Anybody have an idea on optimal flow rate for 55G barrels? I need to upgrade my pump eventually. About 500-600GPH going through right now. I'm getting ambient ammonia after koi take dumps.
building a 55 gal biological filter
- Thread starter DrCase
- Start date
You know what, DrCase. I just sampled all stages in my three 55G barrel system. 1st stage which is mechanical is doing all the work, I would guestimate 90%. The last two bio stage is pretty much doing squat! I'm not going to upgrade the pump, I think that's useless. I'm going to do your method.
However, I do have 1 question. What size outlet pipe are you using for you 3 barrel system? Did you just tie in all 3 barrels into one 2" outlet pipe?
Now I'm scratching my head. I need to redo my plumbing and somehow find a way to close one bulkhead for two barrels and have enough space in between to pipe it out back into pond! What a head ache.
However, I do have 1 question. What size outlet pipe are you using for you 3 barrel system? Did you just tie in all 3 barrels into one 2" outlet pipe?
Now I'm scratching my head. I need to redo my plumbing and somehow find a way to close one bulkhead for two barrels and have enough space in between to pipe it out back into pond! What a head ache.
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
jameskoi .. im not the doctor but i would assemble a manifold, pump line in,3 lines out with ball valves to control flow that way each drum would be controlled independantly, and slow the flow to the solids barrel. that way youd be splitting your pump rate evenly and each barrel would serve full purpose.
koiguy1969 said:
Hmm.. that's a great idea too. Decisions, decisions. lol!
trusting 1 big pump vs 3 smaller ones vs electrical consumption. Drats... I'm really scratching my head right now.
Still aiming for 3 smaller pumps route. But I'll compare electrical consumption too. extra 10 watts basically means an extra $10 per year.
Another idea and this would save me so much time and $$$ to rework my plumbing. Just keep my 3 barrel setup as is and add a new pump, but going into barrel 2 and 3.
But that will cause two unknowns for me. This will shoot GPH to possibly 2000GPH on last stage? Will the 2" outlet be able to handle this. Since DrCase is running 600-750 through his drums, I'm figuring that's optimal flow. Mine will almost triple that at the last stage!
Thus far, it's amazing how my DIY system is working right now. The 1st barrel (mechanical) is doing 90% of the work as far as I am concerned.
I gave my koi a huge feeding last night. Ambient ammonia is very noticeable but first barrel ate it all up.
I just finished my build 3.5 months ago. Now I need to update it due to something I did not foresee. :-(
But that will cause two unknowns for me. This will shoot GPH to possibly 2000GPH on last stage? Will the 2" outlet be able to handle this. Since DrCase is running 600-750 through his drums, I'm figuring that's optimal flow. Mine will almost triple that at the last stage!
Thus far, it's amazing how my DIY system is working right now. The 1st barrel (mechanical) is doing 90% of the work as far as I am concerned.
I gave my koi a huge feeding last night. Ambient ammonia is very noticeable but first barrel ate it all up.
I just finished my build 3.5 months ago. Now I need to update it due to something I did not foresee. :-(
Each one of my 3 drums. have a 2" outlet, and there own 2" line run to separte waterfalls....
when i have to close a bulk head i just screw in a plug .
For the gravity flow outlets
2" pipe is good for 750 gph---3" pipe 1500 gph----4" pipe 3000 gph
when i have to close a bulk head i just screw in a plug .
For the gravity flow outlets
2" pipe is good for 750 gph---3" pipe 1500 gph----4" pipe 3000 gph
DrCase: thx for those vital figures.
I will need to redo a lot of plumbing to accommodate new flow! Upgrade primary outlet to 3" for starters.
I will need to redo a lot of plumbing to accommodate new flow! Upgrade primary outlet to 3" for starters.
Hmmm... I seem to have a made a fatal computational error. In the beginning, I could have sworn my pump was filling up 55G barrel in 6 minutes with nothing inside. So about 50G of water in total or 500GPH.
Not sure what changed, but long story short, checked pump to see if it's clean. It is... I dunno... I timed the flow now with a bucket... it's doing 240GPH right now! Maybe 3/4 pvc pipe is getting clogged and too much friction. I have no idea. So pond is getting just over 5x turnover in 24 hours. LOL!
I borrowed my protein skimmer pump from my reef tank. I'm running that in 2nd barrel. Feeding an additional 340GPH to the system. So now I more than doubled turnover rate. Let's see what this will do. I guess I have no choice but to buy a real pond pump (probably one of those pondmaster hy-drives) and divide the flow.
At least I know that my filter system is no where close to maxing out and that I messed up on pump size and how to properly plumb the system, effectively. I've seen others hooking 4-5 of these in a row. Now sure what is going on there. Oh well...
Not sure what changed, but long story short, checked pump to see if it's clean. It is... I dunno... I timed the flow now with a bucket... it's doing 240GPH right now! Maybe 3/4 pvc pipe is getting clogged and too much friction. I have no idea. So pond is getting just over 5x turnover in 24 hours. LOL!
I borrowed my protein skimmer pump from my reef tank. I'm running that in 2nd barrel. Feeding an additional 340GPH to the system. So now I more than doubled turnover rate. Let's see what this will do. I guess I have no choice but to buy a real pond pump (probably one of those pondmaster hy-drives) and divide the flow.
At least I know that my filter system is no where close to maxing out and that I messed up on pump size and how to properly plumb the system, effectively. I've seen others hooking 4-5 of these in a row. Now sure what is going on there. Oh well...
Also with just 3 months, isnt the bacteria just starting to work? I assume you seeded it with some other stuff, but still to get 3 55 gal drums full of scrubby pads to be doing its job I would think it could take some time. Im now thinking 1 barrel will not be enough for my ~1000 gal pond, so maybe 2 would work. I dont know where to get barrels thou, or pumps that can pump the water 40' horizontally and 15' vertically.
Where can I get barrels? free ideally.
Where can I get barrels? free ideally.
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
one 70 gallon skippy keeps my 1100 gal pond in perfect balance my water parameters are always ideal. and i have almost 30 fish 2 dozen over 8" most of those 12"+ and thats minus the ones the heron got.. i had 40!! a 35gallon set up worked in my 500 gal pond in the basement.. i have yet to loose a fish to anything but a heron. and the one i let get sucked onto the prefilter hose.
aviator79 said:
Ammonia cycle completed a month ago. Nitrate increasing like there is no tomorrow now. GOOD!
I hooked up another pump to system, essentially more than doubling flow and fed koi like there is tomorrow before I went to bed. Now this morning ammonia in pond water and filtered water looks identical to me. Probably very minor trace of ambient ammonia. I don't know. It's too hard to tell now but I suppose aging my filter more and more flow would help even more.
koiguy1969 said:
I think I have about the same amount of fish as you but smaller. Some much smaller.
But I have noticed ever since ammonia cycle completed, I started to feed the herd more and more. Two 8.5" are probably at least 10" and a 10" is approaching 12". Rock on!
I ordered Pondmaster 3200GPH Hy-Drive... going big... now I have to totally redo my plumbing and be able to regulate flow to each barrel and tap an extra one or two for future expansion.
Sure wish I did this from day 1. Save lots of time and $$$. But I have extra pump now. Much needed in case of emergencies.
Sure wish I did this from day 1. Save lots of time and $$$. But I have extra pump now. Much needed in case of emergencies.