On Sun, 4 May 2008 11:04:16 EDT, "RichToyBox"
wrote:

I have my matala laying flat as a block for the exit pipe of the vortex.
This serves two purposes. The first being to keep the fines from finding
their way to the filters. The second to keep frogs from taking the ride to
the pump impellors. Putting the matala in vertically would prevent the
water from being able to swirl, and would impede the settlement of the
solids. Some of the people that had the vortex filters when I got mine used
brushes in the vortex to catch a lot of the material that was too light to
settle.

A better option might be to split the water flow, with half coming from the
bottom drain to the vortex and half coming from a skimmer or mid water
return around the vortex. This would bring the bottom drain into the
correct flow range. 4" gravity feed pipe will have about a 1" draw down at
3500 gallons.

Since Dave wants it to catch fish, and the fish go down the bottom drain,
that might work.... depending on his plumbing.

I've only seen my sister's vortex filters once. The water comes in the top
and goes out somewhere close to the bottom, is that right? I believe it has
a coned bottom where the solids collect and where there is a pipe to draw
them out as needed? Or is it just the opposite, comes in at the bottom, up
thru the media and then out the top? ~ jan
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Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us