In reply to Post #15
Haven't really got a budget as such but I suppose £250 max for the filter, I've got a brand new pump anyway running my 4 bay. Idea was to save some space and get rid of the unsightly 4 bay box
Haven't really got a budget as such but I suppose £250 max for the filter, I've got a brand new pump anyway running my 4 bay. Idea was to save some space and get rid of the unsightly 4 bay box
In reply to Post #16
Then I'd say you need to go secondhand eazypod for that budget
Look on eBay
Then I'd say you need to go secondhand eazypod for that budget
Look on eBay
To mirror other responses here - I'd avoid a pressure filter. Would be more inclined to go for a second hand multi-bay rated for a much bigger pond, gives you freedom to use a range of flow rates and media. Otherwise a nexus range as mentioned.
In reply to Post #18
Cheers all I think I'll stick with my multi bay and spend the money on boxing it in nicely
Cheers all I think I'll stick with my multi bay and spend the money on boxing it in nicely
In reply to Post #11
Hi Joss
I looked at the aqua nexus, but ended up building my own block built filters.
I had used large vortex systems previously but was disappointed.
The block built were great, a large settlement chamber followed by brushes, then fluidised K1 and finally jap matting.
The water quality was superb and it was easy to maintain.
I would always recommend a large settlement chamber before the biological filters, whatever system you use
Pond was circa 4000 gallons
Hi Joss
I looked at the aqua nexus, but ended up building my own block built filters.
I had used large vortex systems previously but was disappointed.
The block built were great, a large settlement chamber followed by brushes, then fluidised K1 and finally jap matting.
The water quality was superb and it was easy to maintain.
I would always recommend a large settlement chamber before the biological filters, whatever system you use
Pond was circa 4000 gallons
In reply to Post #6
I had a large pressurised filter on my 5000l pond, it struggled to keep the pond clean with only 3-4 small carp.
Changed that for a 4 chamber cloverleaf but that was a pain to keep clean and I couldn't ever get enough flow through it.
Changed to an easypod last year, much easier to maintain weekly. Water tests are spot on even with 5 growing carp. Only thing is it could do with a pre-sieve but I don't have space
I have an idea though just don't tell the wife 
I had a large pressurised filter on my 5000l pond, it struggled to keep the pond clean with only 3-4 small carp.
Changed that for a 4 chamber cloverleaf but that was a pain to keep clean and I couldn't ever get enough flow through it.
Changed to an easypod last year, much easier to maintain weekly. Water tests are spot on even with 5 growing carp. Only thing is it could do with a pre-sieve but I don't have space
I have an idea though just don't tell the wife
In reply to Post #20
That's the exact combination of media/order I would use.
I ran a multibay with brushes, aerated and normal jap mat previously. Worked well and would still in place but upgrade to a drum and airated k1/helix-13.
That's the exact combination of media/order I would use.
I ran a multibay with brushes, aerated and normal jap mat previously. Worked well and would still in place but upgrade to a drum and airated k1/helix-13.
In reply to Post #22
The fluidised K1 is brilliant for biological filtration but the real winner is the settlement chamber.
The more suspended mater you can remove from the water before it gets to the filters the better.
Biological filters which are the most important but are impeded by suspended crap and weed etc, and a nightmare to keep clean.
My settlement chamber was so effective no crap or weed ever reached the K1 chamber or matting and hence they never needed cleaning, other than the light mulm caused by dying bacteria, but that was so fine it flushed through.
The system was designed by Richard at Richdon koi, he's a very knowledgable guy and very willing to help.
The fluidised K1 is brilliant for biological filtration but the real winner is the settlement chamber.
The more suspended mater you can remove from the water before it gets to the filters the better.
Biological filters which are the most important but are impeded by suspended crap and weed etc, and a nightmare to keep clean.
My settlement chamber was so effective no crap or weed ever reached the K1 chamber or matting and hence they never needed cleaning, other than the light mulm caused by dying bacteria, but that was so fine it flushed through.
The system was designed by Richard at Richdon koi, he's a very knowledgable guy and very willing to help.
