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  1. #1

    Nexus 320 vs ScreenMatic

    From the few threads I've seen here I get the impression the Nexus is far a superior setup than the ScreenMatic 60000.
    But are both of these overkill for a 15,000/20,000L pond?
    Is there such thing as overkill?

    To be honest I'd be really stretching the budget with the Nexus,unless there is a better value 130lph air pump than the evolution aqua one?
    (+ Id have to dig and build a block pit to house it )

    I'd like a bottom drain but would that work with a screen matic?
    What about head high?I haven't nailed down a pond design yet but I want a stream effect so I can build a small japanese style bridge.
    Could end up with a smallish 1500l planted pond feeding the main fish pond via a shallow waterfall.

    Any advice welcome but I don't have deep pockets!

    Thanks



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  3. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by CobraKoi View Post
    From the few threads I've seen here I get the impression the Nexus is far a superior setup than the ScreenMatic 60000.
    But are both of these overkill for a 15,000/20,000L pond?
    Is there such thing as overkill?

    To be honest I'd be really stretching the budget with the Nexus,unless there is a better value 130lph air pump than the evolution aqua one?
    (+ Id have to dig and build a block pit to house it )

    I'd like a bottom drain but would that work with a screen matic?
    What about head high?I haven't nailed down a pond design yet but I want a stream effect so I can build a small japanese style bridge.
    Could end up with a smallish 1500l planted pond feeding the main fish pond via a shallow waterfall.

    Any advice welcome but I don't have deep pockets!

    Thanks
    The evolution aqua are very expensive in my opinion , I use the jeabo air pumps from Amazon , they are economical and less than half the price if memory serves me correctly mine have both been on 24/7 for about 4 years now and have not missed a beat, and the nexus 310 I've had for 8 years has served my pond really well with only a few small issues just wear and tear my pond is just under 6000 gallons

    Sent from my HTC U11 using Tapatalk

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  5. #3
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    You can get 2nd hand nexus s on such as ebay.
    There was one going last week with a draco drum. For 1000 pounds. Bargain
    You would be paying well over 2 grand for them new. I paid 25000 pounds for both brand new.

    So look around. On the plus side
    Its been brilliant.
    Air pumps. I have 3x ea pumps.
    There good pumps. But exspensive.
    I won t be buying them again. But there is cheaper out there. That do the same job.As said above.
    Fred

    Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

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  7. #4
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion RoyLittle0's Avatar
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    I cant comment on any other pump, I've always used Evolution Aqua, currently I have the 130 and 70, both working perfectly.

    The EA 130 uses 88w so when you look for an alternative make sure its lower wattage, when they are on for 24 hours a day its worth buying based on wattage not just initial outlay
    4600 Gallon Concrete Block and Fiberglass
    2100 mm x 710 mm Infinity Window 32mm thick glass
    2 x Aerated Bottom Drains and Skimmer
    Filtreau HiFlow 30 Drum Filter
    Bio Chamber - 140 litres K1
    Bakki Shower - 30 KG Sakura Far Infrared Media
    2 x 18,000 lh pumps
    Heated from house boiler through a heat exchanger
    Idealseal MS290

    My Pond Build

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  9. #5
    Thanks Freddy,
    I have no problem going second hand but finding someone willing to pallet up a nexus for shipping to Ireland is the problem.
    I've priced up with bradshaws + 100 or so delivery.
    bradshaws.jpg

    I could save a bit on the air pump and put that towards fittings and/or a more powerfull UV filter.
    My original budget was 1400e

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  11. #6
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion RoyLittle0's Avatar
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    For that kind of money I would go for a drum
    4600 Gallon Concrete Block and Fiberglass
    2100 mm x 710 mm Infinity Window 32mm thick glass
    2 x Aerated Bottom Drains and Skimmer
    Filtreau HiFlow 30 Drum Filter
    Bio Chamber - 140 litres K1
    Bakki Shower - 30 KG Sakura Far Infrared Media
    2 x 18,000 lh pumps
    Heated from house boiler through a heat exchanger
    Idealseal MS290

    My Pond Build

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  13. #7
    Ok Roy!
    What would you go for?
    Lets say £1600 max,preferably all form the same shop to save on shipping.

