Location of settlement tank, pump, and filter

[garywalker]

Space for the pond I am building is limited. Because of where I want the pond to be there is not enough room at either end to install a settlement tank, pump, and filter. Other than the additional plumbing required would putting the settlement tank at one end of the pond and the pump and filter at the other end cause any problems?

Gary

[Steve Nguyen]

Gary,

your approach is good. I would have the settling tank at one end and filter + pump at the other end too. And use big pvc pipe to connect between the settling tank to the pump intake valve. for example, if you pump intake valve is 2", use 3" pvc pipe. why ? bigger pipe to provide lots of water available at pump intake valve. no worry about water starvation at the pump intake valve. Pump use its energy to push out the water so placing the pump close to the filter is more desired.

Steve

Originally Posted by garywalker

Space for the pond I am building is limited. Because of where I want the pond to be there is not enough room at either end to install a settlement tank, pump, and filter. Other than the additional plumbing required would putting the settlement tank at one end of the pond and the pump and filter at the other end cause any problems?

Gary

[paladin_k2]

Originally Posted by Steve Nguyen

Pump use its energy to push out the water so placing the pump close to the filter is more desired.

Gary,

I would see this exactly the opposite way and recommend the pump to be near the outlet of the sediment chamber. Mind you that this is just an experienced opinion but it is based a different understanding of how the pump will work.

Many pumps do not suck water uphill very well but almost all pumps will push or lift water. A pump is made up of a motor and then a "Wet-end". Most pond pumps are impeller designs enclosed in a housing. Pumps that are very efficient and use less energy will generally have impeller designs that move lots of water when wet but potentially function poorly when trying to suck air out of the line to get at the water they really want to chew.

Even the so called "self priming" pumps will work better in the inlet water is freely supplied by gravity with the pipe run and any potential rise in elevation being located "downstream" from the pump.

By locating the pump at or near the settlement chamber outlets, then you have the flexibility to raise the level of the filter barrels at the other end of the pond and this may work much better with you grade and rocky soil constraints.

Again due to your sloping location, you can probably daylight the drain from the sediment chamber AND daylight the drain from the pump pit to make sure you pump always stay dry and happy. External pumps can become very unhappy when submerged.

[garywalker]

Steve,

Thanks for the recommendation to use large pipe. Regarding the location of the pump I am persuaded by Paladin's post that it should be at the lower end of the pond so it can push the water up rather than trying to pull it up. That arrangement would leave more room at the upper end of the pond for the filter system.

Gary

[garywalker]

Paladin,

Thanks a lot for the advice. How large a settlement tank would be needed for a pond of about 4,000 gallons? Is there a minimum effective height of the tank? I have more room horizontally than vertically.

Gary

[paladin_k2]

The size of the settlement chamber is not dependent upon the size of the pond but rather upon the flow rate you decide to run through the settlement chamber.

If you are planning on a single 4" bottom drain plumbed to the settlement chamber then you will need a minimum between 2500 gph and 3000 gph to sweep and keep the drain line clear. If you size only for that flow the chamber could be smaller than if you run a flow rate of 5000 gph.

That said, I will use the personal example of my pond to say that if I had it to do over again I would have a larger settlement chamber to get more efficiency.

If you decide to go with the minimum flow rate through the settlemnt chamber you can get the total flow rate and total turnover rate up to where it needs to be by using a seperate submersible pump flow loop based off the skimmer.

[garywalker]

I do plan to have a single 4 inch bottom drain. If I want to have a flow rate of 5,000 gallons per hour how large would the settlement chamber need to be?

Gary

[Steve Nguyen]

my bad. I thought the three equipment were place at the same level.

Steve

Originally Posted by garywalker

Steve,

Thanks for the recommendation to use large pipe. Regarding the location of the pump I am persuaded by Paladin's post that it should be at the lower end of the pond so it can push the water up rather than trying to pull it up. That arrangement would leave more room at the upper end of the pond for the filter system.

Gary

[koiczar]

Originally Posted by garywalker

I do plan to have a single 4 inch bottom drain. If I want to have a flow rate of 5,000 gallons per hour how large would the settlement chamber need to be?

Gary

Gary

I do agree with Palladin in his recommendations, however I would simply include the skimmer line into the main pump inlet, ball valve both intakes (vortex and skimmer lines for adjustable flow rates) then send the rest of the water to the mechanical and bio filters at the other end of the pond. If you really want the BEST recommendation, I would simply use two 1/8hp pumps, one for the main line from the vortex and one for the skimmer circuit. Then send both lines up to the filters. This way, you could potentially run 6-7000gph total and turn the system over every 35-40 minutes. Just decide which circuit gets the U V light!?

The use of submersible pumps still scares the hell out of me. I've also had too many customers who we've retrofitted have their submersible pumps go out on them within one or two years. That's usually what prompts the call to us!

Mike

[Birdman]

Originally Posted by garywalker

I do plan to have a single 4 inch bottom drain. If I want to have a flow rate of 5,000 gallons per hour how large would the settlement chamber need to be?

Gary

The 4" line is correct, and a min. of 2500 gph is correct and needed. But remember, the more you flow, the larger the settlement chamber needs to be to allow enough dwell time. I like a gallon of settlement per gallon of flow. 3500 gph, 350 gallon settlement. I use discarded poly cone top Ag Tanks I turn over so after i seal the lid, the cone is now at the bottom. Most of these tanks I use are 4 foot wide, by 5 or 6 foot high, or 500 gal tanks.