Help me design an efficient but small filtration system for my pond

[Ethan25]

latest thoughts. My thought is that I don't need a matala fines filter in the pit, as much of my water will be directed to a laguna filter falls I can fill with japanese matting as I please.

(2) 3" bottom drains, each with a SPEARS ball valve, going into a 110 gallon settlement chamber with 2 Answer 325 units. These answers allow a passage of 2200 gph max, so I will aim for 4,000 gph thruogh the system. ANswers will have 3" pipes going through the 4" thick block built walls, into the next fluid bed bio chamber. Fluid bed has 120 gallons, with 8-9 cubic feet of K1.

A table above incoming bottom drain lines holds 2-3 40 lpm airpumps. THese provide air to the fluid bed and 2 bottom drains. I will use 3" bottom drains in order to assure clear lines. I can purge a line by closing one bottom drain valve for 10 seconds, then opening.

Sequence 5800 gph pump drives the whole gravity fed filter. I am going to have two drop in liners made for the setup, unless someone can convince me it is better to do it another way. My only concerns are that I will be having to purchase quite a few bulkheads and/or koi toilet 2s to use as ways to go through liner water tight.

Pond will be max of 6 feet deep, with two bottom drains. It is almost 10 feet across by almost 14 feet wide.

approximately 5500 gallons max. It will be 5-5.25 feet in the corners with a gradual slope to bottom drains.

Still considering how many TPRs to use, if any at all.

[schildkoi]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ethan25 latest thoughts. My thought is that I don't need a matala fines filter in the pit, as much of my water will be directed to a laguna filter falls I can fill with japanese matting as I please. (2) 3" bottom drains, each with a SPEARS ball valve, going into a 110 gallon settlement chamber with 2 Answer 325 units. These answers allow a passage of 2200 gph max, so I will aim for 4,000 gph thruogh the system. ANswers will have 3" pipes going through the 4" thick block built walls, into the next fluid bed bio chamber. Fluid bed has 120 gallons, with 8-9 cubic feet of K1. A table above incoming bottom drain lines holds 2-3 40 lpm airpumps. THese provide air to the fluid bed and 2 bottom drains. I will use 3" bottom drains in order to assure clear lines. I can purge a line by closing one bottom drain valve for 10 seconds, then opening. Sequence 5800 gph pump drives the whole gravity fed filter. I am going to have two drop in liners made for the setup, unless someone can convince me it is better to do it another way. My only concerns are that I will be having to purchase quite a few bulkheads and/or koi toilet 2s to use as ways to go through liner water tight. Pond will be max of 6 feet deep, with two bottom drains. It is almost 10 feet across by almost 14 feet wide. approximately 5500 gallons max. It will be 5-5.25 feet in the corners with a gradual slope to bottom drains. Still considering how many TPRs to use, if any at all.

First, change the 3" bottom drains to 4" bottom drains, you will get approx 1/2 of the elevation drop (draw down) using the 4" drains.

If at all possible, use double union ball valves....much easier for maintenance when they fail, and they eventually will.

Use 4" lines from the4 answers through the walls.

The filter pit looks good. All gravity lines 4", all direct suction and discharge lines 2".

Steve

[Meg]

Ethan you will regrett not doing tprs. if I had put just 2 of them in the right places I would have a clean pond bottom, but as it is stuff collects in one corner and along one edge. with my pond's small footprint I thought I could get away with out doing them now I wish I had not cut corners

[MCA]

suggestion....forget the shower boxes with matting. Instead do a bakki shower. You will get far higher DO levels and self cleaning media. If you can't do bakki house media, you can try for other types such as lava rock, bioballs...etc.

[Ethan25]

Quote: Originally Posted by Meg Ethan you will regrett not doing tprs. if I had put just 2 of them in the right places I would have a clean pond bottom, but as it is stuff collects in one corner and along one edge. with my pond's small footprint I thought I could get away with out doing them now I wish I had not cut corners

I forgot to mention, the two lines going away from the pond go to two TPRs.

Possibly three!

[Ethan25]

Quote: Originally Posted by MCA suggestion....forget the shower boxes with matting. Instead do a bakki shower. You will get far higher DO levels and self cleaning media. If you can't do bakki house media, you can try for other types such as lava rock, bioballs...etc.

I do have around 3 trashbags filled with brand new bio balls, so that isn;t an issue.

[Ethan25]

okay,

if I got the pond to 6-7,000 gallons, with the same footprint of 9.5x14 or so, could I get by with 4,000 gph going through my filter pit as bio through ONE 4" bottom drain, and then have 3,000 gph going through my skimmer and that running to a filter falls with lots of stacked matala? i can keep low stocking densities till I can eventually do a shower system in the garage in a few years to add additional bio capacity?

I have one 4" ball valve I can use on one 4" bottom drain line. I don't believe I have the ability to do two 4" bottom drains, as 4" ball valves are pricey.

[Ethan25]

one four inch line, lots of depth, 4,000 gph turnover from bottom drain, then another 3,000 from the skimmer line directly into filterfalls with japanese matting.

[Ethan25]

Here's my plan.

300-400 gallon Quarantine pond filtration
I will be making room in the pit for a small 300-400 gallon (approximate) quarantine/goldfish pond that sits adjacent to the main pond, up on a small hill. It will house ryukins through the summer, and any koi that I bring in from the mud in future seasons. This will allow me to have seperate filtration for it. With it being only 400 gallons, turning over the water at 1200 gph through the Answer 250, I can turn over this pond three times in an hour. I will utilize two 15 gallon barrels to act as my settling chamber and fluid bed. The 15 gallon barrel filled with 50-60% K1 and an air diffuser in the bottom will allow me to get approximately 1 cubic foot of K1 in there boiling, with 1200 gph max coming through the Answer 250 unit. THe Danner 2400 gph pump will have a ball valve after it to adjust flow to fill up a 5 gallon bucket in 15 seconds (1200 gph). It will also have a Tetra 18 watt UV on this setup, which will aid in preventing the pump from oversucking water from the chamber. Water comes back in a small waterfall. I am not worried about fines too much on this setup. If needs be, I can always add some sort of waterfall box with matala later on...

Main Pond

Two 4" koitoilet aerated bottom drains running to filter pit in seperate 4" lines. Goes through two 4" gate valves before entering their own 55 gallon settlement chambers fitted with an Answer 325 unit. Water flow through at 2200 gallons per hour. A bi-weekly-weekly flush of 4" lines should keep bottom drain lines clear of major settlement. Water flows through Answer units into 55 gallon fluid beds with 2-3 cubic feet of K1 in each. Then to Sequence 5800 gph pump to three returns, one GPR two TPRs.

Skimmer is gravity fed seperately to a sequence 3600 gph pump, pumps to a Aqua 58 watt UV, to Laguna filter falls filled with matala to trap any fines.

I will be using a dolphin AV150 to run the two bottom drain air domes, and two dolphin av-50s to power the two fluid beds.

[Ethan25]

from above...