Howdy, experienced ponders, from Fort Worth. Here's my 220 gallon pond
last year, sans fish: http://artships.com/fountain.jpg

Powered by a Little Giant PCL-025 475GPH pump,
http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...dLegNum/567636 ,
in the filter box, FMS-20,
http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...256b25006d28e9

It was Just Fine when it was all just for looks and little sound. Since
the comets, though... Not so much. Now I want more water going over the
falls, and none of that pea soup, either. And generally clearer water,
without what looks like suspended dust.

According to Little Giant's website, I should be able to connect the
existing pump to a better filter, the PF300,
http://www.pondfiltration.com/pf300.html (it looks to be a Little Giant).
I know I can bump-up the waterfall volume a touch by replacing the hose
with a slightly larger diameter.

My main question is, will the pf300 filter with the 475GPH pump clear-up
the water? Or, should I build a skippy filter into the lowest of the
brownish plant beds? If so, how much more pump will I need to drive it?
1000gph (I'm guessing because 475GPH just doesn't seem like very much)?
Feel free to chime in with, "The best filter is..." and ditto with a pump.

Possibilites abound, paralyzing selection. But you've all been there.

John
*wave* to Gail F.

For "none of that pea soup, either"
Study the following and pass the test administered every other Thursday:
ALGAE PRIMER
~ Nutrients for all forms of algae are sun, new water, fish waste, fertilized
run off, rotting plants, blown in dirt.
~ New ponds and spring ponds need time for plants to get established, algae is
quicker at getting going.
The following is a collection of algae suggestions from many rec.ponders:
~ add plants, of any kind, in the pond. Especially underwater plants. Note -
since all plants consume oxygen at night make sure your pond has a waterfall,
fountain, spitter or bubbler to add oxygen during the hours of darkness.
~ or build a veggie filter* see below (one of the best and prettiest way to
clear a pond)
~ Shade is good - provided by lily pads, floating plants or artificial shade
for part of the day.
~ LOW fish stocking (good rule of thumb for recreational ponders is 20 gallons
per goldfish, 100 per koi after starting with 1,000 gallons) and *not*
overfeeding the fish. Too many fish and too much feeding is probably
responsible for most pea soup water, followed closely by too much decaying
plant matter, sludge and overall gunk in the water
~ clean up dead plant matter and screen for falling leaves in the fall. Clean
out pond once a year.
~ building ponds with bottom drains and skimmers.
~ do not use algaecides, they only make lots of suddenly dead algae and that
will feed the next algae bloom.
~ do not use products to dye to the water...
~ do not worry about algae that grows on things (substrate algae) this is good
for a pond
~ gently remove string algae
or read http://www.sfbakc.org/koienews/clayvsclay.html
or some rec.ponders like String Algae Buster
~ water movement and occasional water changes of 10%
~ add a sludge consumer, concentrated bacteria.
some rec.ponders use http://www.united-tech.com/m-aq4u-toc.html
~ Check your pH, too high, over 8.8, or too low, under 6.4, and most higher
plant forms can't take up the nutrients.
~ UV lights work on suspended algae (green water) - does cost some $$
~ adding a combination mechanical and biological filter to screen gunk, dead
algae and convert fishy ammonia waste for fish health.
~ some rec.ponders like barley straw
http://www.aquabotanic.com/barleyarticle.html
~ patience, more patience, remember to be patient and time ;-)
~ personally, in my experience, I can vouch for few fish, a plant filter and
patience

*Plant filter ~ running the pond's water through plants
- as easy as floating water hyacinth in top of a stock tank and planting
watercress in your waterfall (my method ;-)
or
Ingrid's post on plant filters:
"The essence of a plant filter is a water proof container with the water from
the pond
being pumped in one end flowing thru the roots of various plants and flowing
back
into the pond at the other end.
It needs to be long enough that solids settle to the bottom OR have filter
material
that will slow or hold the solids (and get rinsed out periodically).
It needs plants of different kinds to maximize removal of all wastes.
it needs sufficient amount of plants to remove in one day all the wastes
produced by
the fish load in one day. It needs plants with extensive roots and/or plants
that get big so they used up more
nutrients. It needs to be only 8-12" deep so it doesn't go anaerobic."
or go he
http://www.iheartmypond.com/Design/D...rs/default.asp



kathy :-)
algae primer
http://hometown.aol.com/ka30p/myhomepage/garden.html

Hi John,

I have a PF3000 that is rated to clear a 3000 gallon pond. It doesn't work -
probably would work for a 1,500 gallon pond. In other words, just half the
amount of pond water you want to clear for anything sold commercially.
I think you should build the Skippy. You'll be alot happier with it.

