Simply Koi and More Koi

Hi Guys,

Here is a post on the conversation of my primary vortex to static K1.

The idea of the conversion was because i had tried all matting and all sorts and decided to convert the vortex to a static K1 system to act as my main mechanical filter for the pond. The idea behind this is to have a confined static K1 chamber where the water can come into the chamber and flow through the static K1 and in doing so will trap any waste and bits/fines that we do not want going into the biological stages of our filtration. This would also mean that when it comes to cleaning the filters all i have to do is isolate the vortex from the system and then turn on the air and let all the K1 bubble up and knock all the waste off and then just flush to waste. This can be done a few times and the best thing is i don't have to get wet hands anymore

All the old matting where removed and some pipe work modifications where done so that i could have a reservoir where the water would pass through the stati K1 and then through a mesh and then through into the biological stages of the filtration hopefully with less waste

I have twin 4" pipes connecting all my vortex its together so i don't suffer any head loss and these had to be altered to suit and a new compartment made to hold the static K1 in position and stop the K1 from all passing to the next chamber.











Once this was done all was installed in position and left to dry off and then a filter grid was stuck in position to stop the K1 from coming straight through and down the two 4" pipes and into the next vortex.

The bottom of the vortex has a filter grid stuck in position just where the cone starts at the bottom of the vortex so the K1 will drop down and go down the waste pipe and into the drain. I have a 4" pipe coming directly from the bottom into the vortex and turning down so it passes through the bottom filter grid so any big waste or blanket weed (which you do not want to get tangled in the K1 trust me thats another story) will settle out below the bottom filter grid and then the smaller waste can come up through the filter grid and through the K1 and then the clean water passes to the biological side of the filtration.















To clean i just isolate the other chambers using two 4" pipes to stop the flow from one vortex to another and then drop the water and turn on the air let it all bubble and then flush it out and once this is done a few times i just turn it all back on job done

Nice one Gazza, will be converting mine real soon. Many thanks for sharing this with us all, Im sure I wont be the only one looking to convert.

Steve

Hi Steve,

Glad i could be of some help and hope it all makes sense

One of the hardest things is trying to make sure the K1 doesn't escape no matter what you always get some K1 turn up somewhere so make sure when you fix any filter grid or bits that are to help hold the K1 in place its there to stay and no gaps anywhere as otherwise the K1 will escape

I used Den Braven and Gold Label sealers when i carried out the mods to the filters and they have held in place very well and i also find it easy to work with.

Hi Gazza & thanks for posting this up....Can I just ask, do you drop the water to just below your partition & then turn on the air??......Mike

Hi Mike,

Yes i do drop it just below the partition and give it a lot of air and i also leave it on while i mess about with other things so it gets a very good boil up and this is done a few times depending on how much i am feeding. I do also sometimes do it just above to see how much waste i am getting. I also have a couple of buckets of water on hand and as the water is below the K1 (i can hear by the noise) i pour the buckets over the K1 just to help flush anything through.

I have to say its by far the best mechanical filtration i have used to day and works a treat and this has been converted for many years without any problems

Hi Gazza & thanks again for digging out the details...If nothing else it does give me food for thought & a couple of ideas....Thanks again.......Mike