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  1. #1
    Member Rank = Nisai GSDPenny's Avatar
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    How about a Nexus 220?

    Me again. After posting this thread
    https://www.koiforum.uk/water-treatm...-pod-hope.html

    We've now been discussing the likelihood that we'll do a few small changes and still end up being unhappy about the amount of maintenance we're ending up doing.

    Husband has agreed to looking to get a Nexus 220 to replace the Multi-bay (I've still got my eye on the future and dropping a drum in there however I'm really worried about disrupting the water quality while we swap over.

    The pond was really neglected for a couple of years before we moved in and started up the filter - but water readings have always been consistently good, so maybe it would survive anyway as there's a decent layer of silt in there still!

    We don't really have room to install the Nexus and then return the water through the Multi-bay to take advantage of the biological media. And this no doubt would involve lots of extra cost with extra pipework and fittings even if we could squeeze it in. We have 3 large bays full of alfagrog. And the alfagrog isn't a suitable medium for the Nexus.

    Any ideas on how we could somehow keep the biological benefit of existing alfagrog while the nexus bio media is getting up to speed, without having to buy any additional special equipment? Would placing the alfagrog (in their onion sacks) in the shallow end of the pond where the water returns from the filter work for example?

    Sorry - very keen to do it once, but do it right!



  2. #2
    Senior Member Rank = Kyusai Sim's Avatar
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    Hi Penny
    I have had both multi bays and the larger and smaller nexus.
    All need work flushing and cleaning etc.
    I have just swapped out two 220s for a drum and moving bay.
    I feel this is much better way to go, though if you are still thinking of a nexus why not remove one bay of media and replace it with k1 (even static) this could then be tranfered when you swap the filters out.
    I have carried over 100ltrs of k1 into my new filter and added another 100ltrs of new media.

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  4. #3
    Senior Member Rank = Kyusai Sim's Avatar
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    I would also like to add before changing these filters I put a bakki shower in last year as part of the upgrading of the filters so hopefully that has matured.
    I think if

  5. #4
    Member Rank = Nisai GSDPenny's Avatar
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    Now that's a great idea to replace one bay with new filter material to get it up to speed before even thinking about getting the new filter!

    I'd love to go straight in with a drum, but expenses just aren't going to allow it right now, so we do need to do something to reduce the maintenance time (and getting cold and wet and covered in grunge every time we clean the multi-bay).

    If we kept the alfagrog we removed in the shallow end of the pond under the filter return, would the bio stay alive in case we need to replace it if water readings take a nose dive initially?

  6. #5
    Senior Member Rank = Kyusai Sim's Avatar
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    I guess you could if it was me perhaps keep an eye out for a second hand trickle tower and move the alfa rock into that so the waters running through it

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  8. #6
    yeah just buy a big blue plastic barrel, put all the grog in it, and then return your water through it while the nexus matures.

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  10. #7
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GSDPenny View Post

    If we kept the alfagrog we removed in the shallow end of the pond under the filter return, would the bio stay alive in case we need to replace it if water readings take a nose dive initially?

    It should do, as I did exactly the same thing.

    I bought these off eBay, filled them with mature alfagrog and hung them from the mesh pond cover by the filter returns and still have 2 in the pond that I never removed:

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nylon-Mes...MAAOSwl7dcWCjZ


    EDIT: The ideas in the 2 posts above are better options if you can go with those.

  11. #8
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion RS2OOO's Avatar
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    Another cheap option would be to buy the rectangular window sill planter boxes, make holes in the bottom and stack them on top of each other and use as a temporary shower.

    Alternatively make something out of the stuff on this page:

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...awers&_sacat=0

  12. #9
    Member Rank = Nisai GSDPenny's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RS2OOO View Post
    It should do, as I did exactly the same thing.

    I bought these off eBay, filled them with mature alfagrog and hung them from the mesh pond cover by the filter returns and still have 2 in the pond that I never removed:

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nylon-Mes...MAAOSwl7dcWCjZ


    EDIT: The ideas in the 2 posts above are better options if you can go with those.
    Thank you - mine are in onion sacks at the moment which makes cleaning much easier than massive amounts loose in those bays, but those look somewhat sturdier. Mind you, the onion sacks are holding up well as they've moved moved around a fair bit in 7 months.

