| Might as well jump now like Mike. Seems to be a fairly common thread everywhere every other month. I use an Aquadyne, actually 2 of them, a 4.4 on my 4487 gallon pond with 2-4 inch bottom drains( with air domes), feeding a 4x3 ft. in diameter Spirex vortex in which I have a roll of blue Matala. Vortex to 1/4 Dragon to 4.4 Aquadyne then return to pond split between 80 watt uv and return only line. Seperate wave 1/15 hp pump on Savio skimmer for skimming and current. Small pond has a .6 Aquadyne...it's only 600 gallons.
Both operate just fine...fish always look good, water is and looks good, and when I do show, they are very competitive. I've also been around large numbers of koi kept quite well at a business that are handled solely by Aquadyne bead systems...granted, not as much feed , but much heavier loads than the average pond
Is it the best setup I can have....no. Can it be better....yes. Will I add some components such as heating system, trickletower etc....yes. So with all of what's been said here and in other bead filter discussions, I would simply say........In my honest opinion any filter system which is large enough for the application will work. There are however varying degrees to judge these different system's efficiency by...orp, clarity, growth of koi, appearance of colors and skin quality, and on and on. Most folks in this hobby are never going where some have gone....to cost prohibitive. To each their own and what they can afford....lots of DIY systems work well, many do not.
I have always been one to take the approach that the filtration system is only as good as the filtration keeper. Lousy systems(IMO) that someone is diligent with and keeps it clean will work and conversely excellent systems that one gets lazy with and ignores will not. |