Sand/Gravel or Media/Bio 55 Gal Filter?

[Jason]

I need help in deciding if I should make a 55 Gallon Up-flow filter out of either Media and bio balls or Sand and gravel?

I already bought a roll of 30"x30'x1" filter media but I can use it for my other pond over time.

In this pic, you can sort of see the patio pond and about where I will be placing the barrel behind it and then exit to a 12" waterfall box. The Pond is only 450 gallons

The patio pond maybe gets 2-3 hours of sun in the mornings and that's it, No leaves or outside debris except the occasional one that blows in under the patio. The only thing I will need filtering is the fish waste so that's why the S/G filter has me second guessing. So please if you could give your best advice of which to go with and why it would be a better option it would be much appreciated

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Sand, although providing the highest surface area for bacterial colonization, will quickly repeatedly and frequently clog negating any benefit over typical filter media. Gravel would not be one of my choices because it actually has less surface area than typical media. For this type of application I would use Bioballs. Great surface area, not easily clogged, and, because they are lightweight, are easily backflushed.

 

[Jason]

Im looking for mechanical filtration mainly as I can always put bio balls in the waterfall box?

Also this would be an up-flow S/G filter. Swirl Bottom with grate over that, 1" rock, 3/4" gravel, 1/2" gravel, pea gravel, and then chick grit or quickcrete coarse sand in layers with a air manifold underneath and dump drain at the top so you can push everything up and fluidize the top sand bed and drain all waste so no backflushing on this one.

 

[DrCase]

I like how the sand&gravel filters work cleaning the water.
When I clean mine I easily run 150 too 200 gal into my plant beds
That would be a lot for a 450 gal pond
You got the media already I would use it and make a up flow,
Then when you dump it and fill it back up your only out 100 gal

 

[Meyer Jordan]

You did not stipulate in your original post that this was to be a mechanical filter. I naturally assumed that it was biological due to the proportional size of the filter to the pond. S & G will work if you have strong enough air lift to fluidize it. Seems like considerably more mechanical filtration than you need. I would concentrate on providing surface area for biological filtration. Considering the limited available sunlight, this is more important than mechanical.