    I'm liking the idea of just sticking the stuff in a barrel in the meantime. Not sure what I'd need to do to get the water into there though as we're pump fed to the filter. I guess another pump to push it up to the barrel?

  13. #10
    Member Rank = Nisai GSDPenny's Avatar
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    Me again. With yet another idea.

    Having watched a video on how a Nexus 220 works and how to clean it, it occurred to us that we could make a few cheap mods to our existing setup and get the same result. Just looking for easier cleaning and less fines making their way through to the alfagrog if we don't clean it quite quickly enough.

    So the Nexus just comprises an inner mechanical filter that's possible to clean without getting your hands wet - but does still need cleaning. And an outer biological filter.

    We already have a few components of that - the 3 bays of alfagrog work well for bio. The Compact sieve works well for removing weed and other large solids.

    At the moment sieve drops down into a vortex filled with brushes which flows down into a bay with sponges.

    For ease of cleaning, could we not just add K1 media to the first 2 bays? Would need some way of preventing it escaping (Oh is pretty handy so isn't terrified by this idea), and being able to aerate/agitate to clean and flush through, so would also need to block off the route at the base of bay 2 into 3 during cleaning.

    Having we missed something obvious here? Apart from the cost of buying K1 of course.

  14. #11
    yeah its easy done if your multibay has some depth to it, i did it in mine, though purely for bio not for mechanical.
    I Just blocked off the exits and entrances to the individual bay with fine stainless steel mesh available on ebay, to let water through but retain the k1 or micro k1, put a piece over the bottom drain and fix some air stones down to the bottom to boil it.
    That works as biological filter, but its not very efficient as a mechanical filter for a few reasons, 1, you need a really good depth of k1 if its static, so as to get a good covering over the water exit because it all floats to the top, but if you put too much in, it wont boil, 2, you will get water tracking just bypassing most of the k1. You also need to block the water entrance in to the individual bay because k1 will get in to the bay preceding it, 3, k1 isnt actually a very good mechanical filter media.
    Also to clean the individual bay you will lose a lot of water, because when you turn off the pump and close the valve to the incoming water, your whole multibay will self level and water will back fill into your modified bay from the all the others, also you cant boil the k1 until the water level has gone down sufficient so as not to get dirty water going into your other bays, and to achieve that you will need quite a low water level, thing is with a low water level and lots of k1 it wont boil to clean itself.
    After all that id say yes its possible, but it will take some experimenting and some hard work, and after all that it might not be very good, what could easily happen is that you spend quite some money on modifying something, that when you've finished you aren't really happy with, and then you buy the nexus anyway.

  15. #12
    Member Rank = Nisai GSDPenny's Avatar
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    Thanks for that.

    The sieve empties into the vortex from above, and then the water flows from the top of the vortex into the second chamber which currently has sponges, so I don't think we'd encounter the issues you've mentioned in that bay at least - all we would need to do is block off the sump exit (actually planning to put a grid across to allow a deeper well of dirty water to accumulate), and then a grid to prevent the k1 overflowing into the next chamber.

    To boil/clean, yes we would need to drop the water level sufficiently so the dirty water doesn't overflow into the next chamber.

    We're flip/flopping around with ideas though. Lots of talking, reading and looking at costs. We don't want to spend in dribs and drabs, put a lot of work in and still end up buying a Nexus and then upgrading to a drum, so I appreciate all ideas and opinions for the madcap things I'm suggesting

  16. #13
    Senior Member Rank = Kyusai Sim's Avatar
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    Hi
    I had k1 in the multi bay.
    I just put a grid in the bottom and zip tide a ceramic air disc to the grid.
    I put mesh on both inlet and outlet (k1 can get every where)
    Because it's a moving bed any fine just collected at the bottom I just purged it opening the waste valve for a few seconds that was it really the main cleaning is in the first vortex and you also have the sieve.
    I also put shrimps in the rock and jap mat when I had it, they picked it clean and the koi loved eating them. Just scoop a few out and throw them in the pond, they would go mad for them.

