building a 55 gal biological filter

[DrCase]

The pump i use is a laguna maxflow 4200 it will take solids to the filter...And i will take more pics after work

 

[jameskoi]

Just a little update on my 55G barrel filters. They're working great so far but the best feature is the 2" dump valve, period!!! I think it was DrDave that made me change my mind. I was going to cheap out. The other Doctors chimed in to enforce it.

I must have dumped the 1st barrel 5x already. I dumped the 2rd and 3rd (skippy pads) once and that was a mistake. I should not have disturbed the bacteria while cycling. I totally forgot. All I was thinking was attempt a simultaneous 3 way dump!

 

[DrCase]

Its easy to get out of control, when you have all them valves in front of you..:icon_mrgreen:
Here are a few more pics

 

[koiguy1969]

dang D.C are you tapped into the city's sewer too? LOL

 

[jameskoi]

Its easy to get out of control, when you have all them valves in front of you..:icon_mrgreen:
Here are a few more pics

I should stock up on blue barrels.

BTW, that's pretty intense plumbing you have back there!

 

[Raine]

do I need to us bio balls in the bottom of the filter or is there something else i can use?

 

[koiguy1969]

most of us used scrubby pads..plastic scrubbing pads for dishes(soapless)

 

[DrDave]

do I need to us bio balls in the bottom of the filter or is there something else i can use?

I use black 1/2" irrigation tubing, cut in 1 1/2" lengths (7000). I also use plastic bottle caps in a smaller one made out of a tote container from HD that I put a 2" drain in the side for the overflow.

 

[luvmyasagis]

posting here so its easy for me to come back to when I start my filter.

 

[bergzy]

what would be the 'best' (subjective?) bio filter media? the scrubby pads or bioballs?

i am looking for something very long term. i am willing to sacrifice a little efficiency for longevity. the scrubby pads seem to offer much more bacteria surface area but i worry about them accumulating detritus and premature material breakdown. the bioballs have less surface area (thus less efficient), would trap less detritus and would seem to last forever.

so, i guess i am asking if scrubby pads are superior to bioballs overall...

 

[koiguy1969]

my scrubbies have been in use for over a year continuous, never been cleaned,rinsed or anything close...still in great shape and have never clogged and no signs of breaskdown. they go between 2 filters outdoor in summer basement in winter.

 

[Julius Leonid Maestral]

pic 1 find a clean 55 gal drum ,drill holes in lid then cut it out.......................pic 2 there are only 3 parts you have a water tower, a cut up bucket, and your lid for a grate....................... pic 3 shows the parts together..................... pic 4 shows parts in drum ready pic 5 go ahead and put in filter mat ,fill to top

Hello DCase. Are the filter mats that you use REGULAR CLEANING SCRUB MATS? Can FOAM be used? What if instead of two drums, I can only use one?

 

[DrCase]

One drum is better than none....I have the skippy pads in 3 of my drums with a mix of cut up pvc pipe to fill them up.
the foam might stop up to easy...
I have thought about the orange constuction fence, jammed down in the drum..never priced it

 

[Julius Leonid Maestral]

One drum is better than none....I have the skippy pads in 3 of my drums with a mix of cut up pvc pipe to fill them up.
the foam might stop up to easy...
I have thought about the orange constuction fence, jammed down in the drum..never priced it

lol! I'm planning toset up my first ever pond filter.... and I stumbled the first time out = I bought a sump pump instead of a regular pond pump. It's almost 8 in the morning here in the Philippines, so I'm going back to the home depot I got this sump pump from and I'll have it exchanged for a real pond pump. Great tips here by the way. :100:

 

[Julius Leonid Maestral]

I was able to exchange for a proper pump with a 5000 liters per hour capacity. Anyway, can a steel drum substitute for a plastic one?