Rain Barrel Filter

[RonNeedsHelp]

:banghead3:

Hello I got a new barrel with a screw on lid and I am wondering what way to run the water.. should I go in the side-bottom--out the top..... or other way around.. I am looking to seal the shut to help build pressure to keep the water fall at max flow ...also should the pump go before the filter or after

 

[sissy]

Welcome and guess you are using an external filter .Not sure but what you are talking about sounds like a really large pressure filter .I had no luck with a pressure filter I bought .When I back flushed it 3 or 4 times a day for my first small pond I realized it was never going to work on a big pond .When I opened the pressure filter it smelled like a sewer and that was after all that back flushing .I went with 2 open filters lava rock and plants to suck up the nutrients .9years and so far not one lost fish

 

[HTH]

Can you gravity feed the barrel filter and place the pump after the filter where it will get clean water ?

 

[RonNeedsHelp]

the pump is a in water or out of water pump.... I have a skimmer from a old pool that I am using .. the pump will be a direct connect to the skimmer build in a box under the ground as its not self priming and needs to be just a little lower then the skimmer.....the barrel will be 1/2 way under ground as well so their is not much of it seen,,,,,, I had no intend of back flushing or draining it... the skimmer will filter most of the crap before the water goes to the barrel, I just looking to add in good water back to the pond, or am I just doing this all wrong

 

[RonNeedsHelp]

should the pump go before or after the filter barrel

 

[HTH]

the barrel will be 1/2 way under ground as well so their is not much of it seen,,,,,, I had no intend of back flushing or draining it..

Everything needs cleaning Even a biological filter with particle free water needs to be cleaned because the bacteria die and they need to be flushed away.

I don't think anybody is going to tell you what to do. You can hook it up anyway you want but some will work better then others obviously.

Personally I don't want to be washing filters or screens all the time so I prefer that the first filter stage be gravity fed and something that can be cleaned by draining or flushing.

 

[RonNeedsHelp]

the top will unscrew and the homemade pads can be changed or washed.. and any crap inside sucked out with shop vac..... but will the pump work better before or after the barrel

 

[HTH]

If you put it before the barrel it will be pumping the solids that the barrel will filter out. You may have to put some sort of screen on the input to the pump or have the surface skimmer setup with one.

If you put the pump after the barrel it will get cleaner water so you don't need the screen. but you need keep the barrel clean enough so that the pump gets enough water. Maybe a float switch in another chamber to turn the pump off when the water is not there.

 

[RonNeedsHelp]

if yiu read the post and look at the pictures their is a skimmer in the set up... I want to know what will allow for most water flow and keep the waterfall at top flow.. the pump is a 5100gph .... the barrel is filled with lava rocks in bottem,,,, filter pads 6 layers each a step smaller all the way to as small as a coffee filter screening
.....sp whats best befor the barrel or after

 

[HTH]

You are implying that I am not reading your posts.

If you read my posts you will find your answer..

 

[Dave 54]

should the pump go before or after the filter barrel

The answer to that is no it should come directly afterwards then after that your QT light, however have you thought about using a number of rain barrels in sequence atched bottom to top bottom to top finishing of in a barrel of quilt batting for pond clarity , you could even have a deeper pond should you so wish .

rgrds

Dave

 

[RonNeedsHelp]

no ...no need to make it deeper..as I have small kids ...also I only care to use one barrel and no QT light either.

 

[mgmine]

Ron have you looked at Youtube? Search for Koi ponds or pond filters and you will find all sorts of filters that may help you decide how to do it best. There was a thread last week (I think it was in the DIY forum) that discussed which way to put the barrel. Take a look in that forum too. I'll soon be in the same boat myself trying to hook something up.