I have been giving this a lot of thought for some time. The original plan was to simply split the vortex down the middle but I had to rethink this once my filters were up and running with a larger Aquamax 10000 pump.
In my fluid K1 bay the K1 is bunching up over the transport port due to the amount of suction despite air constantly buffetting it so it was clear that a larger surface are was required.
I have added an open 'pipe' section to give this increased area.
A solid stainless plate divides the vortex down the middle...
[img]http://www.koivista.com/files/fatherted/290 ... 112001.jpg[/img]
Which then has a perforated base that allows the water to flow up
[img]http://www.koivista.com/files/fatherted/290 ... 113001.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.koivista.com/files/fatherted/290 ... 114001.jpg[/img]
A 15mm speedfit air ring was tie wrapped to the bottom
[img]http://www.koivista.com/files/fatherted/290 ... re_152.jpg[/img]
And the K1 added
[img]http://www.koivista.com/files/fatherted/290 ... re_153.jpg[/img]
It all seems to be working pretty well so far, keeping the brushes in the next bay free from muck.
The cleaning process lets through a bit of waste as it is refilled but this must be the same on all these static K1 filters.
What do you all think?
Multibay Vortex Static K1 Conversion
Moderators: B.Scott, vippymini, Gazza, Manky Sanke
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macaws fly
- Nurse Shark
- Posts: 122
- Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:49 pm
- Location: north herts
Kim - Not been been running it for a week yet but it seems to work in that my brushes are now clean. I have had a couple of cleaning trials and this seems to work well too. Only negative I have is that after turning it all over with air and refilling some particles do get washed on into the ret of the system. I assume however that this is the same for the Easy and all the coies.
Lakeside - You and all other members are welcome to send me sizes for anything you want in stainless however I am required to put it through the proper procedures at work and the cost normally works out more than expected.
Lakeside - You and all other members are welcome to send me sizes for anything you want in stainless however I am required to put it through the proper procedures at work and the cost normally works out more than expected.
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SHAUN-TAYLOR
- Sandbar shark
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- Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2006 11:38 am
- Location: WALSALL
Ted,
Credit where credit is due. What an excellent piece of work!
I think you've got it in the wrong section though, I though all DIY projects were supposed to be of the Heath Robinson design. LOL.
Just to satisfy my curiosity, why did you decide to split the vortex in half vertically? Wouldn't a round grid plate the same dia as the vortex sat on the start of the cone have been easier
Anyway, an excellent piece of engineering, thanks for sharing it!
Carl
Credit where credit is due. What an excellent piece of work!
I think you've got it in the wrong section though, I though all DIY projects were supposed to be of the Heath Robinson design. LOL.
Just to satisfy my curiosity, why did you decide to split the vortex in half vertically? Wouldn't a round grid plate the same dia as the vortex sat on the start of the cone have been easier
Anyway, an excellent piece of engineering, thanks for sharing it!
Carl
Thanks for all the compliments everyone. Unfortunately I have not seen some of them until now as I have been able to get on the net as broadband for the entire street has been down for almost a month.
Carl - I split it in half as I was uneasy about not being able to get to the waste outlet and hose out or unblock if necessary. It has the other plus point of using less K1.
Regarding the performance, I am not sure if I am really happy or a bit dissapointed! There is no doubt it stops absolutely loads of muck that otherwise would go though into later stages but I can also visibly see particles getting past it. More area and thickness of K1 might improve the situation.
I have a couple of improvement plans to go at. First, I am going to get the 'tray' welded higher up. This will in turn increase the thickness of K1 below it.
If I am still dissapointed there is another alternative for all us one piece multibay owners which uses a lot less stainless. A perforated disk in the bottom (like Gazza's for example) with a tray like mine that goes the full way across the vortex.
Carl - I split it in half as I was uneasy about not being able to get to the waste outlet and hose out or unblock if necessary. It has the other plus point of using less K1.
Regarding the performance, I am not sure if I am really happy or a bit dissapointed! There is no doubt it stops absolutely loads of muck that otherwise would go though into later stages but I can also visibly see particles getting past it. More area and thickness of K1 might improve the situation.
I have a couple of improvement plans to go at. First, I am going to get the 'tray' welded higher up. This will in turn increase the thickness of K1 below it.
If I am still dissapointed there is another alternative for all us one piece multibay owners which uses a lot less stainless. A perforated disk in the bottom (like Gazza's for example) with a tray like mine that goes the full way across the vortex.
Hi Gazza. Well I modded the static K1 'tray' to lift it up 50mm which in turn increased the thickness of K1 below. This is working very well to remove solids but I was still dissapointed with the fines I could see that were being pulled through.
Seeing that the brushes were more or less clean I have removed them and put a couple of sacks, one alfagrog and one flocor in the narrow chamber to slow the water down. On top of this I put a piece of fine filter wool and 24 hours later it was totally covered in gunge and the pond had cleared considerably. I have been offered a second hand hydro clean to add to the system - do any members use these? And what do you think?
Everything seems to be going OK but I now need to sort out heating and covers. I have also been offered a full boiler, stat and exchanger system in the next couple of weeks so looks like the cheque book will be back again!
Seeing that the brushes were more or less clean I have removed them and put a couple of sacks, one alfagrog and one flocor in the narrow chamber to slow the water down. On top of this I put a piece of fine filter wool and 24 hours later it was totally covered in gunge and the pond had cleared considerably. I have been offered a second hand hydro clean to add to the system - do any members use these? And what do you think?
Everything seems to be going OK but I now need to sort out heating and covers. I have also been offered a full boiler, stat and exchanger system in the next couple of weeks so looks like the cheque book will be back again!
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Gazza
- architeuthis moderator
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Hi Ted,
OK so some fines are still getting through so could you put more K1 in or how about slowing the flow what pump are you using as perhaps its pulling through to quickly
When i first built my pond on the main filtration i had a Sequence 1/6 and all worked by i was using matting and brushes as a mechanical stage and although i had nice clean water i still had a high TDS and some fines.So when i converted to static K1 i removed the pump and installed a Sequence 750 and it works a treat and the water don't look bad either
OK so some fines are still getting through so could you put more K1 in or how about slowing the flow what pump are you using as perhaps its pulling through to quickly
When i first built my pond on the main filtration i had a Sequence 1/6 and all worked by i was using matting and brushes as a mechanical stage and although i had nice clean water i still had a high TDS and some fines.So when i converted to static K1 i removed the pump and installed a Sequence 750 and it works a treat and the water don't look bad either