Your pond is so cute. I'll bet you have some happy hours around it ...

Good Luck

Nedra in Missouri

My Backyard Pond:
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
The Lotus Garden:
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"John" wrote in message
...
Howdy, experienced ponders, from Fort Worth. Here's my 220 gallon pond
last year, sans fish: http://artships.com/fountain.jpg

Powered by a Little Giant PCL-025 475GPH pump,
http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...dLegNum/567636 ,
in the filter box, FMS-20,

http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...256b25006d28e9

It was Just Fine when it was all just for looks and little sound. Since
the comets, though... Not so much. Now I want more water going over the
falls, and none of that pea soup, either. And generally clearer water,
without what looks like suspended dust.

According to Little Giant's website, I should be able to connect the
existing pump to a better filter, the PF300,
http://www.pondfiltration.com/pf300.html (it looks to be a Little Giant).
I know I can bump-up the waterfall volume a touch by replacing the hose
with a slightly larger diameter.

My main question is, will the pf300 filter with the 475GPH pump clear-up
the water? Or, should I build a skippy filter into the lowest of the
brownish plant beds? If so, how much more pump will I need to drive it?
1000gph (I'm guessing because 475GPH just doesn't seem like very much)?
Feel free to chime in with, "The best filter is..." and ditto with a pump.

Possibilites abound, paralyzing selection. But you've all been there.

John
*wave* to Gail F.

I don't think that commercial filter is gonna cut it, it is pretty puny,
imo.

If you go to my website www.jjspond.us and click on *My filter* scroll to
the bottom, you will find several flower pot filters that have worked great
on small ponds, you could hide one behind your waterfall hill, if you
didn't want it at the top or edge. Saving over $100 DIY. I run a 700 gph
pump thru the one I made (not pictured yet). I use it on a 1000 gallon
lilypond with 7 large goldfish and now babies.

I think the skippy filter is overkill in this situation. ~ jan

On 9 Aug 2004 21:16:25 GMT, (John) wrote:

Howdy, experienced ponders, from Fort Worth. Here's my 220 gallon pond
last year, sans fish: http://artships.com/fountain.jpg

Powered by a Little Giant PCL-025 475GPH pump,
http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...dLegNum/567636 ,
in the filter box, FMS-20,
http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...256b25006d28e9

It was Just Fine when it was all just for looks and little sound. Since
the comets, though... Not so much. Now I want more water going over the
falls, and none of that pea soup, either. And generally clearer water,
without what looks like suspended dust.

According to Little Giant's website, I should be able to connect the
existing pump to a better filter, the PF300,
http://www.pondfiltration.com/pf300.html (it looks to be a Little Giant).
I know I can bump-up the waterfall volume a touch by replacing the hose
with a slightly larger diameter.

My main question is, will the pf300 filter with the 475GPH pump clear-up
the water? Or, should I build a skippy filter into the lowest of the
brownish plant beds? If so, how much more pump will I need to drive it?
1000gph (I'm guessing because 475GPH just doesn't seem like very much)?
Feel free to chime in with, "The best filter is..." and ditto with a pump.

Possibilites abound, paralyzing selection. But you've all been there.

John
*wave* to Gail F.

I don't think that commercial filter is gonna cut it, it is pretty puny,
imo.

If you go to my website www.jjspond.us and click on *My filter* scroll to
the bottom, you will find several flower pot filters that have worked great
on small ponds, you could hide one behind your waterfall hill, if you
didn't want it at the top or edge. Saving over $100 DIY. I run a 700 gph
pump thru the one I made (not pictured yet). I use it on a 1000 gallon
lilypond with 7 large goldfish and now babies.

I think the skippy filter is overkill in this situation. ~ jan

On 9 Aug 2004 21:16:25 GMT, (John) wrote:

Howdy, experienced ponders, from Fort Worth. Here's my 220 gallon pond
last year, sans fish: http://artships.com/fountain.jpg

Powered by a Little Giant PCL-025 475GPH pump,
http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...dLegNum/567636 ,
in the filter box, FMS-20,
http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...256b25006d28e9

It was Just Fine when it was all just for looks and little sound. Since
the comets, though... Not so much. Now I want more water going over the
falls, and none of that pea soup, either. And generally clearer water,
without what looks like suspended dust.

According to Little Giant's website, I should be able to connect the
existing pump to a better filter, the PF300,
http://www.pondfiltration.com/pf300.html (it looks to be a Little Giant).
I know I can bump-up the waterfall volume a touch by replacing the hose
with a slightly larger diameter.

