Right, weekend project = bakki shower.

I'm using 3 plastic trays almost like these, obviously the sides are solid.



What is the best media for this? I was thinking one tray to be normal bio balls. I can get hold of ceramic noodles at my local aquarium shop.

Is there a preferred order of the media, and is it a good idea to through some of my matured bio media in there just to get the bio juices flowing?

Does anybody know where I can get alphagrog in Cape Town?

Any suggestions welcome.

Hi Dewald,

I have a 4 tier bakkie, the top 3 tiers is lava rock and the bottom tray is bio balls and oyster shells.

If you can fill it with enough ceramic noodles then that would be good media to have in there, just they are usually quite expensive.

Only fill the trays up to around 30% of media for it wo be most effective.....Costa can comment on this as he spoke to the Japs a bit about their bakkies and knwo they mentioned how much to fill specifically.

I want to replace my lava rock with crystal bio that Karl from dream koi sells....from what I have seen it is similar to pumice rock, the stone you use for cracked heals in the shower etc????

That is very pourous and has the best surface area for bacteria growth so want to get that soon.

Other than that it's pretty straight forward to setup, put enough holes in and do them so that they do not get blocked where the bakkie will over flow.

The joins that you put in to feed water into the bakkie shower rather put in 45 degree elbows so that the flow restriction is minimised.

Perhaps speak to Paul on this forum (admin) I'm sure he would know where to get alfa grog from, thats also very good to use

cheers

If I am not mistaken...the following media can be used as long it is large, insoluble, with lots of void space...not leaching chemicals...
Dream Koi has a good one: if I am not mistaken is called crystal bio...the boys will correct me if I am not right...
But I have used broken hand made bricks...they have larger voids...
U can also use clinker and get it for free from a place where they have kilns that burn charcoal...it is almost glass like with lots of voids...and free.
Chris Neaves also told me about some media that comes from kilns and is deposited on the walls...forgot the name...
Loolilocks has something like that sold in bags and very cheap.
I am sure the boys will add some more better ones...
PS... clinker is very alkaline with PH12...need to wash it well and soak it in diluted spirit of salt (from supermarket) in order to reduce the PH.

Thanks Cliff & Neli

I had to google crystal bio and I actually saw it in bags at the aquarium shop but it was in the marine section so I presumed it was live rock or something they put in marine tanks.

So if my budget allows it, I'm going for ceramic noodles -> crystal bio -> bio balls.

I would like to add some zeolite to the last tray of my bakki for additional ammonia removal and found this online:

"If you leave the Zeolite in your filter without regeneration it makes an excellent filter media. Once the water temperature has reached about 60 degrees F. Nitrosomonas bacteria will begin to colonize the Zeolite and convert the ammonia into nitrite. As the water temperature continues to rise Nitrobacter bacteria will develop (around 70 degrees F.), and convert the nitrites into nitrates."

http://www.koiclay.com/thevillagekeeper/pg7d.htm

Can anybody confirm that this is true? Would I be OK if I only remove it if and whenever I want to add salt - I dont want to be responsibe for an ammonia bomb in my pond.

U can do that as long as U get the big chip zeolite...IMHO>

Can one solely use this type of filter or would it be an add on to more conventional filtration. As my 3bag filter cracked just under the neck i decided to go for a bakkie filter i installed a 4 tier filter using crates from plastics for africa. It has been going for a week but at the moments is needing daily cleaning Advice please

Hi plowe
No, a Bakki Shower is only a biological filter and won't help with the mechanical part of your filtration.

Hi there all ,

I will jsut like to know , how offen do you have to clean ur bakkie shower?

Miya Oki Koi wrote:

Hi plowe
No, a Bakki Shower is only a biological filter and won't help with the mechanical part of your filtration.

And, you should not clean your bakki too often, otherwise you wash away all the good bacteria. I clean my bakki showers only once every two months by purely rinsing with pond water.