fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
Vertigo, Your trying to break this all down into scientific reasoning. It's really simple, Removing green water is accomplished two ways, killing the cells and removing it by mechanical means, or starving it and removing it by mechanical means.
The first is done by UV and or chemical, The second is done by plants removing the nitrates in which the algae cells feed on. With this type of filter you are using up the nutrients and at the same time removing the cells out by back backflushing them out of the system and completely removing them out of the breakdown process. Will it work as effectively with no plants, NO, I seriuosly doubt it will, plants are part of the breakdown in the system. If your wanting to do this this with no plants and a heavy fish load this is where the chemicals or UV will be needed.
Your looking for proof, look at the sucsess that others are having using similar builds. Is it the best filter out there for this, Probably not but it does cost about 1/4-1/10th of the cost of a effective out of the box filter. This is a DYI, similar to your pond, Does it work? ask the folks that have built and use it. I can't find anyone that will argue the point that they DON'T work. Even with modifications in size, media choice, and flow rates there are some differences in effectiveness but they still work.
This filter is not designed to be the state of the art in filtration, it doesn't make claims documented by scientific facts. It was thought up, made out of materials that anyone can find at a local hardware store and stuff they already have and it has good function. Why argue? If you don't think it works, try building one and test it out in the different scenerios you suggest. for now those that have built one and are using it effectively are happy with it, I know I am and I have no reason to rock this boat.
The first is done by UV and or chemical, The second is done by plants removing the nitrates in which the algae cells feed on. With this type of filter you are using up the nutrients and at the same time removing the cells out by back backflushing them out of the system and completely removing them out of the breakdown process. Will it work as effectively with no plants, NO, I seriuosly doubt it will, plants are part of the breakdown in the system. If your wanting to do this this with no plants and a heavy fish load this is where the chemicals or UV will be needed.
Your looking for proof, look at the sucsess that others are having using similar builds. Is it the best filter out there for this, Probably not but it does cost about 1/4-1/10th of the cost of a effective out of the box filter. This is a DYI, similar to your pond, Does it work? ask the folks that have built and use it. I can't find anyone that will argue the point that they DON'T work. Even with modifications in size, media choice, and flow rates there are some differences in effectiveness but they still work.
This filter is not designed to be the state of the art in filtration, it doesn't make claims documented by scientific facts. It was thought up, made out of materials that anyone can find at a local hardware store and stuff they already have and it has good function. Why argue? If you don't think it works, try building one and test it out in the different scenerios you suggest. for now those that have built one and are using it effectively are happy with it, I know I am and I have no reason to rock this boat.
