Hi all. Thanx for taking the time to read this and hopefully you will be able to give me some guidence in several areas. I kept tropical fish for a few years in my old house but I have since moved to a house that has an existing pond (cement with fibreglass lining) of approx. 3000 liters. I have already sorted the pond out by patching several spots where the fibreglass had worn though or looked a little weak, installed a bottom drain and am now in the process of laying piping and thinking of a pump/filter system. I am pretty keen to go the DIY route as I love this type of thing.

This is where I need some help. What kinda pump should I been looking at ? The major concern here is that I have to pump water UP out of the pond, through the filter system and then back into the pond whilst still keeping enough pressure to create a current. Unfortunitley I cant go with a gravity fed system as space is limited and as I said the pond is already built. I am planning to run the waterfall/water feature off a sperate pump as I have one spare and not only is it easier to install but this way I wont have to worry about diverting water/pressure from the main pump.

Furthermore I am also hoping to run a skimmer (DIY - and old pool skimmer that I have adapted) off the main pipe that is conected to the bottom drain, just by using a T piece and creating a "split". I am concered about having to get a pump powerful enough to pull from both the bottom drain and the skimmer though ....

And onto the next challange...a filter !

Firstly, making my own filter has captured my imagination and I am very keen to do this. A barrel filter seems to be the way to go. I am thinking of using a dustbin (lol) for this purpose...those kind that have the flip up handles that hold the lid down.

Pump in line before the filter ..or after? Before seems the way to go cause then I can also use the pump too drain the pond when nessesary (once again using a T piece to split the pipe and also using a cut off valve/cock stop). The challange here is the by pushing the water through the filter, would there still be enough pressure coming out of the filter to create a current? Also this kinda defeats the object of having "clean" water going through the pump. And how do I create a airless vacume inside the filter (is my logic right by thinking I would be creating a pressurized filter ?)

Ok..thats enough for now Please feel free to make comments, suggestions or just tell me I am crazy to try do this myself ! Anything would be welcome

Just as a end note...although I am hoping to have Koi one day I probebly wont be having any soon...so I would either go with just a aquatic garden or gold fish (or cold water fish for that matter.

I have found the Waterfall pumps to be pretty reliable, you also get a 8000lt and even smaller. cantact Christe at Cape Koi for more detail.

Hi Gazzo,

Some suggestions:
1) Do you have a rough plan of the area where the pond is? Including any slope of the ground.
2) I think it is great to do it yourself.
3) Do you have space for a stream? (This together with a watefall can become a feature in the garden).
4) There are quite a few solutions to your problem. So get several ideas together and then select the best one for yourself.
5) Plan it on paper as this does not cost anything and will save you a lot of money in the long run.
6) I suggest you move this thread to another heading as it will develop into an interesting string under pond building rather than for sale - equipment etc
7) Firstly, how will you extract the water from your pond - sumbersible pump or an external pump?
You could use one pump to extract the water, pump it through a filter and return it over a waterfall/stream.
9) Perhaps you have a picture of the pond and area.

Regards,
Chris

Hi Gazzo,

Some further ideas –
1) The surface skimmer is essential. Good idea. It is one thing that keeps the water nice and clear.

2) You already have some ideas as you say you cannot go with a gravity fed system. Therefore moving to a pressurised filter would be the way to go. On 3,000 litres one of the simplest filters to create is using a swimming pool sand filter and a pump that can drive it.

3) You would use 3 – 5mm gravel inside the filter. The fine sand in normal swimming pool filters clogs too quickly. If you can get hold of a Collins P24 sand filter it would work just fine. The Collins sand filters have port hole on the side which is easily opened for maintenance of the gravel bed.

4) You would need a small swimming pool pump – something like a Speck Magic 8. This would be strong enough to suck the water off the floor and through the skimmer and strong enough to push the water through the pressurised chamber then back to the pond via the waterfall and / or stream.

5) A Magic 8 would also match up nicely with the turnover rates you need.

6) Submersible pumps are not strong enough to run with pressurised sand filters.

7) One P24 Collins sand filter would work just fine on 3000 litres. And depending on the situation in the garden you may not need a UV light. If you do use a UV light you must place it after the sand filter so it is not under pressure.

If you do run a single pump for surface skimmer and bottom drain then you need to place a valve on the suction from the surface skimmer to control the flow between the bottom suction and the skimmer.

9) A few diagrams with the pipe work, pump and filter as well as possible placement places is needed.

10) And you are learning to keep water – which is great – then you keep koi. You just break everything down and build it on a bigger scale.

11) You mentioned making a barrel filter. This will work. Use it as a trickle filter and perhaps have some mechanical filtration in a separate container. Pump the water to the top and spray it downwards through the media. Exit at the bottom through pipes of sufficient diameter so the water does not build up inside the barrel. There will be no pressure inside the barrel but a lot of oxygen. You can use plastic shaving for a filter media.

12) You need to use swimming pool filters if you and going to close the filter chamber. Pumps can create quite a lot of pressure especially the swimming pool types – and a barrel / container which is not reinforced to take pressure will burst sooner or later.

Regards,
Chris

With regard to the above posting
You could fit an Ultra-Zap (Sealed) Bio Filter between the sand filter and UV-light.

Thanx for all the input! I just realosed that i posted this under the wrong heading so thanx again to those who took the trouble to reply.