filtration advice for new pond build

[Meyer Jordan]

Next spring the plan is to install the skimmer, then gravity feed that to either the settlement tank or the barrel with the matala ( 1 sheet green, 1 sheet blue, one sheet Gray) in it. Hopefully this will help with the drawn down in the barrels. Or should I hook it in with the pump inlet for direct draw?

For the system to work at peak efficiency, I would use the following arrangement-
Skimmer>pump>settlement tank>biofilter>waterfall.

 

[BGJ223]

For the system to work at peak efficiency, I would use the following arrangement-
Skimmer>pump>settlement tank>biofilter>waterfall.

But if I go skimmer to pump to settlement then nothing would settle from skimmer because it would get chopped up by the pump.

Also to note. I am using a single pump for filtration. Skimmer. Etc.

Wouldn't it be better to go skimmer to pump to mech/ bio.
Kinda weird also since the pump would also draw from the mech/bio filter

 

[dieselplower]

I have not known pumps to have Ginsu knives or anything inside them that would slice and dice debris into tiny pieces. Sure large pieces may get cut in half or something but I dont see them turning into dust. Ideally you would have some sort of filter material in the skimmer before the pump to stop the large stuff.

 

[BGJ223]

I have not known pumps to have Ginsu knives or anything inside them that would slice and dice debris into tiny pieces. Sure large pieces may get cut in half or something but I dont see them turning into dust. Ideally you would have some sort of filter material in the skimmer before the pump to stop the large stuff.

I got the new model pump with the serrated edge

You have a good point, there is a leaf basket on the skimmer and the pump, the big stuff will be grabbed before hitting the pump.

If my pump draws from my mech/bio filter then having the same pump pull from the skimmer and pump into the settlment tank, which then goes to the mech/bio filter, does not seem efficient.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I got the new model pump with the serrated edge

You have a good point, there is a leaf basket on the skimmer and the pump, the big stuff will be grabbed before hitting the pump.

If my pump draws from my mech/bio filter then having the same pump pull from the skimmer and pump into the settlment tank, which then goes to the mech/bio filter, does not seem efficient.

Your pump should draw directly from the pond via the skimmer. Your biofilter should be the last module in the flow sequence before the water re-enters the pond. Pumps are made to PUSH water not PULL it.

Pond>Skimmer>pump>settlement tank>biofilter>Pond.

 

[dieselplower]

Your pump should draw directly from the pond via the skimmer. Your biofilter should be the last module in the flow sequence before the water re-enters the pond. Pumps are made to PUSH water not PULL it.

Pond>Skimmer>pump>settlement tank>biofilter>Pond.

Meyer do filter pads go in the settlement tank or what? No filter pads anywhere?

 

[BGJ223]

Your pump should draw directly from the pond via the skimmer. Your biofilter should be the last module in the flow sequence before the water re-enters the pond. Pumps are made to PUSH water not PULL it.

Pond>Skimmer>pump>settlement tank>biofilter>Pond.

That would require gravity flow back to the pond, my filtration and filter pit are not setup for that. I designed it for gravity feed to filters from bottom drain, then pump back to pond.

There wouldn't be any pulling of water for the pump, the pump is position below the water line of the filter and the water level in the filter is above the outlet to the pump

 

[Meyer Jordan]

That would require gravity flow back to the pond, my filtration and filter pit are not setup for that. I designed it for gravity feed to filters from bottom drain, then pump back to pond.

There wouldn't be any pulling of water for the pump, the pump is position below the water line of the filter and the water level in the filter is above the outlet to the pump

In your proposed design the pump will be pulling water through the biofilter. As the biofilter clogs, which it most assuredly will, at some point the pump may be drawing air (cavitating). Very bad for the pump. At best the pump will be required to overwork to pull the water through the filter's media. Also bad for the pump.
There would be no gravity flow back to the pond because the pump would be pushing the water.

Meyer do filter pads go in the settlement tank or what? No filter pads anywhere?

Normally filter pads are either incorporated into the biofilter or in a separate module located upflow from the biofilter. They are essential in reducing the clog rate and working efficiency of the biofilter. The settlement tank should not contain any filter media.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Here are a couple of diagrams depicting what I am suggesting.

 

[BGJ223]

In your proposed design the pump will be pulling water through the biofilter. As the biofilter clogs, which it most assuredly will, at some point the pump may be drawing air (cavitating). Very bad for the pump. At best the pump will be required to overwork to pull the water through the filter's media. Also bad for the pump.
There would be no gravity flow back to the pond because the pump would be pushing the water.

This is more representative of my filtration method. Minus a couple stages of course.

