Wrinkles and hiding fish

[addy1]

Addy are you talking about a bio-filter when using the black tubing cuz I thought for filter media one would need something to catch the crud like fiber type material :lol:

yep you are right tubing is used for a bio type filter, he was talking about cutting up pool noodles, so I thought he was talking about a bio type filter.

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Yes, Im talking about a bio filter. Do I need a skippy filter too. Im still kinda confused. The 250g pond is setup with a few small comets in it. I may wait till next year to install it or I may not. Is a bio filter easiest. Is this sketch a bio filter or skippy filter.

 

[DrDave]

There is a little science to the Doc Bio Filter. First of all the 55 gallon drum is round and tall, that allows gravity to work on solids to keep them down. The tubes offer further resistance keeping solids down. The spiral water flow at the bottom creates an upside down vortex, like the Dyson vacuums, and suspends the solids in the cone. then when you open the 2" dump valve the muck is right there and immediately gets flushed.
I have used both the tubes and the fencing. they each do the bio part well. The tubes do a better job on the solids and do offfer more surface area. The challenge is keeping the tubes out of the bottom chamber and the 2" dump valve.

 

[DrDave]

The sketch you have has a doc barrel and skippy pads. Go to my website to see the doc filter.

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Ok so the pump pumps water into the top of the barrel and pvc leads it down into the spiral effect. Tubes keep the solids down and water builds up to the top and drains into the pond. The ball valve is at the bottom and muck drains out here when opened. Is this right? Would pieces of pvc pipe work too.

 

[DrDave]

You got it! Cut PVC pipe will work as well. I have 400' of 1" that I was thinking of cutting into 2" long pieces for my next build.
If anyone in the San Diego area wants or needs any of the black tubes pre-cut or PVC pipe, I may be able to help out. I only need to recover the labor cost for the employee that cut them.

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Thanks for the help, do you think a 5 gallon bucket would work with a 1/2 ball valve for my small pond I was thinking 1/2 inch inlet and 1inch outlet.

 

[DrDave]

The problem with a 5 gallon bucket is the lack of height. If you could find one that was say 24" high and that diameter, the geometry would be more conducive to work as designed.

Try it, but I think the results and performance may disappoint you. What if you took the bottom out of a 5 gallon bucket and bonded it to another? You would have to go top to top so the diameters matched.

I would start with 2 new Home Depot buckets and maybe some urethane and fiberglass drywall tape.

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Well with that I have the gluing HPDE problem again but I do have the plastic welder so Ill just weld the 2 buckets together. ill cut the bottom out of one with a jigsaw. What the best way to attach the pvc to the bucket. Did you use bulkhead fittings.

 

[DrDave]

I used bulkhead fittings. You may also have to use GOOP to seal since the buckets have a small diameter and they may not seat and seal water tight.

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Thanks, do you have any suggestions for any other container to use. 55 gallon barrels are a bit overkill for my use. Would a 24" pot work.

 

[DrDave]

If it's round and 24" tall it should be OK.

 

[shakaho]

On my Craigslist, there's a guy selling 30 gallon plastic drums. I'm planning to get one for a filter. They are the same shape as the 55 gallon jobs. You may be able to find the same thing. I also bought a nice big flowerpot at IKEA that is about 10 gallons as another possibility for a filter.

 

[rdk]

Ebay has 30gal plastic drums used for soda water that are great. They are cheep but to ship it cost money. RDK

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Thanks Ill look into that, Ive also been seeing these 2 foot tall trash cans that would work well