Adapting the Bakki Shower - Koi Forum - Koi-Bito Magazine

MikeM · 10-19-2004

I am thinking about re-doing my pond. Among ideas I'm toying with is using the Bakki Shower or similar shower. The main drawbacks I see are: (1) aesthetics ... it would have to be set behind some shrubbery and flow like a stream back to the pond. This greatly limits where it could be placed. (2) outdoor application ... it would need to be covered with screening/shadecloth to prevent leaves etc from falling in. (3) pre-filtration (or all the algae glarf etc would block it in no time) .... I'm thinking of a mid-level drain (less glarf in the water) through a vortex to the shower, but the tree roots in the area where it could be partially hidden would probably be too much to try to dig through, particularly with a huge diameter vortex being required to handle the volume necessary to operate a shower properly. So, I've been wondering about what alternative might work to mechanically prefilter in a situation where only aboveground equipment can be fitted. I think having the shower draw from a large skimmer with matting to catch large particulates might be the only alternative.

Anyone dealt with the aesthetics in an outdoor setting?

Mike T · 10-20-2004

Mike:

Set up a bakki shower using Steve Castel's blue bins in a Japanese Garden... Pumping water from the inner chamber of a Savio after the mat filter directly to the bakki...all plumbing is above ground and bakki is hidden out of site next to house away from pond... No clogging after 6 months of use... ORP constantly above 400 after installation... Will send pictures if you like...

Ray Jordon placed his bakki right next to his pond and camo'd it with premade Japanese panels... really looks great... You can ask him for the site where pictures were posted...

Aloha! Mike

dick benbow · 10-20-2004

if I'm understanding Momotaro use, don't they feed direct to the filter with no presettlement?

my own goes into a vortex first. I have a friend using matilla in his settling vortex to catch heavies.

I would think a simple bamboo screen fence could hide it from view

Akai-San · 11-04-2004

Yet another newbie revelation...

Has anyone looked into other materials for building the bakki towers. I know that stainless steel is a no brainer when it comes to durability and maintainability, but what about using same concept with (untreated)wood boxes that were waterproof-coated on the inside. Using modern day woodworking joinery, the boxes can be made very strong. Of course it would be a good idea to include a couple stiffeners inside the box, but they could be stainless steel brackets (out of line of sight). I figured material costs for 4 boxes would run approx. $200 US then add for stainless steel gratings at box bottoms. I estimate the boxes would last 5-7 years, enough time to save up for the real thing. Would algae/mold be a growing problem?

I just thought if aesthetics were a problem, natural grained wood is ALWAYS beautiful. I suppose you could also use teak wood to cosmetically face exposed S/S as well. Any insights?

Mike T · 11-04-2004

Akai san:

There’s more to the bakki showers than building a box and drilling holes into the bottoms… Some thought should be given to the distance the water falls from one box to the other and onto the BacHouse media…

Luckily, this has all been worked out by Steve Castel of Mindspring, a manufacturer of UV protected bins for use as an alternative to the SS units at a fraction of the cost…

Steve will ship a 4 pack of bins to Hawaii for $135 shipping included… The money, not to mention the time you save, can be used to build an enclosure for the Bakki Showers…

I have two different designs at our home in Pearl City that you’re welcome to come over and see… If you’re interested, you can call me at 455-7368…

Aloha! Mike Thompson

shiromujigirl · 11-04-2004

I used UV protected black milk crates from Office Despot, $7, in a four layer arangement of four each. I plan on, if it passes my tests and they are not complete yet, building a little room for the Bakkis in the back side of a tea house. I am leery about winter outside unprotected.

Meanwhile at Area 51, I have 46 big koi in one 3500 gallon test system and pushing it for all its worth. I run the flush water over night every few nights only. Fish fine, water Q fine.

