Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

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Narwhal
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Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Narwhal »

Hi, wondering if anyone can advise me. I am building a new 3,000 gallon pond with 4" BD. I was going to use an Easy pod alone then pump, UV and out to waterfall but wondering if it will be up to it. I am not planning on stocking with fish as yet. I did wonder whether I should connect BD to a Vortex chamber then to Easy pod, pump and UV. I have been given a chamber 31" high 27" wide but am not sure about the best way to conect to the Easy pod. Any ideas?
Airlite
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Airlite »

Hi mate, what are your plans ultimately regarding fish stock? I'm not any kind of expert and I don't have any experience of using an Easy pod so can't help with your question directly, but unless you're only ever planning to have a very small number of koi in your pond I'm willing to bet you'll want/need additional filtration in the near future!

If you already own an Easy pod you might as well make use of it in some capacity but if you're still at the planning stage and you're open to suggestions regarding filtration systems you could do a lot worse than looking up "anoxic filtration" in this forum. It's a low-cost, low maintenance yet highly effective and flexible way of keeping the quality of your water where it needs to be for the health of your fish and I'm amazed more people don't use it. Manky Sanke is a regular contributor and mod on this forum and no-one explains it better than he does - http://www.mankysanke.co.uk/html/anoxic_filtration.html. It's well worth a look and could save you ££££'s in the long run.

Good luck with your project. Regards, M :D
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Manky Sanke »

Airlite wrote:Hi mate, what are your plans ultimately regarding fish stock? I'm not any kind of expert and I don't have any experience of using an Easy pod so can't help with your question directly, but unless you're only ever planning to have a very small number of koi in your pond I'm willing to bet you'll want/need additional filtration in the near future!

If you already own an Easy pod you might as well make use of it in some capacity but if you're still at the planning stage and you're open to suggestions regarding filtration systems you could do a lot worse than looking up "anoxic filtration" in this forum. It's a low-cost, low maintenance yet highly effective and flexible way of keeping the quality of your water where it needs to be for the health of your fish and I'm amazed more people don't use it. Manky Sanke is a regular contributor and mod on this forum and no-one explains it better than he does - http://www.mankysanke.co.uk/html/anoxic_filtration.html. It's well worth a look and could save you ££££'s in the long run.

Good luck with your project. Regards, M :D
Image



Narwhal,

The Easy Pod is rated for koi by the manufacturer as up to 2,200 (Imperial) gallons maximum. If you bear in mind that they will be specifying that amount under ideal conditions and with a limited stocking rate feeding a maximum of 100 to 125 grams of food per day then, as Mick (Airlite) said, you will probably find that it's inadequate for your intended use.

If you choose to go down the anoxic route then you should read my article on the link that Mick posted. I've been promoting the anoxic system since 2008 and, in the article, I've tried to answer all the questions that have been asked or points that have been raised since then. I've kept the main body of the text as simple as possible and put the technical stuff into science panels for those who want it. Read the article and, if you have any questions then please ask.

Anoxic systems benefit from some form of mechanical filtration before them and you could use your chamber as a settlement tank, perhaps with brushes in it.
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Narwhal »

Thanks Manky and Mick, not sure if I'm replying correctly as never used a forum before. I'll certainly look at you advice Manky. I already own an Easypod and a Vortex chamber. I had intended to use only the Easypod then thought since I had the Vortex I should use that first and then the pod thinking the vortex would get rid of a lot of the heavier muck and gunge. I did not intend having any fish in the pond as it was to be planted up but the vortex may give me the option in the future.

This is the first BD pond I've built so I was unsure how to progress. Whether to connect the pod to the bottom drain and the vortex on the other side then pump and UV or vice versa
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Manky Sanke »

Firstly, if you're asking if you are posting your original post and your replies using the correct procedure then "yes" are doing it correctly. If you're asking if it's ok to post questions then "yes" again, this forum is here to answer questions and offer advice so, by all means ask and someone will answer with their experience.

