The pond dig has begun!

[addy1]

Laughing not slow country................you should have heard me trying to explain to hubby how they work..............

Are you putting in a bottom drain? best for back flushing the filter also.

The bottom area of just water is sort of a settlement chamber. Then as you make your filter material smaller and smaller going up it collects smaller and smaller stuff.

 

[CountryEscape]

Yes, the bottom drain in the filter container I assume you mean? It's already in and works very well. Boyfriend did an excellent job. He was going to put a line tee'd off the top PVC so that I could hook a hose to it, and it would be pond water to spray the top to the bottom of the filter media to wash it every now and then, but the clear tubing we ended up getting was not sturdy enough for the heavy valve, so we decided well water will suffice for infrequent washing the filter media.

 

[CountryEscape]

And, the bottom drain has a hose connect, so I can let it drain into a bucket or onto landscaping. It's the hose connect valve I was going to use on top, but had to scrap that idea at the last minute, so he used it on the drain attachment.

 

[addy1]

Neat! Your well water should not hurt your bacteria. No chlorine that will kill it off. Water your plants with the filter water, they will love you.

 

[sissy]

you can't use the fiberglass kind it will harm the fish .I use floor buffing pads and get them at lowes 6 dollars each and also get permanent filters for furnace at home depot .That one blue one temporary throw out filters has fiberglass in it and that blue one with the heavy matting does not hold up my neighbor tried that kind and she had little blue fibers in her pond after about 2 months what a mess it made

 

[addy1]

Someone else said they did fine, but may have been a different kind.

It does say washable etc on it, was looking at it for our ac today.

There is a green one that is biodegradable that would fall apart.

 

[CountryEscape]

Uh, oh, I don't want a mess or something to harm fish .... when I get to have fish! Sissy, Addy also said the light blue filter is no good, will fall apart, so I will return. I've asked several times or at least mentioned fiberglass, as I was concerned about fibers getting into gills of fish, and no one ever said nay nay! The other heavier one on the right in the picture is plastic or it feels like plastic, like the scrubbies. Do you think it will work or is that what you are saying your neighbor tried and didn't work? And, I'll check about floor buffing pads! I was looking for more ideas for filter media items. Thanks.

 

[sissy]

never fiberglass read what they are made of .I was reading about that on a koi and fish site how many people make that mistake and it inflames the fish gills .It is an not good for humanes to inhale it cannot be safe for fish .We have to wear a mask to use it how can it be safe for fish .They do sell one kind of permanent filter that is a blue mesh at home depot and it says 100 percent all natural and no fiberglass to harm anything or anyone .Most people are turning to them because of the harm the fiberglass ones cause .

 

[CountryEscape]

Update on the filters. The light blue one doesn't say anything on it, not even sure if it's fiberglass. The dark colored one is open mesh on one side, small grid mesh on the other (about 1/4" grid pattern), so assume the open side would go down toward the bottom. I had not noticed that earlier. Those definitely say washable, that's what caught my eye when I was looking.

 

[sissy]

if it has shiny filaments it is fiberglass

 

[CountryEscape]

Good point, Sissy, I always thought fiberglass is just that ... glass is thin fibers, and you use gloves and face masks when you handle it so surely not good for water filtering for the fish. But, I think there is another type that is blue and washable, and maybe not fiberglass. I'll watch what they are made out of.

 

[sissy]

the grid blue just try cutting it and you will see it start to fall apart

 

[addy1]

The blue should be fine country, just make sure what you use is not biodegradable. Polyester rope, plastic fencing, window screening etc

 

[sissy]

buffing machine pads are good

 

[addy1]

I cut some today sissy the blue kind, put a blockage in my little pond output to keep the tads there, it did not fall apart when I did.

buffing pads go through some real use, they have to be tough