Pond Filter

[ohioreef]

Joel,

I need to set up a filter for my 90g pond. Do you have any filter kits that would be appropriate for that size pond?

I'll need a pump as well.



Gary

[Joel]

Hey Gary,

I am not aware of a good quality filtration system made for smaller ponds. Notice I said good quality, there are lots of lousy ones. I normally make my own for the smaller ones. What I like to do is take a large planter made out of plastic and turn it into a biological filter. It must be a square one so you can install bulk heads in it. I have made wet/dry type filters and flow thru type filters out of these containers. I use lava chips made for land scape for media. It sounds cheesy but for the drain coming out of the filter, I use a 1" bulk head. Then I take one of those cheepie Tiki torched and cut the bottom of it off and use it to cover the bulk head and be the drain putting the water back into the pond. It will look like a bamboo pipe coming out of the container adding water back to the pond. Put a water loving plant in the top of the container and it won't look like a filter any more.

As per a pump, I don't have any great ideas. Any submersible pump will work fine if sized correctly but a great dirt trap before the pump is a must. This is where the problems start. If the pump and dirt trap are in the pond, you will be getting in the pond every few days cleaning out the dirt trap, a major pain!!! If you don't mind cleaning the pre filter, it works fine but it is inconvenient. If you get a mag drive, supreme makes a pond pre filter box that attaches to the pump with no modifications. It works well but you must clean it regularly.

Plumbing a modest size UV will kill suspended algae too.

 I prefer outside skimmer boxes with dedicated waterfall chambers that are also the biological filter. With an outside skimmer box, the pump is not in the pond and is protected from debris and much easier to service. The skimmer boxes have nets to trap fish, leaves and other debris with a thick filter pad below to trap the finer debris. THis type of set up is expensive, the smallest waterfall / bio filter  box is over $200.00 and the smallest skimmer box is about the same price range. It's hard for me to suggest that type set up on a smaller pond, they work great but are pricey.

If you want an hand with a DIY filter, I'm happy to give a hand.  I think I have a small one at the shop you could look at for some ideas if you'd like.
 
 

[ohioreef]

Thanks for the comments, Joel. I am going to be in Miamisburg on Thursday, maybe I'll swing by if I get a chance.

Wal Mart has a small plastic box that houses a pump, bioballs and a couple screens, but it would be in the pond. I've seen the waterfall filters in Fosters & Smith.

[Viggen]

not to take anything away from Joel but this is a geat pond website, lots of great info there

http://www.koipondtalk.com/smf/

[Joel]

Allright Viggen, you justy made "the list" j/k

Gary;

Yeah, the in the pond type filters are a pain to work on. I am assuming that you have a hard plastic molded type. WIth these type of pond shells the options are limited but it's do-able.

Stop by and see me if you have a minute. I'm there from 3 on.

Joel

[ohioreef]

Yes, Joel, mine is the molded plastic pond from Wally World. I'd love to dig it up and enlarge it, but alas that will probably be a project for another summer, but I really do need to get some sort of half ways decent filtration going on it.

[ohioreef]

Viggen,

That's koi's site, isn't it?

[wayne]

I do something similar for my pond filter.  I used a large (3 gallon) bucket, cut a hole in the side toward the bottom, siliconed in a drain fitting that I plumbed to the inlet on a pump, filled the bucket with lava rocks, and covered that with 1" foam. I then put the entire assembly in the pond on the bottom.  The pump pulls water through the bucket.  When the fountain head starts to slow down, I know it's time to unplug the pump, pull of the foam and clean or replace it.  Works great and not a lot of money.  I have to clean it about once a week. 

Wayne

[ohioreef]

The site viggen mentioned had a really neat DIY trickle filter using a strawberry pot.

[Viggen]

SWEET!!  I am on the list  :hello:

yes that site is koi's site which is actually how I found it, he told me about it