***The Pond Discussion Thread****
- Thread starter easyrider
- Start date
Operation squeaky clean update.. the system @6am showed 58 minutes since the last wash. The fish are active and the water looks crystal clear from what I can see in the dawn light.
will check later
no.. 9 minutes between cleans now lol also I think the pump needs a clean but the flow rate is still good.
Fed them and they're ravenous - eating the remaining algae I'd blanket answered a couple of weeks ago so there's some but not enough apparently!
will check later
no.. 9 minutes between cleans now lol also I think the pump needs a clean but the flow rate is still good.
Fed them and they're ravenous - eating the remaining algae I'd blanket answered a couple of weeks ago so there's some but not enough apparently!
Last edited:
So the drum today got past 99 minutes per cycle - it puts a odd character in the display so that you know. At this point you push the sensor down - I did this and it was still going 15minute cycles, pulling finer crap.
I think that because the difference in level of water (dirty v clean) then the pressure on the mess is less so it it can cope with filtering fines better.
I think that because the difference in level of water (dirty v clean) then the pressure on the mess is less so it it can cope with filtering fines better.
Soldato
- Joined
- 15 Mar 2004
- Posts
- 3,184
- Location
- Oxford
Can we see a picture of your pond ?Yay final delayed bits are here - piping, pump and switch box.
will be fun tonight
Thanks
Here’s the little old pond.. almost dwarfed by the filter for the new to-be-designed pond (4x volume).
Cleared up all the mess this evening and set the control boxes in the configuration, rewired completely, removed the old filter set disconnected and installed the new pump on 1.5” piping.
Last edited:
Day 3.. I'm impressed by the drum filter. Also the hel-x media has a couple of little areas it's cycling but it will take a while yet. The amount of cack the drum has removed is obscene.
The pump is also far more efficient than the old pump.. dialled up to 25% (5000l/h is far more than the old pump). At the moment I dial it down to 20%, ie 4000l/h for the fish overnight which seems closer to the output of the supposed old 6000l/h pump.
It's settled down in washing as the pond has got cleaner. I have noted that it's filtering out filaments of algae as they grow in the sun. The pond at the moment doesn't have a UVC on it, so the water has a slight green (algae)/brown (tannin) tint. In a bucket it looks almost clear with a few things floating around.
The remaining stuff at the bottom of the pond is gravel which is something I don't want to suck up in the pump or filter as I don't want to tear the filter mesh or seals.
TL;DR - drum removes so much cack; pump 2x efficient.
The pump is also far more efficient than the old pump.. dialled up to 25% (5000l/h is far more than the old pump). At the moment I dial it down to 20%, ie 4000l/h for the fish overnight which seems closer to the output of the supposed old 6000l/h pump.
It's settled down in washing as the pond has got cleaner. I have noted that it's filtering out filaments of algae as they grow in the sun. The pond at the moment doesn't have a UVC on it, so the water has a slight green (algae)/brown (tannin) tint. In a bucket it looks almost clear with a few things floating around.
The remaining stuff at the bottom of the pond is gravel which is something I don't want to suck up in the pump or filter as I don't want to tear the filter mesh or seals.
TL;DR - drum removes so much cack; pump 2x efficient.
Might even replace the current slabs altogether although I'm not sure what would work better, look better, easy to fit and reasonable cost?
For me I would ditch the statues and slabs and get some rocks with the grass growing up and in between them....
Installed a new liner in my pond today. Its been leaking for 3-4 months requiring a couple of top ups per week so with the weather and day off we (myself and son) considered it a good time to do it
Pond drained mostly by utilising the pump with a connection to my hose and into the drain. Had to scoop quite a bit out too. This is the old (approx 10 years) liner in foreground. The liner that remains is the older one, not sure how old that one is but it serves as a useful underlay
Some of the fish, nothing fancy like proper Koi. Other larger fish kept in the old bin during the process
Almost ready for the new liner...just cleaning up and checking no stones got in
New liner in place and being filled
Trimmed liner once I put the slabs back down although I do need some cement to get the slabs level and sturdy again. Might try DIY place in Saturday if possible and its considered an "essential" item at this time.
Netting back in place (we used to lose to many fish to cranes or similar), job done
Might even replace the current slabs altogether although I'm not sure what would work better, look better, easy to fit and reasonable cost?
