Koi Toilet II modification similar to Koi Toilet 1

[Squidhead]

Here is my Koi Toilet II modification. I wanted a 3" Koi Toilet I, but thought I could save some money if I just modified a Koi Toilet II. I liked the idea of having the air diffusser on top of the dome to circulate the water and help circulate the debris into the bottom drain and plus aerate the lower 1/2 of the pond. I thought I could save some money by doing a mod instead and I did. A Koi Toilet I costs about $200+ and shipping. I spent < $100 buying the Koi Toilet II and a Dreampond 7" disc diffuser and doing this mod.

 

[jason081180]

cool got any other pictures of it? a top view?

 

[Squidhead]

There are several ways to do this. I chose this way because it requires tools that you may already have even if your tool colection is limited.

You will need these tools-

• Tape measurer
• Something to cut the PVC with. Pictured with the red handles is a plastic pipe shear. They cost about $5. A simple hand saw will work. If you have a power chop or miter saw that would be the best. I actually used a power miter saw because it gives you a clean, square cut. Sheers are great, but they tend to cut crooked.
• Some sand paper, or emory tape ( shown in pic).
• Mineral oil or some type of lube like silicone grease or spray.
  • A 7/8" drill bit, 29/32" is best, but they are not really a standard bit found in a kit. I used a step-drill bit pictured in the drill. Thay are inexpensive at Harbor Freight. Not too bad at Lowes. You could even just use a round file or sharp knife. This is to remove a piece part of one of the PVC fittings.
  • Rubber mallet is optional, but useful.

Materials needed, most are pictured. I am giving the list of materials I used in this particular modification of a 3" Koi Toilet II. It depends on whats available to you. I will try to point out why I used a particular part. You can do this in 4" also. All pipe fittings used are white or grey PVC. The Koi Toilet is made of ABS, so a transition cement is needed for bonding the 2. **NOTE - The long sweep grey PVC elbow in the picture was not used, please disreguard it.

• 1- 3" 1/4 bend elbow with a 2' heel inlet.
• 1- 2" to 3/4" reducing bushing.
• 2- 3/4" to 1/2" reducing bushing. **NOTE - If you can find a 2" to 1/2" reducing bushing you can use that, Lowes was out when I went there so I had to use the previous mentioned 2 bushings, you will still need 1 to do this project though**
  • 1-3/4" female threaded X slip adapter
  • 1- 1/2" slipXslip coupling
  • 1- 3" Koi Toilet 2
  • 1- 7" dreampond disc diffuser
  • optional - Plumbers epoxy stick. - About $5 at Lowes
    • 1 can - ABS to PVC cement
    • 1 can - PVC, ABS Cleaner/Primer
    • 1 can - PVC Cement
    • 2- short sections of 1/2" PVC pipe. I used grey electric conduit, you can use white if you prefer.

 

[Squidhead]

cool got any other pictures of it? a top view?

Yup, I am just getting the instruction part together now. I will post some different angle pics at the end.

 

[Squidhead]

Here are the steps to complete this-

1. Glue the 3/4" to 1/2" bushing into the 2" to 3/4" bushing. If you are using a 2" to 1/2" bushing obviously skip this step.
2. Now you have to bore out the stop inside the 1/2" part of the bushing. This is IMPORTANT to do now. Turn the bushing over so the round side is facing you. You will notice there is a slightly raised "ring" inside the bushing. This must be removed. Try to just bore out enough so the stop is gone.
   • Next glue the bushing into the inlet of the 3" 1/4 bend elbow with low heel inlet.
   • Next, cut a short piece of PVC pipe. Long enough to get through the bushing and extend past the bushing just long enough to fit into your 1/2" coupling. It just needs to be long enough to go through the bushing and into the coupling on the inside of the 1/4 bend and long enough on the outside to plumb your air supply piping or tubing to it.
   
   3. Make sure the short piece of pipe on the inside of the 1/4 bend's inlet is clean. Use some sand paper or emory to remove any glue and clean it well. Cement the 1/2" coupling in place.
   
   4. Now, get your 3/4" female adapter and 3/4" to 1/2" bushing and glue the bushing into the female adapter. Get a short piece of pipe, long enough to get from your coupling well past the hub of the 1/4 bend and glue the female adapter to the pipe
   
   5. Now set aside the 1/4 bend assembley and pipe with the female adapter. Get the dome from your Koi Toilet. You need to use the 4" hole saw and cut out a 4" hole dead center of the top of the dome, between the holes for your mounting feet of the dome. I would use some masking tape over the top of the dome to help reduce the saw from "walking" on you. Larger hole saws have alot of kickback torque. Use a drill press if you have one. Or, you can screw the dome into a large piece of wood to help hold it still. Once the hole is made, sand or file it smooth.
   
