Welcome to Koi Forum. Is this your first visit? Register
Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1

    BD Vs Skimmer plumbing

    Hello, I am planning my new pond build.
    It will be roughly 6m x 3m with two bottom drains and a skimmer.

    My current pond (10k Litres) is running a QK35 drum which has 3x110mm inlets and is fed by a single BD and a skimmer.
    I have found it is difficult to get a decent pull through the skimmer without part closing the valve to the BD, enen though I have a 20k Litres/Hr superfish pump.
    So, with that in mind, for the new pond, I was thinking of getting a second drum (one of the cheaper Filtreau ones) to run the skimmer and letting the QK35 have both the bottom drains. My dilema is that I may struggle getting enough pull through the BD's and I don't want three drums! (well I do, but space and budget won't allow for that!).

    I will purge the BD's anyway as I have found it to be very effective. But I have a nagging in the back of my mind of one BD to one pump, which I have seen suggested several times.

    What would you guys do?



  2. Thanks freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  3. #2
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai GadgetBazza's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Essex
    Posts
    657
    Thanks / Likes
    1289
    What’s the pipe size on the skimmer plumbing?

  4. Thanks freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  5. #3
    Hello, currently I have 50mm, but for the new build I was going to run 110mm.

  6. Thanks freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  7. #4
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai GadgetBazza's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Essex
    Posts
    657
    Thanks / Likes
    1289
    That should sort your issue then. The gravity flow rate of 2” vs 4” is significantly different which is why you aren’t getting enough pull on your skimmer. Putting it on its own drum won’t help, the drum will merely be starved of water by the pumped return (unless you slow it down). So your answer is to increase the skimmer to 4” as you have planned.

  8. Thanks freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  9. #5
    Thanks GadgetBazza.
    I would get an additional pump for the new drum aswell to run it as a separate circuit, but I get what you mean.

  10. Thanks GadgetBazza, freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
  11. #6
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Gosai Andymadd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    340
    Thanks / Likes
    294
    Just a little tip.

    I have a 4" skimmer line and it works so well I got a bit carried away. I took out the leaf basket and this was a mistake and during the leaf drop we are currently having a huge wad of leaves has totally blocked it......bugger

    All summer its been great but leaf basket for autumn will be my new way forward...…………..when I get the bugger unblocked.

    Andy

  12. Thanks Ajm, freddyboy Thanked / Liked this Post
 

 

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:38 AM. Online Koi Mag Forum
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3
Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

vBulletin Improved By vBFoster® (Lite Version), © UltimateScheme, Ltd.