As I said, I've had no personal experience with Easy Pods but they were designed primarily to have the capability to be a stand-alone filter. They have their own mechanical filtration although I can't see any problem using a vortex before one other than ensuring there is sufficient flow into the pod. Vortexes remove fines (small suspended solids) and are intended to be used before a biological filter in order to feed them with clean water. In view of the fact that the Pod has its own mechanical filter, I would say that it would be pointless trying to put a vortex after one but anyone who has any experience with this, please feel free to jump in and comment.
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Narwhal »

Hi Manky

Just read your piece on anoxic filtration 3 times! A little bit over my head but I get the gist of it. I do not have space for an anoxic pond above the main pond so will have to go the old way with the easypod and vortex. I have a Pro clear advantage UV filter so given that I am unlikely to have any more than a few gold fish in the pond I should be ok with what I have got. My problem is I don't know the best order to connect the filters. My choices are
1 - just use the easypod and UV
2 - connect bottom drain to vortex and then the easypod then pump then UV
3 - connect bottom drain to easy pod and then the vortex then pump then UV
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Narwhal »

Hi Manky

Just read your post, thanks. Vortex first makes sense. I'd read that the pods sometimes get over clogged and so the vortex may help to sieve out the worst of the fines first. Many thanks and I'm glad I seem to be using the forum correctly. Its all a bit intimidating getting my head around this pond filtering system but I'm getting there.

I thought you anoxic filtration fascinating. If I hadn't already built the pond I might have been able to make room for one but its too late now. The ability to effectively have a 2nd pond as a filter hiding in 'plain sight' is a brilliant solution although replacing all the baskets every 5 years is a little daunting.

Could you place the baskets in your pond and plant them up to have any effect or would it be minimal? Given that I intend planting the pond it might be a solution or have I got this completely wrong (most likely!)
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Manky Sanke »

In the article it says that anoxic filtration works best as a stand alone biofilter. I've often been asked about adding a few baskets somewhere in a conventionally filtered pond so I've covered your question in the article under "How much nitrate does one basket remove?" and "Floating baskets and unusual locations".

Questions usually cannot be answered with a simple yes or no and I was once told that anoxic filtration didn't work because the hobbyist had put a basket in his pond and his nitrate was still high. So the idea of the article was to cover every point that has been raised with all the details that were relevant to the question.

Read those two section and, if you still are unsure of what you can expect, let me know.
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Manky Sanke »

BTW you don't have to replace all the baskets every five years, you are advised that the Laterite will be slowly be used up so you might have to add some more to the basket every five to ten years and you can do that by just scooping out some cat litter, pouring in some more Laterite and replacing what you've scooped out. It would only take a minute or so for each unplanted basket and not much longer if you take the opportunity of root trimming the plant in a planted basket. Replacing the entire basket is an option that some may choose if they wish but it isn't necessary.
Narwhal
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Narwhal »

Hi Manky

Yes, sorry I missed that piece. The more I read about it the more I regret not having come across it before I built the pond. The bottom drain fed chamber built for the aqua pod and vortex would have been a perfect size for a bed of baskets (6' long x 4' wide x 4 ' deep) if I could stack baskets on top of each other.

I would have to somehow seal the chamber (made of mortared blocks) and be able to access the slide stop on the bottom drain pipe which presumably would flood the bottom of the chamber and possibly overflow as a waterfall into the adjoining pond similar to your photo. Would you still use the Pro Clear UV filter after the pump?

Here's a pic of the pond at the moment, chamber on right. Ah...no it isn't. How do you upload a photo from my PC?

Maybe I can still do this? Could even make a profit by selling the aquapod and vortex! Hmmm...there I was thinking I had solved the filter system with the aquapod and you come along and mess with my head!! :)

Owing to the levels in the garden there isn't enough room for anoxic filtration. However the pond rises in a series of shelves formed by bedrock so I'm now thinking that I could create a beach of 8-10 baskets at the shallow end completely covered in flat stone to hide them and still use the Aquapod. Is there any restrictions on depth for the baskets? Do they need to be in shallow water?

Sorry for all the pesky questions.
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Narwhal »

Hi Manky

Just had a worry about using the filter chamber as an anoxic filter. There will be no separation of the large fines, leaves etc coming from the bottom drain into the chamber. Perhaps I'd be best using the aquapod for that and placing baskets in the pond?
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Airlite »

Hi Narwhal. Uploading pictures is a bit of a 6allache: first make a copy of your photo so you don't mess up the original then edit/resize the copy so the file size is no bigger than 200Kb and save it somewhere you can get to it easily (I normally stick mine temporarily on the desktop).
When you're ready to post your picture on the forum you need to look beneath the reply box and click the "Upload attachment" tab. Then click the "Choose File" box and browse to where you saved the resized copy of your photo and select the file you want to upload.
Then, in the reply box click the curser where you want the image to be placed then look immediately above the reply box where the grey buttons go B, i, U, Quote, Code, etc and select the button that says "Img". It will add something resembling (img)I(/img) this where you placed the curser.
Go back to the bottom of the reply box again and select the "Add the file" button. The file name will place itself within the (Img) brackets but you won't see the photo itself in the reply box - to do that you'll need to select the "Preview" button immediately below the reply box. If you're happy with the result, press "Submit" when you want the whole post to be uploaded. Hope that helps to explain it.

