Bio filter question

My pond has about a 15-20' long sloping stream/waterfall that empties
into the main body of water. I have been looking at biofilters, plans
and ideas people have posted on this forum and doing a lot of reading.
My question is, instead of sinking and pumping water through a huge
bucket in my pond, filled with whatever media, Couldnt I simply line
the bottom of the stream bead with more rocks and maybe even mix in a
fair amount of lava rock and/or other media for filtration? The water
flows pretty nicely through the stream bed, wouldnt this effectively
filter my water to some degree? Wouldnt the flowing water from the
"falls" running around the rocks essentially be the same thing as
pumping water through a filter box filled with lava rocks? Seems like I
could spread the filter media out over a larger area and provide a more
natural look to the pond while at the same time filtering. Functional
and unnoticable filtration that simply looks like part of the pond
rather than an unsightly 55+ gallon bucket sunk in my pond. The pond is
2835 gals. I will be using(whenever it gets here) a 3500 GPH pump that
pumps 2785 GPH @ 5' to power the waterfall and circulate the water.

"robv60" wrote in message
oups.com...
My pond has about a 15-20' long sloping stream/waterfall that empties
into the main body of water. I have been looking at biofilters, plans
and ideas people have posted on this forum and doing a lot of reading.
My question is, instead of sinking and pumping water through a huge
bucket in my pond, filled with whatever media, Couldnt I simply line
the bottom of the stream bead with more rocks and maybe even mix in a
fair amount of lava rock and/or other media for filtration? The water
flows pretty nicely through the stream bed, wouldnt this effectively
filter my water to some degree? Wouldnt the flowing water from the
"falls" running around the rocks essentially be the same thing as
pumping water through a filter box filled with lava rocks? Seems like I
could spread the filter media out over a larger area and provide a more
natural look to the pond while at the same time filtering. Functional
and unnoticable filtration that simply looks like part of the pond
rather than an unsightly 55+ gallon bucket sunk in my pond. The pond is
2835 gals. I will be using(whenever it gets here) a 3500 GPH pump that
pumps 2785 GPH @ 5' to power the waterfall and circulate the water.


The problem with lava rocks is that they easily get clogged with muck and
lose their effectiveness. They also don't have a very good surface to weight
or surface to volume ratios. They're difficult to clean and just heavy. But
some people like them, obviously I don't. Instead of tossing a bunch of
lava rocks into the stream bed. Try this idea:

It was posted here by someone a few weeks back.

http://www.mvwgs.org/filter.htm

Instead of using lava rocks, I suggest you first try buying a bulk pack of
green scotch pads from resturant supply store first. As a bonus, you can put
a pot or two top of the millk crate and use it as a for a plant which will
hide the milk crate to boot.

-S

The problem with lava rocks is that they easily get clogged with muck and
lose their effectiveness. They also don't have a very good surface to
weight or surface to volume ratios. They're difficult to clean and just
heavy. But some people like them, obviously I don't. Instead of tossing a
bunch of lava rocks into the stream bed. Try this idea:

It was posted here by someone a few weeks back.

http://www.mvwgs.org/filter.htm

Instead of using lava rocks, I suggest you first try buying a bulk pack of
green scotch pads from resturant supply store first. As a bonus, you can
put a pot or two top of the millk crate and use it as a for a plant which
will hide the milk crate to boot.


I think I might take a crack at this... so the alge from the pond gets
trapped in the outer part of the furnace filter material with this setup?

What I'll most likely change, is the outlet hose will run up to our Gargoyle
spitter.

I might use a 50/50 split of lava rock/scotch pads inside as wel.. or maybe
extra filter material inside? (Might be much cheaper then the scotch pads,
and more readily available.)


--
Gareee's Homepage:
http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine.../mainframe.htm

Remove Delicious spam to reply

Rob,
Rather than depending completely on the stream for filtering
purposes, look to the reservoir, if you have one, at the top of it. I
would sink whatever filter you construct in there, and hide it with
floaters and marginals, and then the prefiltered water would undergo a
final "scrubbing" in your stream. Many people have veggie filters at
the top of streams as their filtering scheme. I don't blame you at all
for not wanting a big ugly filter in your pond. If you don't have a
pool at the top of your stream, maybe an above ground vessel would be
practical. There are lots of ways to approach it. I like the design
of the filter you were looking at, but it is a pain to clean, and I
have never had the effortless experience with them that others report.
It also looks small for a pond the size you describe. I had two
cannisters bigger than that, and we had to wash them once a week in the
summer. Of course, we had a good number of fish, but many people do
want a filter that will handle a sizeable fish population. Hope this
helps,
Ann

I have personally built a smaller version since my pond isn't very big
and it works great !!!

Gareee© wrote:
The problem with lava rocks is that they easily get clogged with muck and
lose their effectiveness. They also don't have a very good surface to
weight or surface to volume ratios. They're difficult to clean and just
heavy. But some people like them, obviously I don't. Instead of tossing a
bunch of lava rocks into the stream bed. Try this idea:

It was posted here by someone a few weeks back.

http://www.mvwgs.org/filter.htm

Instead of using lava rocks, I suggest you first try buying a bulk pack of
green scotch pads from resturant supply store first. As a bonus, you can
put a pot or two top of the millk crate and use it as a for a plant which
will hide the milk crate to boot.



I think I might take a crack at this... so the alge from the pond gets
trapped in the outer part of the furnace filter material with this setup?

