Tall and skinny biofilter versus pressurized filter?

Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Messages
54
Reaction score
7
Location
SLO, CA
Hello,

I recently expanded my 550 gallon pond to about 2,000 gallons and I need to upgrade my filtration accordingly. The only problem is my area for a filter is only two feet wide and two feet tall and even that's pushing it. So I was wondering if I could put an effectively sized diy biofilter in this area or would it be to skinny and small? Or my other option would be to keep my small 20 gallon rubbermaid biofilter and replace my current pressurized filter with a larger one.

What do you think?

Oh and if I really need to I can put in a 100 gallon rubbermaid bio filter but that would be incredibly more difficult and expensive. Plus it would be next to impossible to hide.
 

ididntdoit99

ididntdoit99
Joined
Jun 10, 2011
Messages
865
Reaction score
145
Location
waterloo, iowa
What about a 55 gallon barrell for a filter? there are plans for those in the diy section.

EDIT: I didnt read carefully, you said 2 foot wide and 2 foot tall, I thought you meant a 2 foot wide, and 2 foot long "footprint" on the ground.
 

fishin4cars

True friends just call me Larkin
Joined
Mar 23, 2011
Messages
5,195
Reaction score
1,599
Location
Hammond LA USA
Hardiness Zone
8a
Pictures of the area and what you want and don't want would help. With large ponds I just don't have any confidence in pressurized filters, for smaller ponds and for hiding they work, but for large ponds they seem to clog way to fast and can cause bad bacteria problems if not well maintained.
One thing I think might work is using a filter falls unit like Savio, or Atlantic, lots of filter media can be added, easily hidden, and not a major problem to add to most exsisting ponds. The problem with them is figuring out the filter media to the stocking level, If you don't overstock and keep a light to medium load on the pond, it should work really well, for 2000 gallons, you need probably 2-55 gallon filters or 150-300 gallon stock tank for the skippy filter. Both being hard to hide in a very limited space.
 
Joined
Oct 11, 2011
Messages
54
Reaction score
7
Location
SLO, CA
Okay this is my first time posting pictures so I am not sure it will work haha. I'm not sure in which order it will appear but the photo where you can see my shadow and it is of a bench is where I guess I could possibly put a large skippy filter. I would just take the boards out and put it right in the ground. But it's a ten feet rise and I am not sure if a 5,000 gph pump could handle that, mostly because of the weird shape of the pond I need to split the flow of the pump just to keep the water circulating.

If I made the skippy filter what size would you recommend?
How much would the materials probably cost?
And the hardest part of all how would I hide the pipe if it is going over all those retaining walls???
It has to be well hidden because my mom cares about aesthetics more than anything.
Thank you very much for all the help! :)



https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/image/1521-2011-10-11-110223/



https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/image/1520-2011-10-11-110212/



https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/image/1519-2011-10-11-110205/



https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/image/1518-2011-10-11-110143/



https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/image/1517-2011-10-11-110130/



https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/image/1516-2011-10-11-110119/



https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/image/1515-2011-10-11-110042/



https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/image/1514-2011-10-11-110037/



https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/image/1513-2011-10-11-110003/



https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/image/1512-2011-10-11-110228/
 
Joined
Apr 10, 2010
Messages
3,214
Reaction score
1,296
Location
Phoenix AZ
I don't know what you're trying to filter out, but if it's ammonia a trickle tower is very effective and can be as tall and narrow as you like. If you're trying to mechanically remove suspended stuff a fabric filter made with 3" drain pipe can work well and it can be tall and narrow. If you're trying to do both in one filter I know of none.
 
Joined
Apr 10, 2010
Messages
3,214
Reaction score
1,296
Location
Phoenix AZ
I don't know of any, but Google knows better than me. Next time I build one I'll have to put it on a web site as I build something a bit different than normal, of course.

In general, they're just fabric you run water thru. For the past 5-10 years I think batting is the most popular. 15 years ago panty hose was the most popular.

I think any filter could be configured to be vertical.
 
Joined
Oct 14, 2011
Messages
1,276
Reaction score
661
Location
Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska
Fisharefishy99,

I agree with LIKOI on the 55 gallon barrel. They are just a hair shy of 24 inches in diameter, so would fit in your footprint. They are also about 36 inches in height, again a fit.

Check out some of my preliminary pix in the pond photography section under "Uncle Gordy's Bait Tank". Might give you some ideas.

Gordy
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
30,780
Messages
508,553
Members
13,042
Latest member
lucaryan

Latest Threads

Top