Pond Max pressurized filter with UV and backwash--thoughts

[kmarcel]

Charles, thank you so much for the very informative post. I really appreciate the effort and all the information that you wrote and will look into these options. I have read good reviews on the Nexus.

I was not upset about the cheap comment remark and did understand what you meant. I was just saying I'm not trying to go cheap by getting this filter.

Funny that you should mention about the CNY koi club as I am a recent member as of last summer. I consult on a regular basis with one of the heads of the club, in fact she is the one who came and treated my koi on a few occasions including a scrape and scope which uncovered the flukes that caused the flashing back in June. I do value the opinions of people such as yourself on this forum as well.

I should add that I am a DIYer to a certain degree. I did enlarge my pond last year, dug the hole, seamed a new liner to the existing liner, turning a kidney shaped pond of approximately 800 gallons into a figure 8 design of approximately 1200 gallons. All without removing the fish I might add! So I am by no means afraid of the heavy lifting, and in fact, I do enjoy doing alot of this myself. It's the plumbing I don't feel comfortable with. But perhaps with help from the Koi members I might try to tackle it.

Tula, I am also challenged with space, which made this system very appealing. The DIY ones I have seen online and on YouTube as so large and can detract from your pond if you are unable to hide them.

mrsclem, I also was wondering about a larger waterfall filter, which would allow for more room for bioballs and/or other materials.

 

[sissy]

my pressurized by my stock tank

 

[kmarcel]

I can see they aren't really very big, but why can't it be filled with all bio filtration such as bioballs and springflo, or the like, and be effective? My planned set up is that the water would go through the skimmer which has the media filters before the pump, some bioballs after the pump (all in the skimmer) and then around the pond and up to this canister, then on to the waterfall filter (more bioballs), which in turn spills into a very small holding pond (more lava rocks and bioballs), then down a stream and back into the pond.

I suppose if it's made to be an "all in one" media and bio then I can see why it may not be that effective.

 

[sissy]

that is a 1 glllon bucket to protect it from weather and if the hoses were gone the bucket goes right over top of it .This has to foam round filters 1 course 1 fine and bio balllls in the bottom and a uv light in the middle and that tank was peas soup green and cleared up in 2 days

 

[Tula]

You should really look into my previous post#22. The pre-filter, in-line particulate filter, then the trickle bio-filter tower is an excellent space saving filter system. If you do not have space for Mr. Penn's trickle tower, then you can look into Bright AgroTech's Zip Grow trickle tower that you can mount on your stone wall or mounted in some place so that it can gravity flow return back into the pond.

Tricky part might be figuring out how to place the filter so it can gravity flow back into the pond. You can put ornamental plants in the Zip Grow tower that could hide the post if you place the post on the backside of the pond. Or... If you have the room to mount a good looking wood carved post next to your pond, then have a spacer on the post so to allow the filter to gravity flow the water back into the pond. I can see how this would look quite nice depending on if you can find a neat artsy post.

Sure, this is not going to be as cheap as the pressure canister filters, but, unless you entirely DIY it all, an excellent performing, space saving complete filter system will never be cheaper than these pressure canister filters.

I have written Mr. Penn, letting him know I'm interested in his trickle tower filtrations. I'm thinking ahead towards next summer and am hoping to stay under $500. Thank you for the suggestion!

 

[CometKeith]

I use a laguna model 1400 pressurized canister filter with bio-balls, uv light, and mechanical filtration. It also has side scrubbers that you use when the red indicator goes on so you can clean it and backwash it without opening it. I usually scrub it once or twice a month. This is way better than my old filter that i would have to open every few weeks to clean out. I remove it at the end of the season and clean it and reinstall it in the spring. It works fine for me and I am very satisfied with it. My pond is under 1000 gallons and I have only goldfish so I don't know how it would be for larger ponds with more bio-load. I would definitely recommend it to anyone with a comparable sized pond. This is where I got it from: http://www.azponds.com/New_webpages/New_filters_classic.html

 

[kmarcel]

Thanks, I will look into the Laguna and compare to the Pond Max one. This does have the UV and backwash and is suppose to be very easy to clean.

 

[sissy]

If on a big pond you are only using it as secondary filter it should work .I saw one on e bay that was for a 5000 gallon pond with free shipping .I even thought of getting one as a secondary filter and all of them come with backwash and never saw one yet with out a uv .This one is easy to backwash ,just turn the handle but backwash does not always mean backwash well

 

[kmarcel]

Thanks Sissy, I spoke with the pond place that I may get it from and it has a full 2 year warranty. They advised that if I'm not happy with it they would remove and do a return. I have been doing business with them for years and they have always done a good job and been very helpful when I go there. I am still deciding what to do. But like you said this would not be my only filtration so it may work out well.

 

[Tula]

1) The general consensus is that they are not good.

Well, go ahead and use it, but you asked us for our thoughts and this is just what we shared due to our experiences. Some folk are having good success with them. You might get along good for a while with it.


