Filter help

[dirrtybirdy]

hi guys! i am a total noob to filtration but i have a 3000 gal pond with a 4 kois that are about 5 inches long. now my question is, i am building a new filter and i heard bioballs are good but i cant afford them. so can lava rocks replace the bio balls? is there anything else i can use instead of bioballs that are reasonably cheaper?

this is the filter i will be building.

TIA!

[dcny]

Since you have room for two barrels, use one of them solely for mechanical filtration and the other solely for bio filtration. I would also consider using something other than filter pads since they would be hard to clean. If you're using shaved PVC for biofiltration, you can also use that for static mechanical filtration. It would be easier to clean than the filter pads.

Regardless of the media used, you must increase the size of the pipe connecting the two tanks. 1" will be way too small. Either you would not be able to move enough water or would have a huge drawdown. 1" pipe would only allow about 200gph with a 1" drop. 2" pipe would give you about 800 gph, 3" ~1600pgh and 4" pipe would move around 3200gph with a 1" drop between tanks.

-Dan

[dirrtybirdy]

so i would only put filter pads into one barrel and with the other just bioballs or lava rock?

[Eugeneg]

[quote=dirrtybirdy;80631]hi guys! i am a total noob to filtration but i have a 3000 gal pond with a 4 kois that are about 5 inches long. now my question is, i am building a new filter and i heard bioballs are good but i cant afford them. so can lava rocks replace the bio balls? is there anything else i can use instead of bioballs that are reasonably cheaper?

Sorry to say but your ideas show that you do not really understand the concept of designeing your own filter . You should get someone locally to help you and do a little study . Starting with a bottom drain would be a must . Then I would use the first barrel turned upside down so you have a 2in drain for flushing fed by 4in 1/2 way up going to the second barrell with matting and lava rock in third joined by 4in pipe .
Regards
Eugene

[Rich L]

A barrel filter is only good for about 600 gallons so you will need 6 of them for a 3000 gallon pond. That's OK but you're running into minor balance/distribution problems. You can probably get away with two mechanical barrells feeding 3 bio-barrels but a 3/6 arrangement with each mechanical barrell feeding two bios is better.

2" lines to each mechanical filter if you're using gravity to feed the mechanicals or 1 1/4 if you pump water to the filter. 2" lines between the mechanicals to the bios since the mechanical will have to be feeding two barrels.

You can run the connecting lines into the top of the bio barrels and operate the bios as down flow. The PVC is large enough you won't have to worry about the media plugging up.

Shaved PVC would work well for either mechanical or bio if you can get it or make it on a lathe. If that's a problem, you can cut up 1" PVC pipe into 1/2 to 1" lengths and use that. you will have to clean the mechanical filters often to achieve a high ORP so an open mesh nylon bag isn't a bad idea that will allow you to remove the media, clean it and replace it without a shovel. (You should clean the mechanical filters several times a week.

Rocks are definately out.

Oh yeah, don't get too many fish the first year unless you want to be able to tell the story all of us get to tell about how we killed off so many koi when we started. When you get a sick fish, come back here to find out how to save it but don't give up, we all had to go through a learning curve to learn to do what the older folks had been telling us all along.

[dirrtybirdy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Eugeneg Sorry to say but your ideas show that you do not really understand the concept of designeing your own filter . You should get someone locally to help you and do a little study . Starting with a bottom drain would be a must . Then I would use the first barrel turned upside down so you have a 2in drain for flushing fed by 4in 1/2 way up going to the second barrell with matting and lava rock in third joined by 4in pipe . Regards Eugene

a bottom drain is out of the question. I already have an "established" pond thats been running for a year or so. I have 2 barrel filter and a filter box. I know its not enough but its going to have to due for right now. I just want to know if that design will work.

I have a pump that pumps 2000 gph, a home made skimmer, and the said filters.

Thanks for all the help!