My main question is, will the pf300 filter with the 475GPH pump clear-up
the water? Or, should I build a skippy filter into the lowest of the
brownish plant beds? If so, how much more pump will I need to drive it?
1000gph (I'm guessing because 475GPH just doesn't seem like very much)?
Feel free to chime in with, "The best filter is..." and ditto with a pump.

Possibilites abound, paralyzing selection. But you've all been there.

John
*wave* to Gail F.

In article k.net,
"Nedra" writes:

Hi Nedra,

I have a PF3000 that is rated to clear a 3000 gallon pond. It doesn't work -
probably would work for a 1,500 gallon pond. In other words, just half the
amount of pond water you want to clear for anything sold commercially.

Good tip to know. I assume "doesn't work" means, "water still contained
particulate matter". If it means, "water was still green", for the money
you paid you could have gotten a PL2800 filter with 18W UV bulb. It, too,
would have required 1200GPH. But I'm sure you're years ahead of me in
the, "Been there, done that, and now everything works fine" department.

I think you should build the Skippy. You'll be alot happier with it.

As with any endeavor any more, the best solution incorporates frugality
while pandering to my inherent laziness. The skippy filter does indeed
qualify. I'm hoping, though, that I don't need a filter half the size
of my pond. Though, a smaller skippy might just...

Your pond is so cute. I'll bet you have some happy hours around it ...

"Around it" is how the dogs chase each other. "Happy hours" is how much
time we spend watching them through the edge of a margarita glass.

John

In article ,
~ jan JJsPond.us writes:
I don't think that commercial filter is gonna cut it, it is pretty puny,

But.., but... It says, right there in the advertisement masquerading as a
product specification sheet... Oh. I see what you mean.

If you go to my website www.jjspond.us and click on *My filter* scroll to
the bottom, you will find several flower pot filters that have worked great
on small ponds,

They certainly look compact, and if they are anywhere as effective as you
say, they'd be ideal. I wonder what's in'em?

you could hide one behind your waterfall hill, if you
didn't want it at the top or edge.

Building a stone extension to the back of the tower is an option, of
course.

I run a 700 gph pump thru the one I made

Oh? Wow - Now, that would be something to...

(not pictured yet).

Oh, pooh.

I use it on a 1000 gallon
lilypond with 7 large goldfish and now babies.

Hmm... Four times mine's size but with about the same fishload.

I think the skippy filter is overkill in this situation. ~ jan

Unless it can be scaled-down. I should go review
http://www.skippysstuff.com/biofiltr.htm

John

On 9 Aug 2004 21:16:25 GMT, (John) wrote:

Howdy, experienced ponders, from Fort Worth. Here's my 220 gallon pond
last year, sans fish: http://artships.com/fountain.jpg

Powered by a Little Giant PCL-025 475GPH pump,
http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...dLegNum/567636 ,
in the filter box, FMS-20,
http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...256b25006d28e9

It was Just Fine when it was all just for looks and little sound. Since
the comets, though... Not so much. Now I want more water going over the
falls, and none of that pea soup, either. And generally clearer water,
without what looks like suspended dust.

According to Little Giant's website, I should be able to connect the
existing pump to a better filter, the PF300,
http://www.pondfiltration.com/pf300.html (it looks to be a Little Giant).
I know I can bump-up the waterfall volume a touch by replacing the hose
with a slightly larger diameter.

My main question is, will the pf300 filter with the 475GPH pump clear-up
the water? Or, should I build a skippy filter into the lowest of the
brownish plant beds? If so, how much more pump will I need to drive it?
1000gph (I'm guessing because 475GPH just doesn't seem like very much)?
Feel free to chime in with, "The best filter is..." and ditto with a pump.

Possibilites abound, paralyzing selection. But you've all been there.

John
*wave* to Gail F.


--
* Progress (n.): The process through which Usenet has evolved from
smart people in front of dumb terminals to dumb people in front of
smart terminals. -- (obscurity)

In article ,
~ jan JJsPond.us writes:
I don't think that commercial filter is gonna cut it, it is pretty puny,

But.., but... It says, right there in the advertisement masquerading as a
product specification sheet... Oh. I see what you mean.

If you go to my website www.jjspond.us and click on *My filter* scroll to
the bottom, you will find several flower pot filters that have worked great
on small ponds,

They certainly look compact, and if they are anywhere as effective as you
say, they'd be ideal. I wonder what's in'em?

you could hide one behind your waterfall hill, if you
didn't want it at the top or edge.

