Pond is dirty again

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About 8 weeks ago I built and installed the Dr. Daves bio filter. Wow within just 2 weeks the water was clear and the sldge on the bottom was gone. Since there was so much sldge I thought it wise to backflush the filter. Must have been a bad idea. I am now back to brown water. That was 2 weeks ago; should I continue to wait it out or do a total flush of the filter and start over. Please any suggestions would be appriciated.
 

addy1

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When you back flushed, did some of the water from the filter get back into the pond? You could wait it out or add some quilt batting to help clear the water up, if it fine dirt. The batting would be just put into the water flow of the pond.

Flushing the filter, unless you washed it with chlorinated water should not have bothered the bacteria.
 
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When you back flushed, did some of the water from the filter get back into the pond? You could wait it out or add some quilt batting to help clear the water up, if it fine dirt. The batting would be just put into the water flow of the pond.

Flushing the filter, unless you washed it with chlorinated water should not have bothered the bacteria.

I just did the normal: open the bottom dump and let it rip. I always add make up water directly to the pond. I think the batting is a good suggestion since this seems to be very fine dirt. Thanks for the suggestion.
 

addy1

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np we had some fine silt when we first fired up the bog, the batting took it out nicely
 

DrDave

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It could be that your swirler is not set at the right angle. When you backflushed, did you disturb the inside of the filter by moving or touching anything? The sludge on the bottom of your pond should have been vacuumed/netted from the pond to begin with. Time will clear it up and maybe a fines filter for the time being. I have used a plastic milk crate and quilt batting before to remove fine silt.
 
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I don't think I disturbed anything but without removing the screen and actually looking at the swirlers I don't know if anything has changed from the original construction. Since I am probably going to take a look and will be in the barrel so to speak what is the proper angle for the swirlers. Thanks for your help.
 

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