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Old 05-04-2005, 12:55 AM
CanadianCowboy
 
Posts: n/a
Default Homemade Filter

Just wanted to share a very inexpensive Bio Filter with some mechanical
filtering that can easily be built at home.

http://www.mvwgs.org/filter.htm
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Old 05-04-2005, 06:16 AM
George
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"CanadianCowboy" wrote in message
.. .
Just wanted to share a very inexpensive Bio Filter with some mechanical
filtering that can easily be built at home.

http://www.mvwgs.org/filter.htm


The problem with that filter is with trying to clean it. It is labor intensive,
since you have to get it out of the pond, take it apart, clean it, put it back
together (or replace the filter material if necessary) and then put it back in.


  #3   Report Post  
Old 05-04-2005, 12:51 PM
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Laughing here... "I love it, the simplicity of design, the elegance of
the milk crate, the merging of the Flintstonian period with the 21st
century is a nuclear mind bomb!"

For those who REALLY want to know the one and only waterfall filter
that is worth the time to install it you can find it here.
http://www.pondkoi.com/pond_products...ll_filters.htm

It is rigid; the sides won't collapse causing the sides to bow in like
all other filters. Why go to all the trouble to install a filter only
to have the lid not fit in a week as the ground settles? We have tried
them all in our over 300+ pond and watergarden installations. Please
trust me on this no matter where you purchase a waterfall filter.

  #4   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2005, 02:42 AM
George
 
Posts: n/a
Default


wrote in message
oups.com...
Laughing here... "I love it, the simplicity of design, the elegance of
the milk crate, the merging of the Flintstonian period with the 21st
century is a nuclear mind bomb!"

For those who REALLY want to know the one and only waterfall filter
that is worth the time to install it you can find it here.
http://www.pondkoi.com/pond_products...ll_filters.htm

It is rigid; the sides won't collapse causing the sides to bow in like
all other filters. Why go to all the trouble to install a filter only
to have the lid not fit in a week as the ground settles? We have tried
them all in our over 300+ pond and watergarden installations. Please
trust me on this no matter where you purchase a waterfall filter.


So what you are saying to us DIYers is that only your filter can possibly work?
Let us know what you've been smoking so we can all avoid the same mistake you
made.


  #5   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2005, 03:22 AM
Snooze
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"CanadianCowboy" wrote in message
.. .
Just wanted to share a very inexpensive Bio Filter with some mechanical
filtering that can easily be built at home.

http://www.mvwgs.org/filter.htm


Good filter design, I made mine out of 2 milk crates, two costco bulk packs
of green scotch pads, and a few yards of gazebo screening fabric. I and a
fairly significant portion of this newsgroup do not recommend using lava
rocks as filter material. The pores clog up quickly and are difficult to
clean, they are heavy, and do not have a good volume to surface area ratio.

Consider removing the rocks, and using sun screen fabric, which you can get
from any hardware store. When it's time to clean the fabric, just spread it
out on the lawn, and hose it off. Light, easy to clean, cheap.

-S




  #6   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2005, 03:47 AM
Snooze
 
Posts: n/a
Default

wrote in message
oups.com...
Laughing here... "I love it, the simplicity of design, the elegance of
the milk crate, the merging of the Flintstonian period with the 21st
century is a nuclear mind bomb!"

For those who REALLY want to know the one and only waterfall filter
that is worth the time to install it you can find it here.
http://www.pondkoi.com/pond_products...ll_filters.htm

It is rigid; the sides won't collapse causing the sides to bow in like
all other filters. Why go to all the trouble to install a filter only
to have the lid not fit in a week as the ground settles? We have tried
them all in our over 300+ pond and watergarden installations. Please
trust me on this no matter where you purchase a waterfall filter.



Anyone can buy a prebuilt pond, and prebuilt filter, and have a pond that
looks like everyone else's. Us DIYers like to build, because we believe we
can do the same task either better, cheaper, or just want to learn and
experiment with some ideas. I spent some time googling for various pond
filters, both commercial, and DIY, I evalulated my pond's needs and I felt I
could build one for less money then it would cost me to buy a premade
filter.

