When to clean filter?
 

I've got an Oase Filtoclear 800 for my small (400 gallon) pond. It has
a lever to backwash the filter and send the dirty water out a
different tube. I'm to turn the lever, then pull on a handle that
apparently compresses the foam elements in the filter, helping to
clean the filter.

The question: When should I do this, and how often? Isn't the filter
supposed to build up beneficial bacteria? Won't the backwashing
process just wash away this good stuff? Also, do I need to do a more
thorough cleaning of the filter than this?

Many thanks.

On 10 Oct 2004 22:13:48 -0700, (Rob) wrote:

I've got an Oase Filtoclear 800 for my small (400 gallon) pond.

The question: When should I do this, and how often?

Never had one of these for a pond, but pool pumps are similar backflow
cleaning units. You can evaluate the output flow and fluch when is is
reduced. A better way is to put a pressure gauge on the output and
flush when it climbs.
You will flush the crud, but enough active bacteria will stay on the
grid.
--
Crashj

On 10 Oct 2004 22:13:48 -0700, (Rob) wrote:

I've got an Oase Filtoclear 800 for my small (400 gallon) pond. It has
a lever to backwash the filter and send the dirty water out a
different tube. I'm to turn the lever, then pull on a handle that
apparently compresses the foam elements in the filter, helping to
clean the filter.

The question: When should I do this, and how often? Isn't the filter
supposed to build up beneficial bacteria? Won't the backwashing
process just wash away this good stuff? Also, do I need to do a more
thorough cleaning of the filter than this?

I think Crash mentioned flow, as it lowers time to backwash. When you
backwash it removes the guk off the bacteria so it works more effectively.
Depending on where you are located, how heavily stocked your pond is,
you'll probably need to do a complete cleaning yearly. The manual should
mention this. I do my cleanings in fall, but have a dyi filter. ~ jan

See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

What is a dyi filter?

it's a do-it-yourself filter. I'll let Jan explain...
Nedra

"Rob" wrote in message
om...
What is a dyi filter?

On 12 Oct 2004 21:53:20 -0700, (Rob) wrote:
What is a dyi filter?

ITYM, DIY?
Do It Yourself?
A filter built for a specific pond by the ponder, based on principles
of removing solid foreign matter from the circulating water, whilst
providing a biological cycle to remove toxic waste byproducts,
especially ammonia and its daughter products.
"Pedants R us"

--
Crashj

Rob wrote:
What is a dyi filter?

Do It Yourself. Or in my case, Husband Builds It Himself. HBIH.
We decided to go that route as we didn't like the looks or capcity of any of
the commercial ones available. Building it allowed us to build a waterfall
around it and hide it from view. We've tinkered with it over the years. Started
out as a strictly mech/bio filter and is now just a plant filter with no mech
filtering at all except what is swept up by the roots of the water hyancinth or
trapped in the roots of the watercress in the waterfall. (This development is
just sheer laziness on our part, or maybe the product of having three teenagers
and no life or money ;-)



kathy :-)
zone 7, SE WA state

Ka30P wrote:

Rob wrote:
What is a dyi filter?

Do It Yourself.

I'm pretty sure 'dyi' is an acronym for "Do yourself in" :-)

Or in my case, Husband Builds It Himself. HBIH.
We decided to go that route as we didn't like the looks or capcity of any
of the commercial ones available. Building it allowed us to build a
waterfall around it and hide it from view. We've tinkered with it over the
years. Started out as a strictly mech/bio filter and is now just a plant
filter with no mech filtering at all except what is swept up by the roots
of the water hyancinth or trapped in the roots of the watercress in the
waterfall. (This development is just sheer laziness on our part, or maybe
the product of having three teenagers and no life or money ;-)

No, no, no. It's _not_ laziness. You're simply trying to design a filter
which will work for the millions of _other_ ponders out there who _are_
lazy. It's just a public service on your part :-)

Anyway, why on earth would anyone want a high-maintenance setup? - you spend
so much time keeping the pond working, you don't get to enjoy the pond.
--
derek

Ka30P wrote:

Derek wrote
You're simply trying to design a filter
which will work for the millions of _other_ ponders out there who _are_
lazy.

Will that work for the lawn, the garage and the molding that was supposed
to go up ten years ago??

You bet!
--
derek

On 12 Oct 2004 21:53:20 -0700, (Rob) wrote:

What is a dyi filter?

