improving filter effiency.

[amanda]

How can i improve on my filter as it is allowing too much detritus to get through to the last chamber.
I am pump fed, which goes to two four bay filters one with a vortex with brushes then to jap matting(this one seems to work quite well) .
The other one is an old style with brushes then a flow through to fluidised k1 in two chambers and the last has more brushes, these are gunking up so the filer can't be working too well. it really need some thing in the first chamber to collect the muck before it travels into the k1, can i fit some form of static k1 set up
how do i prevent the ki from going into the pipe work etc when i need to flush.
It is a real pain at the moment as iam constantly cleaning it.
Also it needs refibeglassing as the divides have come apart resulting in the whole filter emptying when i try to flush it as the water tracks through the gaps
Where can i get fibre glassing bits from i don't need too much, do i have to buy it in bulk?
Sorry for rabbiting on its just so frustrating trying to get it right and failing all the time.

[carlejo]

I would suggest putting filter brushes first(not in last chamber) or converting to static K1....it really is greath stuff TBH.... you can get sheets of perforated PVC that you an use to stop K1 being flushed to waste/next chamber.

Can you use filter wool anywhere in your system ?
I use it in my skimmer basket and just before my static K1, it collects everything!!..... it lasts 2-3 days before it needs changing(blocked) and I can usually clean it 2/3 times before throwing it away and using a new piece.

Basically on my very first vortex I have a piece of 4" pipe with hundreds of holes drilled into it..... I wrap a piece of filter wool around it, so it acts a fines filter before static K1(i have 2 very good mechanical stages).....filter wool is whatever the width is by about 24" long and then just wrapped around pipe and held in place with elastic bands, it does a very, very good job...... when it blocks the water then goes down the central tube and into static K1 vortex....HTH

[carlejo]

perforated sheet

http://www.******-koi.com/shop/?prodid=112" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[amanda]

hi carl, thanks for your reply.
My computer won't let me down load your link,says cannot find web page for some reason.
Ps i may also have too meaty a pump its a 16000 do you think i need a smaller one?

[carlejo]

pump fed is not the best IMHO.....the impeller on the pump will churn up anything trying to get passed and make the small bits even smaller, hence it's difficult to filter out, filter wool may do it but you have to have lots of it and change it very often...... what size pond ans pump is it ?

[carlejo]

BTW.... the site is

r i c h d o n koi

look under heading for 'filter media' and click 'filter media' again...HTH

[amanda]

Hi carl.
The pond is 5600gals and pump is oase 16000.
I do agree that pumping does churn up every thing but i am stuck with it for now as ishould have done it the first time round and the thought of digging down
again for the filters etc just seems to depress me, i could raise the pond but i like it at the height its at the moment, but never say never i will do it one day
but iwill relocate the whole pond as it was there when we moved in and is really in the wrong place.

[Gazza]

Hi Amanda,

I think you should leave it all as it is and build a new one just outside the back where we spoke about it before

OK back to the other filters now Rob has had a heart attack (Hi Rob)

Yes the 16,000 is probably a bit to big so pulling all the waste particles through so an easier fix would be a smaller pump if you have one give it a go

You could always see about setting up a static chamber of K1 but you need to make sure you can flush this independently of the other filtration so all the waste doesn't pass into the next stage.You will also need to make sure the K1 stays where it is and cant escape out into the pump or down the drain as it gets everywhere

Another option would be to keep your eyes out for a Nexus and set one up and this way you wouldn't have to worry about fixing this filter

[Andy H]

I have the same problems amanda! Small garden but like to rebuild, easier than housing the fish and can take my time but did look at "digging" the filters in and immediately hit tree roots!

Would love a blank canvas!

I have a sieve and static k1 but quite a bit gets through though.

Flour sieve on outlet proves that

[amanda]

Hi Gazza and Andy.
I need a smaller pump then i reckon for now.
Yes i am now saving for my pond in the walled part of the garden.
i will probably only get my own way though when rob gets his Aston martin which is never
Gazza, hows your g&s coming along?

[Gazza]

Hi Amanda,

Never say never

My G&S is OK not growing particulay fast but it may be a male but looks OK and will give it some time in the tank yet and hopefully the tank will start to clear up soon so i will be able to see it again

[Bob Hart]

Amanda,

Andy H set up a seive in front of his pump fed filter system. Not one of the large ones just one of those which is fairly cheap and designed for being pumped to, cant remember the name of the dam thing though. You can often pick one up cheap for around £100, I know Any's removes a whole mass of much. Andy put his at the start of the filter system before it entered it, think he had a thread somewhere to show this.

There will always be 'bits' in a pond in my opinion, it'a live system after all. But if you used the sive I'm sure you'd see an improvement.

Another alternative using the same pump, would be to divide off some of the flow into another filter, therefore reducing the flow through what you have now. You could set up a static K1 system just on it's own and run some of the water through that and just return that to the pond direct, which would then slow the flow through your existing filter.

[Gazza]

I was thinking the same as well Bob as Amanda could divert the flow over to the already running TT to give it a bit more flow

[amanda]

That sounds like a workable idea bob and gazza, i have two 1600s running at the moment one on the trickle tower the other on the two filters, any thing that would stop Rob making faces when he sees the leccy bill woould be a plus.
What i need is for some one to look at the set up and direct me as i am clueless at the mo.

[Andy H]

Bob it was the compact sieve, will try find the link...