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  18. #14
    Member Rank = Nisai GSDPenny's Avatar
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    This is pretty successful so far. Noticeably less fines making their way through to the 2nd bay with sponges, and we haven't got much K1 micro in the vortex yet - we'll add small amounts in stages to get the balance right between filtering well and not blocking too quickly.

    I give you the Kockney Koi Eazy Bay

    20190530_185809.jpg20190530_190918.jpg20190531_194718.jpg
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by GSDPenny; 01-06-2019 at 08:40 AM.

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  20. #15
    Senior Member Rank = Kyusai Sim's Avatar
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    Looking good penny :-). Are you using air line in all the moving bed bays as well? I found that a ceramic air stone was better in the bio chambers as they were easy to swap and clean, I was having to take out and clean the air lines in the nexus 3 or so times a year as they block up. Used to clean them with a .5mm drill bit which was a bit of a pain.
    Think if it was me I would also get rid of the sponges for k1 as well with the sieve and the micro it should do a pretty good job, you could just flush the moving beds every week or so. Sponges seem hard work keeping them clean, if you have the last bay with alfa rock still, put some shrimps in they will help with fines :-)

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  22. #16
    Member Rank = Nisai GSDPenny's Avatar
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    Thanks Sim

    We don't have any moving beds at all - just an airline to boil the 1st bay at the moment. We have 3 bays of static alfagrog following the sponges. They seem to be working to keep the pond parameters practically perfect even with a huge amount of neglect before we moved here in August last year, so I'm not rushing to change anything bio at the moment.

    But the plan is to replace the sponges with K1 as soon as we've found the perfect balance in the vortex with K1 micro - it's easiest for us to see the results with the sponges at the moment as we're used to the amount of grunge they collect. And possible then gently moving K1 in the first alfagrog bay when we've matured it in the sponge bay.

    I'm liking the idea of shrimps in the final bay. As soon as we've got the balance right everywhere else, and the alfagrog remaining as clean as possible.

    The next step is somehow fitting an overflow from the sieve into the 2nd chamber to avoid it backing up into the sieve if the vortex blocks - but my husband has some ideas apparently.

  23. #17
    Senior Member Rank = Kyusai Sim's Avatar
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    Sounds like your going the right way.
    Although we had shimp used to call the main cleaner we had were actually louse (look like wood louse) but the seem very happy on jap mat and alfa rock they will keep it spotless for you and the koi love eating them.

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  25. #18
    Senior Member Rank = Grand Champion andikoi's Avatar
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    looks good but i would convert as many bays as possible to k1,first 2 static but with air for cleaning and last 2 aerated,then you have a long nexus lol,you could put your grog under the k1 but on top of the air grid so it flushes that aswel,,,andi

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  27. #19
    Member Rank = Nisai GSDPenny's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sim View Post
    Sounds like your going the right way.
    Although we had shimp used to call the main cleaner we had were actually louse (look like wood louse) but the seem very happy on jap mat and alfa rock they will keep it spotless for you and the koi love eating them.
    So, shortly after you posted this I mentioned it to my husband and we were wondering where we could get some shrimps from to help clean the grog.

    Today - when taking out the sieve to clean it off, hubbie spotted a shrimp! We've carefully put him/her in a protected corner of one of the alfagrog bays.

    I thought about this for a little while, then said to my husband 'I wonder where we can get some gold bullion bars to help clean the grog'.

    Hopefully one of those will turn up in the sieve next time we clean it.

  28. #20
    Senior Member Rank = Kyusai Sim's Avatar
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    Hi penny
    Sorry just noticed this post.
    The best ones for cleaning the the louse ones, I used to belong to Kenneth valley koi club years ago and quite a few members kept them in there filters.
    I was given a bag of them from another club member.
    You don't seem to see as many now I think probably because they don't do well in moving beds of k1, I was going to put a small bay with plants in very soon and was going to see if I can get hold of some more.
    Sorry not any more help perhaps ther are some members on here that have some to give away :-)

 

 

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