2) Charles, I am not trying to go cheap with my pond and believe me the cost for labor and this filter and pump isn't cheap.

I'm not trying to give you a hard time here, but just trying to look out for ya. I read and see too many beginners spend all sorts of money on stuff they soon replace after a year or so or even sooner.

To you it is not cheap, however, in the context of the pond hobby, it is cheap. This is why many will DIY their own quilt batting filter or build a skippy (as shown in the DIY section). Tough to get by without DIY'n in the pond hobby.


3) I just would like to hire someone to do this instead of trying to do this myself.

Actually, you are lucky for being in Syracuse. There is a very good and well known koi and watergarden club in your area. I bet these people will be glad to help you out in getting your pond running right with a proper filter system.

All of these folk are good people as far as I am aware.

For contact information, Koi and Water Garden Society of Central New York (6th entry down on the page). They also run a quite excellent website with many incredibly useful calculators at CNYKoi.


4) Aren't there any kind of filters that can be bought that are similar to the DIY ones that you all seem to make that are not pressurized?

Since you've asked, for products that I would look into using, here are some choices for you to think about..

If all you want is a bio-filter, then a wet/dry bio-filter such as Tetra's Clearchoice PF-1 trickle filter (500gph max flow rate), $85. This would do a much better job at bio-filter rather then the PondMax pressure canister. However, it is a gravity flow return to the pond so it would need to be at a place near the pond or at the head of the waterfall. Also, this is a quite cheap construction of a wet/dry bio-filter, but it will do better than the PondMax.

If you want a very good performing and aesthetically pleasing wet/dry filter, then check out Deepwater Koi Innovations, owned/operated by Zakk Penn. Here is a video his below. Price is $350 plus shipping. Some pricing in the forum thread, Zakki Showers on his other showers. These prices are 3.5 years old so best to call Mr. Penn to know for sure on the price.

Mr. Penn is a small businessman and a craftsman for the pond hobby. He only uses high quality materials and this is shown in the price. He also, upon request, will itemize the cost of all the parts to show how little he marks up his products. He builds all his products himself and he does provide a guarantee with them. He is a small businessman so he understands what it means to have good customer service. He is also truly an inventor and gets his products patent certified.

These craftsman are the carpenters of the pond hobby and are quite rare. Unfortunately, there are not that many out there. Many of the pond hobby craftsman only sell "kits", which entails a DIY expectation that the customer will provide particular materials and hole drilling to finish the product. Mr. Penn is the best one I am aware of that sells a completed product.

Mr. Penn also sells the best particulate filters out there, that I am aware of and does not have a crazy price tag as found with the really fancy stuff.

You would need a particulate filter prior to the wet/dry filter above. So, you could install an in-line pressurized particulate canister filter with UV, Ocean Clear In-Line Filter.

Before the Ocean Clear filter you will need a pre-filter. A pre-filter removes the really big stuff so that it does not cause problems. For externals, the In-Line Leaf Basket for external pumps would work. For submersible pumps, then the Tetra Pond Cylinder Pre-filter would work.

So it goes like this.... Pre-filter -> Pump -> Particulate Filter -> Bio-Filter


5) My understanding, and please correct me if I'm wrong, is that the pressurized system do not have any oxygen and therefore may either not be sufficient in growing bacteria - and could do more harm that good? Is that why everyone is giving them a thumbs down?

Nah, it is just a flawed, cheap design and they do not use good materials to make them. These type of filters have been around for a long time. Those PondMax pressure canister type filters is a remnant of the aquarium hobby trying to be translated into the pond hobby and they're cheap and easy for retailers to put on their store shelves.

Hobbyists have taken the idea and improved them with what is called a ERIC, Nexus Eazy Filter, and Bead filter.

The ERIC is by far the best, "all in one", particulate filter plus submerged static media, built ready for you, filter that I know of. Exclusively sold by GreatWave Engineering.

The Nexus Eazy is by far the best, "all in one", particulate filter plus moving bed filter, built ready for you, filter that I know of. Information about it at Nexus Eazy. For a US retailer, USAKoi is one of them, but I think they're a little high in their price. You need to do some shopping around for this one.

Bead fiters were designed to clean the water and act as a bio-filter at same time, but I never liked them. The best one I know of is, made by hobbyists as well, Advantage Bead Filter (which is the best bead filter I am aware of).

I just received my Japanese Lantern shower filter from Zakk Penn yesterday and am looking forward to getting it set up this evening...had to get some new hoses etc. I am very pleased with the craftsmanship of the filter, very well built!!!

 

[Tula]

Well, it's up and running....I love the sound of it

 

[crsublette]

Pictures!!

 

[Tula]

I will, I promise

 

[Kevin Koloff]

Old thread, new question.
I purchased an extreme bio filter for the school pond, I can size the pump, but what do I need on the suction side of the pump? This will be a non submersible. I am thinking perferated pipe. I do have the waterfall for areation, but I am novice.

 

[Lisak1]

I'm going to recommend you start a new post.