10-19-2004	#1 (permalink)
MikeM Honmei Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Orlando, Florida Posts: 4,655	Adapting the Bakki Shower I am thinking about re-doing my pond. Among ideas I'm toying with is using the Bakki Shower or similar shower. The main drawbacks I see are: (1) aesthetics ... it would have to be set behind some shrubbery and flow like a stream back to the pond. This greatly limits where it could be placed. (2) outdoor application ... it would need to be covered with screening/shadecloth to prevent leaves etc from falling in. (3) pre-filtration (or all the algae glarf etc would block it in no time) .... I'm thinking of a mid-level drain (less glarf in the water) through a vortex to the shower, but the tree roots in the area where it could be partially hidden would probably be too much to try to dig through, particularly with a huge diameter vortex being required to handle the volume necessary to operate a shower properly. So, I've been wondering about what alternative might work to mechanically prefilter in a situation where only aboveground equipment can be fitted. I think having the shower draw from a large skimmer with matting to catch large particulates might be the only alternative. Anyone dealt with the aesthetics in an outdoor setting?

11-04-2004	#4 (permalink)
Akai-San Tategoi Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Kanagawa, Tokyo, Japan Posts: 336	Wood Bakki Towers? Yet another newbie revelation... Has anyone looked into other materials for building the bakki towers. I know that stainless steel is a no brainer when it comes to durability and maintainability, but what about using same concept with (untreated)wood boxes that were waterproof-coated on the inside. Using modern day woodworking joinery, the boxes can be made very strong. Of course it would be a good idea to include a couple stiffeners inside the box, but they could be stainless steel brackets (out of line of sight). I figured material costs for 4 boxes would run approx. $200 US then add for stainless steel gratings at box bottoms. I estimate the boxes would last 5-7 years, enough time to save up for the real thing. Would algae/mold be a growing problem? I just thought if aesthetics were a problem, natural grained wood is ALWAYS beautiful. I suppose you could also use teak wood to cosmetically face exposed S/S as well. Any insights? __________________ Aloha & Mahalo, *Hawaiian In Japan* http://hawaiinishikigoi.tripod.com/

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10-20-2004	#2 (permalink)
Mike T Tategoi Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Pearl City, Oahu, Hawaii Posts: 429	Mike: Set up a bakki shower using Steve Castel's blue bins in a Japanese Garden... Pumping water from the inner chamber of a Savio after the mat filter directly to the bakki...all plumbing is above ground and bakki is hidden out of site next to house away from pond... No clogging after 6 months of use... ORP constantly above 400 after installation... Will send pictures if you like... Ray Jordon placed his bakki right next to his pond and camo'd it with premade Japanese panels... really looks great... You can ask him for the site where pictures were posted... Aloha! Mike

10-20-2004	#3 (permalink)
dick benbow Honmei Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: seattle, wa Posts: 4,164	if I'm understanding Momotaro use, don't they feed direct to the filter with no presettlement? my own goes into a vortex first. I have a friend using matilla in his settling vortex to catch heavies. I would think a simple bamboo screen fence could hide it from view

11-04-2004	#5 (permalink)
Mike T Tategoi Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Pearl City, Oahu, Hawaii Posts: 429	Akai san: There’s more to the bakki showers than building a box and drilling holes into the bottoms… Some thought should be given to the distance the water falls from one box to the other and onto the BacHouse media… Luckily, this has all been worked out by Steve Castel of Mindspring, a manufacturer of UV protected bins for use as an alternative to the SS units at a fraction of the cost… Steve will ship a 4 pack of bins to Hawaii for $135 shipping included… The money, not to mention the time you save, can be used to build an enclosure for the Bakki Showers… I have two different designs at our home in Pearl City that you’re welcome to come over and see… If you’re interested, you can call me at 455-7368… Aloha! Mike Thompson

11-04-2004	#6 (permalink)
shiromujigirl Sansai Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Bastrop Texas Posts: 261	I used UV protected black milk crates from Office Despot, $7, in a four layer arangement of four each. I plan on, if it passes my tests and they are not complete yet, building a little room for the Bakkis in the back side of a tea house. I am leery about winter outside unprotected. Meanwhile at Area 51, I have 46 big koi in one 3500 gallon test system and pushing it for all its worth. I run the flush water over night every few nights only. Fish fine, water Q fine.