In reply to Post #12
sorry for late reply mate.
certainly food for thought
sorry for late reply mate.
certainly food for thought
In reply to Post #24
Maybe an easy pod and the unit you already have with jap matt
I've used a nexus in the early days but the biological isn't very reliable , the easy part
In the centre works well enough and is reasonably easy to clean
Depends on how much you want to spend etc
Currently use a drum myself , although they aren't as good as believed
either
Maybe an easy pod and the unit you already have with jap matt
I've used a nexus in the early days but the biological isn't very reliable , the easy part
In the centre works well enough and is reasonably easy to clean
Depends on how much you want to spend etc
Currently use a drum myself , although they aren't as good as believed
either
In reply to Post #25
bit of a mine field isnt it?
i kept koi some years ago
i had two filters, one was mid water feed, the other bottom drain feed. both chamber filters, one filter water used to get sent to the house and heated through a heat exchanger, the other standard.
both were chambers, up and down flow, with various media, worked fine, but as that was some yrs ago now and im looking into building a new one of 12,000 gallons, ive started to spend most evenings watching bloody youtube films on filtration
bit of a mine field isnt it?
i kept koi some years ago
i had two filters, one was mid water feed, the other bottom drain feed. both chamber filters, one filter water used to get sent to the house and heated through a heat exchanger, the other standard.
both were chambers, up and down flow, with various media, worked fine, but as that was some yrs ago now and im looking into building a new one of 12,000 gallons, ive started to spend most evenings watching bloody youtube films on filtration
In reply to Post #26
The way to go is a drum filter with an added bio chambers if you want high water quality with smaller amounts of daily maintenance on a smaller footprint, evolution aqua filter are very good to though Joss but huge old units, Quality Nishi koi loves them like you say! I've watched a number of mates go through various upgrades and they all seemed to end up on a drum for superior mechanical solids removal with a bio chamber or two for the nitrification side of things.
The way to go is a drum filter with an added bio chambers if you want high water quality with smaller amounts of daily maintenance on a smaller footprint, evolution aqua filter are very good to though Joss but huge old units, Quality Nishi koi loves them like you say! I've watched a number of mates go through various upgrades and they all seemed to end up on a drum for superior mechanical solids removal with a bio chamber or two for the nitrification side of things.
In reply to Post #1
Initial stage - drum, or a sieve as a cheaper alternative.
Bio stage - bio chambers or showers.
Nexus/Easy pod aren't bad but you always have problems with fines and end up adding other stuff and modifying them.
Pressure filters are utterly useless unless you fancy cleaning them out every single day, even then they're poor as bio filtration.
Multi bays are outdated and a pain to clean properly, very often there's a massive amount of thick sludge sitting in the bottom of them and within the media. They can be modified with some work though as bio chambers only, either with K1 or cartridges made from Japanese matting that simply lift out and leave it empty for easy cleaning.
Initial stage - drum, or a sieve as a cheaper alternative.
Bio stage - bio chambers or showers.
Nexus/Easy pod aren't bad but you always have problems with fines and end up adding other stuff and modifying them.
Pressure filters are utterly useless unless you fancy cleaning them out every single day, even then they're poor as bio filtration.
Multi bays are outdated and a pain to clean properly, very often there's a massive amount of thick sludge sitting in the bottom of them and within the media. They can be modified with some work though as bio chambers only, either with K1 or cartridges made from Japanese matting that simply lift out and leave it empty for easy cleaning.
In reply to Post #27
Time for more homework then mate before i start !
Good thread this is, beats talking EU and bait
Time for more homework then mate before i start !
Good thread this is, beats talking EU and bait
In reply to Post #28
Easy pods are great to run a skimmer through or smaller ponds with less loading, we use drums in the water industry and it's incredible what they can achieve when abstracting water from a swollen river intake!
My mates fitted a micro switch on his drum that runs on a fine level tolerance and back flushes the drum on reaching a certain head, it even counts how many washes it does and displays it, virtually no maintenance on 5.5k gallon pond. It'll be the way I go when I build my pond, just have buy my forever home first
Easy pods are great to run a skimmer through or smaller ponds with less loading, we use drums in the water industry and it's incredible what they can achieve when abstracting water from a swollen river intake!
My mates fitted a micro switch on his drum that runs on a fine level tolerance and back flushes the drum on reaching a certain head, it even counts how many washes it does and displays it, virtually no maintenance on 5.5k gallon pond. It'll be the way I go when I build my pond, just have buy my forever home first