Do you turn your pump off when backflushing your filter.

[koiczar]

My decision to use ONLY Ultima filters on pond installs for our customers is:

They don't use beads. The media are small tube shaped pieces with ridges on the inside and out. The inside is designed to keep the growing biofilm in tact when backwashing and the outside ridges keep the media from sticking together causing channeling. Personally, my Ultima 20,000 has been in use for 4 years. IT HAS NEVER CHANNELED OR BECOME CLOGGED TO WHERE IT WOULD CAUSE A PRESSURE INCREASE ABOVE +/- 1 LB. Normal operation is at 4 psi using a Dragon 1/3 hp pump. To verify that I have no built up debris in the chamber, I remove the multi-port valve about every 3 months to validate it is in the condition it should be. Only once did I see a problem but it was only in the top 3-4 inches of media that was somewhat clumped with algae/detritus combination. This happened early on (about 9 months of use) and hasn't happened since. But, that is why a remove the head and verify it. Better safe than sorry!! I like them for several of the above reasons but also because THEY DON'T REQUIRE OR NEED A BLOWER!!!!

Mike

[dizzyfish]

Sounds like this is a subject that might make for a useful article in KOI USA. I'll bet plenty of people don't understand the proper way to backflush with the different types of "bead" media. I wouldn't be surprised if half of the people that have them, don't turn the pump off either, when backflushing. Sounds like a good topic for Troy Head.
Mitch

[schildkoi]

This subject would make for a good article in the magazine.now if someone would write it....hint, hint, hint.

Steve

[HEADACHE6]

Quote: Originally Posted by dizzyfish Sounds like a good topic for Troy Head. Mitch

Thank's , but No Thank's ! I don't have a Bead Filter . But Mitch , If I did , I bet I would Back Flush it more then you do . Even if my water was good !

Mitch , I'll let "You" share where I'm coming from if you want !

[dizzyfish]

I'm going to try a post a little clearer picture of the instructions from the Owner's Manual of the Bio Wave Plus and I'll explain that yes I was going by their instructions and not backflushing every week. I'm not completely convinced that we have written the finial chapter on pond filtration. l have several reef aquariums that house delicate corals, invertebrates, and marine fish with heavy loading and very minimal water exchanges. Many reef aquariums rely on deep sand beds that not only help to filter the water, but also to supply essential minerals such as calcium to the system. Logic would seem to indicate that these systems would not work, but they do.

There are certainly tried and true methods that work well and this is the wise path for most to travel. Others test the parameters, often with unfavorable results. If I wasn't part of that latter group I likely wouldn't be a patent holder, now would I Troy.
Mitch

[koiczar]

Mitch

William has placed a lot of emphasis on "the homeowner" determining the frequency of backwashing needed. This is the responsible approach. He offers guidelines in his instructions which definitely could be misleading to the average ponder as far as the frequency goes. I give our customers info based on personal experience and also let them know that the "minimum" should be once a week during the colder months of say, November through March. But that, depending on fish load, the frequency should be "increased" to at least twice a week up to daily, depending on fish load, size of filter, turnover rate, etc. No sense in letting too much mulm or detritus accumulate as this directly affects quality of water in the water column.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is the exact filter we removed from a particular customer's pond system. It was on one of Lim's sleds and installed by some idiot that had the plumbing screwed up. We counted 18 elbows in the install just between the pump and the filter/UV assembly.It was rediculous. Our final install included 4 elbows and 4- 45 degree ells between the pump - UV - filter. Like I mentioned, his water cleared up overnight!! I instructed him to backwash the system as I mentioned above for summer time activity ALL YEAR LONG due to his fish load. He's now a happy camper.

[Rich L]

Try removing that pressure gauge. It may not be doing anything.

Also, a couple of more advanced koi people say we should be dumping the fead/microscreen filters daily. Think about it.

[dizzyfish]

Rich,
I was going to try and remove the pressure gauge, but it doesn't seem to just unscrew. Also there is a valve directly across from the pressure guage that does have pressure. The gauge nevers reads any pressure on neither of two units I have.

Hey I think cleaning a micro-screen everyday is great. I'd like to have one like the pig farmer in IL makes, but I think they cost about $6K. They are self cleaning to a large degree. Any time you can remove waste products before nitrification or mineralization occurs it is a good thing IMHO.
Mitch

[Nancy M.]

Quote: Originally Posted by schildkoi It helps to discharge the stuck beeads within the lateral grids. Blowers have pros and cons. Pro, you cannot adequately clean a bead filter without one. (taht will stir a response I am sure). Also, the agitation fromn the blower can strip off biofilm. Steve

I agree Steve, blowers are needed on presure filters, we have 2 of them, and added blowers to them. but they are strickly for mechanical filtration. We have bio filters for our biofilm.

[Russell Peters]

Quote: Originally Posted by Nancy M. I agree Steve, blowers are needed on presure filters, we have 2 of them, and added blowers to them. but they are strickly for mechanical filtration. We have bio filters for our biofilm.

Even though I feel that the Ultima II filters can work as a stand alone filter, I think that Nancy's approach is absolutely the best way to use a pressurized filter.