Author Topic: Skippy Media (Read 2679 times)

GAjen · « **on:** June 17, 2007, 12:58:00 PM »

would appreciate some suggestions for media for a small skippy.

MikeW · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2007, 01:49:32 PM »

I really like scrubbies. Tons of surface area, yet lightweight. The bright blue that I have - well, let's just say I searched high and low for some in 'pond green' colour, but no.

Cheers,

Mike

GAjen · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2007, 01:52:41 PM »

Mike darling, define scrubbies a little better for me. There are the round plastic ones, the flat thin ones and the one that are like algae pads and more......... $:-\$

Esther · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2007, 02:19:51 PM »

These are what I used at the beginning. I bought them 6 for $1 and had over 150. I put them in mesh bags in the 100 gallon Skippy. They worked fine. I would rinse them in cold water and then wash them in bleach in the washer at the end of the summer. Most of them held up just fine. Some did come apart. But then I decided to use floor scrubber pads and sold the scrubbies to a forum member. I need to get some more floor scrubber pads. Whatever you use, if you have something big to fill, it will cost ya. LOL.

GAjen · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2007, 02:32:07 PM »

I like that Esther and I am sure that is what I am going with. Did you put any plants in the top of your skippy? I've got some crystal confetti here but was thinking if it was a must I'd get something recommended. Thanks for your help.

Esther · « **Reply #5 on:** June 17, 2007, 06:42:23 PM »

I have put plants in there but didn't like the roots burrowing through the filter media. There was an awful mess in the fall when I was shutting the Skippy down. The next year I sat the plants in smallish black buckets on top of the scrubber pads, so the plants looked like they were growing out the top of the Skippy. This year I don't have any thing in it.

A lot of the scrubbies I used to have came from a drugstore that would have a bunch of plastic things like picture frames, plates and glasses, bathroom knic knacs, on a dollar sale. That's where I got them the cheapest I think. Otherwise the dollar store often has them in a package of 6 for $1. I even cut up used filter media into 2" chunks and put the pieces in the bags with the scrubbies instead of throwing it away. And sometimes people use lava rock.

rdrboone · « **Reply #6 on:** June 17, 2007, 09:53:40 PM »

I used black "Poly Flo" filter material that I cut into approximately 1 1/2" x 2" chunks. I sewed three large 36" x 24" polyester mesh bags and filled them with the cut pieces and then put a solid sheet of the Poly Flo under the bags and on top of the perforated fill pipes on bottom of filter. I then put another solid piece of Poly Flo on top of the bags of filter material. It is working beautifully.

I purchased my Poly Flo from Watergardens.com. The piece was 1 1/2" thick x 28" wide x 12' long. I paid $65.00 + shipping ( I don't remember what the shipping was, but it was not very much.).

Ruth

karen J · « **Reply #7 on:** June 17, 2007, 09:59:47 PM »

I had the same problem as Esther, with the plants growing into the scrubbies and causing a huge mess. Now I use Black Knight brushes and no plants. I would still recommend the scrubbies though, because they are effective and affordable. Without the plants, though.

I am very pleased with the brushes. Would buy 100 if I could afford it.

Jerry · « **Reply #8 on:** June 17, 2007, 10:08:03 PM »

I use the scrubbies that you see on the BIG commercial floor scrubbing machines. So does Carlos. They are cheap and very available. OK too big you say? Cut 'em up to suit.

CLEAR WATER TOO!

Jonna · « **Reply #9 on:** June 17, 2007, 10:55:35 PM »

I like having plants, it completely disguises the skippy and the plants love it. I just figure that the roots are more filter media, covered with good bio bugs. I think the plants help with cleaning the water too but then I don't like floating plants and underwater plants in the actual pond, they bunch up and go down the bottom drain and clog the pump. I have big stuff, taro and canna and some horsetails. The only real pond plants I ended up with in there are a PITA, I don't know the name but they are long jointed stems that snake around with small leaves, They grow everywhere, I'm always cutting them off and throwing them in the compost. Anywhere the stem touches water a new plant grows, and they grow and grow and grow. I give the ones hanging over the side of the skippy a straight across haircut every couple weeks. I'll probably rip out as much as I can find before I leave this winter or they will eat the whole pond.

I've only cleaned out the skippy once and that was to fix a leak on the bottom drain. I do open that drain into my bananas occasionally until it runs clear. I guess if I had to clean it every year and shut it all down I'd look at it differently, I don't know how you guys do it. Under the plants, which are all bare root, I have light grills and under that, matala pads sandwiching a box of SpringFlo tape. Another light grill keeps it about 8" above the bottom.

Monica · « **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2007, 06:31:34 AM »

I use the scrubbies too. I also had plants in mine last year and boy what a mess. I had to pry the scrubbies from the roots and then pick the rest of the root from the scrubbies. I personally don't like plants in mine, but thats me.

MikeW · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2007, 06:50:38 AM »

I use the ones Esther pictured. They replaced my lava rock. I had a devil of a time finding them though - turns out the 99c store has therm in from time to time. 99c for a pckage of three. I bought $40 worth - quite sme comments from the other people in the check out line.