Building a stone extension to the back of the tower is an option, of
course.

I run a 700 gph pump thru the one I made

Oh? Wow - Now, that would be something to...

(not pictured yet).

Oh, pooh.

I use it on a 1000 gallon
lilypond with 7 large goldfish and now babies.

Hmm... Four times mine's size but with about the same fishload.

I think the skippy filter is overkill in this situation. ~ jan

Unless it can be scaled-down. I should go review
http://www.skippysstuff.com/biofiltr.htm

John

On 9 Aug 2004 21:16:25 GMT, (John) wrote:

Howdy, experienced ponders, from Fort Worth. Here's my 220 gallon pond
last year, sans fish: http://artships.com/fountain.jpg

Powered by a Little Giant PCL-025 475GPH pump,
http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...dLegNum/567636 ,
in the filter box, FMS-20,
http://www.littlegiant.com/littlegia...256b25006d28e9

It was Just Fine when it was all just for looks and little sound. Since
the comets, though... Not so much. Now I want more water going over the
falls, and none of that pea soup, either. And generally clearer water,
without what looks like suspended dust.

According to Little Giant's website, I should be able to connect the
existing pump to a better filter, the PF300,
http://www.pondfiltration.com/pf300.html (it looks to be a Little Giant).
I know I can bump-up the waterfall volume a touch by replacing the hose
with a slightly larger diameter.

My main question is, will the pf300 filter with the 475GPH pump clear-up
the water? Or, should I build a skippy filter into the lowest of the
brownish plant beds? If so, how much more pump will I need to drive it?
1000gph (I'm guessing because 475GPH just doesn't seem like very much)?
Feel free to chime in with, "The best filter is..." and ditto with a pump.

Possibilites abound, paralyzing selection. But you've all been there.

John
*wave* to Gail F.


--
* Progress (n.): The process through which Usenet has evolved from
smart people in front of dumb terminals to dumb people in front of
smart terminals. -- (obscurity)

If you go to my website www.jjspond.us and click on *My filter* scroll to
the bottom, you will find several flower pot filters that have worked great
on small ponds,

I wonder what's in'em?

You can fill them with what you want, some use only wadded up vinyl
screening (bulk screen door stuff). I had extra open cell foam, so I put
the scraps at the bottom and 3 oversizeds rounds on top (up flow). I squish
the rounds down on the sides so the flow has to go thru them. Mine looks
just like the others pictured on my sight, only I found a plastic garbage
can lid that fit the top perfect. So instead of the flower tray it has a
lid.

Unless it can be scaled-down. I should go review
http://www.skippysstuff.com/biofiltr.htm

Yes. Always good to do research.

My flower pot filter only took one $8 19 gallon flower pot with no holes
(you can fill them with silcone if you can't find a holeless one). A $2
PVC outlet, an a PVC garden hose type connection on the bottom. PVC runs to
the pump with a little flex hose to get free motion underneath to connect
it. The media within (I did use a plant tray up-ended with a bunch of
holes, to hold the media away from the inlet. Than a lid of some sort.
~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

My flower pot filter only took one $8 19 gallon flower pot with no holes

Huh. A 19 gallon skippy filter cleans a 1000 gallon pond. Slick! So my
modest 220 gallon pond would be adequately served with a skippy filter
between 5 and 10 gallons in size. That's do-able.

Don't look at as "19 gallons does 1000 gallons" look at as "19 gallons
doing 7 large goldfish". Remember with those 1000 of gallons I have a lot
more plants and surface area than a 220 gallon pond. I'd still stick with
that 19 gallon size for your size pond.

My question now is, isn't the skippy filter a bio-filter, using bacteria
to remove nitrates/nitrites/ammonia? How does it do as a mechanical
filter? That is, does it also remove particulate matter, or do I need
something else for that?

It will do both, I'm not up on how the skippy works (down flow, up flow?)
but mine, using up flow traps fine debris at the bottom and the bio-media
higher up does the bio stuff. I have a mesh basket around my pump so the
big stuff can't clog the pump, so this system doesn't clean the bottom. Not
a big deal in my case as I have to drain the pond and remove all the baby
fish in the spring so the frogs can breed and do their thing. Thus I shop
vac the bottom in the spring. ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

In article ,
(John) writes:

Huh. A 19 gallon skippy filter cleans a 1000 gallon pond. Slick! So my
modest 220 gallon pond would be adequately served with a skippy filter
between 5 and 10 gallons in size. That's do-able.

