Hi there im new to ponds and stuff im building a boi filter i was just wondering how do you maintain the boi filter like maintenance and whats good media.thanks
bio filter
- Thread starter eckobren
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If done right, a bio filter requires almost no maintenance. Youd flush the bottom out now and then (add a bottomdrain!), thats basically it. If the media become too clogged, you gently rince them with pondwater (never tap water, it will kill your filter).
As for what media to use.. well, everyone has their favorite. No one knows which one is 'best'. Most things plastic work, be it garbage or purpose made. Cut PVC pipes (roughen them first with sandpaper), strappings, netting, scrub pads, or commercial products like bioballs, K1 kadlnes and the like. Thats probably among the top products, especially for a moving bed filter (adding aeration to keep the media moving and the bacteria fed with oxygen).
Whatever you use, dont forget ideally you do mechanical filtration first, to remove large particles. That can be a sieve, a vortex, brushes or whatever. The more particles you remove, the more efficient your biofilter will be.
As for what media to use.. well, everyone has their favorite. No one knows which one is 'best'. Most things plastic work, be it garbage or purpose made. Cut PVC pipes (roughen them first with sandpaper), strappings, netting, scrub pads, or commercial products like bioballs, K1 kadlnes and the like. Thats probably among the top products, especially for a moving bed filter (adding aeration to keep the media moving and the bacteria fed with oxygen).
Whatever you use, dont forget ideally you do mechanical filtration first, to remove large particles. That can be a sieve, a vortex, brushes or whatever. The more particles you remove, the more efficient your biofilter will be.
Go to the DIY section and you'll find lots of instructions for building your filter.
koidaddy
karps house of koi
vertigo72 has you covered. I built to Doc style filters last year and they are pretty much maintanance free other the the occasional flush from the bottom valves.
BTW I had better luck with the doc style over the skippy style. The barrells are alot cheaper then the rubbermaid stock tanks. Plus my RM stock tank cracked after a couple years.
BTW I had better luck with the doc style over the skippy style. The barrells are alot cheaper then the rubbermaid stock tanks. Plus my RM stock tank cracked after a couple years.
What happens to you bio filter in the winter if your not running your pump do you just empty it out, clean it all and start again next year or what.
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I just left mine, but mine is a bog. I have read that a lot just clean them and leave them be for the winter. I could be wrong, I am sure others will chime in.
fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
eckobren said:
Being you are in Birmingham, I assume Alabama, I would think run it year round, I live in Louisiana and I leave mine running year round, far more stable that way if you can avoid the filter from freezing.
fishin4cars said:
Hi no im from Birmingham england
fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
OH :lol: OK, your location wasn't clear, wrong assumption, LOL
we get MAYBE 7-10 days of below freezing days here and maybe double that many nights. So leaving them running is better for us here. Sorry hopefully those that do have to shut down can chime in and help on this one.
we get MAYBE 7-10 days of below freezing days here and maybe double that many nights. So leaving them running is better for us here. Sorry hopefully those that do have to shut down can chime in and help on this one.
eckobren said:
Basically yes. If you stop running the pump and definitely when you drain the filter, the bacteria will die soon. Next year, it will have to cycle again, though you can apply microbe lift to accelerate that (disputed by some, but it wont hurt).
That said, I live in belgium, similar climate as you, and I intend to keep mine running. Most of the bacteria will die anyhow from cold and lack of ammonia, but it will start up faster I assume and I want to keep my pond from freezing over entirely, so I intend to keep my pump and aerator on anyhow. Moving water doesnt freeze, especially not water you pump from the bottom of your pond that is well above freezing. And I have airstones in my filter, so it definately moves. Now thats the theory, Ill let you know next year how that worked out :lol:
Come on now... you are telling me that a constant temp of 1-5F would not freeze a spraybar? I agree it would take awhile. But physics wins out in the end. Waterfalls freeze solid in alot of places...
Malak said:
Was that question directed at me? I never said a spraybar wont freeze. And it may well.
But Ive seen in our pond how a 25K liter pump, pumping water through a pipe then blasting it 2+m high, falling back at an angle in to the pond (so like a fountain without nozzle), created a *MASSIVE* 2 meter high stalagmite (or is that stalagtite?). But the pump never stopped pumping and the pond never froze over unless the pump was shut down for a day. Then Id have to pour boiling water in and over the pipe to get it going again. And it would dig a hole in the ice in no time.
Yeah, if nothing else, the water spraying out would freeze and block the flow.
No one mentioned spraybars though. If you mean those of a trickle tower, then yeah, it would seem a terrible idea to keep running when its freezing. I dont think the flow would ever block though, you keep pumping warm water under pressure. But the trickle tower itself would become a huge clump of ice and almost certainly flow over at some point. But a doc style barrel filter, I suspect would be okay in all but he most extreme winters.
Ok, we agree. Did not want anyone to be misled and have a Winter disaster. lol