In it's current version i have I have a settling tank, a mechanical/bio
filter, veg filter and more aeration then I had when I first moved to this
house. My cost? a few feet of schedule 40 pipe, a few couplers, and elbows.
2 plastic drums (free), some hose, 2 milk crates from a resturant, and a few
cinder blocks. The beauty is that it's all hidden behind the waterfall, so
it doesn't have to look pretty, it just has to do the job.

-S


  #7   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2005, 05:57 AM
George
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Snooze" wrote in message
m...

"CanadianCowboy" wrote in message
.. .
Just wanted to share a very inexpensive Bio Filter with some mechanical
filtering that can easily be built at home.

http://www.mvwgs.org/filter.htm


Good filter design, I made mine out of 2 milk crates, two costco bulk packs of
green scotch pads, and a few yards of gazebo screening fabric. I and a fairly
significant portion of this newsgroup do not recommend using lava rocks as
filter material. The pores clog up quickly and are difficult to clean, they
are heavy, and do not have a good volume to surface area ratio.

Consider removing the rocks, and using sun screen fabric, which you can get
from any hardware store. When it's time to clean the fabric, just spread it
out on the lawn, and hose it off. Light, easy to clean, cheap.

-S


Hmmm. If your lava rock is clogging up, then you are not pre-filtering (or
properly pre-filtering) the water first. Mechanical pre-filtering removes most
of the detritus from the water, which then flows through the scoria (which
should be colonized with beneficial bacteria) and comes out clean as a whistle.
I've been using scoria for three years, and have never had to worry about
cleaning it since the water is pre-filtered. The only thing I have to clean is
the pre-filter itself, which is very easy to do, takes about 5 minutes about
twice/month in the spring and once/month in the summer/fall, and rarely in the
winter. Sunscreen fabric acts as an efficient mechanical filter, but has
negligible biofilter properties, since by the time you get any benefit from it,
it becomes clogged and you have to clean it. Hosing it down to clean it will
not only get rid of the detritus that has built up, but will also get rid of
most beneficial bacteria that has colonized it. Adding Aquazyme or similar
product to the water is also beneficial to your pond. The bacteria not only
will colonize the filter, but will grow on any surface in the pond, and add to
the pond's natural filtering capabilities. Here is a link that shows the
specifics of my homemade design:

http://home.insightbb.com/~jryates/filter.htm

Of course, if can be adapted in many ways. This is just the way I use it, and
it seems to work very well.


  #8   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2005, 12:53 PM
Snooze
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"George" wrote in message
news:R6J4e.5965$g65.2835@attbi_s52...

Hmmm. If your lava rock is clogging up, then you are not pre-filtering
(or properly pre-filtering) the water first. Mechanical pre-filtering
removes most of the detritus from the water, which then flows through the
scoria (which should be colonized with beneficial bacteria) and comes out
clean as a whistle. I've been using scoria for three years, and have never
had to worry about cleaning it since the water is pre-filtered. The only
thing I have to clean is the pre-filter itself, which is very easy to do,
takes about 5 minutes about twice/month in the spring and once/month in
the summer/fall, and rarely in the winter. Sunscreen fabric acts as an
efficient mechanical filter, but has negligible biofilter properties,
since by the time you get any benefit from it, it becomes clogged and you
have to clean it. Hosing it down to clean it will not only get rid of the
detritus that has built up, but will also get rid of most beneficial
bacteria that has colonized it. Adding Aquazyme or similar product to the
water is also beneficial to your pond. The bacteria not only will
colonize the filter, but will grow on any surface in the pond, and add to
the pond's natural filtering capabilities. Here is a link that shows the
specifics of my homemade design:

http://home.insightbb.com/~jryates/filter.htm

Of course, if can be adapted in many ways. This is just the way I use it,
and it seems to work very well.


It's a nice looking filter. As for my filter, it seems to work for my pond
size and fish load, so I'm happy with the results. I clean the filters once
or twice a season depending on my mood. The pond ran on autopilot prior to
buying the house for atleast 2 years if not more. I used a shovel to empty
scoup out the much build up from the bottom of the pond, so anything less
then that is fine with me. As long as the water is clear enough to see the
fish near the bottom I'm happy.

