Secondary filtration ideas

[D&RW]

I need more filtration-planned to build two 55 gallon barrel filters, but can't hide them until I rebuild the waterfall.

For filtering fines, I have an extra 1400 GPH pump I could run through one of Doc's barrels. Great idea, but where do I put the barrel and now I have another pump in the water.

So, I picked up a few extra shifts at work and bought a Aqua UV Ultima II 2000 gallon bead filter. The backwash feature is custom made for my needs. Plus it'll add more biological filtration and a complete back up system. And it can be buried.

So, A) do I hook the Ultima II to the existing 4700 GPH EasyPro pump inline to the UV light and then the Filterfalls? Max flow through the 1.5 inlet/outlets is 4500 GPH, but with 90 degree fittings and distance I'll be below that by a bit. The Ultima II adds about 5 ft. of head. I can add back a bit of that loss by removing most of the mat media in the filterfalls--just leave one matt & the Spring ribbon bags for good bugs.

Or, :banghead3: do I look for a used or inexpensive new external pump and run a totally separate system? 2000 + GPH external pumps are really energy efficient. Nice. Our electric bills have definitely increased with the pond. So during the winter with the second system, we'd use less juice. And I think the waterfall would have increased flow with less matting.

I really like the idea of turning off the waterfall in the winter to keep the water temps as high as possible--I built the pond to be 48" deep, but it ended up only 42 in. when full at the skimmer. However, using valves I could bypass the waterfall with either configuration. My only concern with turning off the waterfall is where does the DO come from if it's off? I have an OASE 450 aerator, but am questioning how much DO they actually add.

What do ya'll think? What am I missing-haven't thought of?

 

[JohnR]

I just recently added a bead filter to mine. I just plumbed my bead filter inline with the existing setup and buried the tank. I had the same concerns about power consumption and head. I figured I would plumb it inline and give it a try and could not be happier. Guess it depends on how happy you are with your existing flow. My waterfall was a little overpowered with my new pump so it slowed it down just enough. Plus I didn't have the added consumption of another large pump.

Oddly enough you might even see less power consumption depending on how much head you have now. Most water pumps actually pull less amps with some head pressure. I know it sounds weird but you can research it.

 

[DrDave]

D&RW
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[D&RW]

John R: would you mind specifying pump size, before and after head, filter type and flow rate, etc.

Dr. Dave, just a bit north of ya :icon_smile:

My current set-up is as follows: 2100 gallon pond 16X7X3.5. Medium Easy Pro Skimmer with EasyPro Mag Drive 4700 GPH rated pump in it. Water goes out of a 1.5 opening to a 2" pipe system appx. 25 ft through 2 90s, 1 check-valve, a Y split with the top of the setup a gate valve then a 57 Watt Aqua UV light and the bottom of the Y is a straight line with a gate valve. this way I could adjust the flow through the UV light. The Y rejoins to one line and goes into the filter falls via another 90. The water flows up through 6 matts to the falls.

 

[JohnR]

I'm actually running a hayward sand filter that has been converted with bioballs.The valve says its rated for 60gpm. Its plumbed in line with a savio compact skimmer and waterfall weir. the pump I'm running is a submersable 3700gph harbour freight pump (not sure what it is after I add the head). This is on approx 1500 gallons.

 

[D&RW]

I finally decided on an entire second system. I bought a little giant 2750 gph external pond pump to run the Ultima 2. I'll place it at the side of the pond and run the pipes straight in and out to the bottom. Once that is done I can replumb the main system to be simpler and have less head.

that should speed up the flow and hopefully improve the filter's functioning at the same time. we'll see.

 

[D&RW]

Didn't like the Little Giant Out of Pond pump at all. Loud annoying whine. Tried damping it by putting padding underneath; no help. I'm sending it back and am using my back up EasyPro Submersible. Plumbed it in today and it's working like a charm. The Ultima II comes preseeded with bacteria, but they say it takes a few weeks to be up to full capacity.

I think I mentioned I just about wiped out my biological filter in the EasyPro Filter Falls during a cleaning frenzy. Gad. I thought I was being gentle, but I forgot and used city water. Apparently that and the cleaning did a number. I've been using AmQuel and ClorAm-X and doing 30% water changes every day. That plus I stopped feeding. The ammonia wasn't getting real high, but any is bad, eh.

Finally went and bought some Zeolyte at a shop pretty cheap. Also I think the water flow through the filter was too slow because I had it so packed with matting to try to increase mechanical filtration. So, I took it apart again very gently and removed two of the pads. Next I put a full bottle of Microbelift Gel in between two of the pads. Then I added 1/2 bottle of Microbelift Nite Out. Then I put the zeolyte on top in bags.

Looking good. This evenings reading were: amm 0, nitrites 0 and nitrates .25. I think I did a number on the algae with the salting I did for Ich/etc. Salt's way back down now with water changes, but nitrates are up a bit.

Man have I learned a lot this summer.