Very "Tom's Midnight Garden"
I think given you have flowing lines and natural look to the garden, any stone would also need a natural look.Good work on the re-lining!
The fish have been turning their noses up at my Medikoi in favour of the small patches of algae left after blanket answer.
Yesterday I separated the deep lilies, removed the very old straw bags that they had rooted into - is they're probably not that happy at the moment! The water was a little turbid after that but I found a small amount remaining of Green Away. I thought I'd just add it anyway. Not enough for a full dose but it's helped reduce the suspended matter this morning.
Think today I'll just leave the fish alone. I removed the old pump etc last night and set the pump to 20%. The filter has been going overnight - the bucket overfilled.
Seems there's definitely a trade off/balance between water pressure, wash length and time between washes. Higher pressure - noisier, cleaner drum, longer between drum washes but more water wasted per wash. Lower pressure is quieter, obviously doesn't wash as well thus the time between washes reduces, but less water per wash. The drum can also cycle the drum 1,2,3, or 4 times per wash (length of wash). 1 is good it doesn't do a full rotation and only the but that is out of the water doesn't get washed (no point it's not been filtering dirty water!), 2 is good as it seems to give the drum a better wash and the time between drum washes is longer after a number 2
I'm trying to minimise the water bill - although most of the washing is needed simply because it's the mess that's been sat in the pond that I've disturbed over the last week or so.
What is interesting is that the Dracodrum controller is relatively simple - a 12V switched mode power supply, a PIC16F microcontroller, Power supply regulators and a couple of darlington driver blocks driving the LED display and bulbs etc.
It could have a wash pressure control in there too - so use the same wash solenoid at the moment but also have a valve to adjust the pressure automatically. That way the system could look at the cycle wash time history over a number of days and learn the cycle, and adjust accordingly.
Enough space in there to get some slightly more complex control - even a ardunio or raspberry PI and WiFi sensors! Hmmm...
Yesterday I separated the deep lilies, removed the very old straw bags that they had rooted into - is they're probably not that happy at the moment! The water was a little turbid after that but I found a small amount remaining of Green Away. I thought I'd just add it anyway. Not enough for a full dose but it's helped reduce the suspended matter this morning.
Think today I'll just leave the fish alone. I removed the old pump etc last night and set the pump to 20%. The filter has been going overnight - the bucket overfilled.
Seems there's definitely a trade off/balance between water pressure, wash length and time between washes. Higher pressure - noisier, cleaner drum, longer between drum washes but more water wasted per wash. Lower pressure is quieter, obviously doesn't wash as well thus the time between washes reduces, but less water per wash. The drum can also cycle the drum 1,2,3, or 4 times per wash (length of wash). 1 is good it doesn't do a full rotation and only the but that is out of the water doesn't get washed (no point it's not been filtering dirty water!), 2 is good as it seems to give the drum a better wash and the time between drum washes is longer after a number 2
I'm trying to minimise the water bill - although most of the washing is needed simply because it's the mess that's been sat in the pond that I've disturbed over the last week or so.
What is interesting is that the Dracodrum controller is relatively simple - a 12V switched mode power supply, a PIC16F microcontroller, Power supply regulators and a couple of darlington driver blocks driving the LED display and bulbs etc.
It could have a wash pressure control in there too - so use the same wash solenoid at the moment but also have a valve to adjust the pressure automatically. That way the system could look at the cycle wash time history over a number of days and learn the cycle, and adjust accordingly.
Enough space in there to get some slightly more complex control - even a ardunio or raspberry PI and WiFi sensors! Hmmm...
Good idea on the rocks and a more natural surround to pond, I'll certainly consider that
Re the Statues, they were my parents, 'gifted' to us when they moved to a house with less of a garden and while I take your point on them perhaps being ott for anything but a stately home type of garden, I may well keep them but may also experiment with putting them out of the way near the shed
Your pond would look cool as a natural pool
This is the pond 2.0 design idea - the old pond location next to the house moves to the end of the garden with the filter behind it.
took a tape measure to the filter, ~160cm if you include the bends on each end. It will be a squeeze to get the filter in with a full block pit so I may have to make a narrower wall but insulated pit - the pond-pit wall will still be the normal thickness.
took a tape measure to the filter, ~160cm if you include the bends on each end. It will be a squeeze to get the filter in with a full block pit so I may have to make a narrower wall but insulated pit - the pond-pit wall will still be the normal thickness.
