Skimmer filtration question

[Jon W]

Hi

I've finally started building my indoor growing on pond (approx 1.7K gals).
I am looking at the options for installing filtration on a skimmer line. The bottom drain will have conventional static and fluid K1 filtration (either a CL3 or 3 bay RTF). I am going for serious overkill on the filtration. Therefore I wanted to install a further mechanical and bio on the skimmer line, plus a bakki shower.

I wondered if anyone has any ideas about whether the following would work.

Skimmer pipework goes to an RTF upflow filter. The height of the RTF inlet is a couple of inches above the height of the pond base. RTF exit pipework exits at the top of the filter (approx waterline of pond height). This is fed down to the pump at pondbase level and then fed up to a bakki shower which returns water to the pond.

Does this sound feasible? One thing I suspect is that the skimmer exit pipework would have to be 3" or 4" as it would effectively gravity feed the RTF filter.

All suggestions welcome.

Regards

Jon

[Davej]

Hi Jon

Personally would think that if you have mechanical on the BD then simply throw the skimmer over a Bakki, possibly the return from the BD filtration as well.

One think to bear in mind when installing the skimmer is that you don't want it to run dry after the water level has dropped when cleaning filters so may be best to set it down a couple of inches...

Regards

Dave

[Gazza]

Hi Jon,

Come on mate i thought you would of had this running by now...only joking

Yes i am with Dave on this as long as you have adequate filtration on the main system from the BD go for a shower or TT with BHM on the skimmer thats what i have on the main pond and it works a treat

[Jon W]

Hi Gazza and Dave

I dunno what you mean Gazza! It's only taken me the best part of a year to get round to re-laying the base after the previous fiasco! I'm now ready to start laying blocks!

I agree with both of you re. using bakki showers. Given that the pond is indoors is it worth giving the skimmer a miss and having a midwater feed for a shower. That would get round the problem of the water level drop when purging the main filter or during water changes.

I'm going to use either RTF units or a CL3 converted to K1 on the BD because I've got them lying around and I might as well get some use out of them.

Cheers

Jon

[Gazza]

Hi Jon,

You could still have a skimmer and use that on a shower and if for some reason you've done a big water change you could leave the pump of until it fills up

If i do a big water change i can have the water level drop and to stop any problems i just switch i off for a while

[Davej]

Hi Jon

I would certainly build a skimmer in at the time of construction as well as a 4" side intake for the shower, even if you don't use the skimmer straight away it saves the hassel if you want one later. May also be worth a couple of extra 2" pipes as well and capping them off, costs pennies but again could be useful at a later date...

You putting in an overflow pipe during construction?

Regards

Dave

[Gazza]

Yes a good idea Bob normally always puts in some extra pipes when building ponds and they normally always get used

[Jon W]

Hi Dave and Gazza

I think it would be a good idea to put some extra pipework in. Is it possible to cap them off from inside the pond - that way I won't have any problems with stagnant water harbouring unwanted bacteria. I was thinking a low and a high return for the main filter, a skimmer line, and as Dave suggests a 4" intake for when I win the lottery and install a bank of bakki showers.

I do want to put an overflow in. One problem I haven't yet solved is a method of channeling waste water out of the shed and into a drain. I wanted to avoid having to set up temporary pipework everytime I do a water change or filter purge. I do this with my quarantine tank at the moment and it's a bit of a pain. Do you have any experience of this? I don't really want to start hacking up the concrete floor of the shed to lay drainage pipework. Access is through a standard garage door. One possible way is to drill a hole through the side of the shed. Is 4" drainage pipework a necessity or could I get away with something of smaller diameter?

Regards

Jon

[carlejo]

One problem I haven't yet solved is a method of channeling waste water out of the shed and into a drain. I wanted to avoid having to set up temporary pipework everytime I do a water change or filter purge. I do this with my quarantine tank at the moment and it's a bit of a pain. Do you have any experience of this? I don't really want to start hacking up the concrete floor of the shed to lay drainage pipework. Access is through a standard garage door. One possible way is to drill a hole through the side of the shed. Is 4" drainage pipework a necessity or could I get away with something of smaller diameter?

Regards

Jon

get another pump(yes, I know it's another expense) and connect that to your waste end of your filters......open valves and pump to drain....the pump should last a lifetime and can be a powerful one if you want as it only has to be on a few minutes a day to pump the waste to drains.......that's what my mate has had to do....HTH

[carlejo]

ps.... my mates drainage is in 1.5 pressure and from filter waste point to drain is 2 foot of head, and approx 25' long

[Gazza]

Hi Jon,

I would just install the pipe so it come out of the pond and then install a ball valve on it so its ready to go in the future.

As Carl has said above i would install the waste so you pump it to waste its so easy and the flip side is you don't get wet and its so easy open a valve and flick a switch When i was building my pond the one things i wanted to make sure of was how i was going to get the waste to go away without having flexible hoses and stuff all over the place.So i decided to install a big pump that can handle solids with a built in basket and pipe it all in which connects to each vortex and even my QT and all i do is open a valve and switch it on and away it goes.Also because its on a pump it helps pull all the waste out and helps keep it all nice and clean

Here are a few pictures which may help.....hopfully

[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... 3_1360.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... 3_1362.jpg[/img]

[Jon W]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I will install a pump after the filter system so that it will "push" water down the waste pipework.

Does anybody think it is essential to have the facility to purge the bottom drain direct to the waste pipe i.e.have a "T" piece in front of the first vortex on the 4" pipe leading from the bottom drain? Or would purging the drain through the vortex which then does to waste be sufficient?

Regards

Jon

[Gazza]

Hi Jon,

I purge mine through the vortex when cleaning as i dump it a few times

[Andy E]

Hi,

I'm with Gazza on this one no real need IMO, dump into the vortex and purge from there.

Andy

[Davej]

Hi Jon

Dependant on the falls involved and distance to the drain you may not need even a pump, 1 1/2 or 2" either will do.

With Gazza, Purge via the vortex.

Lets see some pics!!

Regards

Dave