   6. Assemble your Koi Toilet with the bottom ring, top ring and dome. I used the short screws thru the dome to just hold it together slightly. Get your disc diffuser and thread the pipe with the female adapter to it. Do Not thread it completely in, just about barely 1/2 way. Lube the other end of the 1/2" pipe with mineral oil. -DO NOT CEMENT IT NOW- JUST Place the assembled Koi Toilet in the hub of the 1/4 bend lining up your 1/2" pipe to the 1/2" coupling. This is where you can adjust the length of the pipe. (You can use the tape measurer and figure it out before hand) Measure and cut until you have the koit toilet in the 1/4 bends hub all the way and the 1/2" pipe is seated completely into the 1/2" coupling.
   
   7. Take it apart and set the Koi Toilet assembly aside. Glue the pipe into the coupling. Screw the Koi Toilet assembly back onto the "stand pipe". The disc diffuser should fit snuggly on the dome and the whole Koi Toilet, 1/4 bend and disc should be snug together.
   
   8. This is an optional step. Remove the disc and Koi Toilet assembly. If you have some vinyl tubing or small pieces of scrap PVC place them around the coupling of the "stand pipe" inside your 1/4 bends inlet. This is just to fill some space. Get your plumbers epoxy putty and mix it. Squeeze it into place over the scrap tubing or pipe. Just put enough putty to fill the inlet around the coupling. Try to go with the inside curve of the 1/4 bend. This will help the flow of the bottom drain and prevent and crud from building up in the inlet area. It should be OK without this, but I like the clean look and feel better knowing it's there.
   
   9. Install your Bottom Drain and enjoy the money you saved or buy some Guinness and Jameson with it:beerchug:
   

 

[Squidhead]

Here are some different angle pics of it with and without the Koi Toilet on it, and durring assembly

 

[Squidhead]

 

[Squidhead]

Well that's it for that. Any questions please ask. When I get this pond done I want to make a DIY Bottom Drain. I may even mess with a DIY disc diffuser like the one I used here.

 

[koikeepr]

Excellent thread! With clear and easy to understand instructions! Neato!

 

[Squidhead]

Excellent thread! With clear and easy to understand instructions! Neato!

Thanks, I hoped it wasn't too drawn out. I wish I could edit it! I forgot to mention

1. The picture of the parts shows the dome already cut out on top.

2. The list of tools doesn't include the 4" hole saw. A 4 1/4" would be ideal. You can get a kit at Harbor Freight for $7. It has hole saws ranging from 3/4" to 5", but when it gets to the 4" size the next increment up is the 5". Regardless you need something to cut the top of the dome. Tool of choice. If there is no Harbor Freight near you, eBay also has some awesome deals.

 

[Dave 54]

Well done, we have a spindrifter diffuser on our koi pond however we had to retrofit it into a new 4" fitting to save on cost , it worked very well for a while but then we hit a major problem .
The air in the diffuser kept on raising the spindrifter from the 4" fitting.
Not wanting to drain the pond and undo all the work we'd done to the pond I came upon a neat idea to stop it raising up .
Outside in th road around the corner from us sat a very sorry looking trafic cone , Ilooked at it picked it up and sort of brought it home with me , I mean it was in such a state only the vottom quater left that I thought hey they wont miss this one.
Once home I stripped the remaining bit of cone off the weighted bottom power washed it four times to get any road crud from it and bought a pot of pond paint.
I then gave it 4 coats of paint to seal it and theb got a broom handle which I placed just past the oppostie edge from me and slip it down the pole onto the top of the diffuser .
Then after a few minutes of repostioning it switched the air back on and bingo it worked a treat .
The hole in the weight had room to spare sitting attop the difuser so air came up unhingered ,There is enough room under the weighys edges to allow all the detritus to pass down into the bottom drain unhindered and last but not least the koi cannot move it .
A cheap and chearfull quick fix that you could think about should your pop up at any time

Dave

 

[koiguy1969]

DAVE...did you notice this thread is 4 years dead?

 

[JohnHuff]

DAVE...did you notice this thread is 4 years dead?

Better late than never I always say.

 

[Dave 54]

Dead OMG call for a doctor "RESUS TEAM TO THE WEBSITE AT THE RUSH".

Dave

 

[koiguy1969]

thats about the last time squidhead was on here too, i think. DAVE, if somethings been dead for 4 years ..that better be one hell of a resus team!!...................................lol