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  1. #1
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Supreme Champion Frimley Koi keeper's Avatar
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    What are any of you using as a successful pre filter for a pump fed Eazy Pod?

    My system is a bit back to front I think as it goes pump to UVC, to a Multi Cyclone filter, to an Eazy Pod and back into the pond via a filter sock.

    The Multi Cyclone filter is sold as a pre filter but only catches stuff that doesn't float so a fair amount goes through it.

    I've seen there is a Dirty Harry inline pre filter but I think that could block quite quickly.

    So what I would like is something that is a sealed unit of some kind that could sit either in place of the Multi Cyclone or between it and the Eazy Pod. So far it looks like a bead filter but I'm not sure my current pump will handle the extra pressure required to run a bead filter. There are pressure filters but they are a nightmare to strip and clean plus almost the same price as a bead filter by the time I get a big enough one to handle the flow rate specially if it's one of the Bioforce Revolution filtersand they still need stripping and cleaning regularly even though they are meant to be able to just turn the handle a few times.

    Any advice would be much appreciated.

    Thanks in advance



  2. #2
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    Just been looking at bead filters and from what I've read they need a pre filter if fed straight from a pump.

    Another option is a compact sieve. The only problem I can see with that is it would need to be mounted high enough so it could gravity feed the Eazy Pod which gravity feeds back into the pond. The outlet would then have to be at least the same height as the centre pipe in the Eazy Pod or maybe even the top of the Eazy Pod to get enough flow to make it work.

    Does this sound like a viable option?

  3. #3
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai farmergoggin's Avatar
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    I’ve been looking at a hirdoclean filter myself what that would on your setup? Appears they are easy to clean?

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  5. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by farmergoggin View Post
    I’ve been looking at a hirdoclean filter myself what that would on your setup? Appears they are easy to clean?
    That rings a bell thanks, will have a look at one of those

  6. #5
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    Struggling to find and see anything on my phone lol so will have a proper look tomorrow on the laptop

  7. #6
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Handy Kenny's Avatar
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    Frimley,

    Your problem with a sieve is that the top of the sieve needs to be at or around pond water level and the "cleaned" water comes out at the bottom which could be lower than your inlet for the Eazy Pod. If you raise the height of your sieve then it is too high unless you pump into it. I redesigned a sieve bringing the dirty water in from the other side and turning the inlet pipe so that the water was pushed down the front of the sieve plate which was at a higher angle. I used the existing "clean water" exit but it would be possible to engineer the original inlet into the outlet which would raise the exit height by about a foot to18 inches. In my original the sieve plate was under water constantly but the action of the water being directed down the front of the sieve plate helped push the waste into a 4 inch pipe which was a foot long before the gate valve. In this foot of pipe all the waste collected and when I opened the valve the waste was ejected.

    Eventually I got fed up with constantly emptying the pipe and bought a drum filter.

    Kenny

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  9. #7
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    Thanks Kenny.

    I'm pump fed not gravity fed so lifting the sieve up wouldn't be too much of an issue apart from where I could fix a bracket or shelf to to hold it up plus would have to have a bit of a move around in the shed which needs sorting anyway.

  10. #8
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    My description in the original post was probably a little bit misleading Kenny as it's more common for ponds to be gravity fed than pump fed isn't it. Plus I think I mentioned I was going to have to make the sieve gravity feed the Eazy Pod which might have been the banana skin lol

    Keep the ideas coming please

  11. #9
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    Thinking about it logically a sieve might be an issue anyway as the Eazy Pod it would be gravity feeding is already raised up so the top of it is about 4ft or 1.2m in new money from the floor of the shed. The roof of the shed is only about 6ft 6 or 2m? so with the sieve being high enough it would if it actually fits mean that the top of the sieve would be almost touching the ceiling which would mean cleaning it could be a nightmare and definitely require a pair of steps.

    The Hidroclean option looks like it's a favourite at the moment but just need to check out the prices of them.

  12. #10
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai farmergoggin's Avatar
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    They don’t come up 2nd hand that much as I guess they work fairly well and people like to hold onto them!

    https://www.absolute-koi.com/subcat570.html

    Let me know how you get on as I would want to install the pressure valves they mention but never actually seen anyone who has done this!

    On a separate note your running a pressurised filter on your skimmer line. How often you cleaning it as I’ve got a blagdon kicking about and was thinking about using this on my water fall return intill I can afford a small bead filter. Have you modified the pressure filter media at all?
    Last edited by farmergoggin; 01-08-2020 at 05:56 PM.

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  14. #11
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    Thanks for the advice

    I've seen another supplier selling them for a good price.

    Do I need to get the stand as well?

    I did see one supplier's write up that mentioned the pressure valves but they weren't actually selling them so would go for Vyair as a supplier for the valves if required?

    Yes I have a pressure filter on the filter skimmer line which has a wash out system but still needs stripping regularly and maybe I need to do more quick cleans going by what state it was in when I stripped and cleaned it yesterday.

