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Thread: Filter upgrade
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19-03-2021, 08:16 AM #1
Filter upgrade
Hello all,
I posted recently about a Draco2 drop in to upgrade my Nexus 220.
Started looking at the possibility of replacing the Nexus totally.
Trying to decide what my best options are as the filter housing was built for a Nexus on a gravity set up so limited on space.
So considering
1. Draco2 drop in for Nexus 220
2. Draco Combi unit (don’t think it will fit, measure tomorrow)
3. Draco drum and separate bio unit
C96CA8AE-C641-4C0D-853C-2C3F6C876B0C.jpg
Would like to hear your views, pond volume etc below.
Cheers
Last edited by MARKG71; 19-03-2021 at 08:18 AM.
12’500 Litre - bottom drain - lined pond
Nexus 220 + Draco2 - Jebao 12000 - EA UV
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19-03-2021, 09:39 AM #2
I'm sure that my recently fitted Filtreau combi/drum, has a much smaller foot print than a Nexus. Here's the details,
https://aurorakoi.co.uk/product/filt...2-drum-filter/
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20-03-2021, 07:58 PM #3Hobby and business gone but when you’re hooked you’re hooked.
Always happy to help!!
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20-03-2021, 09:20 PM #4
Hi Mark,
It's hard to say as you are obviously not happy with the 220.
A lot to spend replacing the 220 with a new drum but that is the way I went.
Not saying it was the best or worst move as if you went for the drop in at least you have something to fall back on if things went wrong.
There are loads out there incl the Aem for under 1k and a drum on it's own has a small footprint.John
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21-03-2021, 10:08 AM #5
Hi John,
The 220 is doing great biologically, had no issues with ammonia, nitrite or nitrate. However, the water during the summer was always murky and I felt that the mechanical filtration was poor hence the reason for an upgrade.
I think your right, that as the 220 is fine biologically, a drop in drum to upgrade the mechanical filtration would be my best option.
Cheers
Mark12’500 Litre - bottom drain - lined pond
Nexus 220 + Draco2 - Jebao 12000 - EA UV
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24-03-2021, 09:20 PM #6
Hi Mark,
I agree drop in would be a good option as if something goes wrong with the drum you can switch back to just the nexus and put the centre mechanical back in.
The Draco will sit above the current nexus height so you may have to raise your filter lid cover to accommodate.
Cheers
Ady
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24-03-2021, 09:55 PM #7
drum and bio seems to be the way to go...
and a lot of ponds i've looked at recently seem to be going for 2x turn over and hour or above with a shower these days.
and think it will probably become the new standard rate instead of the old 1x every 2-4 hours.
especially for ponds that aren't enormous, or slightly over stocked.
so i'd get a drum capable of turning your pond over twice an hour if it were me.
so a 25,000lph would do that.
gives you the best future proofing options should you decide to fit a shower....
any reason you're hung up on a draco?
lots of other options...
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26-03-2021, 07:38 AM #8
Thanks Dave, only problem with 2x turn over is in the famous words from Jaws, I think we’re gonna need a bigger pump!
The reasons for Draco are it was the only manufacturer I was aware of that made a drop in for a Nexus, they seem to be the name I hear most often and I’m only a few miles from where they’re made and I like supporting local businesses when I can.
I am fully open to suggested alternatives though.12’500 Litre - bottom drain - lined pond
Nexus 220 + Draco2 - Jebao 12000 - EA UV
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26-03-2021, 09:23 AM #9
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26-03-2021, 10:42 AM #10
i've had the same thoughts re pump, and have 20,000 and 10,000 vario's
but might go for 2 x 20,000 if i get a big enough shower.
as you lose a lot of actual lph when lifting water any height.
a 20,000 vario at full tilt will probably only be moving 12,000 lph-ish when lifting just over a meter in height plus a few meters of pipe and bends to get there.
and i don't want to run them flat out.
local is a good enough reason to go for draco though, it's one reason i just chose a QK drum as it's a 20 min drive.
as balder is finding out, returning a faulty drum is not easy when you've got to post it.
i know 2x and hour sounds a lot, but it's an option you have down the line if you go for the separate drum and bio.
the biggest proponents of lower turnover have enourmous ponds like waddy's 16,500 gallons, at 2,250lph
compared to mere mortals with around 2 - 3000 gallons...
depends if your completely happy with your current filtration set up and just want the convienience of a drum.
i've seen that lots that have the nexus and draco drop in and are very happy with it.
also seen lots that have swapped out the nexus and drop in for a separate drum, bio and/or shower.
desicions... descisions...
