Filters

[jenn.]

Hello all, I am a newbie to the pond scene and had some questions about filters. I would like to have crystal clear clean water like you see in all the commercial koi ponds and I would like to work less at achieving this (don't we all). What kind of filter would you reccommend to use. There are so many choices and I am not sure what is best. I called the folks at Pondliner.com and they said I should go with a pressurized bio filter by Fish Mate (3000 gallon) and that the UV model might be overkill. Any suggestions? We have Koi and turtles so I am cleaning the filter 2xs a week (which has to be pulled out of the pond and hosed off by hand) and I have to clean the surface each night just to keep things somewhat clear.

Also, I just started using barley pads in the pond a few weeks back and have noticed all of the string algae is gone; however, all the green floating stuff is replaced by brownish floating stuff that rises up from the sides and bottom as the temp rises. Is this dead algae floating up?

 

[koiguy1969]

of course theyre gonna reccommeand an expensive store bought!!! they'll be happy to sell it to you too..depending on your situation,pond size, and available room,build your own, theyre easy to build and will out perform any storebought even close in price. check out the biofilter building insructions for the skippy style filters right here on this forum,. there is a 70 gallon stock tank ,in the DIY section, and a 55 gallon drum design in the equipment section. both will serve you well, the designs are basically the same and the medias are universal. you wont regret it!!

 

[DrDave]

Search in this forum for bio filter, both drcase and I have published many photos of our "doc" filters.

 

[jenn.]

what I have for a filter right now is a large bucket with a hole in the side which fits the pump inlet. I have a brick in the bottom to weigh it down and then a big thing of scrubby-like filter media rolled into a circle to fit. on top of that are to circles of the same media and those thin sheets are what I remove a rinse each week. the filter is located in the shallow end farthest from the waterfall.

 

[jenn.]

I checked out the skippy filters but it looked like they had to be installed as the basin of the waterfall? Am I wrong cause I am real bad at that sort of thing (I am the creative one and my husband is the Eagle Scout). My 2 main concerns are 1) clear water (as clear as I can reasonably get it) and 2) ease of maintenance (I am sick of having to pull things out of the water every week and would love to have easy access. Our current set up also takes up valuable pond space and is an eyesore. We have the same filter in the little 300g pond too.

Here are pics of our large pond setup:

 

[jenn.]

Here they are!

 

[DrDave]

I see no reason why your Eagle Scout cannot build you a 55 gallon Doc filter or if you want a shorter profile, the Skippy filter. It can easily be hidden as the head of your new waterfall.

Or you can spend hundreds of dollars for a store bought, and still be cleaning a filter every week.

 

[jenn.]

The only problem with having it in the waterfall is that it is difficult to get to it as well (bushes and a fence). I don't think I saw the Doc filter, will have to check it out. All I know is that these pics were taken this morning around 9 am when it was around 70 degrees, it's 5 pm now and the surface is covered with green/brown algae that floated up from the bottom. Have to clean it up every night.

 

[DrDave]

The filter can be installed right up against fences, wall and bushes. The dump valve (which is how you clean it) can be plumbed to an area that is easily accessed. You will never get your hands wet again while cleaning and it only takes 45 seconds each time you do.

Search drcase and drdave for our 55 gallon bio filters which I call "doc filters". There are others such as the skippy filter, but by their own admission, does not include the use of a 55 gallon drum. That is why we call ours the "Doc Filter".

 

[jenn.]

I'm sorry, I feel stupid but I can't find 55 gallon Bio Filter anywhere on the site. It says there are no search results.

 

[Binary]

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/building-55-gal-biological-filter-t2531.html
:toothy12:
I thought your pond looked great - then I read you clean it nightly.. ouch. I tend to leave the algae as its playing an important role supporting the fish. Also gives the tadpoles and shrimp something to eat & somewhere to hide. I'm working on the wife to embrace the algae lol.

I also settled with the 200ltr drum filter with cut up irrigation pipe as media, works great.

 

[DrDave]

Here are some photos. I think that Binary has the same. I call it the "Doc Filter".

 

[jenn.]

Thank you so much for the help! I love my pond very much but in hindsight wish I had gone a little bigger. It seems so big when you are standing in it but then you fill in the sand and ad the liner and plants and *poof* tiny pond :.( I also wish we had spent more time planning it out but we were just doing it on our own.

So these filters, how do you hide them? I like that the filter is outside the pond but I am not sure how to keep it from being an eye sore.

 

[jenn.]

I would leave the algae but there is so much of it everyday that it either clogs up the filter (then I have to clean that out) or blocks my view after a couple days. And since I have a bunch of baby koi now and new turtles I want a nice view :.) I just bought some more plants for both ponds today so hope fully that helps. More hyacinths (as they are the turtles favorite snack) and a yellow primrose creeper.

 

[DrDave]

Click on my name, then click "find more posts by drdave", the last post I made before this one has pictures on how you can hide it.