-S



  #9   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2005, 06:59 PM
BenignVanilla
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"CanadianCowboy" wrote in message
.. .
Just wanted to share a very inexpensive Bio Filter with some mechanical
filtering that can easily be built at home.

http://www.mvwgs.org/filter.htm


Nice page. I've added a link to it from our site,
http://www.iheartmypond.com/Design/DIY/Filters/.


--
BV
Webporgmaster of iheartmypond.com
http://www.iheartmypond.com
Help IHeartMyPond.com, by doing all of your eBay shopping via our
eBay Affiliate Link: http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-1609574-10357516.
It doesn't cost you anything, but an extra click!


  #10   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2005, 08:52 PM
Tom L. La Bron
 
Posts: n/a
Default

You sure are right George,

Many in our pond club members started out with filters like this, but
changed when trying to pull it out of the pond needed three men and a boy to
do it. It really becomes almost useless if you have an algae bloom.

Tom L.L.
----------------------------
"George" wrote in message
news:qio4e.1922$yg7.1075@attbi_s51...

"CanadianCowboy" wrote in message
.. .
Just wanted to share a very inexpensive Bio Filter with some mechanical
filtering that can easily be built at home.

http://www.mvwgs.org/filter.htm


The problem with that filter is with trying to clean it. It is labor
intensive, since you have to get it out of the pond, take it apart, clean
it, put it back together (or replace the filter material if necessary) and
then put it back in.





  #11   Report Post  
Old 06-04-2005, 09:20 PM
~ jan JJsPond.us
 
Posts: n/a
Default

wrote in message
Laughing here... "I love it, the simplicity of design, the elegance of
the milk crate, the merging of the Flintstonian period with the 21st
century is a nuclear mind bomb!"


See, this kind of statement just puts people on the defensive, something
someone in the business I think would want to avoid. :-?

For those who REALLY want to know the one and only waterfall filter
that is worth the time to install it you can find it here.
http://www.pondkoi.com/pond_products...ll_filters.htm


It is rigid; the sides won't collapse causing the sides to bow in like
all other filters. Why go to all the trouble to install a filter only
to have the lid not fit in a week as the ground settles? We have tried
them all in our over 300+ pond and watergarden installations. Please
trust me on this no matter where you purchase a waterfall filter.


George wrote: So what you are saying to us DIYers is that only your filter can possibly work?
Let us know what you've been smoking so we can all avoid the same mistake you
made.

Though I got a chortle from the "trust me" proving that someone hasn't read
Dr. Johnson's *10 Commandments of Koi Keeping* #1 being: Never, ever trust
a Marketing Rep. I do have to slightly defend "lucky-puppy" in that he does
say "waterfall" filter. Since there are now various brands of this filter
type, I'm sure there are cheaper, thinner brands that don't hold up as he
mentions. I don't think he was putting down our DYI status (just the
milkcrate filter quoted). If you're going to DYI with this type of filter,
at the top of your waterfall, that brand has worked the best for them in
all their 300+ installations.

We need to be less competitive with our attitude of, "my filter is better
than yours" and learn from each other. Not every one is handy enough, or
has family that is, to build them out-of-the-pond filters, so the milkcrate
and low fish load may be the way that works for them. I use a lot of box &
bucket filters in my small pond and stock tanks. They last all year, course
I don't put very many fish in those (mostly babies) and I keep them
protected from blown in debris.

I use to feel when it came to DYI & cost of materials, my filter fit the
bill. Now, if one has the extra bucks, when it comes to recommending
filtration I point to vortex after having a fellow ponder demonstrate the
ease with cleaning the bottom muck out of those. Pull a valve and wait 5
minutes. Sheesh, doesn't come much easier than that. ~ 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
  #12   Report Post  
Old 07-04-2005, 02:43 AM
dkat
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Snooze" wrote in message
m...

"CanadianCowboy" wrote in message
.. .
Just wanted to share a very inexpensive Bio Filter with some mechanical
filtering that can easily be built at home.

http://www.mvwgs.org/filter.htm


Good filter design, I made mine out of 2 milk crates, two costco bulk

packs
of green scotch pads, and a few yards of gazebo screening fabric. I and a
fairly significant portion of this newsgroup do not recommend using lava
rocks as filter material. The pores clog up quickly and are difficult to
clean, they are heavy, and do not have a good volume to surface area

ratio.