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26-03-2021, 11:04 AM #11
I've got a Draco Solum 16 on a circa 13k litre pond.
I like the drum, had no issues with it, but it is definitely too small for my pond. So if you get a Draco, definitely go for the 25.
The 16 should really be called a 10, as I reckon that's the max flow it would be ideal for.
Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk13,000L fibreglassed raised pond with window
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26-03-2021, 12:27 PM #12
What makes you say it is too small for your pond?
How often is it cleaning in the height of summer?
I'm running a Draco 2 on a 12k litre pond, cleaning every 6 mins in summer, and I am looking to upgrade to the Medius which is essentially a Solum 16 with a bio section added in.
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john1 Thanked / Liked this Post
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26-03-2021, 01:17 PM #13
A few reasons I suppose.
My one also cleans every 4 - 6 minutes in summer. To me this is excessive, especially as I'm on a water meter. And will only get worse as my fish get bigger.
Also because I have to operate the drum so the float switch is hanging below the bracket it's meant to be secured in. I have to clamp (lightly) the cable for the float switch rather than the stem of the float switch.
If I were to secure the float switch by the stem (as I believe it's meant to be set up) it'd be going off every 6 minutes now, let alone summer. I believe this is because it's operating at the max flow it can handle. I do pressure wash it occasionally which tbf does help.
And I don't think these issues are because the drum is too high, as I run the drum so the water level on the dirty side is right on the lip of the waste chute.
Also because I tend to get suspended fines (white wafty ones) build up in the water. Going on the size of the particles, these should definitely be removed by the drum. But I can't up my flow any more to remove them as the drum would be in cleaning mode an insane amount of time.
Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk13,000L fibreglassed raised pond with window
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26-03-2021, 02:42 PM #14
Same here. My float switch is dropped as low as it will go with a stone wedged to keep it level!!! After a pressure wash it really helps with flow and I think you can change the mesh out for a 70 which should help
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27-03-2021, 08:05 PM #15
The decisions are still ongoing!
Just looked at Aqua Source Synergy, they’re made in St Helens so only 40 minutes away.
So what’s the general verdict Draco or Aqua Source ?12’500 Litre - bottom drain - lined pond
Nexus 220 + Draco2 - Jebao 12000 - EA UV
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john1 Thanked / Liked this Post
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28-03-2021, 10:04 AM #16
Sorry to but in Mark, you guys with probs with the float switch and cant lower it any more,I made my own exactly the same as Draco's but with a longer stem,easy and cheap to do in fact I made 2 so one is spare.
Sorry going off topic Mark, is there much difference in price?John
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28-03-2021, 08:43 PM #17
Dont worry about butting in John, you’re opinion is always appreciated.
Im still undecided but the most likely is keeping the Nexus and adding a Draco drop in, closely followed by replacing the Nexus with a Draco Solum and a bio unit, like the look of the Synergy filters too but don’t think they would fit and are very expensive. Don’t mind paying a bit more if I’m getting a much better filter system.
Basically, the Nexus seems to cope with the bio side but not the mechanical side.
Drop in is about Ł1250, Draco Solum and bio about Ł2000 and the Synergy is +Ł300012’500 Litre - bottom drain - lined pond
Nexus 220 + Draco2 - Jebao 12000 - EA UV
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28-03-2021, 09:33 PM #18
Or you sell the Nexus, put the money towards a standalone drum and use a DIY biofilter.
To me the hardest part is mechanical filtration. Once you crack that, the bio is the easy bit, once it's established that is. And a drum is pretty much the best you can get for mech. Filtration.
After that, a moving bed can be any old (fish safe) container that has a few airstones in and maybe a drain valve at the bottom... Should you ever need to drain it down. It just needs to be big enough for the volume of media you want/need.
Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk13,000L fibreglassed raised pond with window
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28-03-2021, 10:05 PM #19
i'm with twns
once you have a drum mechanically filtering the water you can use any DIY container to boil K1...
or, and i'm not a nexus expert far from it!
you look to have the room to fit a 25,000lph stand alone drum next to the nexus,
take the 110mm bottom drain to the drum, then feed the nexus 220 from the drum even leave the easy in place if you wanted as extra bio...
you could then add a skimmer feed to the drum and take an extra feed from the drum and pump it to the pond.
to pull more water through and filter out more fines....
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29-03-2021, 10:15 AM #20
Same situation as me really.
When I contacted Draco for advice on upgrading Tony's suggestion was actually not to buy a bigger drum but to move from the 58 micron mesh to the 77 micron mesh. He was certain this would solve the frequent cleaning problem whilst also significantly increasing flow rate, with no visually noticeable detrimental effect on water clarity.
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