over pressure happen the filter was just cleaned and still clean when pulled apart. The plumbing from the pump goes into a t that splits one way to filter and one way to a valve that controls a hose going to one of the waterfalls. I usually run that valve a 1/4 open but would think that if pressure became to much in filter that it would flow more out of the valve opening? I took pictures of all this just incase lowes wanted to be a pain about returning but they were not. I just don't understand how it is possible for the input to exceed the output after several days when the system will begin to flow slower due to all parts of the system getting dirty.

 

[sissy]

addy I am just cheap :cheerful: I never did understand pressure filters to me they just smell like sewers no matter how many times you back flush them .Had 2 of them brand new with built in uv got them from lowes and resold them after I realized they were never going to work on my pond .Only paid 25 dollars for both of them because lowes was clearing out there pond stuff .The guy is using them for big fish tanks .I would love a bog but no time to do it and never sure how long I may stay here .

 

[addy1]

addy I am just cheap :cheerful: I never did understand pressure filters to me they just smell like sewers no matter how many times you back flush them .Had 2 of them brand new with built in uv got them from lowes and resold them after I realized they were never going to work on my pond .Only paid 25 dollars for both of them because lowes was clearing out there pond stuff .The guy is using them for big fish tanks .I would love a bog but no time to do it and never sure how long I may stay here .

cheap = money saving

 

[DerekMD]

O my the smell was terrible when cleaning them out, fwiw I'm drawing out some ideas now for a mini type bog. I already have somewhat of one now with lava rocks as one of the waterfalls.

 

[DerekMD]

The more I think about it the more I think I may be good where I'm at, just finish up the whole piping and see what happens? The pvc tubing is the unfinished part that gets covered up by rocks and there is more to the center that spreads it out fully. I had everything torn apart trying to find the leak that turned out to be the filter. I included a picture of my so called helper sleeping on the job while riding back from lowes.

 

[DerekMD]

Also in the drawing the filter by the valves is no longer there, just the one in the pond around the pump.

 

[sissy]

you need to pay him more ,under paid and over worked in my opinion .call the department of pet affairs he needs a raise .I just used sump pump hose 10 dollars and done and hid it inside my waterfall under rocks it ever leaks it runs right back into the pond same with the filter sits on top of the liner that runs into the pond .
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