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  1. #1
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Frimley Koi keeper's Avatar
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    DIY trickle tower filter

    Decided to try to make a trickle tower to lower Nitrates in my main pond. Going to use the design very similar to the one on Manky Sanke's website.

    Just waiting for bit to arrive at the moment but so far have a length of 160mm soil pipe, 3 end caps and 2 couplers. Yes I know I've got the wrong type of pipe that isn't UV stable but it's just a cheap way to make one and then wrap the pipe to insulate it from the cold and the UV light hopefully?

    Going to go as close to 1.5m long as possible. Probably going to be a bit longer by the time I've fitted the couplers on each end and cut the tube in half. If my measurements are correct the 160mm discs I've ordered should fit inside the couplers perfectly to make the top and bottom grills? Going for a diffuser plate near the top under a spray bar to spread the water over the media. Going for 3mm holes in the diffusers and something like 8mm in the bottom grills. Don't think I'll get away with 10mm if using K1? I've got a 40 litre horse water tub for the base which should be food safe and UV stable. So now just have to work out the pipework for the spray bar and feed pipework etc.

    Will get some photos later but for now just a brief description of what I'm thinking about doing. Make a platform for the tub to sit on so the filter can drain back into the pond. The bottom of the tower will be a short bit of pipe with the bottom slotted and the other end pushed into a coupler. On top of that if my measurements are correct I hope to sit a disc inside the coupler sitting on the top of the stop in the middle of the coupler. Then a long bit of pipe. Another coupler will be on the end of that and the media should be inside the pipe. Then in the top of the coupler is going to be the diffuser, again if my measurements are correct! Then a spray bar will be across the top of the coupler just far enough down to be able to fit the end cap on. Going to make 2 of these tower sections and feed them via an Oase 'Y' with valves on.

    Ideally I would like to feed it via the main filter system but may have to be just fed off the skimmer line after the Tempest.

    One question is does the inlet have to be in through the side at the top? Can it be in through the end cap on the top and then into a T with a spray bar in each side or without the spray bar as there will be the diffuser just above the media?

    Any ideas or suggestions on this will be much appreciated


    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

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  3. #2
    Senior Member Rank = Supreme Champion Ajm's Avatar
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    Not sure mate but wanna say k1 is 7x10 ish so maybe wanna go 6.5 mm holes in bottom ??


    Just found this

    Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
    Freddyboy the legend

    "we are water keepers first"

    Johnathan

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  5. #3
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    OK thanks maybe go 6mm on the bottom grill then as by the time I've wiggled the drill bit slightly some holes will be slightly bigger no doubt lol
    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

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  7. #4
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    The 4 discs are clear Perspex. I hope it's a food grade material?
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    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

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  9. #5
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion john1's Avatar
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    Sounds interesting Frim,not sure how they work
    John

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  11. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by john1 View Post
    Sounds interesting Frim,not sure how they work
    The way I understand it John is the water trickles down through the media in what should be (if made properly) an oxygen free environment and you are making the bacteria consume the Nitrate to get the oxygen from that. Ask Syd The flow rate needs to be really slow at first otherwise you won't convert the bacteria to get it's oxygen from the Nitrate and you'll end up with something that resembles a static bed mechanical filter I think? Once you convert the bacteria you can slowly up the flow rate I believe but you have to monitor what the Nitrate levels are both going into the tower and what's coming out of it before you can start to up the flow rate. Hope I've got that right Syd? The flow rate can't ever be too high even once the bacteria fully matures or I believe you'll convert the bacteria back to how it normally consumes oxygen. That's why it's called a Trickle tower. If you want a faster flow you either need to have bigger or more towers or go for a shower filter.

    I'm sure Syd will correct anything I'm not correct on there

    If you can build a drum John a trickle tower would be like going back to nursery school for you lol
    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

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  13. #7
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    Just realised I need another coupler as originally I was going to make 3 x 1m towers and only have the couplers on the top of each but now I'm going for 2 x 1.5m towers so want a coupler on both ends. I bought 3 end caps but only 2 couplers as there was already a coupler on the end of the pipe.
    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

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  15. #8
    Senior Member Rank = Sansai pug's Avatar
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    Would love to see some pic's to see what's going on have you been watching my P.I.S.S filter build on the tube I'm trying something with baskets grog and moss

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  17. #9
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    Not sure if this will work but if I understand it correctly the bacteria that convert Ammonia to Nitrite and onto Nitrate consume oxygen in the process, doesn't it? If so then if I put a tube type filter full of K3 or similar in front of the trickle towers would that help with lowering the oxygen content in the water feeding the trickle towers?
    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

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  19. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by pug View Post
    Would love to see some pic's to see what's going on have you been watching my P.I.S.S filter build on the tube I'm trying something with baskets grog and moss
    I've seen a few of your videos but not sure if I've seen that one. Is it a new one?

    It's currently raining here so no photos taken today.
    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

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  21. #11
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    I wanted to go the veggie filter route but the prices I was getting quoted for the tanks were silly money or had a much too long to wait build dates so thought I'd go for a trickle tower.
    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

  22. #12
    Senior Member Rank = Sansai pug's Avatar
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    This was the build video ***DIY KOI POND FILTER ***BUILDING A POND DIY FILTER*** SHOWER FILTER*** BOG FILTER SHOWER HYBRID** - YouTube but have a look at the later one hear to see it planted as well about 10 min in and this week I've put filtered water to it to save cleaning the foams on top ***DIY KOI POND FILTER ***BUILDING A POND DIY FILTER*** SHOWER FILTER*** BOG FILTER SHOWER HYBRID** - YouTube
    Last edited by pug; 19-09-2021 at 05:13 PM.

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  24. #13
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    Will have a look at those later
    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

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  26. #14
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Frimley Koi keeper's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pug View Post
    This was the build video ***DIY KOI POND FILTER ***BUILDING A POND DIY FILTER*** SHOWER FILTER*** BOG FILTER SHOWER HYBRID** - YouTube but have a look at the later one hear to see it planted as well about 10 min in and this week I've put filtered water to it to save cleaning the foams on top ***DIY KOI POND FILTER ***BUILDING A POND DIY FILTER*** SHOWER FILTER*** BOG FILTER SHOWER HYBRID** - YouTube

    Nice work. I also checked out the gravity Eazy Pod conversion feed.
    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

  27. #15
    Senior Member Rank = Sansai pug's Avatar
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    Always playing with the filters hear

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  29. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by pug View Post
    Always playing with the filters hear
    Same here. Keep getting bored so need something to do
    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

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  31. #17
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    My 4 x 160mm x 10mm discs arrived today and they look like they are a perfect fit so just need to mark and drill the holes now.

    I still think I can go for 8mm holes in the bottom 2 discs as although the K1 is 10mm x 7mm it's not going to drop through an 8mm hole no mater which way round or up it goes. So I'll go for 3mm in the top 2 and maybe start off with 6mm in the bottom and allow enough space to go up to 8mm if required.
    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

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  33. #18
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    Here are some photos as promised

    Nothing special for the moment.







    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

  34. #19
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Frimley Koi keeper's Avatar
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    Some more





    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

  35. #20
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Frimley Koi keeper's Avatar
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    Todays delivery plus what I think you call a catalytic converter . More like a cat will lick it converter !!!







    ________________________________________________
    All we ever wanted was everything,
    All we ever got was cold,
    Get up, eat jelly, sandwich bars and barbed wire,
    Squash every week into a day.

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