What I'll most likely change, is the outlet hose will run up to our Gargoyle
spitter.

I might use a 50/50 split of lava rock/scotch pads inside as wel.. or maybe
extra filter material inside? (Might be much cheaper then the scotch pads,
and more readily available.)

On 18 Apr 2005 00:23:54 -0700, "robv60" wrote:

My pond has about a 15-20' long sloping stream/waterfall that empties
into the main body of water. I have been looking at biofilters, plans
and ideas people have posted on this forum and doing a lot of reading.
My question is, instead of sinking and pumping water through a huge
bucket in my pond, filled with whatever media, Couldnt I simply line
the bottom of the stream bead with more rocks and maybe even mix in a
fair amount of lava rock and/or other media for filtration? The water
flows pretty nicely through the stream bed, wouldnt this effectively
filter my water to some degree? Wouldnt the flowing water from the
"falls" running around the rocks essentially be the same thing as
pumping water through a filter box filled with lava rocks? Seems like I
could spread the filter media out over a larger area and provide a more
natural look to the pond while at the same time filtering. Functional
and unnoticable filtration that simply looks like part of the pond
rather than an unsightly 55+ gallon bucket sunk in my pond. The pond is
2835 gals. I will be using(whenever it gets here) a 3500 GPH pump that
pumps 2785 GPH @ 5' to power the waterfall and circulate the water.

All filters need to be cleaned at some point. In a pond this size you
really ought to be thinking filter-and-pump out-of-the-pond. Similar to
mine, only perhaps bigger. www.jjspond.us Click on *My Filter* and there
are more pictures under *Demon Pond Filter* and *My Lily Pond*.

If still thinking you can do it with rocks in the pond, get a manual on the
Aquascape System and see how they recommend cleaning a rock filled pond. Or
better, ask people here and in www.koiphen.com forum how many people
started with this system and have removed the rocks and added a bottom
drain return to filter. ~ jan

See my ponds and filter design: www.jjspond.us

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

I do have a reservoir at the top of the stream/falls. Not very deep
though, only about 8 inches deep. Im also concernd about water pressure
loss to my stream/falls using too big of a filter, hence the want to
filter through rocks in the streambed.

"robv60" wrote in message
oups.com...
I do have a reservoir at the top of the stream/falls. Not very deep
though, only about 8 inches deep. Im also concernd about water pressure
loss to my stream/falls using too big of a filter, hence the want to
filter through rocks in the streambed.


Depending on your filter design, it doesn't necessarily have to cause a loss
in pressure. A mechanical filter that is inline may cause pressure loss. An
8" deep area isn't deep enough to expect any sort of settling chamber.
However it maybe deep and wide enough to build a bio and veg filter there.

Using furnace filter material, scouring pads, etc, arranged such that there
is plenty of water flow through or around it. Don't just stack it on the
bottom. Then plant watercress, waterhyacinth on top of it. The roots will
filter out all the nutrients and the sediment settle out.

-S

Size and quantity of filtering has little to do with the size of the pond.
It is all about the number and size of the residents. With a small fish
load, and small amount of feeding, the sides of the pond will provide all
the biomedia needed. The stream with any rock to cause the water to splash
and turn, will provide a large amount of filtration by itself. The only way
to know if you have enough is to monitor the ammonia and nitrites. If they
do not go to zero fairly quickly, a matter of a few weeks in the spring,
then you need some other filtration. The small area at the top of the falls
can be planted with marginals and these will add greatly to the filtration.
Like Jan, I would look for something outside the pond, rather than in the
pond. Outside is much easier to clean and maintain.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html

"robv60" wrote in message
oups.com...
My pond has about a 15-20' long sloping stream/waterfall that empties
into the main body of water. I have been looking at biofilters, plans
and ideas people have posted on this forum and doing a lot of reading.
My question is, instead of sinking and pumping water through a huge
bucket in my pond, filled with whatever media, Couldnt I simply line
the bottom of the stream bead with more rocks and maybe even mix in a
fair amount of lava rock and/or other media for filtration? The water
flows pretty nicely through the stream bed, wouldnt this effectively
filter my water to some degree? Wouldnt the flowing water from the
"falls" running around the rocks essentially be the same thing as
pumping water through a filter box filled with lava rocks? Seems like I
could spread the filter media out over a larger area and provide a more
natural look to the pond while at the same time filtering. Functional
and unnoticable filtration that simply looks like part of the pond
rather than an unsightly 55+ gallon bucket sunk in my pond. The pond is
2835 gals. I will be using(whenever it gets here) a 3500 GPH pump that
pumps 2785 GPH @ 5' to power the waterfall and circulate the water.

On 18 Apr 2005 08:44:52 -0700, robv60 wrote:

I do have a reservoir at the top of the stream/falls. Not very deep
though, only about 8 inches deep. Im also concernd about water pressure
loss to my stream/falls using too big of a filter, hence the want to
filter through rocks in the streambed.

If finances aren't a problem you could go for a self cleaning
bubblebead filter as at http://www.bubblebeadfilter.co.uk. Some of them
clean themselves by putting the pump on a timer and shutting it off for
a few minutes every so often.

--
Regards - Rodney Pont
The from address exists but is mostly dumped,
please send any emails to the address below
e-mail ngpsm4 (at) infohitsystems (dot) ltd (dot) uk