Hi

I am in the process of getting someone or me assisting someone to build a 13000l pond in my garden. I want a rectangular pond and top class filtration obviously for the lowest possible cost. I don't have too much room for filtration so I need bio media that works best in small areas :-)

A few questions?

1. Sand filter or not? Some people are totally against them others not?
2. What filter media for biological and mechanical?
3. I hear settlement chamber is a must have?
4. Must I use brick chambers or what about 210 liter drums? I was thinking of having a bottom drain that went into a settlement chamber then from there into a 210 bio drum filled with whatever you think is best? Alfagrog, matala, active bed media? Then from there it moves into another 210 liter jojo drum with mechanical media and then into a pump that will pump through UV back into pond? What about sand filter? Is a skimmer a must I do have lots of leaves around? Where does the skimmer lead to? The settlement chamber? Please HELP :-)

I want a waterfall plus one entry point into the pond I guess all valve controlled incase waterfall leaks? I want to go overboard on the filtration please advice best option for my situation?

Also I would like something that is low maintenance and that is easy to keep clean. The other thing is low voltage pumps are there any good ones?

Please bear in mind I am new to this compared to the other guys on this forum. But I will help you as far as I know.

First you must decide if you are going for a pressure or gravity fed system.

Usually pressure systems take up much less space, but gravity seems to be more effective at a lower price (month to month, not necessarily building it).

A 25 litre biofilter is good for a 25000litre pond they say with a 30-55w UV should be good on your pond to be.

To use a sand filter, you need to run a swimming pool pump and that is more expensive as they are not low consumption pumps. A sand filter removes fine debris, but you will need to clean it weekly and backwashing uses quite a lot of water.

You may also wish to look into a multi cyclone centrifugal filter which acts as mechanical filtration, and go directly into the bio filter and uv.

Also have a look in equipment for sale. There is a new trickle tower bio filtration that is being sold at a very reasonable price. If you read the post you will understand that you can use it on a gravity or pressure system.

A skimmer is usually connected straight to the pump and the bottom drain to a settlement chamber which connects to the pump. There are many ways of doing this, and multiple examples on this forum.

I hope this heads you in the right direction somehow.

Choose carefully if you wish to go pressure or gravity or a mixture of both. You cannot turn a pressure system into a gravity fed system but you can vise versa.

Cheers,
Cameron

Hi

You can run both our skimmer and bottom drain straight into the settlement chamber. I use Matala sheets in chamber to catch the large parts. On the suction pipe to filter I use a Matala Ezbio 90 ( or you can use Ezbio 45 ) pre-filter. Both the sheets and pre-filter I have to clean weekly but it takes up a small amount of time. I use a 4 x 1000L filter chamber system with Matala sheets and an up flow system. I still have about 60% space left in my chambers for later upgrade ( more fish ). The only time I clean the sheets in the filters is every 3months when I am home ( don’t panic, I have someone feeding them daily )

Please bear in mind the sheets are expensive and you will need about 8 or 9 sheets. You can maybe hide the sheets and filter system behind a small wall that forms part of your waterfall return. I use a suck-to-filter system but you can also use a gravity fed system with pump at the end of the filters and you can hide filters with wooden deck.

Paul is selling a nice bakkie shower system that will work out cheap and easy to up.
My old small pond used a sand filter but it was a pain to clean since I had no drain or skimmer and many pine leaves falling into ponds all year long (ending up in sand filter)
It will be wise to use a bottom drain and skimmer to catch the leaves before they sink.

Please remember each pond is unique and there are so many different filters on the market and they all seem to work. Maybe a visit to a few ponds will give you a better idea of what will be best for your setup. Go and speak to some professional people before you start your pond. Most pet shops will give you wrong advice since they sell fish tanks, dogs and cats. I am sure you will get plenty info on the forum and will learn a lot

Thanks guys...

I want to use a gravity system as I have heard its the best and it makes more sense to me. I also want the filters to not be higher than the pond so I was hoping to have it next to the pond.

Matala is expensive...

What if I had filters next to the pond my bottom drain feeds into settlement chamber via 110 pipe. From there I move the water into a mechanical chamber or mechanical container via 110 pipes I presume? Then from there to a bio chamber or container then into a pump that pumps back through a UV into two areas one being a return into the pond and another into the waterfall? I will then have a skimmer on the opposite side to the filter and return of the clean water that has a pipe that feeds to the settlement chamber.

Is this correct? So the skimmer will pump leaves etc into the settlement chamber?

This is how I normally do it which is basically what you have in mind:



Or

Thanks for all the info.

Tell me one thing...

So the skimmer goes to the pump? Is that a good idea? I have loads of leaves in my garden so that means the leaves will go into the pump?

Well yes, but they will get caught by the basket.. Same as a swimming pool

Brilliant so basically the line to the pump is purely there for suction? It will stay in the basket?

The leaves will stay in the skimmer basket and those that get through, will be collected by the pump basket. (Easy to empty)

You do not want leaves that escape the skimmer basket to go into you settlement chamber/biofiltration. That will create bad bacteria/organic load and are difficult to remove.

Prodigy,

Quote :

Q: Sand filter or not? Some people are totally against them others not?

A: Sand filter

Quote :

Q: What filter media for biological and mechanical?

A: Biological > Ultra Zap with bio balls. Mechanical > the sand filter

Quote :

Q: I hear settlement chamber is a must have?

A: That’s BS

Quote :

I don't have too much room for filtration so I need bio media that works best in small areas :

With 3 bag Sand filter, 25lt Ultra Zap Bio filter and ,75kW pump you only needs 2sq meter

I am building my 5th pond, and all of them run on sand filter (50m pipe) pressure systems, with no problems!

Where do you live?

You know me haha

Its Gavin in Kempton Park, I asked you already about building but I think you are too far...

I thought a settlement chamber was a MUST!!!

Gavin,

get in your bloody car and come visit me! Come see for jourself!

I need to soon... Il llet you know...