Sticky Doc Bio Filter

[koiguy1969]

To stay in proportion you'd need to figure plumbing size, pump output, head pressure, diameter and heighth of container, etc ... Bigger pump, use bigger piping. Bigger piping can also compensate for lack of height due to less force leaving the swirl tubes

 

[Len351]

I finally have some pictures on my site. Check it out here - http://pondfilter.freewebpage.org/
Doc's filter is working for me. The only thing I've changed is I added more poultry netting, I put some filter padding below the netting and I also put a very coarse filter pad in the skimmer. Every 2-3 days I have to rinse the coarse filter media. I did a drum dump 2 times so far in the month it's been running. I look at it this way, you don't know unless you try it. The investment is nothing compared to price of a name brand filter. I also disconnected my UV light. No algae for a month. Instead, clear water now.

 

[HQJohn]

Len351 when you dump or drain the water out of your drum does the muck or whatever that thing is on the nets, does it come off too? I'll drain mine and those thing came off, is it's suppose to? I had mine running for 2 weeks it wasn't as much on the net like your in 24 hours.

 

[DrDave]

I can answer that. After several years, mine is covered with a very visible layer. I don't worry about it when it remains after a flush. In a few more years, if it continues to build up, I may spray it off and re-start the bio filter. With 3 seasoned ponds, they will pick up the slack while the filter re-generates.

 

[HQJohn]

Thanks DrDave... 1 more question,is the bacteria visible? My nets was clean as new.

 

[DrDave]

You know I have never scoped them, My bet is they are small but as the area builds up with other material the surface they colonize gets larger.

 

[damian]

I have a 55 gallon Doc Bio Filter with about 1800 gallons of pond. I have a very heavy fish load, 4 of the 20 or so koi are over 20". It is a matter of how often you want to back flush. Remember, your entire pond is a bio filter over time.

how does back flushing work?

 

[fishin4cars]

You might find this of interest, Not a DIY DOC type filter, but it does show the basic's of a savio compact skimmer and back flushing of a Atlantic filter falls. Basically you back flush the DOC the same way,
[ame]

 

[damian]

ah. that seems pretty straightforward.

 

[DrDave]

Look at the photos on my web site for bio filter. In the bottom is a 2" dump valve. It acts like flushing a toilet. The fast evacuation of water sweeps out most of the nasty stuff the filter traps.

 

[damian]

is your filter in easily removeable, or is it buried pretty good? if i'm going to use the overflow for a waterfall, it sounds like i would be better off building up the dirt/rocks about 4-5 feet for the waterfall, and then around the back hollowing out a spot for the filter so it can be lifted out easily if necessary. yours looks like it's up pretty high but i can't tell how fixed in place it is.

 

[DrDave]

I don't need to ever remove it. The dumpvalve is plumbed into the bottom and exits out the back of the waterfall.

 

[damian]

i was hoping you'd say that.

 

[damian]

okay, lots of reading to catch up on, but i just read in another thread that your bio filter is the only thing you use in your pond, no other filters or skimmers. is that correct? if so, does that mean any larger solids (e.g. leaves) go through your pump before getting to your filter?

 

[DrDave]

I do not have bottom drains, skimmers, UV's or pressure filters, except once a month I run my large waterfall which has a pressure filter. My water is always crystal clear and I have not seen green algae in 5 years when I invented and built the Doc Bio Filter.