Seems like a lot of people on here dont know too much about filtration. Let me help. With ponds there are all kinds of filters that can be used. Each one has its perks and cons. Every pond should have Mechanical and Biological filtration. Mechanical filtration is filters that remove debris. Example, leaves, sticks, plant matter, etc. Biological filtration is your beneficial bacteria colonies. This is what converts your fish/plant waste (Ammonia) into helpful compounds. This is called the Nitrification Cycle. When a fish urinates or poops, that is waste. Same goes for a plant that decays (Waste). The waste is then turned into Ammonia which is harmful to your fish. The water flows through a biological filter that eats the Ammonia and releases Nitrite. Nitrite is harmful to your fish as well. Well, the Nitrite gets consumed again in your biological filter and then converted into Nitrate. Nitrate is safe for fish. Nitrate is what the plants consume to really make them grow, removing Nitrate from the water. The plants exert waste which we want called oxygen. That is the whole cycle. Now filters. Sand filter: This filter works for pools but clogs up quickly in a pond. Its job is to trap all the small particles in the sand where only clear water comes out. These are not efficient filters and require tons of maintenance Gravel filter: These work well with ponds providing they are made correctly. This is simply a 55 gallon barrel. Water comes in from the top through a pipe to the bottom T. That T has 2 pipes pushing water to the edge. You can drill holes in the pipe if you want. Next it has a plastic mesh (Bread tray works good) laying on the pipes. Then they get filled up 1/3 with cobble stone or egg rock. Lastly they get topped off with pea gravel. If you have one of these, you want a bulkhead on the bottom with a 90 connected to a ball valve. This will allow you to back flush it. All the particles will get trapped and youll be able to back flush it. youtube/watch?v=QQUtBrEcaB4 Skippy Filter: This is a design that originated in Taylor, Michigan by a pond store called Skippys. This is a horse trough (70-150 gallon rubbermaid tub that can be purchased at TSC). You direct a pipe in the center connected to a T fitting. Then connect 2 pipes to bring the water towards the edge. Next you put a elbow (45) at each end. This will allow the water to circulate at the bottom. Then you cut some pvc pipes to make a platform inside for a mesh. The mesh is to keep it open in the bottom. Then you fill it with scrubber pads, cut up matala filter media, etc. Next you cut out the side and install some uniseals so the water can run back into the pond. You will need to make some kind of basket to prevent the media from clogging these holes. Last, you remove the drain plug and install a ball valve. This will allow you to back flush it and drain it if needed. This filter works amazing. A 100 gallon Skippy filters 3,000 gallons. A 150 gallon Skippy filters 4,500 gallons. youtube/watch?v=jmhiyDCRTVM Sieve filter: Sieve filter is basically a tank where water flows onto a 100-300 micron stainless steel screen. This screen is inserted at a 45 Degree angle. What happens is the water passes through the screen but particles get trapped on the screen. The water pushes them towards the bottom of the screen. At the bottom of the screen, there will be a tray or even a cut PVC pipe that leads outside the tank. This will have a ball valve connected to it. You open the ball valve to rinse all the debris out with a hose. Easy to use and clean. This is called Mechanical Filtration. It does not serve any biological filtration purpose. youtube/watch?v=0noGwwycu8Q Bakki Shower: A bakki shower is what the Japaneses Koi breeders use on all their indoor tanks. They do not use anything else but these that I know of. This is a biological filter capable of filtering large amounts of water. These are constructed out of bins. Each bin will have small holes drilled in the bottom allowing water to spray out. These are stacked up between 2-6 high. Your bottom bin will have holes in the side or a bulkhead to return the water back into the pond. These provide huge amounts of oxygen rich water back into the pond. The water inlet is simply a PVC pipe with holes drilled in it that allows water to spray in at different angles. They fill the bins with various media. You can use lava rock, bio balls, corks, k1-3 media, etc. They will sometimes have a matala pad on top of each layer. youtube/watch?v=p9gCs-uJ7TY Skimmer box: Purpose is to remove large debris. Nothing more....well, some may have a auto fill inside them to control water level. Zakki Shower: Exact same as a bakki shower, however it uses a different kind of media. They use some rock (Forgot the name) that begins with a C. This rock has 100x more surface area then lava rocks for beneficial bacteria. I was told this rock costs $150 a pound. youtube/watch?v=IAgZiPat40A Bog filter: A bog filter can be useful or a mess having one. What happens is water travels through a bed of pea gravel filled with plants. These plants consume the nitrate. Some may have extra line on a side and dig a shallow area and fill it with pea gravel. This design works but you get very little water flow. My favorite bog is a upper falls bog. This is accomplished by pumping water into a PVC grid with lots of holes drilled out. Water starts at the bottom and is forced up. I like this design because it allows you to have another waterfall or perhaps a stream running back into the pond. A mature bog is capable of consuming all the Nitrate (Algae food) if its made right, the right size, etc. Garbage can filter: (LOL) This is simply a garbage can with a hole in the bottom. You fill it with big matala pads. Concept is this....water passes through all the pads and eventually makes it way via gravity and back into the pond. I dont stamp this design at all. Simply because if the return at the bottom of the garbage can clogs up, all the water overflows and drains your pond. youtube/watch?v=hKJuysl51G4 Protein Skimmer/Foam Fractionator: A protein skimmer is to remove microscopic particles that you can see with the naked eye. (Tea color water). Way it works is this. Water travels down a pipe. Passes through bio balls. Hits the bottom and creates foam. The foam pours out the side. The foam traps the microscopic particles. To construct one is simple. But a 6 5-7 pipe. Buy a 6 Y. Buy a 6-4-2-1.5 reducers. Connect all them. Buy a 6 90 elbow. Buy a 1.5 ball valve. Connect the ball valve to the 1.5 pipe coming off the reducer. Connect the 6 reducer to the 90 Elbow. Connectthe 90 elbow to the Y with the top 2 opening facing up. Connect the 5-7 6 pipe to the vertical Y. Leave the other opening of the Y open. You add a screen to keep the bio balls from escaping...Gutter aisle for a leaf trap. Adjust water flow so that it almost overflows out the opening. What happens is, water crashes down, creates bubbles. Bubbles pile up and spill outside the Y. youtube/watch?v=U78FbzodDKg There are many more types of filters.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 18:08:34 +0000
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