Do It Yourself, husband designed, son built, instead of off the shelf.
~ jan :o)


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

Rob wrote:
What is a dyi filter?

I'm pretty sure 'dyi' is an acronym for "Do yourself in" :-)

Derek, no dyslexic you. I sure didn't catch that. :o) And you may very well
be right in the long run, if I do any more headers into the pond.

K30 wrote. (This development is just sheer laziness on our part, or maybe
the product of having three teenagers and no life or money ;-)

Derek replied: No, no, no. It's _not_ laziness. You're simply trying to design a filter
which will work for the millions of _other_ ponders out there who _are_
lazy. It's just a public service on your part :-)

Finally the voice of reason. In simple form: Stop the Guilt. Now let's
talk about how K30 culls the herd when she gets too many fish. ;o)
~ jan


~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

jan wrote Now let's talk about how K30 culls the herd when she gets too many
fish. ;o)

Oh, let's not or I might get an alligator sent after me!
Anyway it was DH and the outlet pipe and the router rooter and never seeing
that fish again and the horror of it all....

New subject - does anyone else have dreams about their pond? Last night I
dreamt that I looked out the window and it was totally drained!


kathy :-)
zone 7, SE WA state

"
New subject - does anyone else have dreams about their pond? Last night I
dreamt that I looked out the window and it was totally drained!


kathy :-)
zone 7, SE WA state

I am that man.
Not only drained, but dug over !

Peter

"Ka30P" wrote:

jan wrote Now let's talk about how K30 culls the herd when she gets too many
fish. ;o)

Oh, let's not or I might get an alligator sent after me!
Anyway it was DH and the outlet pipe and the router rooter and never seeing
that fish again and the horror of it all....

New subject - does anyone else have dreams about their pond? Last night I
dreamt that I looked out the window and it was totally drained!


kathy :-)
zone 7, SE WA state

I hope that dream doesn't start anything! I used to (and sometimes still do)
have a dream where I somehow signed up for some obscure calculus class but
never went to a lecture, thinking I had dropped it. At the end of the
semester they were going to make me take the final and if I didn't pass I
wouldn't graduate.

If I dream the pond is empty, I better dream that the fish have reverse
scuba equipment! :-)



San Diego Joe
4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
Goldfish, a RES named Colombo and an Oscar.



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Ka30P wrote:
jan wrote Now let's talk about how K30 culls the herd when she gets too many
fish. ;o)

Oh, let's not or I might get an alligator sent after me!
Anyway it was DH and the outlet pipe and the router rooter and never seeing
that fish again and the horror of it all....

New subject - does anyone else have dreams about their pond? Last night I
dreamt that I looked out the window and it was totally drained!


kathy :-)
zone 7, SE WA state

I do, they usually are about the fish doing unusual things.
Or the waterfall is more like Niagara Falls!
--
Bonnie
NJ

"Rob" wrote in message
om...
What is a dyi filter?

"Nedra" wrote in message
ink.net...
it's a do-it-yourself filter. I'll let Jan explain...

The emphasis is on Yourself. Your kidneys and liver are some the most
efficient filters around, just drink 8 cups of pond water, and pee it back
into the pond every day.

Snooze

San Diego Joe wrote:

I hope that dream doesn't start anything! I used to (and sometimes still
do) have a dream where I somehow signed up for some obscure calculus class
but never went to a lecture, thinking I had dropped it. At the end of the
semester they were going to make me take the final and if I didn't pass I
wouldn't graduate.

I was in that class. I didn't see you there. Then again, I was having
trouble going to the lectures, too...

20 years later, I've finally almost completed my degree - having made sure
to take a program that involved NO calculus.
--
derek

Hmm. Do it yourself = diy

On 14 Oct 2004 21:31:13 -0700, (Rob) wrote:

Hmm. Do it yourself = diy

Just a thought:
It is helpful to quote a bit of what triggered you to respond, and
posting underneath it, like as in a conversation is cool, too.

"Like chatting without the room"

--
Crashj

K30 wrote regarding dreams of the pond.

Oh my yes, nightmares, pond draining, fish swimming in the waterless pond,
in the air, or all flopping on the bottom. That my neighbors own raccoons
and let them loose at night.

Koi ponds got covered for fall today, suppose to have wind tomorrow, if we
do, at least there will be one less chore for me to do, that of skimming
out the leaves or vaccing them off the bottom. First time I've covered them
before a big wind hit. ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website