I wonder if anyone has used a Trident Topflow Biological Filter. The
filters are made in the UK, and are made of the box type design
consisting of three layers of foam mat and some Flocor medium below.

The Company issues what it calls a 'Clear Water Guaratee'although it
does not state what if anything it will do to recompense a purchaser
who finds the filter as useless as it in fact functions.

I purchased and installed two 12000 litre filters to filter my 2000
gallon koi pool, within days the pool became and still remains like a
sewage works sludge tank. One of the problems is that the matting fits
the tank until the tank is filled with water whereupon the tank
distorts in shape and leaves a one inch gap between the filter wall
and matting. Water therefore bypasses the matting.

The company insists this should not cause a problem and are trying to
convince me that despite the matts the water will preferentially flow
through the mat!! IE water prefers to flow through the route of
highest resistance.

I have emailed the Company to complain and was met with a tyrade of
arrogant abuse. The Company states they can produce a lot of letters
from satisfied customers, and yet when I ask them to do so they have
refused to make these available.

Please, please please anyone thinking of buying this type of filter
please think again, learn from my expensive experience, get a proper
Koi Filter system and do not waste your money of these filters which
basically are sold and constructed by confidence tricksters.

Benjamin Woods wrote:
I wonder if anyone has used a Trident Topflow Biological Filter. The
filters are made in the UK, and are made of the box type design
consisting of three layers of foam mat and some Flocor medium below.

I thought of buying one until I saw the price of them.

I purchased and installed two 12000 litre filters to filter my 2000
gallon koi pool, within days the pool became and still remains like a
sewage works sludge tank.

So what did you have in the pond before?

If this is just a bio filter, what do you have as the mechanical filter?

One of the problems is that the matting fits
the tank until the tank is filled with water whereupon the tank
distorts in shape and leaves a one inch gap between the filter wall
and matting. Water therefore bypasses the matting.

I suppose it depends on the flow rate but I would have thought that some
would go through the mats and some by-passing them. Of course if your
mats are clogging up then you've got a problem.

I have emailed the Company to complain and was met with a tyrade of
arrogant abuse. The Company states they can produce a lot of letters
from satisfied customers, and yet when I ask them to do so they have
refused to make these available.

Oh dear, if you're in the UK, you could always try Trading Standards.

Please, please please anyone thinking of buying this type of filter
please think again, learn from my expensive experience, get a proper
Koi Filter system and do not waste your money of these filters which
basically are sold and constructed by confidence tricksters.

Go on, make your own filters, you know it makes sense.

--
Matt Helliwell
Matt at Matt The Rat dot com

Matt the Rat wrote in message ...
Benjamin Woods wrote:
I wonder if anyone has used a Trident Topflow Biological Filter. The
filters are made in the UK, and are made of the box type design
consisting of three layers of foam mat and some Flocor medium below.

I thought of buying one until I saw the price of them.

I purchased and installed two 12000 litre filters to filter my 2000
gallon koi pool, within days the pool became and still remains like a
sewage works sludge tank.

So what did you have in the pond before?

If this is just a bio filter, what do you have as the mechanical filter?

One of the problems is that the matting fits
the tank until the tank is filled with water whereupon the tank
distorts in shape and leaves a one inch gap between the filter wall
and matting. Water therefore bypasses the matting.

I suppose it depends on the flow rate but I would have thought that some
would go through the mats and some by-passing them. Of course if your
mats are clogging up then you've got a problem.

I have emailed the Company to complain and was met with a tyrade of
arrogant abuse. The Company states they can produce a lot of letters
from satisfied customers, and yet when I ask them to do so they have
refused to make these available.

Oh dear, if you're in the UK, you could always try Trading Standards.

Please, please please anyone thinking of buying this type of filter
please think again, learn from my expensive experience, get a proper
Koi Filter system and do not waste your money of these filters which
basically are sold and constructed by confidence tricksters.

Go on, make your own filters, you know it makes sense.

Hi matt and thanks for the comments. I am pleased to meet you.

Regarding the filter matting in these black boxes, the filter sides
bulge out with water and the gaps left akllow dirt to get to the bio
compartment they are supposed to do the mechanical and biofiltration.

The Company has a 'Clear Water Guarantee' which in essence means if by
using the product your water is not clear (mine was like a sewage
tank) they will make some kind of ammends.

I contacted the Company who acused me of trashing thier product just
because i made a complaint. They told me they could give me evidence
of thousands of happy customers. When I asked to take them up on this
offer they backed out.

I had a Lacron Sand Filter before which has had years of use but has
seen better days. I am going to go for a Nexus system if I can get a
refund for the trident crap.

The Sales Director is convinced that if you fill a bucket with water
and float a piece of foam rubber in it water will preferentially flow
through the route of highest resistance. I am sorry, I have a medical
background with experience of dialysis machines, this is crap.

Part of my Medical Training involved the study of the Physics of fluid
flow, they are treating me like some kind of uneducated imbecile, and
I very much resent it.

I have asked a refund from the retailer and if this does not come
forth I am going to become a thorn in the butt of these people.

I just think that everywhere you look today there are Cowboys out to
make a quick buck, and seemingly prepared to flout the law in doing
it.

Long gone are the days where businesses truly cared about thier
reputations and customer satisfaction, now 'The Customer is always
wrong'

The Sales Director said that most Koi Keepers get conned into buying
large and expensive systems when they could be using a plastic bucket
instead, well this is not my experience with Koi, if you don't invest
in a good filter, you may as well just not start.

The Sales Director said that most Koi Keepers get conned into buying
large and expensive systems when they could be using a plastic bucket
instead, well this is not my experience with Koi, if you don't invest
in a good filter, you may as well just not start.

My DIYS "plastic barrels" have been working fine for 6 years. In fact I was
fascinated when AKCA came out with their booklet on filters, lots of
plastic barrels by DIYSers. ;o) ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website