Hi Everyone ..
Are the Retro Bottom drains like these any good ..? has anyone used one as a back-up .. or if one was`nt fitted in the first place .. ?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PORTABLE-RETRO-FIT-AE ... m153.l1262
Retro portable Bottom Drains .. ?
Moderators: B.Scott, vippymini, Gazza, Manky Sanke
mio,
We have an Essex member that uses one of these (Koi Quester Pondy) He is also looking to get another for his main pond.
He has two submersible pumps in his pond as he unfortunately did not go bottom drain route when he made his pond. However he is very pleased with the retro drain and feels its helped clear up alot of the stuff that the basic submersible pump was not drawing in.
Regards
Graham
We have an Essex member that uses one of these (Koi Quester Pondy) He is also looking to get another for his main pond.
He has two submersible pumps in his pond as he unfortunately did not go bottom drain route when he made his pond. However he is very pleased with the retro drain and feels its helped clear up alot of the stuff that the basic submersible pump was not drawing in.
Regards
Graham
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mio
ret
Hi Graham ..
Many thank`s
There are probably lot`s of people who have mistakenly left them out .. or have inherited ponds without them .. or would like to add another .. myself being one of them .. any ideas on the best way to set them up ..?
Pump size/discs/stones .. or air diffusing rings etc .. for maximum efficiency..?
Many thank`s
There are probably lot`s of people who have mistakenly left them out .. or have inherited ponds without them .. or would like to add another .. myself being one of them .. any ideas on the best way to set them up ..?
Pump size/discs/stones .. or air diffusing rings etc .. for maximum efficiency..?
You can always add a bottom drain by draining the pool down and retro fitting one afterwards. Not impossible and quite straightforward. If you can stand the down time and have some where to put a vat for the koi. I did one for a guy called Andy P fom Liverpool and also for a guy called Rick in Birmingam. I willsee if I can dig out some pictures if you feel this is a route you wish to go down?
Failing that the cheapest method is one of these add ons.
Jules
Failing that the cheapest method is one of these add ons.
Jules
Ok a quick run down on how to do it.
1. Drain the pond and mark out on the base where your bottom drain will run.
2. Cut the channel into the base with a sthil saw and then remove the excess fibreglass.
3. Screw down the fibreglass either side of the channel every 6 inches. This will stop the fibreglass from rising. Screw and plug, use a washer if required.
4. Cover the screw with Gold label silicone liberaly and smooth out.
5. Use a breaker to chisel out the concret base.
6. You will need to chisel through the base of the wall and out to your filters. You may need to dig down to the base outside of the pool to recieve the bottom drain.
7 Glue and lay the bottom drain and pipe work and concret in place.
8. Wait a few days for the concrete to go off (temperature and humidty controlled)
9. Fibreglass the channel.
10. Hey presto fill up once connected to your filters.
When you cut through the pond foundations make it big enough so you can get the pipe work in and ensure this gap is back filled with concret and no holes or voids are left. This will once dry will be safe and sound as part of your pool if your original build has been constructed correctly.
Hope this helps wiil try and dig out the pictures for you.
Andy P had this done on his pool and he has had no problems.
Jules
1. Drain the pond and mark out on the base where your bottom drain will run.
2. Cut the channel into the base with a sthil saw and then remove the excess fibreglass.
3. Screw down the fibreglass either side of the channel every 6 inches. This will stop the fibreglass from rising. Screw and plug, use a washer if required.
4. Cover the screw with Gold label silicone liberaly and smooth out.
5. Use a breaker to chisel out the concret base.
6. You will need to chisel through the base of the wall and out to your filters. You may need to dig down to the base outside of the pool to recieve the bottom drain.
7 Glue and lay the bottom drain and pipe work and concret in place.
8. Wait a few days for the concrete to go off (temperature and humidty controlled)
9. Fibreglass the channel.
10. Hey presto fill up once connected to your filters.
When you cut through the pond foundations make it big enough so you can get the pipe work in and ensure this gap is back filled with concret and no holes or voids are left. This will once dry will be safe and sound as part of your pool if your original build has been constructed correctly.
Hope this helps wiil try and dig out the pictures for you.
Andy P had this done on his pool and he has had no problems.
Jules
but still fighting on. 
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mio
retro
Thank`s Guys ..
You`ve all been a great help ...
Think i`ll opt for the Retro version that Pondy has .. as the alternative (skilled hard labour ) is waay out of my league i`m afraid ..
I`ve seen all the types on Ebay .. the Welsh one is the cheapest .. but not the best quality .. but it is an aerated one which is what i`m after and the guy will give a price over the phone .. so i`ve heard .. ( pm me and i`ll tell you what that was )
Will a 9000 lph pump be sufficient to run the Drain... ?
You`ve all been a great help ...
Think i`ll opt for the Retro version that Pondy has .. as the alternative (skilled hard labour ) is waay out of my league i`m afraid ..
I`ve seen all the types on Ebay .. the Welsh one is the cheapest .. but not the best quality .. but it is an aerated one which is what i`m after and the guy will give a price over the phone .. so i`ve heard .. ( pm me and i`ll tell you what that was )
Will a 9000 lph pump be sufficient to run the Drain... ?
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DidIdothat
- Black Tip Reef Shark
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 1:45 pm
- Location: Wigan
Mio,
Why spend when you only have to agitate the water enough at the bottom to raise the cxxp so you normal pump can pick it up. Just re-direct your input jets, stir it up and eventually the pumps will do the rest.
It would be ideal to have the real thing but don’t be dragged into spending money on thing that are “nearly as good asâ€
Why spend when you only have to agitate the water enough at the bottom to raise the cxxp so you normal pump can pick it up. Just re-direct your input jets, stir it up and eventually the pumps will do the rest.
It would be ideal to have the real thing but don’t be dragged into spending money on thing that are “nearly as good asâ€
Re: retro
mio wrote:Thank`s Guys ..
You`ve all been a great help ...
Think i`ll opt for the Retro version that Pondy has .. as the alternative (skilled hard labour ) is waay out of my league i`m afraid ..
I`ve seen all the types on Ebay .. the Welsh one is the cheapest .. but not the best quality .. but it is an aerated one which is what i`m after and the guy will give a price over the phone .. so i`ve heard .. ( pm me and i`ll tell you what that was )
Will a 9000 lph pump be sufficient to run the Drain... ?
Hi Mio, my name is Allen and I am the M.D of welsh koi Ltd, I am not sure I have met you in the shop, can you tell me how you know our bottom drains are not the best quality, I have sold hundreds of these drains and not had one returned or recieved a complaint, just because something is cheaper it does not make it inferior, nearly all our koi and products are 10% cheaper than most places so does that make all our products inferior. I am interested to hear your reply.