Last edited:
Some recommendations are to curve the corners so there's no low flow dirty spots for the design. She wants some sleepers to separate law and beds (I want these to go down a good to stop the grass roots getting into the boarders so I'm not sure how I'll do that and get an effective 'seal' against thin roots other than perhaps some plastic on the lawn side).
I also want some stones between the sleepers, the pond and anything else around the lawn to tie the garden together. The dashed line across the plot is where a stoned/paved patio will come out to. The old pond will disappear (that's the thing with odd corners low middle) under the new paved area. At some point the conservatory will be replaced by an extension so it will be usable.
The Drum filter has now settled down in it's usage.. I did a 2 cycle wash at 1800 last night, emptied the bucket then left it. It's 1/2 full this morning. Yesterday it went the whole day with a single clean (before 1800). So I think the koi definitely stir up the dirt/poop during the night. I still need to sort out the mains water feed - the solenoid valve screw thread (brass to brass) is leaking - I've tried sealant and using copious amounts of PTFE but it doesn't seem to create enough of a seal. Maybe an O-ring or a plastic washer in there will finally work.
This morning they were all at the bottom of the pond next to the pump - with the windy conditions they like to sit it out down there. No sun and 8degC would have also cooled the water a little. The media in the bio has sunk down a bit, will be interesting to see if it cycles properly with my old pump.
The water is extremely clear now - with just a little tint of yellow/brown from the tannins still in there (they're 0.5 micron so smaller than bacteria!).
@easyrider - did the activated carbon solve the tannin problem for you?
I also want some stones between the sleepers, the pond and anything else around the lawn to tie the garden together. The dashed line across the plot is where a stoned/paved patio will come out to. The old pond will disappear (that's the thing with odd corners low middle) under the new paved area. At some point the conservatory will be replaced by an extension so it will be usable.
The Drum filter has now settled down in it's usage.. I did a 2 cycle wash at 1800 last night, emptied the bucket then left it. It's 1/2 full this morning. Yesterday it went the whole day with a single clean (before 1800). So I think the koi definitely stir up the dirt/poop during the night. I still need to sort out the mains water feed - the solenoid valve screw thread (brass to brass) is leaking - I've tried sealant and using copious amounts of PTFE but it doesn't seem to create enough of a seal. Maybe an O-ring or a plastic washer in there will finally work.
This morning they were all at the bottom of the pond next to the pump - with the windy conditions they like to sit it out down there. No sun and 8degC would have also cooled the water a little. The media in the bio has sunk down a bit, will be interesting to see if it cycles properly with my old pump.
The water is extremely clear now - with just a little tint of yellow/brown from the tannins still in there (they're 0.5 micron so smaller than bacteria!).
@easyrider - did the activated carbon solve the tannin problem for you?
Installed a new liner in my pond today. Its been leaking for 3-4 months requiring a couple of top ups per week so with the weather and day off we (myself and son) considered it a good time to do it
Pond drained mostly by utilising the pump with a connection to my hose and into the drain. Had to scoop quite a bit out too. This is the old (approx 10 years) liner in foreground. The liner that remains is the older one, not sure how old that one is but it serves as a useful underlay
New liner in place and being filled
**snipped a bit**
Did you use a water dechlorinator, something like Blagdon Fresh Start or just pumping the old water back in?
So the oxy500 isn’t powerful enough for the bio.. it’s 500lph not minute.. 8lpm vs a good boils with 50lpm (this is probably more than enough but allows a airstone in the pond too).
After a lot of research I’m going to get a HiBlow XP-40 that at 60cm will do 55lph. Should have enough for the bio and existing pond.
On the new pond I’ll add a second pump on the bottom drain then run it 1/2 time - perhaps during the night when the plants absorb O2 and produce CO2.
After a lot of research I’m going to get a HiBlow XP-40 that at 60cm will do 55lph. Should have enough for the bio and existing pond.
On the new pond I’ll add a second pump on the bottom drain then run it 1/2 time - perhaps during the night when the plants absorb O2 and produce CO2.