Sticky Doc Bio Filter

[koiguy1969]

no,it wont hurt the bacteria to put your filter under the deck...

 

[fishin4cars]

It actually grows better in darkness than in bright light. many use the white cans so they can see the level of muck at the bottom, Others use it because that's what was available. If you notice on almost all Patented filters they normally come in black as it is dark and forms the bacteria better, I think you may actually be benefiting by having it under the decking for that reason. I'll be watching to see Dr. Daves input on this as I'm reading on everyone's ideas to find out what I want to do when I start mine.

 

[DrDave]

Mine is white but inside a dirt waterfall, so none of it is exposed to sunlight except a few inches. Putting it under your deck is fine as long as you have a gravity flow back to the pond.

 

[koiguy1969]

in case you not aware,about the gravity flow return to the falls... your waterfall outlet along with all plumbing to it must be lower than the filters outlet. or you'll just overflow the filter.

 

[fishin4cars]

in case you not aware,about the gravity flow return to the falls... your waterfall outlet along with all plumbing to it must be lower than the filters outlet. or you'll just overflow the filter.

???? Lost me on this one. ALL the plumbing has to be lower than the outlet?

 

[koiguy1969]

???? Lost me on this one. ALL the plumbing has to be lower than the outlet?

all the piping between the filter outlet and waterfall must be below the level of the heigth of the filters outlet...you cant gravity feed up hill!

 

[DrDave]

I'm not a big fan of having ANY filter inline with your bio filter. All it does is impede the performance of the bio filter. That said, the outlet of the bio filter must be above the pond level. Any plumbing before the bio filter can be as high as your pump can push it.
I see a lot of people overthinking thier filtration. It does not get any simpler than mine. A drum with fencing and the geometry with the physics of a vortex does all the work.

 

[koiguy1969]

we werent talking about an extra filter...i said the filters oulet has to be above the waterfalls highest flow point, not just the pond. if you have a waterfall 2' above the ponds surface your filters output must be higher than that.

 

[fishin4cars]

I guess my question is, I see some people pumping into the barrel and the piping is above the actual outlet,(going over the edge of the barrel and out flowing near the bottom with a Trr or holes drilled in Like Dr. Daves. I see Dr. Dave has his intering from the side. This really shouldn't matter, should it?

 

[koiguy1969]

no thats fine..mine enters from the top as well...but the filters outlet is basically an overflow...the water returns to the pond via gravity not pressure. if your outlet "pond return" plumbing isnt at, or lower than the outlet itself your filter will over flow....this is so easy to understand. this guy wants a waterfall and wants to locate his filter away from pond, under his deck...he cant build a waterfall thats got a higher output point than his filters output!

 

[fishin4cars]

OH, OK, I guess that's what I get for trying to figure things out from others posts. Now I understand what your saying. Now if i have it all correct, If his filter is up hill and away from the water fall as long as the waterfall starts lower than the outlet it is possible for him to run the waterfall from the filter, He just has to figuring out a way to make the water spread out like a weir from the outlet pipe. ???? Did I just confuse myself typing this? lol

 

[DrDave]

Now you have me confused. This is not rocket science.

 

[fishin4cars]

Now you have me confused. This is not rocket science.

LOL, No it's not, I have the basic's pretty much figured out. I do have one question though, Anyone one have a maximum amount of fish or #'s of fish with one drum running good? Or even possibly what is the max size pond for a single unit?

 

[DrDave]

I have a 55 gallon Doc Bio Filter with about 1800 gallons of pond. I have a very heavy fish load, 4 of the 20 or so koi are over 20". It is a matter of how often you want to back flush. Remember, your entire pond is a bio filter over time.

 

[fishin4cars]

I have a 55 gallon Doc Bio Filter with about 1800 gallons of pond. I have a very heavy fish load, 4 of the 20 or so koi are over 20". It is a matter of how often you want to back flush. Remember, your entire pond is a bio filter over time.

Yea, I know the rocks in the stream, liner plant roots all are part of the bacteria surface and filtering. You have 4 over 20" the other 16 are? Just trying to get a feel, I have a collection of close to 30 Koi, I'm by no means done buying. Some will be culled and sold, some will become long term pets. I'm trying to plan ahead and figure out the amount of filter needed to house 20-30 full size adults. If I need two systems to do that that will be fine. Considering the size filter you get and the amount of surface area for the bacteria to grow for the Money I can easily afford building more than one per pond when I'm finally able to get this all under way.