Building a new filter system have some questions

[cheeseyfella]

Here's a diagram. Cheap and easy to build. Easy to clean (I pressure wash the filter mats a couple times a season). Shop-vac it out for the winter and put the lid on it to keep the weather out. I've used 40 gallon drums, but you could use pretty well any type of a rigid container (Rubbermaid feed trough, sump pump chamber, whatever).

I do like the idea of vortex type filter at the bottom, I wonder if i can incorporate into the bottom of this?

 

[Catfishnut]

The order you put the materials in doesn't really matter. When the air is turned on the material fluidizes, or should. That means everything moves, almost like a washing machine. When the air turns off the material falls back out of suspension and sorts itself into layers. That's why it doesn't matter what order the material goes in because the filter will layer the material itself.

It's kind of a whole deal getting the amount of air right. Has to be enough to cause the material to fluidizes or it doesn't clean very well, but not so strong that it blows sand out of the barrel.

Lava rock would require a lot of air to be moved. You might want to reconsider that.

There's a ton of info on these filters, they've been around awhile. Often called "sand & gravel filter". They are meant to be used to "polish" water meaning there are other filters before the S&G to remove larger stuff. That allows for cleaning less often so only need cleaning every week or two depending on the pond. They can be used by themselves but may need to be cleaned much more often.

Good point Waterbug. This is true, and since you would probably backflush the filter prior to putting it "online" just to do a good cleaning of the materials of dust and fines, the bed would be layered right from the start. i think that would be a lot easier than trying to rinse them clean outside the barrel.

Gordy

 

[cheeseyfella]

I finally got this built,It took a while but it is working, not sure how effective it is yet, I will leave it run for a little while and comeback with some feedback.I will also get some pictures over the weekend and a detailed write up.

Thanks to everyone who chipped in advice