Regarding placement of the biocenosis baskets; as far as I know it won't matter how deep they go providing they are properly submerged. You don't want to place them in an area that is subject to turbulence or is fast flowing but shallow(ish), and slow moving water would be fine - Manky will correct me if I'm wrong. What I would say is that the baskets work at their best if they are planted as the roots of the plants augment the chemical process particularly with take up the nitrates - in fact the plants will absolutely thrive - so personally I wouldn't cover them with flat stones. When I adopted the anoxic filter system I didn't have a separate area for the baskets either, I just made up the baskets and put them in the pond ! To stop inquisitive and/or hungry fish nuzzling around and disturbing the kitty litter I used one of Manky's top tips and nicked a bunch of my mrs' tights and stockings and put each basket in a leg. Mrs wasn't best pleased but it keeps the pond floor clean and tidy ha ha!!

Regarding your UV; I can only speak from my own (limited) experience but I placed mine after the mechanical filter (drum in my case) in order to keep the maintenance to a minimum - I wanted to reduce as much $h!t as possible going through it so that the UV process has the best possible chance of killing off any pathogens that are susceptible to it as well as dealing with any green algae blooms. Good luck with your project mate. Regards, Mick
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Narwhal »

Hi Mick

Thanks for the reply. I shall now try and add a photo to this message despite the intensely complicated process! I agree with you re the UV and I've decided to place baskets in pond as a sort of planted shallow beach area. Is it advisable to have the return pouring in over the beach or will the circulation in the pond still treat the water?

I may have sourced the Special Kitty in the UK. There is a company that produces ATTAPULGITE (cat litter grade) which if it is hi-baked matched the description that Manky gave of the required litter. This link http://www.mkm.co.uk/product/attapulgit ... ter-grade/ takes you to their site and I have e-mailed them to check whether it is hi-baked. It is stated as non-clumping so it might be a UK source avoiding wild US postal costs.

Right here's the photo:
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Narwhal
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Narwhal »

Well that was easier than it sounded! FYI the pond is 22' long, 7' wide and 4' deep. There is natural stone shelving under that pile of clay that collapsed into the centre rising to the left and it is on these that I'll put the baskets. I've sent Manky's link to my brother in law and he is now a convert to changing from his media tanks to biocensis. He has a partially submerged pond rising 18" above ground so building an adjacent planted biocensis bed is an easy solution for him.

He built the pond in the photos which will be lined and bottom drained to the filter chamber. As you can see from the garden levels a 2nd bio pond wouldn't work for me but 10 baskets in the pond should do the trick.

Thanks for your help Mick :)
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Re: Advice on Easy pod and vortex chamber

Post by Manky Sanke »

Narwhal wrote:Hi Manky

Owing to the levels in the garden there isn't enough room for anoxic filtration. However the pond rises in a series of shelves formed by bedrock so I'm now thinking that I could create a beach of 8-10 baskets at the shallow end completely covered in flat stone to hide them and still use the Aquapod. Is there any restrictions on depth for the baskets? Do they need to be in shallow water?

Sorry for all the pesky questions.
As I said earlier, questions usually cannot be answered with a simple yes or no so the idea of the article was to cover every question or point that has been raised in the last eight years and with each answer being complete with all the details that were relevant to the questions.

To make the answers easier to understand I've also included pictures and diagrams so it's better to read the fully explained answers under the appropriate headings in the article. These headings will give a far better explanation to your questions than I can put in a forum post:

Floating baskets and unusual locations.
Stacked baskets can reduce the anoxic pond footprint
Estimating nitrate reduction from a few baskets
How much nitrate does one basket remove?

Also, if you're going to put baskets in the pond take note of Mick's post about stealing his wife's tights. He may now be sleeping on the couch until he can find a way back into her good books but at least the baskets in his pond aren't continually being disturbed.

Narwhal wrote:......I may have sourced the Special Kitty in the UK. There is a company that produces ATTAPULGITE (cat litter grade) which if it is hi-baked matched the description that Manky gave of the required litter. This link http://www.mkm.co.uk/product/attapulgit ... ter-grade/ takes you to their site and I have e-mailed them to check whether it is hi-baked. It is stated as non-clumping so it might be a UK source avoiding wild US postal costs.....
I'm not sure why you're going to this trouble. Cat litter is easily available in the UK and I've covered how to ensure that you obtain the correct type in the section in the article "Anoxic filtration in the UK" and the sub heading "Brands of cat litter on sale in the UK that have been reported as being suitable"
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