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24-02-2021, 11:34 PM #1
Upgrading pond filter, need advice
Hi guys, new to the forum. Im after some advice from the more experienced koi keepers. A little background about my pond. Its been running for about a year now and all going great, water parameters are all good and water is very clear but im renovating the garden in the summer and will be moving the filter housing into the garage and thought to upgrade the filter to reduce cleaning time spend on the filters. Currently i have a b/d which goes to a multibay then to a moving bed and then a bakki shower before returning, i also have a skimmer with its own pump that just goes back into the pond. I know the skimmer is not getting any mechanical or bio cleaning but i like having it on its own pump as the flow through it is high and give me good currents for the fish. Btw i have attached photos to show my current set up and what im planning on doing. Now im thinking of changing out the multibay filter for a drum filter which isnt the issue im having, what i was thinking of doing is also running my skimmer to the drum filter and then back into the pond but my worry is that it will reduce the flow from the skimmer. I was thinking of putting a ball valve before the drum filter one on the b/d and one on the skimmer and i was hoping this will allow me to adjust the flow on each. Again i have draw pictures to show my plans. What im basically asking is if this theory will work? Any advice will be greatly appreciated and sorry for the long post.
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Gazkoi Thanked / Liked this Post
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25-02-2021, 09:04 AM #2
I installed a drum filter last summer and did as you propose, skimmer and bottom drain to drum.
The primary limiting factor is the through put of the drum - makers flow rates are notoriously optimistic!
Go big and use oversized variable pumps and the jobs a good-un.
You don't mention current pump or pond size so that would be useful to know.
JimI don't keep fish, I keep water. I don't keep fish, I keep water. I don't keep fish I kee........
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25-02-2021, 09:41 AM #3
Hi Costa.
What you are proposing has been done by many people on here and on the whole it works well.
Adding the ball valves on both bd and skimmer is definitely the way forward.
I second what Jampot says. As an example, I have a 16k rated drum for a 13k pond and tbh the drum cannot really handle the filtering I need it to do.
It's basically working on the limit of what it can do and with hindsight wish I got a higher spec drum. I know drums are pricey, but paying the initial higher price for the right one is way way better then spending a slightly lower amount of cash on one drum to then have to spend even more on a second, higher rated one.
So definitely over spec your drum. Aim for around 50% - 60% of the rated flow and you should be fine. Plus it gives you extra capacity should you need to add another pump in the future or change to a higher rated pump.
Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk13,000L fibreglassed raised pond with window
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25-02-2021, 09:46 AM #4
Thanks for the reply. Yes sorry i forgot to give detail of the pond itself. Its a small pond of about 4000 litres and yes both my current pumps are variable so im able to change flow rates as needed. Ive had a quick look at drums but i think even the smallest drum available will be more than adequate for my pond as its small.
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Gazkoi, Twhitenosugar Thanked / Liked this Post
The Daily pond temp thread
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