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  15. #8
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RoyLittle0 View Post
    For that kind of money I would go for a drum
    I agree.

    Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

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  17. #9
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    Agree with all of the above and that Nexus and Drum Freddy refers to is still for sale on eBay. I'd have bought immediately it if it had been the smaller 220, but the 300 wont fit in the space I have.

    As for your question, I looked at the screenmatic when I first started. The sales brochures are very convincing, they look simple and easy to set up, but the more research I did from real life users on forums the more problems I discovered. I now think any pond filter that uses sponges is dated. Despite the glossy pictures making cleaning look like a doddle, pressing a lever is never going to properly clean out a sponge. Then I read about the price of parts when things go wrong... costly!

    Then consider the biological performance - You can't just add more media to it if its not performing, you'll need to fork out on extra add-ons, and using sponges to contain biological bacteria is definitely something that should now be left in the past, because it also harbours bad bacteria.

    Now to the Nexus. I have one. Its not brilliant in the height of summer as you may get very fine particles ("fines") that manage to get through the mechanical filtration, but this actually reduces as the filter matures. It takes an absolute age to mature. Took 8 Months before my nitrite levels finally went to zero.

    But... No moving parts. Nothing mechanical to go wrong, if there's not enough media to keep your water quality perfect you just pour in a load more. It will last forever. You can buy add-ons to make it better if you wish.... A drum filter that drops straight in, self cleaning devices that open and close the cleaning valves for you... and so on.

    The Nexus may no longer be the future of pond filtration, most agree that advancement in drum filters takes care of that, but drums are still very expensive.

    The Nexus itself is bullet proof. The good bacteria that grow on the moving bed media, are bullet proof, and for a 20,000 litre pond, the Nexus 320 is probably near its realistic capacity limit (advertised as up to 34000 litres), and it is a large piece of kit, but for a pond that size its footprint is forgivable, and its good value for money compared to any other filter that will properly cope with ponds of that size.

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  19. #10
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    to add to what RS has said i have a nexus 320 with a drum inside. and believe me it does a fantastic job. i have 325lts of mixed k1 and helx13 media, in the bio side of the nexus. a drum to me is a drum. they all clean the same.
    its a good bit of kit. its just that it has a large foot print. if you went drum and a bio tank. you might get a lot more media in the tank. also what is good about the nexus is if you cannot afford the draco drum now. you can buy it further down the line. but still have a decent filter. while you save for a drum. its all about funds and space for the gear to be put in. every ones setup is different for a reason.

    if I had to start again I would have 2 x drums and 2 x great big tanks full of bio media. but I don t have the space. and that's why I have what I have. as it is now. but it works for me. for my space and needs.

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  21. #11
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    Fred is spot on.

    If you do want to go down the drum route, as in just a drum and a separate bio chamber, there are many options, but I've never read a bad word about these:

    https://queni-koi.co.uk/drum-filters-87-c.asp

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  23. #12
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RS2OOO View Post
    Fred is spot on.

    If you do want to go down the drum route, as in just a drum and a separate bio chamber, there are many options, but I've never read a bad word about these:

    https://queni-koi.co.uk/drum-filters-87-c.asp
    Agree got great reviews by people on here.
    I like john 1 drum by draco. Plus i have dealt with tony. He is spot on
    But must admit queni drums are a good drum.


    Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

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  25. #13
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion andikoi's Avatar
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    have a look at these and option 4,,all you would need then is a pump for water,,,andi https://www.kingslynnkoi.com/product...-hel-ex-pumps/

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  27. #14
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion RoyLittle0's Avatar
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    You could go for something like this
    https://www.kingslynnkoi.com/product...cleaning-pump/

    This is the one I have and I also have a bio chamber from JBR Plastics
    https://www.kingslynnkoi.com/product...w-drum-filter/

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Moving-be...VEtAriNgwPJ9Jw
    4600 Gallon Concrete Block and Fiberglass
    2100 mm x 710 mm Infinity Window 32mm thick glass
    2 x Aerated Bottom Drains and Skimmer
    Filtreau HiFlow 30 Drum Filter
    Bio Chamber - 140 litres K1
    Bakki Shower - 30 KG Sakura Far Infrared Media
    2 x 18,000 lh pumps
    Heated from house boiler through a heat exchanger
    Idealseal MS290

    My Pond Build

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  29. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by andikoi View Post
    have a look at these and option 4,,all you would need then is a pump for water,,,andi https://www.kingslynnkoi.com/product...-hel-ex-pumps/
    Looks the part but completely blows the budget out of the water.

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  31. #16
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Not a big fan of Kings Lynn koi, as when the Aem came out they were charging extra for the cleaning pump when it should have been included in the price of £998.00 or whatever.
    My opinion I would go for the Aem drum from a good dealer for under 1k look at what you get with it!!
    Get free del or small charge as you are in remote Ireland,and do a bio which you can make easily.
    John

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  33. #17
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion RoyLittle0's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by john1 View Post
    Not a big fan of Kings Lynn koi, as when the Aem came out they were charging extra for the cleaning pump when it should have been included in the price of £998.00 or whatever.
    My opinion I would go for the Aem drum from a good dealer for under 1k look at what you get with it!!
    Get free del or small charge as you are in remote Ireland,and do a bio which you can make easily.
    I've had some good dealings with them, they always look after me and the after sales was very good

    Sent from my SM-G800F using Tapatalk
    4600 Gallon Concrete Block and Fiberglass
    2100 mm x 710 mm Infinity Window 32mm thick glass
    2 x Aerated Bottom Drains and Skimmer
    Filtreau HiFlow 30 Drum Filter
    Bio Chamber - 140 litres K1
    Bakki Shower - 30 KG Sakura Far Infrared Media
    2 x 18,000 lh pumps
    Heated from house boiler through a heat exchanger
    Idealseal MS290

    My Pond Build

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  35. #18
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Kyusai Scamp's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by freddyboy View Post
    to add to what RS has said i have a nexus 320 with a drum inside. and believe me it does a fantastic job. i have 325lts of mixed k1 and helx13 media, in the bio side of the nexus. a drum to me is a drum. they all clean the same.
    its a good bit of kit. its just that it has a large foot print. if you went drum and a bio tank. you might get a lot more media in the tank. also what is good about the nexus is if you cannot afford the draco drum now. you can buy it further down the line. but still have a decent filter. while you save for a drum. its all about funds and space for the gear to be put in. every ones setup is different for a reason.

    if I had to start again I would have 2 x drums and 2 x great big tanks full of bio media. but I don t have the space. and that's why I have what I have. as it is now. but it works for me. for my space and needs.
    Good advice Fred. Agree with all that. Had a 320 for years, trouble free filtering. But dropping drum in if funds allow later is massive improvement, in fine reductions plus maintenance of course..plus if any drum issue, it’s 10 minute job to drop easy back in..

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  37. #19
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion freddyboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scamp View Post
    Good advice Fred. Agree with all that. Had a 320 for years, trouble free filtering. But dropping drum in if funds allow later is massive improvement, in fine reductions plus maintenance of course..plus if any drum issue, it’s 10 minute job to drop easy back in..
    Nice one scamp. I missed that bit about dropping the easy in.
    You ok mate. Hope so. And fish are well.
    Fred

    Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

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  39. #20
    when you drop a drum on a nexus ,do you need to rejig the plumbing?
    also it must add a good bit of height.
    something I need to account for because this will be a buried pond.

    Watched this pond build earlier.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TXKUcWbn50

    I'd say mine will be something like it but I dont want a shed near mine,

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