I've been advised to fit a bubble bead filter with blower instead of a sandfilter. it costs almost 3 times the price of the sandfilter, which I don't mind if its worth it. Does anyone know if its worth it?

It seems that there is an alternative to the Bubble bead filter at a fraction of the price.

You can read these articles.

http://www.koi4u.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=112:installing-a-sand-filter&catid=7:ponds&Itemid=12

http://koionline.forumotion.com/all-your-questions-about-filtration-answered-f16/dirty-sand-filter-t1289.htm

A bubble bead filter is often just a modified sand filter. A plastic media is used instead of sand or zeolite and the flow is reversed.

Therefore, a bubblebead filter is subject to the same restrictions (except for the sand bed) as a standard sand filter.

So for the price of a single bubble bead filter you could possibly get a pump, two sand filters and a jaccuzzi blower to assist cleaning.

Before you choose either, scout around a little more. Sketch your ideas on paper (costs nothing). Decide which system you will be the most comfortable with.

Chris

Hi Chris

Dont you sleep at night. 2:50 in the morning and you are posting articles. Well done.
I just want to give some feedback an my attempt to use a compressor as blower for the sandfilter. Well it should not be done. Firstly there is not enough volume for a long enough period and secondly but mainly, compressors generate air that has a small amounyt of oil in it and I can only believe this will have bad results in the longer run. So get that blower as I will now also do.
Sand filters work well in getting the muck out your pond but then you have to get the muck out of the filter, and that is another story.

Thanks for the feedback. I have decided to just go with the bead filter...
it just seems so easy to clean and I've read up on it, and it just seems too much hassle with cleaning the sand and clogging.
As for converting the sandfilter, hmmmm..... don't want to do that, just my luck and it wont work properly.

Hi,

A bead filter will NOT clean the pond water as good as a Sand filter!

PS: The best way to clean a Sand filter properly, (not taking in account the backwash sessions), is to remove the “sand” from the filter and put it back again and then backwash the filter, once a month.

You can test my theory: by doing this after you “turn the sand” by hand and/or by air blower, be ready for a big surprise!

wow, dit klink nou na harde werk. Eks nie so seker of my rug dit gaan hanteer nie.

So haal jy net die sand uit? en dan maak jy dit skoon of wat doen jy?

Wayne,

ja jy haal dit uit, en gooi dit weer terug!

Maak filter toe en backwash.

Pieter,

Soos ek verstaan uit vorige posstukke het jy 'n verskeidenheid van die filters. Doen jy enige iets ander behalwe filters skoonmaak?

Dit klink vir my na harde werk.

Hi Stumble
You must not confuse a sandfilter with a Bio filter it is 2 different things. It is very true that a sand filter will clean your pond perfectly provided all other parameters are met. and then you have to send that cleaned water through a bio filter for the bacteria to do their job.
My friend and then you have to clean that sand filtter.
And it is here that the s... hits the fan. its hard, dirty work. The blower will certainly help but eventualy you have to do as YOUR EXCELENCE the SF says, take the sand out and clean it and put it back till next month.

My water goes to the settlement chamber first, then huge bio filter. I used to have a sandfilter, with my first pond built about 10 years ago, but can't remember why I replaced the sand with bio media. I think it kept getting blocked.
I want to put the bubble bead between the settlement chamber and large bio filter on my new pond I'm having done. I also want to add a trickle tower somewhere.
I've already ordered the bubble bead filter. I dont think i want the shlep of cleaning the sandfilter. My water was always crystal clear without one.
I don't know what it is about clay, but since I started using it years ago, my water is crystal clear.

I am going to say something here.

As most of you know i am really anti Sandfilters.

The reason being that they are usually abused, and i think there are better alternatives.

But! If you are going to use a sandfilter then you need to do it the way Pieter does it. He does not abuse it , and you must realise the work that goes in to cleaning it and keeping it in top form. But do all of that and it will really work for you.
We jokingly call him the SF man, but i will give him credit where it is due. He is the SF King, he understands his system and he maintains it correctly, thats why it works.

Whatever system you choose , you must remember that there will always be some amount of work and maintenance neede to keep things ticking over properly, especially in the summer/growing season months.

my 2cents

Hell David,

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

Nothing can stop me now! The force is with me.............that is the SAKKS force, by the way.

I agree it's the SF way or the highway to achieve clear healthy water when operating a SF

LG

Jinne jy weet.

My opinion. I am allowed to have one you know.



Credit where it is due.