i got them from Lowes.
kansas pond started
- Thread starter jason081180
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anyone else have any input?
well i guess i haven't updated this in awhile i did this work on the filter about a week ago now. i build the stand to hold the filter media out of 1.5in PVC legs attached by zip ties to the custom cut light diffuser. then i cut the filter pads to fit. I'm also thinking of doing a filter pit more like Koikeepr had on her old pond. with a gravity feed barrel for a settling chamber. Koikeepr could you please post some more pictures of how yours was set up? I'm thinking of a 55gal barrel but a 30 or so would be easier to hide. just not sure where to get an odd size like the 30gal. what kind of plumbing and media goes in a settling chamber barrel?
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Jason
I don't know how much media your going to put in your filter, but when it gets wet its heavy
you might want to add a extra few legs in the middle..
When you drain it is when it will feel the weight
I don't know how much media your going to put in your filter, but when it gets wet its heavy
you might want to add a extra few legs in the middle..
When you drain it is when it will feel the weight
adding some more legs is easy ill do that no problem
i found out that a 30gal is the same height as a 55gal barrel so I'm going to pick up a 55gal barrel tomorrow that i found on craigslist
Hi Jason. Sorry I haven't responded sooner as I was out of town for a few days without access to a computer.
Good thing you added that middle support as per the Doc. Yes, the light grille is a tad brittle and wet media is heavy, so middle support is critical.
yes, a 30g barrel is the same height as a 44g barrel. Believe it or not, the 100g rubbermaid stock tank is the same height as the 150g one, too. So, given that do go with the extra filtration, you won't regret it.
I don't have any more photos on that barrel than the ones I already posted on my barrel thread. Is there something that you are looking for more information on?
If I'm catching your drift correctly, it sounds like you are saying your 55g barrel is going to act as a settlement chamber for your stock tank? If I have that correctly, that is an extremely wise move. I think many people do not realize the incredible value of a settlement area in their filtration set-up as a method of pre-filtration. It does wonders for water quality--especially if you are gunning for that "gin clear" level most of us fantasize about. It also increases the life of the pump because less is getting to it. Not to mention, you preserve the quality of your main filter so it can do it's magic with the bacteria rather than being slogged with muck.
As long as you got a good waste pipe on your settlement chamber so you can easily evacuate crud easily, it really just becomes a simple routine task.
Good thing you added that middle support as per the Doc. Yes, the light grille is a tad brittle and wet media is heavy, so middle support is critical.
yes, a 30g barrel is the same height as a 44g barrel. Believe it or not, the 100g rubbermaid stock tank is the same height as the 150g one, too. So, given that do go with the extra filtration, you won't regret it.
I don't have any more photos on that barrel than the ones I already posted on my barrel thread. Is there something that you are looking for more information on?
If I'm catching your drift correctly, it sounds like you are saying your 55g barrel is going to act as a settlement chamber for your stock tank? If I have that correctly, that is an extremely wise move. I think many people do not realize the incredible value of a settlement area in their filtration set-up as a method of pre-filtration. It does wonders for water quality--especially if you are gunning for that "gin clear" level most of us fantasize about. It also increases the life of the pump because less is getting to it. Not to mention, you preserve the quality of your main filter so it can do it's magic with the bacteria rather than being slogged with muck.
As long as you got a good waste pipe on your settlement chamber so you can easily evacuate crud easily, it really just becomes a simple routine task.
well what I'm looking for is a drawing or explanation of how to plumb the settlement chamber or prefilter. KoiKeepr- what did you have in your filter before the pump on your old pond? was it a settlement chamber or a mechanical prefilter kind of thing. I did notice the 150gal stock tank was the same height as the 100gal so that's why i went with it. i know the top of the settlement chamber / prefilter will need to be above water level. so i will go from the aqua art BD to the settlement chamber / prefilter to the leaf net/priming pot into the sequence 4200. from there it will just go in to my 150gal stock tank.
my pump was external, so my 25g barrel acted as the settlement chamber and then I had another 55g barrel that was my true filter. Just as your are describing, my Aqua Art gravity fed to the settlement chamber then went to my pump, and then to my 55g barrel and finally out my falls.
It's exactly the set up you are proposing.
