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  1. #1

    New Pond - Multi bay filter, Media setup advice needed!

    HI All

    I have just built a 7200 litre pond and have purchased a 4.5 foot multi bay filter which came with a lot of bagged up Alphagrog. The filter has 1 vortex bay followed by 4 standard bays. Your advice on best media setup would be greatly appreciated, here is what I was planning to implement:

    Bay 1 mechianical: Votex, no brushes
    Bay 2 mechanical: 4" brushes
    Bay 3 mechanical: Jap matting
    Bay 4 Biological: Alphagrog with air
    Bay 5 biological: Alphagrog with air

    Few questions:

    Should Jap matting be used for bio or mechanical? When cutting the Jap matt to have channels, why do people install vertically? surely the water flows up the channels and not through the matting, thus allowing dirt past it?

    If Jap matting is mainly used for biological purposes, what can I use to catch the fine particles without a risk of blockages?

    Is it correct to use an air stone with Alphagrog when its not a moving bed? As the Alphagrog is second hand, should I chemical treat or just rinse before use?

    Many thanks



  2. #2
    Personally I would pack the vortex with brushes. The first chamber (assuming) it's a downflow of water I would have a jap matting cartridge with a sheet of filter floss on top to catch as much of the crap as possible as Grog is very susceptible to blockages. This would also give you an extra chamber of bio so it's a win win really. Word of warning tho is that the floss would need changing on a regular basis to prevent clogging and starving the rest of your filter. I'm sure one of the 'convert it to K1 brigade' will be along shortly too which is another option but I still prefer matting. 👍

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  4. #3
    Thanks for the reply! I have ordered some fine wool and a 3m vortex brush.

    I plan to use Jap matting in bay 2 to catch the dirt particles, will aeration cause it to be less effective in collecting dirt?

  5. #4
    Jap mat bays 1 and 2 with floss on top of bay 1 and grog in 3 and 4 is all you need. The floss catches all the crud. The matting will be bio. You'll be surprised how much the floss takes out. Nothing wrong with aeration of the matting. In fact it's a benefit.

  6. #5
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Kyusai TinyTony's Avatar
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    brushes in the vortex jap matting with air in the bays . grog is good but has to be kept spotlessly clean. used to remove ( bagged) and hosed down twice a week

    k1 takes ages to mature can get everywhere if not contained in the bays I'm not a fan had miles better results with the matting

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  8. #6
    Agreed with the K1. I've had far superior results with matting as well. First system was as the op has and performed faultlessly. 2nd system was a nexus that I always struggled with nitrite with. Starting new build in the spring and I'm having a drum followed by large chamber with matting and a shower. Large veggie/ anoxic top pond. Simples but V effective.

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  10. #7
    Thanks for the replies .

    How does this sound,

    Vortex: Brushes
    1 down: Brushes (because i've already bought them!)
    2 up: Jap matting to catch remaining mid sized particles, no air. (Air here would dislodge the dirt which is caught surely?)
    3 down, Fine wool to catch the remaining fine particles (why put this first if its likely to block?) followed by more jap matting for bio, with Air (should I do vertical channels here or pack it full?)
    4 Up: Alphagrog in bags for bio with air

    Any floors with this? Thanks!
    Last edited by willshill; 01-11-2017 at 03:34 PM.

  11. #8
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Kyusai TinyTony's Avatar
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    as long as the grog is kept clean , bag removed and hosed down , way I did it should be ok .you can also check and make sure the bottom of the bay is spotless aswell but personally id replace all with jap matting

  12. #9
    ok thanks. Also....I have an 8000lph pump which will supply the filter through a 1.5" hose and a 55w uv light which also takes a maximum of 1.5 inch hose. The filter exit is 2" and obviously the lamp needs to be placed after the filter. If I install a reducer on the filter exit to reduce from 2" to 1.5", connect to the uv and then use 1.5" back to the pond, will this allow for enough natural flow? The supply with be pressurised by the pump but the exit will not, I am concerned about flow issues.

    What do you think?

  13. #10
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Kyusai TinyTony's Avatar
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    are you pump fed ?

  14. #11
    Floss only blocks due to the fact it is amazingly good at catching fines. Put it in the first chamber to keep the rest of your bio clean. Dump the brushes as not needed if you're using brushes in your vortex.

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  16. #12
    Just had another read. No you won't be able to put your uv like that. Sounds like you're trying to pump feed a gravity filter??

  17. #13
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Fry Repsol's Avatar
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    Just test first without permanently fixing anything. If I'm right in assuming you are pump feeding/gravity return you may find that restricting the flow on exit will overflow your filter. I'm currently pump fed/gravity return on a multibay and my UV is before the filter. Not ideal but been running like this for 2 years now and no issues with either the UV or water quality.

 

 

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