My question now is, isn't the skippy filter a bio-filter, using bacteria
to remove nitrates/nitrites/ammonia? How does it do as a mechanical
filter? That is, does it also remove particulate matter, or do I need
something else for that?

my pond in Houston was 1000 gallons and I used a trash can for my filter,
stuffed it like a skippy and it kept the pond clean with no ammonia or
nitrates/nitrites.

Karen
Zone 5
Ashland, OH
http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html
My Art Studio at
http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K....M.Studios.html
for email remove the extra extention

In article ,
(John) writes:

Huh. A 19 gallon skippy filter cleans a 1000 gallon pond. Slick! So my
modest 220 gallon pond would be adequately served with a skippy filter
between 5 and 10 gallons in size. That's do-able.

My question now is, isn't the skippy filter a bio-filter, using bacteria
to remove nitrates/nitrites/ammonia? How does it do as a mechanical
filter? That is, does it also remove particulate matter, or do I need
something else for that?

my pond in Houston was 1000 gallons and I used a trash can for my filter,
stuffed it like a skippy and it kept the pond clean with no ammonia or
nitrates/nitrites.

Karen
Zone 5
Ashland, OH
http://hometown.aol.com/kmam1/MyPond/MyPond.html
My Art Studio at
http://members.aol.com/kmmstudios/K....M.Studios.html
for email remove the extra extention

In article ,
~ jan JJsPond.us writes:

I'd still stick with
that 19 gallon size for your size pond.

Built a "Mini-Me" Skippy filter.
From Lowes bought a 20-gallon macCOURT Plan*Tain*er,
http://www.maccourt.com/products/ponds/pp2620.html, for $19. Green
Mama's, North Richland Hills (Fort Worth), had a very similar one for $28.
(They also had the really-really-big Rubbermaid Skippy filter tubs.)
Installed PVC. Wrote "Skippy" who said to lay the grate right on the
pipes. Today bought a box of 5 commercial floor scrubber pads for $5 each,
the white ones because they were finer than the rest. Bought the smallest
bottle of Microbe Lift from Green Mama's. Tonight I install it all and
flip the switch. My only question now is rhetorical, if I hold my breath,
will I be right and truly blue before the pond stops being green?

(I know - "Yes.")

I'm not up on how the skippy works (down flow, up flow?)

Up-flow. Just like a Veggie Filter, but instead of 2-3 inches of 1-inch
stones topped with root-dragging plants, you have several inches or a
couple of feet of bacteria-growing medium.

I have to drain the pond and remove all the baby
fish in the spring so the frogs can breed and do their thing. Thus I shop
vac the bottom in the spring. ~ jan

You... You vacuum the baby fish? Oh, my.

John
http://artships.com/pond.php

ps. Thanks, Jan, for all your help, both directly and as archived by
DejaGoogle.

In article ,
~ jan JJsPond.us writes:

I'd still stick with
that 19 gallon size for your size pond.

Built a "Mini-Me" Skippy filter.
From Lowes bought a 20-gallon macCOURT Plan*Tain*er,
http://www.maccourt.com/products/ponds/pp2620.html, for $19. Green
Mama's, North Richland Hills (Fort Worth), had a very similar one for $28.
(They also had the really-really-big Rubbermaid Skippy filter tubs.)
Installed PVC. Wrote "Skippy" who said to lay the grate right on the
pipes. Today bought a box of 5 commercial floor scrubber pads for $5 each,
the white ones because they were finer than the rest. Bought the smallest
bottle of Microbe Lift from Green Mama's. Tonight I install it all and
flip the switch. My only question now is rhetorical, if I hold my breath,
will I be right and truly blue before the pond stops being green?

(I know - "Yes.")

I'm not up on how the skippy works (down flow, up flow?)

Up-flow. Just like a Veggie Filter, but instead of 2-3 inches of 1-inch
stones topped with root-dragging plants, you have several inches or a
couple of feet of bacteria-growing medium.

I have to drain the pond and remove all the baby
fish in the spring so the frogs can breed and do their thing. Thus I shop
vac the bottom in the spring. ~ jan

You... You vacuum the baby fish? Oh, my.

John
http://artships.com/pond.php

ps. Thanks, Jan, for all your help, both directly and as archived by
DejaGoogle.

You... You vacuum the baby fish? Oh, my.

John

Oh heavens! No. I net all the babies out and put in a stock tank with the
lily pond water and a small bucket filter, and offer for sale. That's the
nice thing about fantail goldfish, very easy to catch. Then I drain and
vac. )

You're welcome, let us know how long it takes to clear up, I'm guessing 3
days. Anyone else want to join the non-betting pool... or is that pond in
this case? ;o) ~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~