And, yes, any filter whether settlement or otherwise needs to be a few inches above waterline when gravity feeding, otherwise you have an overflow. I had then, and still have now a check valve in place so the water doesn't go sliding back in. You need to put that swing check valve at the outlet of your Sequence pump so in case of a power outage, the water in the stock tank doesn't try to go back into settlement chamber or pond. It will just sit tight in the tank.
Sounds like you are doing it correctly to me.
It's exactly the set up you are proposing.
And, yes, any filter whether settlement or otherwise needs to be a few inches above waterline when gravity feeding, otherwise you have an overflow. I had then, and still have now a check valve in place so the water doesn't go sliding back in. You need to put that swing check valve at the outlet of your Sequence pump so in case of a power outage, the water in the stock tank doesn't try to go back into settlement chamber or pond. It will just sit tight in the tank.
Sounds like you are doing it correctly to me.
Gosh you all are to smart for me....Ive never used or seen external pumps...
Im planning on building another pond at the house im planning to buy next year...
How does the external pump move water from the pond through your stock tank filter? And how do the bottom drains work? Sorry for such novice questions...
Im planning on building another pond at the house im planning to buy next year...
How does the external pump move water from the pond through your stock tank filter? And how do the bottom drains work? Sorry for such novice questions...
Jason thank you so much for sharing this process with us all. I hope to start digging this weekend and you seem to be asking MY questions just in time!! I'm curious about your plan for your filters and pumps. I'm going all underground with a true bottom drain, so the level of my 2 Skippy's has become an issue. Are you going to go from bottom drain to pump to filter or have gravity to filter then to pump and back to pond? I was originally going to gravity feed to 2 Skippy's then pump back to the pond,..but if I'm understanding correctly I could go from bottom drain to pump then through my filters and not have to worry about the Skippy's being completely under the water level.
You know,.I'm only about 3 hrs east of you,....I could throw some steaks on the grill,..you could grab your shovel...
BTW,.in my last pond I had a submersible pump in about 30inches of water,.I left it running all year round,..it never completely froze.
You know,.I'm only about 3 hrs east of you,....I could throw some steaks on the grill,..you could grab your shovel...
BTW,.in my last pond I had a submersible pump in about 30inches of water,.I left it running all year round,..it never completely froze.
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3 hours east of here you must be right on the state line. My mom used to live in Joplin. if you will come help me I'm sure i could make it out there as well. my weekends are open. but its so damn hot.
the way I'm planning my pond is my reto BD plumbed with 2 in flex pipe to a gravity feed settling chamber made out of a 55gal barrel. the top of this barrel will be about 3-4 in above water level so it doesn't overflow. A Sequence 4200GPH pump with a priming pot will then take it to the 150gal stock tank filter. this will be the waterfall back in to my pond using one of koiguys water fall weirs. still need to order that. the purpose of the settling chamber is to get most of the poop and other stuff out of the water before they make it in to the stock tank filter. so less cleaning of the filter. my pond's water level will be about 1.5 ft above ground level. I'm building the walls out of cinder blocks. i hope this weekend. so my settling chamber will be half underground and half above ground. I'm not sure yet how to hide it but I'm thinking plants once its all done. i do have an air pump as well and that set up is described already in this thread.
Any other questions anyone or advice for me?
the way I'm planning my pond is my reto BD plumbed with 2 in flex pipe to a gravity feed settling chamber made out of a 55gal barrel. the top of this barrel will be about 3-4 in above water level so it doesn't overflow. A Sequence 4200GPH pump with a priming pot will then take it to the 150gal stock tank filter. this will be the waterfall back in to my pond using one of koiguys water fall weirs. still need to order that. the purpose of the settling chamber is to get most of the poop and other stuff out of the water before they make it in to the stock tank filter. so less cleaning of the filter. my pond's water level will be about 1.5 ft above ground level. I'm building the walls out of cinder blocks. i hope this weekend. so my settling chamber will be half underground and half above ground. I'm not sure yet how to hide it but I'm thinking plants once its all done. i do have an air pump as well and that set up is described already in this thread.
Any other questions anyone or advice for me?
JustMe and Jason, you better be photographing your builds so we can see 'em here!
koikeepr said:
well of course Koikeepr :lol: