filter install question

[perplexed ponder]

Thinking about getting a pressurized filter. Is this run on the same pump as my falls and skimmer and can ir be installed in the line between them?

[frloplady]

Pressurized filter would have to be after the pump.

Ever thought of a DIY sand/gravel filter?

Mary

[perplexed ponder]

I don't know abotu the DIY sand/gravel filter. what's that?
I know everyone loves thier skippys but i just don't think I could hide it.
Pressurized may be the way for us to go. I'm picky about equipment showing. I want to buy the fake rock cover for the savio, but $200?! C'mon!

[frloplady]

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36550 but you have to be a member to see the thread I think.  Lots of great pics.  This can be hidden in/behind a waterfall. 

I'm running 2 of them on my 13,000 gallon pond and the water clarity is wonderful as it is a great fines filter and not to bad on biological as well. 

[Jerry]

it is nice, but "Skippy" is so easy and works so well.

[dorsalfin]

Hi All : There are  alot of ways to hide skippys filters, biofalls gravity feed filter systems.
You may not like pressurized filter systums as much as you think.
They can be alot of work to maintain good water flow on ponds.
They will need blowing down every day. And most will have a auto by-pass that will come on if you miss a cleanning,blow down.
If you do not check them very often they will clogged up.
Or auto by-pass  can stick on

Most use pressurived filters for polishing the water not for main filtration. Not to say it can not be dunn Im sure it could be but would be alot of work.

I hope this has not clouded the water for you or this threed just thought,it would help.

  Dorsalfin 

[Esther]

We rocked around our Skippy that is in the front yard. There are many ways a person could hide their pond equipment if they try.

[Rocmon]

Skippies can always be buried... just looks like another section of pond. Lets see you do THAT with a pressure filter...

You can read the links at koiphen just can't see the pictures if your not a member. Sometimes they can be worth thousands of words...

[perplexed ponder]

Esther, that look sreally good!
Dh is thinking on the filter since everything is frozen right now anyways. I am leaning toward the savio bio filter falls and building it into the upper pond and connecting the two ponds. Our savio skimmer is really nice quality. His concern is always that something will go wrong and one pond will empty. He likes the idea of the pressure filter. We could hide one easier because of the plantings around the area. he likes the backwash feature.

[frloplady]

it is nice, but "Skippy" is so easy and works so well.

It cannot compare in the fines filtration that the sand/gravel filter does.

I've used skippy type filters.  No comparison for fines.

I always had problems with the idea on the Skippy site that the filter only cleaned once a year.  My idea of a filter is to get the crud OUT Of the pond not filter through it. 

[Rocmon]

The Savio is a little small, ~30 gal I think, I have one—the Versatile. I've added a roll of Matala round and an extra mat on top of the existing spring flow—the old mat from the skimmer. I've also added some box strapping and nylon junk to it.

Here is a modification you should consider if you get the Savio—for the bottom drain in the unit, it's a ways down in the thread.

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15829 You'll have to join to view the pics, and there are a lot of them.

Yes the idea of cleaning a skippy once a year? I don't think so... I don't have one but I know when I clean my bio filter unit, with a pond water rinse the pond is clearer after a day. I do that several times a year or more. I may pull all the mats and junk out once a year... but pouring water through it with the drain open gets it pretty clean.

Not sure what kind of filter your looking for but if you like to tinker around and build stuff here's a great project:

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36550 again join to see pics...

[JohnInFlorida]

I swear by my DIY gravel filter ... All sorts of nice fuzzy green stuff growing on the walls and floor of the pond but the water is clear, clear, clear.

Take a look at my "I'll give you three guesses" topic ( http://www.americanponders.com/forum/index.php?topic=2143.0 ) for a peek at the clarity and the gravel filters ... 6.5 cubic yards of 1/2" river rock surely provides "tons of bio" (literally ) and completely filters out the "fines". Upstream of the gravel the water goes thru mechanical filtration that consists of a 1" layer of poly filter mat and then a 1" layer of poly quilt batting before it's pumped into the rear of the bogs. The water then  has to filter thru 8 to 11' of 1/2" river rock before spilling back into the pond.

Only time will prove whether it works as well as I expect it to but 25+ years of aquarium reverse flow undergravel filters lead me to believe it will.

Cleaning the gravel may be a pain but that's what God invented winter and 20somethingyearold stepsons for! Remove/rinse 1/4 of the gravel each winter and I predict it will stay just as clear as it is now.

Keep Smilin'
John 

[Rocmon]

Wouldn't it be easier to use something light weight? I mean gravel is heavy and doesn't provide a lot of surface area compared to many of the medias that folks use. What do you do when the 20 something step kid moves to the other coast?

The "gravel" filter in my second link simply used an air blower.

[Esther]

Well I clean mine once a year. I have 15 floor scrubber pads in it. The crud settles to the bottom below the pads. I made a grid holder out of PVC. The pads lay on the bottom layer. 

[JohnInFlorida]

Yes Roc, it probably would have been easier to use something smaller/lighter if the only objective was filtration. In addition to providing biofiltration, I wanted a bog area to plant in and what I wound up with were 2 bogs, the left one about 20'x8'x8" and the one to the right of the fountain/falls is about 26'x8'x8" (see pic 1)

Pic 1 


Pic 2 shows the left bog empty. You can see the valve/pipe across the back wall of the bog which has 1/4 " holes drilled along its length so the bog fills evenly along it's length. Pic 3 shows it filled with gravel. This is one of the outlets of the mech filter/pump along with another one just like it across the back of the right bog and another outlet in the bottom of the fountain/falls (see Pics 4-7)

Pic 2 


Pic 3 

pic 4-7






The right bog is similar to the left, just about 6' longer. The water is pumped into the back of the bogs, filters thru the gravel and root system of all the good green things that are/will be planted in the bogs and then spills over the front edges into the pond to begin the cycle again.

All very low tech and clunky, but it sure does produce crystal clear water. 

Keep Smilin'
John 

And BTW Roc, 6.5 cubic yards of gravel provides a WHOLE LOT of surface area ... 

[perplexed ponder]

OK, I want to see pics of this pond in full bloom! It looks like quite the set-up! WAY more advanced than what we have.