Now you have the picture.
Sticky Doc Bio Filter
- Thread starter DrDave
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So do you think that a pump that flows 2200 GPH would be too fast for your bio filter?
That depends on the head? How high is it and what does the pump spec sheet tell you the flow will be at that height?
I wish I would have found this forum before I started my pond!! Anyway..
I mentioned in a newbie thread that I just finished building my little pond, well almost. I still have some landscaping to do and need more plants for the pond. Anyway, I modified the skippy biofilter to be smaller and to have a wide spillway instead of a spout. My pond is around 400 gallons, and judging from waterfall filters in the stores and the water garden specialty store in my area I assumed that I could get away with making it smaller. I just got things up and running and have green water. I posted a thread asking advice in the newbie forum, and got a lot of advice. Mostly more plants and patience (I have very little of both) Reading up about this Doc Filter though, I was wondering if using tubing or netting would be better in my filter. Here's a pic of my media. My pump is submerged in the pond, so nothing that large will ever be in the filter. I don't have any sort of drain on it because the skippy site implied that it really wasn't neccessary. I have the pictured media in my filter first cut to fit the container perfectly as one layer, then cut into small pieces on top of that, finally I cut another piece to fit perfectly on top, mainly to keep all the little pieces in there. They weren't flowing out, but I was afraid they may eventually. Should I switch to the tubing or netting?
I mentioned in a newbie thread that I just finished building my little pond, well almost. I still have some landscaping to do and need more plants for the pond. Anyway, I modified the skippy biofilter to be smaller and to have a wide spillway instead of a spout. My pond is around 400 gallons, and judging from waterfall filters in the stores and the water garden specialty store in my area I assumed that I could get away with making it smaller. I just got things up and running and have green water. I posted a thread asking advice in the newbie forum, and got a lot of advice. Mostly more plants and patience (I have very little of both) Reading up about this Doc Filter though, I was wondering if using tubing or netting would be better in my filter. Here's a pic of my media. My pump is submerged in the pond, so nothing that large will ever be in the filter. I don't have any sort of drain on it because the skippy site implied that it really wasn't neccessary. I have the pictured media in my filter first cut to fit the container perfectly as one layer, then cut into small pieces on top of that, finally I cut another piece to fit perfectly on top, mainly to keep all the little pieces in there. They weren't flowing out, but I was afraid they may eventually. Should I switch to the tubing or netting?
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Yes it will, add some floating plants (I prefer water lettuce) and if you built the bio filter correctly and flow the right volume of water, it should clear up.
got 55gal drum with fence, layer blue filter pad, and layer of foam pad on top.Foam pad i clean everyday and left the blue pad and fence alone.Water from the foam pad i clean was dark green everyday, pond is clearing out a little bit. Today i decided to take a peek under the blue pad and see if any bacteria or any thing build up on the fence. I had add microlift pl 2 weeks ago. When i lift the blue pad up brown stuff break up and flow everywhere and nothing had build up on the fence.What is the brown stuff, dead algae?
sissy
sissy
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I use quilt batting to pick up all the fine stuff and take it out every day to clean it off .
If my pond is 2200 gallons, how many 55 gallon barrel filters do I need? Just 2? If I recall, wasn't it one 55 gallon bio filter for every 1000 gallons of pond water?
Very helpful sticky. Currently in process of constructing my doc filter. Wondering what the general consensus was with regards to flow rate through a 55g drum doc filter is in order to purify the water as best as possible? I read somewhere 5 minutes per inch and elsewhere I've read 5 minutes to fill the entire 55g. I have a valve so I can control the flow rate. What do you find best for clearest water?
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
most of us average 1000 - 1200 gph flow thru each 55 gal barrel. 3 minutes is adequate for a decent biological hangtime... and the more flow the longer particles stay in suspension.working their way up into the biological media. 1000 - 1200 gph is a happy medium, it allows over 3 minutes in filtration and the flow is light enough to allow for a good settling of debris in the filters sump area. using a larger diameter pipe to plumb your filter aids in this as well.allowing more flow , but under less pressure, so debris can settle faster, before reaching the media. i use 1&1/2" pipe to plumb mine.
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Resurrecting an old sticky.......would adding a venturi at the top elbow going into the doc barrel be beneficial or would the added air just stir up the settling part of the barrel? I am in the process of making 2 identical Doc Barrel filters that will drain into a trickle tower (tote actually) and then back to the pond, and I am thinking about adding the venturi"s to the top supply pipes for the barrels.......mostly because I think it is cool :afro: , and oxygenated water is good for the pond. But I don't want to add them if the air bubbles are going to pull up the heavy particles I am trying to keep in the bottom of the barrels. Any one have any practical experience with this?
Great question!
You bring up a good point, with the air bubbles rising, they could carry the heavier particles that you want trapped in the vortex at the bottom. My Doc Bio Filter feeds a cascading waterfall which adds oxygen to the water during the 10 foot cascade over rocks. You could try it. Catch water in a tall glass then let it settle. Do this both ways, with the aerator on then off. I think that would allow you to perform a good test and make an informed decision. Let us know what you find.
You bring up a good point, with the air bubbles rising, they could carry the heavier particles that you want trapped in the vortex at the bottom. My Doc Bio Filter feeds a cascading waterfall which adds oxygen to the water during the 10 foot cascade over rocks. You could try it. Catch water in a tall glass then let it settle. Do this both ways, with the aerator on then off. I think that would allow you to perform a good test and make an informed decision. Let us know what you find.
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I will add the venturi's and see if it is different with it on or off (it is a new pond so it will be a while before I can get a valid test). Thanks.
Dr Dave if I use plastic fence should I cut it up into pieces or just put a loose roll(s) into my tank? With a 200 gallon tank how much 36" high fencing should I use? My tank is 38" in diameter and 30 inches long.