Improved K1 Conversion - It Works!!!!

kayoss · Post by **kayoss** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:00 am

Hi All

Some time ago I converted a chamber of my multi-bay filter to aerated K1 and used a perforated sheet to prevent the K1 being lost when flushing the filter or doing a water change.

[img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d95/kayos ... er001a.jpg[/img]

Unfortunately, since then I've struggled to keep the bottom of the chamber clean as normal flushing proved inneffective. I've actually had a 3-4 inch build up of crud in about 5-6 weeks when I've not had time to remove the K1 and perforated sheet to clean it properly more often. If you've used a similar shhet to contain your K1, it's well worth the trouble to check under it!

This picture shows the amount of crud that was left after flushing the chamber for a full 30 seconds, just 4 days after the chamber had been drained and hoovered clean.

[img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d95/kayos ... G_1425.jpg[/img]

A quick chat with a certain Mr Davis soon provided the answer - Thanks Mark!

Maybe it should have been obvious to me, but it wasn't

By placing the airline in the bottom of the chamber, the movement of the air, water and K1 will prevent any crud from building up and mean there was no longer a need to flush the chamber

The only problem that remained was how tro prevent the K1 escaping from the drain when doing a water change

[img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d95/kayos ... G_1428.jpg[/img]

The solution to this problem was easier to find than I expected. A quick trip to the kitchen for a cuppa while my better half was doing some washing and there it was - a small mesh bag for placing the washing tablet/gel in - one free with every box so there had to be a spare

[img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d95/kayos ... G_1429.jpg[/img]

Just add a cable tie, drill the air holes out from 2mm to 3mm to get larger bubbles (another Mark Davis tip), fix the air pipe and the job was finished.

[img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d95/kayos ... G_1430.jpg[/img]

End result? - space for more K1 and much better movement.

An end to the crud problem? - I'm pretty confident, but will let you know!

Cheers

GERRY5 · Post by **GERRY5** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:08 am

ole markitaro ...he know a thing or two about filters, im sure they will be ok now bob, good tip to pass on to everyone running similar conversions.

Bob Hart · Post by **Bob Hart** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:01 am

Nice job Bob.

3mm holes instead of 1mm/1.5m/2mm eh. Might have to try that, although too many 3mm holes would surely mean all the air coming out of the first few only?????

Post by **B.Scott** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 11:35 am

Bob Hart wrote:Nice job Bob.
... although too many 3mm holes would surely mean all the air coming out of the first few only?????

But does it really matter as long as the K1 is in motion?

B.Scott

dfinn · Post by **dfinn** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:45 pm

But does it really matter as long as the K1 is in motion?

Well, I tend to find that if air isn't coming out of the pipe from pretty much all the holes, then the K1 will not fully agitate, and you tend to get one side fluidising really well, but the other not. So I always try and get an equal distribution of air coming out of the pipe.

Dan

kayoss · Post by **kayoss** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:01 pm

Hi All

My supply pipe now goes into the small chamber with the matting in it (see first photo). This is also the end that water enters the filter and it flows towatds the bottom of the photo before going over a wier to the next chamber.

I've fitted two pipes along the whole length of both the chambers you can see in the first photo and there are two outlets along the length (so four short lengths of pipe).

You can see the distance that the holes are apart on some of the air pipe and I've tried to keep it about the same all along the length. What you can't see is that I've also drilled holes in the ends of the end caps to ensure the air gets as near to the edges as possible.

Air is supplied by a Blagdon 50 air pump (the same one I was using before the modification) and the K1 is really boiling now!

Cheers

boogatee · Post by **boogatee** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:52 pm

Nice one Bob ... now all we need is another 25-30 ltrs of K1 in the chamber

.. did you do the other project?

jason-m · Post by **jason-m** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 4:29 pm

Glad you posted this Bob, as i am in the process of conversion, i have concerns about the crud on the K1 vortex stage and after a chat with Mr Hart was going to divert the inlet from the vortex below the plastic sheet and have the K1 sitting above while the feed came in from below, i think i might change it so that my airline sits on the bottom of the vortex.

kayoss · Post by **kayoss** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:58 pm

Chris

I already have about 90 - 100 litres in there, so I'll see how we go before I add any more. I also want to remove all the K1 again in about a month - to check the theory and take a photo to post the results - so don't want to have to take even more out!

Pond temperature is at 11C at the moment

Jason

I actually thought of you as I was doing the work cos I think I remember you posting that you wanted to seal your perforated sheet in place?

Don't do it!!!!!!!!

Cheers

emmaandaj · Post by **emmaandaj** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:06 pm

Hi Bob,

Looks like a good job there! so where are all the pics of it full of k1, up and running ?

Andy

kayoss · Post by **kayoss** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:12 pm

Hi Andy

It doesn't look much different to before in a still photograph!

But if you imagine the supply pipe moved and about 40-50 litres of extra K1 added, it looks a bit like this!

[img]http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d95/kayos ... er005a.jpg[/img]

Cheers

emmaandaj · Post by **emmaandaj** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:21 pm

Hi Bob,

Thats fluidising very well! Ive just changed my air rings that were made out of speed fit pipe over too 2inch round air stones due to the fact the air rings didnt sit low enough and had a build up of c##p on the bottom. Unfortunately a few weeks later the 2inch airstones are now only about 1/2inch diameter as the k1 has worn them away! Will have to have a rethink-will try bigger holes next time in the speed fit!

Andy

jason-m · Post by **jason-m** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:35 pm

kayoss wrote: Jason

I actually thought of you as I was doing the work cos I think I remember you posting that you wanted to seal your perforated sheet in place? Don't do it!!!!!!!!

Cheers

So what actually stops the sheet from coming up then Bob...?

kayoss · Post by **kayoss** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 8:48 pm

Hi Jason

Nothing now cos it's not there!

I used to weigh it down with a couple of granite rocks.

Cheers

jason-m · Post by **jason-m** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:06 pm

Hello Bob.

Just wanted to revive this post as i might do a little bit on the filter the weekend..

Have you noticed an improvement in the removal of crud since the change..?
Also, would you recommend adding holes to the sides of the speedfit pipe as well as on the top so as it forces the air sideward just incase their is any crud..?