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  16. #12
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Handy Kenny's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frimley Koi keeper View Post
    Thanks for the advice

    I've seen another supplier selling them for a good price.

    Do I need to get the stand as well?

    I did see one supplier's write up that mentioned the pressure valves but they weren't actually selling them so would go for Vyair as a supplier for the valves if required?

    Yes I have a pressure filter on the filter skimmer line which has a wash out system but still needs stripping regularly and maybe I need to do more quick cleans going by what state it was in when I stripped and cleaned it yesterday.
    Frimley,

    I actually got fed up of all the regular maintenance with a bit of this and a bit of that e.g. sieve, through foams into blue barrels which was my final config before biting the bullet and going for a drum. The drum handles both the bottom drain and the in wall skimmer with both gravity feeding the drum. Since my pond is around ground level the drum has to be in a hole with the top of the drum at around the same level and while it was a bit of work getting it all built in the end it has been more than worth it. Have you ever thought of turning your pond into gravity fed with your drum say under the shed floor?

    Kenny

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  18. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Handy Kenny View Post
    Frimley,

    I actually got fed up of all the regular maintenance with a bit of this and a bit of that e.g. sieve, through foams into blue barrels which was my final config before biting the bullet and going for a drum. The drum handles both the bottom drain and the in wall skimmer with both gravity feeding the drum. Since my pond is around ground level the drum has to be in a hole with the top of the drum at around the same level and while it was a bit of work getting it all built in the end it has been more than worth it. Have you ever thought of turning your pond into gravity fed with your drum say under the shed floor?

    Kenny
    I haven't got a drum and we maybe moving in the next year or so, so looking to spend as little as possible until we move and then will have to see what funds will allow.

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  20. #14
    Senior Member Rank = Nanasai Handy Kenny's Avatar
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    Frimley,

    Aye. it is always a toss up to whether it will be worth it in the end. Me I seemed to spend a fortune not trying to spend a fortune, then spent the fortune I should have spent in the first place! Unfortunately!!

    Kenny

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  22. #15
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    Morning Kenny.

    I totally understand and agree with what you are saying. Yes as you say trying to save money costs you money in the long run if not spent wisely

    I understand the advantages of a drum but unfortunately my budget won't stretch to that sort of thing right now as it's not just the cost of the drum it's the extras that go with it like a bio chamber, altering the pipe work and layout plus all the extra fixtures and fittings required just to make it run as a pump fed system but to go gravity fed would probably mean almost rebuilding again which costs time and money.

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  24. #16
    Senior Member Rank = Yonsai farmergoggin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frimley Koi keeper View Post
    Thanks for the advice

    I've seen another supplier selling them for a good price.

    Do I need to get the stand as well?

    I did see one supplier's write up that mentioned the pressure valves but they weren't actually selling them so would go for Vyair as a supplier for the valves if required?

    Yes I have a pressure filter on the filter skimmer line which has a wash out system but still needs stripping regularly and maybe I need to do more quick cleans going by what state it was in when I stripped and cleaned it yesterday.
    The outlet for the unit is via the stand so it’s a must have item. Having said that you can always make your own think it’s 2 inch pipe anyway and save your self a ton of money. You should be able to run both lines into the unit then should cut down the cleaning a bit. Not sure on the valves to be honest but guess it’s just ‘plumb’ in before and after the unit?

    Could you install a filter socket/bag/jap matting in the skimmer again to cut down the amount of waste going to pressurised filter?

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  26. #17
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    I did think about trying a filter sock in the skimmer but not sure it would fit but cleaning the pressure filter is just turn a valve to pump to waste and the give the handle 10 turns clockwise and then 10 turns anti clockwise. That's all a quick clean is

    When I get a chance I'll check out the hidroclean filter.

    When I went for the 100 micron filter sock today it was 11 am and the water was a bit dirty but the bottom was still visible. By late afternoon the water was noticeably clearer and I could see the markings and colours on the fish when the were half way from the surface to the bottom and by early evening the water was even clearer

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  28. #18
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    Quick update.

    Swapped 200 micron filter sock for a 100 micron filter sock and to prove a theory I have I'm swapping and cleaning it every night.

  29. #19
    So you added the filter sock to the skimmer?

    Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

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  31. #20
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    No sorry if it read like that Jay. The filter sock is on the outlet of the Eazy Pod. As it was a 4" diameter filter sock with a plastic ring or collar I had to remove the DIY spray bar and just fit a short bit of 3" pressure pipe in it's place then jubilee clip the smaller finer filter socks 1 at a time to the end of that as the 200 and 400 micron socks are much longer and wider.

    I did think about putting a filter sock into the skimmer but thought I'd have an issue with them blocking and then possibly locking the pump. Then to unlock the pump I would have to turn it off (unplug it) for at least 2 minutes to reset it. Most pumps now have a lockout that cuts in of the pump starts to run dry to save burning them out. So apart from just locking it out if the sock blocked I was more concerned of as it blocks it would slowly start to starve the pump which may be enough to keep the pump running without locking it and as a result cause it to cavitate which isn't good for any water pump.

    Hope that makes sense?

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