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Thread: Combi Drums

  1. #1

    Combi Drums

    Can anyone tell me why a combi drum is more expensive than buying a drum and bio chamber separately.

    For example:

    QK15 combi drum = £2,895

    QK15 drum £1,395 + QK150 Bio Chamber £749 = £2,144

    That's quite a big difference, and the bio on the combi is 100 litres of K1 rather than 150 for the separate chamber.

    For the avoidance of doubt I'm a big QK fan, I have QK22 and bio chamber and the their great. Is there some sort of technical reason I'm not seeing?



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  3. #2
    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    I would imagine the manufacturing and shipping are more costly due to the overall size. Plus there may be less economy of scale as they probably sell a lot more solo drums.

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    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Mature Champion pip895's Avatar
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    I agree its strange and its cheaper still if you go with a QK drum and a JBR Plastics Bio chamber.

    NB. May be there is simply more competition (i.e. from the likes of JBR) in the stand alone bio chamber market??
    Last edited by pip895; 05-12-2018 at 05:57 PM.
    6000g in ground koi pond
    +3000g lily/Anoxic pond attached
    29 koi (40 to 65cm)
    Bottom drain, Mid water & Skimmer to Drum
    JBR boichamber->Blue eco 500 pump ->below surface return.
    Blue Eco 240 -> Large MB -> Waterfall -> Planted Anoxic pond (25 baskets)

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  7. #4
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Kyusai TinyTony's Avatar
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    i have a qk 35 and a bio chamber made for me by jbr , more flow and a grand less than the combi.


    I recently added a bigger shower than my bakki and all 3 come in cheaper than a combi

  8. #5
    I understand they are neater, tidier and more compact, but I don't understand why anyone would by one the way they are priced.

    Also with a separate drum and bio setup, if you do need to replace either you can do.

  9. #6
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Kyusai TinyTony's Avatar
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    i have a set up where all 3 can run independently if needed

  10. #7
    I guess the combi appeals to those who are short on space and need something that offers both mechanical & biological with minimal footprint.

  11. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Banks8125 View Post
    Can anyone tell me why a combi drum is more expensive than buying a drum and bio chamber separately.

    For example:

    QK15 combi drum = £2,895




    QK15 drum £1,395 + QK150 Bio Chamber £749 = £2,144

    That's quite a big difference, and the bio on the combi is 100 litres of K1 rather than 150 for the separate chamber.

    For the avoidance of doubt I'm a big QK fan, I have QK22 and bio chamber and the their great. Is there some sort of technical reason I'm not seeing?
    im making mine own combi drum in new year. no way i'd pay such prices.

    I thinking of making them subject to the outcome of my custom build.

  12. #9
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Sansai robholmes's Avatar
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    Good post!
    Now you have got me thinking?
    I'm at the point where I'm looking at a combi drum for my now complete pond build and was looking at the profi combi 15 priced at 3100 notes but after reading through this topic I might well go queni drum and have jbr plastics make me a bio chamber seeing as they have made me a quality and well built shower......believe it or not, I would be saving a grand!

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  14. #10
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Kyusai TinyTony's Avatar
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    3 -400 quid for a bio m8 get the next size up drum for more flow and a couple of quid more and try if funds allow a shower with decent media

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  16. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Toffee View Post
    I guess the combi appeals to those who are short on space and need something that offers both mechanical & biological with minimal footprint.
    I wouldn't exactly call the footprint of my Combi compact- it's 2.2m long!

  17. #12
    Moderator Rank = Supreme Champion Feline's Avatar
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    There are some Combis on the market (including the Profi ones) where the size and flow of the drum section does not match the small bio section. I think anyone buying one one of them and hoping it would run their pond on its own would end up disappointed. If you're also having a shower too then fine.

    There are some factors that people who haven't examined the better Combi units in person might have have overlooked.

    My large Combi has a well designed bio section that is actually in 2 parts with an up and over x2 flow pattern. This is why I picked it. Single rectangular bio units can suffer from tracking issues meaning that people do not actually benefit from the volume of media they have in there. If something is well designed and well made then personally I will pay the extra to have it.

    The outlay seems like an awful lot at the time, but 10 years down the line you will have forgotten what you spent but still be suffering or enjoying the consequences of what you decided to buy. That's how I justify my pond spending to myself anyway

  18. #13
    I dont think any combi drums bio section is matched well to the drum section, to get any decent bio side size, you have to buy a drum that will flow double or triple what you need.
    I like that they are all in one, they look smart and they are almost just plug and play, really simple to install, imo they just need the bio to drum size ratio tweeking.

    Im not sure about tracking Feline, if you had tracking you would see it in the flow of your media, when all the media is flowing correctly in the circular motion then its impossible to have tracking, you can see by the media how the waters circulating.

  19. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by robholmes View Post
    Good post!
    Now you have got me thinking?
    I'm at the point where I'm looking at a combi drum for my now complete pond build and was looking at the profi combi 15 priced at 3100 notes but after reading through this topic I might well go queni drum and have jbr plastics make me a bio chamber seeing as they have made me a quality and well built shower......believe it or not, I would be saving a grand!
    I could make you a bio chamber if you were interested, far cheaper than all koi dealers in either marine grade stainless steel or marine grade aluminium, fully customised to any pond setup.
    im starting a koi filtration business
    if interested please inbox me , be great if you have some basic drawings/plans

    thanks
    Mark

  20. #15
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Sansai robholmes's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TinyTony View Post
    3 -400 quid for a bio m8 get the next size up drum for more flow and a couple of quid more and try if funds allow a shower with decent media
    I already have a jbr plastics shower already to go which I had made to the size I wanted. I was thinking qk22 drum because of the limited space I have in the filter area.
    The price of the qk35 is a pretty big jump from the qk22.
    I will have to have a look but either way it's gonna work out better and cheaper than a combi

  21. #16
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Mature Champion pip895's Avatar
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    I have been having a think about this some more, and I am beginning to have a bit more respect for the combi. 1. In the case of the Queni combo they have internal pressure pumps (which are a nicer option) which the stand alone Queni drums don't. 2. For a big drum you would need several 4" interconnections, and depending on your set up each one could need a valve - this in itself would add quite a bit to the cost and space required. The stand alone QK50 has 4 inputs and 4 Outputs the combi version has 6 inputs and 5 outputs. These things all add up.

    For me a stand alone was an obvious choice but I can certainly see why people go for the combi.

    On the other hand the "branded" stand alone bio chambers seem overpriced compared to JBR ones -particularly as you can get the JBR ones made to exactly fit your space and requirements. I can also see that DIY is a good option for bio chambers as there really isn't much to them.
    I don't really buy the idea that there is tracking in a moving bed filter.
    6000g in ground koi pond
    +3000g lily/Anoxic pond attached
    29 koi (40 to 65cm)
    Bottom drain, Mid water & Skimmer to Drum
    JBR boichamber->Blue eco 500 pump ->below surface return.
    Blue Eco 240 -> Large MB -> Waterfall -> Planted Anoxic pond (25 baskets)

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