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#1
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Bead filters
Hi all,
I have been thinking about increasing my filtration rate through the use of a bead filter either purchased or DIY. I've found plans for a DIY version he http://pw1.netcom.com/~larry_l/diy_bead.htm Does anyone have any experience with these either the DIY or manufactured version? Specific brands, etc. Would I use it as a separate system, ie: with it's own pump and plumbing, or would I integrate it into my existing stuff? I have a skimmer that also connects to a bottom drain and thought I might be able to MacGyver the bottom drain connection to the bead filter. My water is actually pretty clear, but there seems to be a lot of stuff floating about. I'd thought about additional veggie filters or a settlement chamber, but I don't really have a good (or bad) place to put them. Thanks, San Diego Joe 4,000 - 5,000 Gallons. Koi, Goldfish, and RES named Colombo. |
#2
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Bead filters
You could also consider a DIY Fluid Bed Filter such as the one at:
http://www.fishkeepersforum.org/hard...r/content2.htm Thinking of incorporating one of these into my new setup. Cheers Gordon "San Diego Joe" wrote in message ... Hi all, I have been thinking about increasing my filtration rate through the use of a bead filter either purchased or DIY. I've found plans for a DIY version he http://pw1.netcom.com/~larry_l/diy_bead.htm Does anyone have any experience with these either the DIY or manufactured version? Specific brands, etc. Would I use it as a separate system, ie: with it's own pump and plumbing, or would I integrate it into my existing stuff? I have a skimmer that also connects to a bottom drain and thought I might be able to MacGyver the bottom drain connection to the bead filter. My water is actually pretty clear, but there seems to be a lot of stuff floating about. I'd thought about additional veggie filters or a settlement chamber, but I don't really have a good (or bad) place to put them. Thanks, San Diego Joe 4,000 - 5,000 Gallons. Koi, Goldfish, and RES named Colombo. |
#3
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Bead filters
Oops, hit send before I finished
You could also consider a DIY Fluid Bed Filter such as the one at: http://www.fishkeepersforum.org/hard...r/content2.htm I am thinking of incorporating one of these into my new setup. I did wonder if its efficiency could be improved further by incorporating an air disk in the bottom to give the bacteria an even more oxygen rich environment, in the same way that the "Nexus Eazy" filters aerate their media Cheers Gordon "San Diego Joe" wrote in message ... Hi all, I have been thinking about increasing my filtration rate through the use of a bead filter either purchased or DIY. I've found plans for a DIY version he http://pw1.netcom.com/~larry_l/diy_bead.htm Does anyone have any experience with these either the DIY or manufactured version? Specific brands, etc. Would I use it as a separate system, ie: with it's own pump and plumbing, or would I integrate it into my existing stuff? I have a skimmer that also connects to a bottom drain and thought I might be able to MacGyver the bottom drain connection to the bead filter. My water is actually pretty clear, but there seems to be a lot of stuff floating about. I'd thought about additional veggie filters or a settlement chamber, but I don't really have a good (or bad) place to put them. Thanks, San Diego Joe 4,000 - 5,000 Gallons. Koi, Goldfish, and RES named Colombo. |
#4
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Bead filters
For my two ponds, I have three bead filters. The first was a BBF-2
bubblebead and it uses gravity drain and air comes in to agitate the beads for cleaning. This somewhat works, but by plumbing to have water backflow similar to Larry's scheme, after about half the water escapers, really does much better. The second one I got was a Sacremento Koi 15, and this one uses a spa blower to agitate the beads for cleaning. I like the desing of this one the best. The third is an Aquadyne 4.4 and it also uses a spa blower to agitate the beads. Aquadyne makes one without the air blower, but it was found that to accomplish a good agitation cleaning of the beads, you need a large two speed, high power pump, and even then, you would need to take the filter apart periodically to break up the bead pack. I love the convenience of cleaning the bead filters, the ability to locate them in my shed, away from the ponds and out of sight. "San Diego Joe" wrote in message ... Hi all, I have been thinking about increasing my filtration rate through the use of a bead filter either purchased or DIY. I've found plans for a DIY version he http://pw1.netcom.com/~larry_l/diy_bead.htm Does anyone have any experience with these either the DIY or manufactured version? Specific brands, etc. Would I use it as a separate system, ie: with it's own pump and plumbing, or would I integrate it into my existing stuff? I have a skimmer that also connects to a bottom drain and thought I might be able to MacGyver the bottom drain connection to the bead filter. My water is actually pretty clear, but there seems to be a lot of stuff floating about. I'd thought about additional veggie filters or a settlement chamber, but I don't really have a good (or bad) place to put them. Thanks, San Diego Joe 4,000 - 5,000 Gallons. Koi, Goldfish, and RES named Colombo. |
#5
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Bead filters
Gordon,
Where do you get the beads? Jim |
#6
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Bead filters
Jim,
The design that Joe refers to says: "You can buy plastic beads for your filter from plastic suppliers or Aquatic Eco-Systems (part AB1 - Filter Beads). Get enough beads to fill your drum half way (2 cubic foot for a 30 gal drum, 3.5 cubic foot for a 55 gal drum). Be sure to get beads that float." The example I refer to uses sand rather than beads, Coral sand is much smaller than beads and has a good surface to allow bacteria to grow (but is very abrasive - see problem below). The advantage of the sand based one is that it grinds any solids up to nothing and allows the bacteria to attack them at the microscopic level. Some people have described sand based filters as good for "polishing" the water. I think you may still want some mechanical filtration in front to keep out the bulk of the blanket weed etc that can go through a normal solids handling pump. But anything that will go through the course mesh filter that is often integral to a pump, or the home made planting basket pump cover will be ok. The sand version is also a lot smaller than a bead filter as its only a vertical length of 4" sewer pipe rather than a 30 or 55 gal drum. The only problem is that the sand will eventually wear away the walls of the filter and it will leak and you will need to build another main tube. :-( The bead design has a fine mesh on the inlet / outlet pipes so it definitely needs to be after any mechanical filtration and simply provides biological filtration. Cheers Gordon long time lurker on r.p and now r.p.m "Phyllis and Jim" wrote in message oups.com... Gordon, Where do you get the beads? Jim |
#7
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Bead filters
bead filters can go anaerobic too easily. I will stick with my nearly
no maintenance veggie filter to do it all. Ingrid |
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