would this work

[AJ1500]

I had an idea for my filtering for the new pond, I wanted to see what everyone thought. so in the diagram (sorry for it being so primative) I'm thinking about taking a plastic 55 gal barrel and laying it on it's side, then I have a 25 or 30 gal basin with the waterfall spout built on it's ledge, I'm thinking about cutting a hole in the now top of the barrel so I can insert the basin, then I would fill the barrel with lava rock and river gravel and the like with a layer of filter media on top

then put some large rocks on top to hold it all in place, I would drill holes in the basin to allow it to fill, I would use the bio balls and filter pad media in it

I would feed it all through the hole I drill in the lid over the factory hole that is now at the bottom of the barrel. I would put a gate valve in the factory hole to use for back flushing it.

SO what do you think would this work

 

[Mmathis]

I really don't know, but just curious as to why you want it placed on its side?

 

[AJ1500]

the reason I was thinking about building it this way was due to room I have for it. but the more I read about filtration the more I think this would not work, or I should say not as well as I thought it would

 

[DrCase]

It looks like it would be hard to clean