How Would You Filter It?

[sissy]

I used scrubbies before but now the dollar stores here only sell them with some kind of cleaning stuff in them and had to find new stuff to use .I also use bio balls because I got a big bag from a pond builder here the guy decided to retire so I bough all the ones that where in a garbage bag as the boxes and bags he got damaged he just threw them in a big black garbage bag and I got them all for 8 dollars and I also use those large sponges besides buffing machine pads and reusable furnace filters

 

[DrDave]

Fencing material has worked pefectly for the past 1 1/2 years for me. Less than $20 for enough to do a 55 gallon drum bio filter.

 

[sissy]

Thats funny clemsonguy I just built that and she gave 2 versions .but did have a problem with it as the holes had to be larger because it kept pushing the hose out from the force of the water and kept leaking from the top to resolve that I just put more holes and made them larger .Mine is in a large plantainer I bought from lowes and I plan to put plants in the top I also had to put 2 pipes to fill the plantainer and put a tank adapter to it then abs out of that with an elbow and had to drill a hole in the top of that to let air go in so it did not gurgle a lot

 

[Koilady]

Hi Dave. Is that plastic fencing? Sounds like a good idea to me if it is.
When we had the business, I used to bring in boxes of scrubbies for our customers and then one day I got a call from the distributor saying that they were not going to be making that type of scrubby any more and would I be interested in buying up what they had left.
I asked how many boxes they were talking about and when they said 24, I said, send them on down. We sold most of them but I kept four boxes for myself.
Now I have enough to make a new filter when we move from here to another place where I can put in one large pond.
I cut the scrubbies in the middle and pull them out like a sock and put them into the filter. That way no debris gets trapped in the middle and I'm not using as many as I used to.

Yours Koily, Lorraine

 

[sissy]

never thought of that it would be the same as that stringy stuff they sell that so expensive

 

[Koilady]

Yes, I've heard of that stuff. Bio-balls are also so very expensive and that's why I look for other things to use.
One year we went to an aquarium club auction and this guy had two bags of this plastic material in the shape of four zig zags with a couple of 2 inch plastic ends sticking out. We've used these for years and they work really well.
We paid $1.00 for both bags.

Hugs, Lorraine

 

[sissy]

Thats what I like a bargain .

With the lava rock I just put them in the small laundry bags lighter to take out and usually put 4 small bags and I take them out and put fresh ones in and I have a big bucket I put the old ones in to soak and then just hose them off and set them aside for the next time I clean the filter .Small laundry bags at dollar store are light and cheap .Saves time and energy doing it that way .

 

[DrDave]

Go to my web page and look at the doc bio filter, the Improved version is below the 1st one. It uses standard plastic fencing and is the best and cheapest I have used so far.
Levels are always perfect.

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Thanks. I'll either use the plastic strapping or fence. Is the bio filter the only thing filtering your ponds?

 

[DrDave]

Thats it! I keep the bottom clean with circulation and an occasional netting of leaves. I also have a grabber that I got at Harbor Freight that lets me pick up stuff with a squeeze of the hand.
Pressure filters and all that other claptrap is a waste of time energy and money. Set it up right and don't overpopulate and keep an eye on it. It takes time and patience to develop these skills.
There are many here that insist on other stuff, I say to them, show me where my pond can improve after seeing it.
New folks don't always get it. KISS is the best way to go.

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Thanks, sounds like it will work now to decide on the size. If I find a decent bucket I'll use that but if not a trash can should work.

 

[clemsonguy1125]

How do these work as media for a skippy filter. Im thinking I will just make a 20 gallon filter from a flower pot, Im afraid of the rubber maid totes collapsing when full, Ive seen the scrubbies used in wet dry filters a lot but they are different from the scrubbies used in koiguys skippy and mini me skippy on the skippy website. If not I will just use lava rock. Should I use lava rock gravel or the other larger size.
Thanks

 

[sissy]

They should work ok but if your going to put them in loose it could be a nightmare to get them out to clean them .Since I guess you are using a smaller filter may not be bad .I put my media in dollar store laundry bags to make it easier on me to get them out to clean them .But thats me and my filter is larger so more to clean .I tried them one time not bad but they had a tendency to break down on me .I'm not sure if it was just the brand I bought or the salt just broke them down .I had to keep taking the net out and clean up all the little pieces and finally just gave up on them

 

[clemsonguy1125]

Ok, Thanks, Im using a cheap laundry bag, how was the clean out when you used lava rock, its so much cheaper Im considering using it.

Ok, Thanks, I may go with the lava rock with a filter pad on top.

 

[sissy]

I put them in the small laundry bags too and just took a barrel filled it with water swirled them around in there bags and put them back in the filter and a couple of times I just hosed them off and a couple of times I just had new ones soaking in water ready to go in took the old ones out and put them in the bucket and took the ones out of the other filter and the ones from the other filter went back in the other .But if you buy the small laundry bags they are easy to hose off

I have filter pads on top of mine also and buffying machine pads