On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 07:43:02 -0700, gng wrote:

2. The current filter is pretty clogged. I could take it apart, but that
is a huge mess. Do you believe the pond store that is telling me that a
1/2hp pump will blow out all the poop and eliminate me mucking with this? I
am trying to avoid taking the filter apart unless I have to.

This guy isn't too happy with his Aqua filter either for the same
reasons

http://www.geocities.com/koifla/About_Me.htm

It sounds as if you would be better taking it apart to clean it
properly and then add a pre-filter to remove the larger debris.

This bubblebead filter
http://www.bubblebeadfilters.co.uk/f...operation.html
has the same problems but at least the manufacturer states that you
must install a pre-filter to remove anything larger than 2mm.

If they did away with the screen on the backflush pipe and put one in
that covered both the inlet and backflush ones it would have a built in
pre-filter. Having separate inlet and backflush pipes does make sense
in this design for the automatic models since it allows the filter to
rinse the beads as it fills, before the automatic backflush valve
closes.

Whatever the design you will always have to strip it down occasionally
to clean the screens because something will always build up on them
eventually.

I don't know the layout of the Aqua filter but could you put a fine
mesh planting basket over the pipes to act as an internal pre-filter
that gets backflushed when you backflush the filter?

Since you've removed the plants you will need to clean the filter
before the solids decompose and the nitrate builds up.

--
Regards - Rodney Pont
The from address exists but is mostly dumped,
please send any emails to the address below
e-mail ngpsm4 (at) infohitsystems (dot) ltd (dot) uk