Wetland Filter

[addy1]

looking good!

 

[combatwombat]

@Pondfun: Found a screamin' deal on FB for some milk crates. Saw how you added 1" PVC through the center to stiffen the top. I think I may not need to do that, but seems like cheap insurance. Did you find that the PVC added any real stiffness to the center of the crate?

 

[combatwombat]

@Pondfun: Found a screamin' deal on FB for some milk crates. Saw how you added 1" PVC through the center to stiffen the top. I think I may not need to do that, but seems like cheap insurance. Did you find that the PVC added any real stiffness to the center of the crate?

Tested and confirmed. Found a milk crate a stick of 1" pvc laying around, drilled out the bottom and inserted the PVC as a stiffener. The chart on this page says that a 1' length of 1" PVC will only support 40 lbs before it begins to deflect. But says nothing about how far it will deflect before it fails.

My "jump up and down as hard as I can" test tells me that it adds significant strength/stiffness beyond what that chart shows. Great modification!

 

[Pondfun]

Tested and confirmed. Found a milk crate a stick of 1" pvc laying around, drilled out the bottom and inserted the PVC as a stiffener. The chart on this page says that a 1' length of 1" PVC will only support 40 lbs before it begins to deflect. But says nothing about how far it will deflect before it fails.

My "jump up and down as hard as I can" test tells me that it adds significant strength/stiffness beyond what that chart shows. Great modification!

Yes they are very strong. In fact I tested them myself by putting 3 milk crates on top of the milk crate that I am using and filled them up with stones to see how strong they were. I left them for 3 months no sag or nothing very strong and when you add the PVC they become very strong. The key is keep them butting together and even when you lay them down that way they are stronger. See photo

 

[combatwombat]

I'm going to do this with my wetland filter and I'm even going for it with my water storage cistern, stacking them 3 tall. Will do the PVC pipe trick and will also plan to lay 4x8 sheets of 1/2" pvc siding on top to spread load further. Still not as strong as aquablox, but good enough for backyard use and only about $0.40/gal for storage vs. $2.00/gal for aquablox.

I love the ingenuity around here.

 

[combatwombat]

@Pondfun: did you use a continuous length of pvc through all of your crates, or did you cut them to length? I can't tell from the photo.

 

[Pondfun]

I'm going to do this with my wetland filter and I'm even going for it with my water storage cistern, stacking them 3 tall. Will do the PVC pipe trick and will also plan to lay 4x8 sheets of 1/2" pvc siding on top to spread load further. Still not as strong as aquablox, but good enough for backyard use and only about $0.40/gal for storage vs. $2.00/gal for aquablox.

I love the ingenuity around here.

The blocks are just as strong as Aquablox. I have 5 aquablox for my intake bay and I compared them. The Aquablox are made like plastic. I walked on them and a side corner chipped. I walk on the milk creates nothing happens so don't let people kid you on the strength of a good built milk create. In NYC back in the 60's and 70's they used to steal wheels off of cars and they used milk creates to hold up the van or car. So they can hold more weight and abuse than people think. One question? You mentioned putting 4x8 sheets of 1/2" of pvc siding on top of the creates to spread the load. If you are using gravel let's say 8" of 3 different sizes the gravel alone spreads the load.

 

[combatwombat]

I have some Aquablox, too. I believe the Aquablox are tested to about 5500 lbs/sf and the crates are 2500. 2500 is probably plenty good enough for most uses. And that's a good point about the gravel.

I need to make a decision. I can also get n-12 corrugated pipe in 36" diameter for not too much more, and you can drive a semi truck over that stuff with 1' of cover material.

Choices...

 

[Pondfun]

I have some Aquablox, too. I believe the Aquablox are tested to about 5500 lbs/sf and the crates are 2500. 2500 is probably plenty good enough for most uses. And that's a good point about the gravel.

I need to make a decision. I can also get n-12 corrugated pipe in 36" diameter for not too much more, and you can drive a semi truck over that stuff with 1' of cover material.

Choices...

If you could get a 12 inch ABS pipe or another name corrugated pipe for the clean out that would be great. I tried but they wanted me to purchase in lengths of 20 feet which costs a lot of money. I am still working on my pond. More rocking and electric work but this is what I have done so far. The wetland filter is in the upper left hand corner with the plants have to add more plant also,.

 

[combatwombat]

Looks great! Well done. I can get almost any size ABS in 10’ increments from a local logging supply store. Using 12” for the centipede in my wetland. 18” for the snorkel/clean out. The 36” would be for storage void in the negative edge cistern.

 

[Pondfun]

Looks great! Well done. I can get almost any size ABS in 10’ increments from a local logging supply store. Using 12” for the centipede in my wetland. 18” for the snorkel/clean out. The 36” would be for storage void in the negative edge cistern.

Sounds great. It will work fine. My wetland filter is 7 x 12 I am using 4800 GPH pump. It is working fine but if I need to a just the flow down I have valves on the main line. Also put in a back flow valve just in case you lose power you do not want the wetland water to back flow into your pond. Want size is your wetland filter going to be and what size pump are you going to use. I checked and everyone gives you a different answer on size of pump to use.

 

[combatwombat]

Wetland will be roughly 10x10 and plan to send 3-4000 GPH through it.

 

[Pondfun]

Wetland will be roughly 10x10 and plan to send 3-4000 GPH through it.

OK thanks.

 

[combatwombat]

@Pondfun: Here's a sizing guide that Aquascape publishes for their system. Not sure why they specify a minimum flow rate (seems like max flow rate would be more important):

 

[Pondfun]

@Pondfun: Here's a sizing guide that Aquascape publishes for their system. Not sure why they specify a minimum flow rate (seems like max flow rate would be more important):


View attachment 140062

Thanks for the info.