Consider removing the rocks, and using sun screen fabric, which you can

get
from any hardware store. When it's time to clean the fabric, just spread

it
out on the lawn, and hose it off. Light, easy to clean, cheap.

-S


The lava rock is not meant to act as a mechanical filter. It holds bacteria
that eats up the fish waste. So in a sense you want it to 'plug' up. Some
people use broken up plastic spoons or Styrofoam bits for this (which you
have to contain with something like plastic netting). You should not be
using a pump that has to have a mechanical filter in front of it to keep it
from being clogged. You should be using a waterfall filter for this type of
set up. If you use the other type of pump then you do need a filter on the
front end and this does have to be cleaned (but even it holds good bacteria
so don't clean it with anything but pond water).


  #13   Report Post  
Old 07-04-2005, 07:12 PM
DKat
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"Tom L. La Bron" wrote in message
...
You sure are right George,

Many in our pond club members started out with filters like this, but
changed when trying to pull it out of the pond needed three men and a boy
to do it. It really becomes almost useless if you have an algae bloom.

Tom L.L.


I think Cowboy's filter is quite elegant on many levels. I'm almost 60
years old, 5'2" on a good day and not a heavy weight. I manage with
something that would weigh far more than this filter just fine (mine is a 25
gallon bucket that I pull out of the pond so I'm not only lifting the rock
but the water as well). The lava rock weighs nothing and cleaning something
like this will be done maybe once a year. It is also very easy to clean.
For the system to work (that is if you want clear water) you need to feed
the water from this into a veggie filter. If you are going to raise fish
as opposed to having a pond with mosquito eaters (a few fish) in it, then
you will probably want to be creating a more costly and involved system.
However, I still have feeder fish I had from when I created my first pond, 3
butterfly koi, and a monster of an albino catfish (that I really should find
a home for this year....) and I manage just fine. My loss of fish have come
from feeding the local wildlife and not from water quality issues.

----------------------------
"George" wrote in message
news:qio4e.1922$yg7.1075@attbi_s51...

"CanadianCowboy" wrote in message
.. .
Just wanted to share a very inexpensive Bio Filter with some mechanical
filtering that can easily be built at home.

http://www.mvwgs.org/filter.htm


The problem with that filter is with trying to clean it. It is labor
intensive, since you have to get it out of the pond, take it apart, clean
it, put it back together (or replace the filter material if necessary)
and then put it back in.





  #14   Report Post  
Old 07-04-2005, 10:14 PM
George
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"DKat" wrote in message
...
"Tom L. La Bron" wrote in message
...
You sure are right George,

Many in our pond club members started out with filters like this, but changed
when trying to pull it out of the pond needed three men and a boy to do it.
It really becomes almost useless if you have an algae bloom.

Tom L.L.


I think Cowboy's filter is quite elegant on many levels. I'm almost 60 years
old, 5'2" on a good day and not a heavy weight. I manage with something that
would weigh far more than this filter just fine (mine is a 25 gallon bucket
that I pull out of the pond so I'm not only lifting the rock but the water as
well). The lava rock weighs nothing and cleaning something like this will be
done maybe once a year. It is also very easy to clean. For the system to work
(that is if you want clear water) you need to feed the water from this into a
veggie filter. If you are going to raise fish as opposed to having a pond
with mosquito eaters (a few fish) in it, then you will probably want to be
creating a more costly and involved system. However, I still have feeder fish
I had from when I created my first pond, 3 butterfly koi, and a monster of an
albino catfish (that I really should find a home for this year....) and I
manage just fine. My loss of fish have come from feeding the local wildlife
and not from water quality issues.


If you use a 20 gallon plastic drum with a sealable lid, you can backflush it
under pressure without ever having to move it at all. Oh, and here is a link to
a picture of my albino cat:

http://home.insightbb.com/~jryates/image002.jpg

Note the measuring tape for scale (it sticks out 30").


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