I am not too worried about clogging and cavitation on the pump, I feel pretty safe in that regard

 

[texmaster]

Not entirely accurate.
Fist, bacteria do not die at a greater rate in low temperature water. However, autotrophs such as the nitrifiers, cease growth (or reproduction) at temperatures below 39F. Heterotrophs, including the sludge eaters, encompass so many taxa that some are active at all temperatures except below freezing and very high temperatures. Additionally heterotrophs reproduce at a rate that is up to 100 times faster than autotrophs, so a sizable population of heterotrophic bacteria is present in pond water during winter months. If they were not active, there would be no reason to maintain a hole in the ice cover for there would be no gases that needed venting. Gases that are a direct result of heterotrophic activity. In the Spring the growth rate resumes as water temperature rises and ,as Nature would have it, is usually in direct proportion to the increase in the metabolic rate of the other aquatic organisms, including and most especially, the fish.
If a pond has that much sediment accumulation, then a good clean-out is warranted. Quick reduction of any sediment by the addition of bacteria only increases the nutrient content of the pond's water possibly triggering an algae bloom which then invites the addition of some "snake oil" algaecide that will further disrupt the biochemical equilibrium of the pond.

I don't understand why you continue to argue with me.

Do some bacteria die off or reduce in the winter? Yes.

Does it help the process in the spring to add bacteria into the filter system? Yes.

This person also lives in Chicago not southern Florida so naturally more of their bacteria will die off or be reduced in the winter.

As a pond owner, winter can be a long, desolate time. Unless you make a point to keep your water open and flowing, it’s unlikely you’ll see much of your fish. In fact many pond owners move their fish indoors and shut the pond down completely for the winter. Others with enough depth, say 3 or 4 feet or more, may safely winter their fish over but you won’t see much activity out of them. Afterall, the fish slow down, quit eating, and like you and I, simply wait patiently (or impatiently in my case) for spring.

When spring finally does arrive, the fish often come alive again with a pretty big appetite and other things like various forms of algae start to appear, not only to help provide some food and sustenance to the fish, but also to help balance the pond out by consuming some of the nutrients in the water.

The cold water of winter and early spring basically stops all biological activity in the pond. This means that naturally occurring beneficial bacteria become dormant right along with the fish. This is the same bacteria that helps to keep the water clearer by breaking down leaf debris and other material that are meant to naturally decompose once the weather warms up.

Once the water temperature hits about 55 degrees, the bio-activity begins to pick up again and most pond owners can begin feeding their fish a light, low-protein diet. With Koi in particular, once they eat, within hours they begin releasing ammonia into the water. Organic decay at the bottom also starts releasing ammonia as this material breaks down. With this in mind, it can pay to keep an eye one ammonia levels in the pond since high levels can be toxic to fish.

There are many kinds of water testing kits on the market but the most simple variety is a dip strip, and as the name implies, you simply take a sample of the water and submerge a test strip in the water for a short time. As the strip changes color you can compare this to a chart that’s provided to get a general reading on ammonia levels.

Usually you’ll want to track this for several weeks until the beneficial bacteria has built up enough to stabilize the pond. To speed up this process it’s recommended to supplement or add additional bacteria at the start of the season to help things a long, and in particular if you’ve experienced seasonal algae blooms, then getting a head start on bacteria treatments can help keep the algae from forming.

The bacteria that’s targeted towards breaking down ammonia are called Nitrosomonas europea. As ammonia is broken down it is then turned into nitrites. This, in turn, is broken down by another special bacteria that coverts nitrites into nitrates, which become a sort of fertilizer or food for your pond plants, and for algae when the levels are fairly high. This process is known as the nitrogen cycle and it’s conversion can happen quite rapidly in areas of the country that warm rapidly in the spring. In other parts of the country where the seasonal change is gradual, or in very deep and large ponds, the entire process can develop slowly over a month’s time.

Once you have the pond stabilized naturally, then ammonia levels should begin to balance out nicely and remain relatively low throughout the season. However it’s not a bad idea to keep an eye of these through routine testing every few weeks throughout the season.

http://www.pondalgaesolutions.com/articles/spring-pond-startup.html

I've tried to be cordial with you but you continue to argue even on the smallest of points. This isn't a competition.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Let's set the record straight. I am not arguing with anyone. I am only stating scientifically proven fact. There is NO scientific basis for adding bacteria to an established pond, and very little basis for adding it to a new pond.
Although the article you quoted suggests adding bacteria, it nowhere mentions why. In fact, the following quote from the article is completely false 'The cold water of winter and early spring basically stops all biological activity in the pond. This means that naturally occurring beneficial bacteria become dormant right along with the fish." Not only do the bacteria not go dormant (some, the so-called 'Cold Water bacteria', will actually thrive at lower temps), but neither do the fish go dormant. Plants go dormant, animals do not. A fish's metabolism is still active at 33F and they will continue to eat, if only minimally. When a fish's metabolism stops, they die. If the addition of supplemental bacteria was absolutely essential to the health of a pond, then every natural pond, lake and waterway in the Northern latitudes would be completely devoid of life.
Increasing the bacterial load in a pond through the addition of supplemental bacteria also has effect of lowering the Dissolved Oxygen levels in the water column. The normal bacterial population in a garden pond place a much, much higher demand on the Oxygen supply than the fish population. Adding supplemental bacteria only exacerbates this already high demand. This is why more importance is placed on aeration in today's thinking. Maintaining a DO saturation level of 80% or higher will keep all of the pond's residents functioning at peak efficiency, especially the bacteria. This applies regardless of water temps.

Also. at the very bottom of the article that you have quoted is a note admitting that they are selling a product. A product that in their own words works at temperatures as low as 34F. A statement that is in direct contradiction to their previous 'dormancy' claim.