I have some taro that I was just about to put in the top of the skippy, but after reading all these horror root stories,I need to rethinl rhat plan.

Mike

GAjen · « **Reply #12 on:** June 18, 2007, 08:12:14 AM »

Well you guys and gals cleared that up for me. I saw those scrubbies at Dollar General in a pack of 6 for a buck so I'll head that way today and grab em while they are there. I too think I'll pass on the plants after reading this thread as well.

milliemax · « **Reply #13 on:** June 18, 2007, 06:21:40 PM »

I'm still a bit unsure on the skippy filters? I have the filter with the foam and the black plastic balls (bio?), and I have yet to hook up the ultra violet to that.
Is the skippy the one that sits above the pond is kind of an above "filter pond"? that a waterfall might filter through?
I'm starting over after my first pond had all the fishies eaten by a racoon while we were gone Memorial weekend!
I would really like to get the filtering right this time!
That and the protection from more racoon attacks!
I'm thinking I'll play the radio outside when we are out of town. Maybe a motion detector light.
I can't do one of those sprayers cause I have kitties!

Esther · « **Reply #14 on:** June 18, 2007, 07:26:02 PM »

http://www.skippysstuff.com/biofiltr.htm

Rocmon · « **Reply #15 on:** June 18, 2007, 08:21:54 PM »

Here are a few sources:

http://www.shoplet.com/office/db/gFPAD1199.html

http://www.uline.com/Browse_Listing_2751.asp?desc=Uline+Poly+Strapping

http://www.bettymills.com/shop/product/view/Premier/PAD235.html

http://www.keystonehatcheries.com/showproduct.asp?id=929

http://www.enkoi.com/subcat53.html

Kent sells PVC shavings:
http://livingwatersolutions.com/lws/

I discovered hardwood floor installers have a large source of nylon strapping material—each bundle of wood has multiple straps.

The skippy is the biofilter. It comes after the skimmer and the mechanical filtration—the one that gets cleaned frequently is the mechanical filter. The biofilter is cleaned infrequently.
I ended up with electric fence wire around my pond to keep the raccoons at bay. That's the bummer about building a shallow pond or shallow plant shelves around the edges.

karen J · « **Reply #16 on:** June 18, 2007, 09:09:28 PM »

Rockmon,
That was very interesting. And it brings to light the question of what is a skippy, and how has one modified theirs? A skippy can be modified to fit any situation. It can be a mechanical filter, biofilter, or nitrate filter... but it doesn't do very well when attempting to combine tasks.

I have not been using my skippy as a biofilter. My TT (I hope) handles that part of the duty. I only have brushes in the skippy as "polish" from the vortex and mech filter. I have a problem deciding whether that is desirable? Or would it be better as a nitrate filter, chock full of plants and no filter material? Gotta admit, it looks so much better chock-full-O-plants!

Either way, plastic scrubbies provide more surface area than Savio Springflo.

GAjen · « **Reply #17 on:** June 19, 2007, 03:27:05 PM »

Thanks Rockmon, I checked those all out.

milliemax · « **Reply #18 on:** June 19, 2007, 07:34:55 PM »

Well, you guys have me even more confused!

I'll just do ALL of the kinds of filtering I can! That should do it!
I'm hoping to buy a net for the racoons this week and get some new fish this week.
I was sooo bummed to lose all my fish in a week! After they lasted close to a year!
I'm going to Italy this summer, and I'm planning on leaving the outside radio on 24/7!
I'm hoping to have a housesitter for the 2-3 weeks we'll be gone.
Nancy

Cindi · « **Reply #19 on:** June 20, 2007, 05:52:03 AM »

I'm in the minority as far as plants go. I was given a bunch of water lettuce and hyacinths last year and I put those in my Skippy. The roots didn't tangle at all and it looked great. This year I decided to just have water hyacinths. Oh and I too use the cheap scrubbies.

joeyb5980 · « **Reply #20 on:** June 20, 2007, 06:09:55 AM »

I also use the same scrubbies as pictured above.... Got some at the dollar stores, some at Big-Lots. I do not use plants in mine either....

Rocmon · « **Reply #21 on:** June 20, 2007, 10:05:56 AM »

Quote from: karen J on June 18, 2007, 09:09:28 PM

A skippy can be modified to fit any situation. It can be a mechanical filter, biofilter, or nitrate filter... but it doesn't do very well when attempting to combine tasks.

I have not been using my skippy as a biofilter. My TT (I hope) handles that part of the duty. I only have brushes in the skippy as "polish" from the vortex and mech filter.

That is quite true. Depends on the location in the system and what type of media is in it. We just use containers and generally put media in them to try to accomplish the given tasks. In general, I think most people think biofilter when talking about skippies, for some that is their only filter.

From my understanding brushes make excellent biofilter media, so I would guess your skippy is doing bio. For polish I thought very fine mats or a sand/bead filter was best. But again I think many of us use what we have, in the best way we know, to get the best results we can...