CREATING THE ULTIMATE FILTRATION AND EVOLVING WITH YOUR FISH!!!!!!

[DB junkie]

We've been doing that effectively for 6 1/2 yrs, sucking the crap and debris directly off the floor, running the water through two spa filters with 100 micron rating filter cartridges all via a hammerhead pump. I am sold on closed loop mechanical filtration. There is no way I could ever consider putting all my filtration eggs in one basket, i.e., a single sump. I know that a well designed sump can be fabulous effective filtration, unfortunately, tank maintenance is not our thing, and minimal maintenance is what we need. Even changing out a filter sock once a week is too much work. Hey, I'm not the one who picked up the fish at a yard sale.....changing out filter cartridges whenever they get too dirty is doable for us.

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So you just run a pair of 100 micron cartridge filters then when dirty just throw away, install new?

 

[pacu mom]

They can be bleached out and reused. We've been too lazy to even do that much. However, I've been thinking about the new system we'll be setting up. I mean, how hard can it be to get a trash can, add bleach and water and throw the dirty cartridges in.....I got one of those cartridge cleaners where the cartridge is placed on a spindle and the thing is connected to a hose. The cartridge cleaner probably works when used for its intended purpose..spas, however, when the cartridge is packed with feces and debris, bleaching is probably the only way to clean it. The guy who sold us the RTL filters also sold us the hammerhead pump. He told us to bleach the cartridges...sheer laziness on our part for not doing so.

sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX

 

[jlnguyen74]

Vault style filter. It over 12 feet long with the pump at the end.
This one truely is a monster size sump filter. Water gravity feed in one end via (3) 4" pipe. Goes through a maze of walls, mats and open cell foam (biological). External pump sends the water back to the waterfall. This filter has not evolved because this style is 20 years old. Foam when clean is great but once clogs or full, biological is degraded badly. Foam is so heavy I cannot lift it out for cleaning. Hose it and go. The sump vol is as big as the pond. Lots of settling because of width and depth of this chamber. Kois in the filter is from spawning in the pond. Pump leaf basket is full of dead koi. I've got rid of about a 1000 over the years. They tell me there is another batch in there again!

That one sounds like the big wet/dry I have in one of my 600gal that I keep the mundi. It takes 3 hours at least to clean it. If I don't, like that last time we had a brief 20-40 minutes blackout, the whole filter got contaminated, and polluted the whole tank when the power was back on

 

[aldiaz33]

That one sounds like the big wet/dry I have in one of my 600gal that I keep the mundi. It takes 3 hours at least to clean it. If I don't, like that last time we had a brief 20-40 minutes blackout, the whole filter got contaminated, and polluted the whole tank when the power was back on

Pictures of sump? You have my word I won't say a negative thing about it...this thread is about exchanging ideas, not blows.

 

[kendragon]

That one sounds like the big wet/dry I have in one of my 600gal that I keep the mundi. It takes 3 hours at least to clean it. If I don't, like that last time we had a brief 20-40 minutes blackout, the whole filter got contaminated, and polluted the whole tank when the power was back on

For koi ponds we advise people to dump the water in the filter in the event of a power outage greater than 45 minute. You are right water goes bad. Bigger the chamber more work. Takes me the full day to clean this vault.

 

[pacu mom]

We've been using two small 25sq ft cartridges. Upgrading to 100 sq ft cartridges on the new system. There is an incredible reef system on Reef Central that has a Pentair Rainbow RTL 100 or something very similar for mechanical filtration. There's an MFK member from Mexico City with a large tank with what appears to be an RTL type filter Unfortunately, I'm at the lake for a few days, so can't post pics of other setups with closed loop mechanical filtration utilizing RTL type filters.

sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX

 

[jlnguyen74]

Pictures of sump? You have my word I won't say a negative thing about it...this thread is about exchanging ideas, not blows.

There's not much negative to talk about it. It's a big wet/dry, not one of those DIY sump. It has drip plates, filled with Matala mats and bio rings. No socks. Just like the wet/dry I sold recently, except it,s bigger, about 180gal

 

[jlnguyen74]

For koi ponds we advise people to dump the water in the filter in the event of a power outage greater than 45 minute. You are right water goes bad. Bigger the chamber more work. Takes me the full day to clean this vault.

Yup, I had to do the same, empty all water, wash off all debris, and put them back. That's why I love beads filter more and more. One switch of the handle, and flush out all those crap

 

[jcardona1]

Great pics Ken! The filter room for that 40,000g pond is incredible. Somebody put a crapload of money into that thing. Shame they weren't maintaining it.

I too am interested in hearing more about these Wlim mechanical cartridges. I checked out their website but don't see much info. Are these cartridges sold separately? Price? What are they made out of?

Their website says the pressurized mechanical chamber can filter down to 250/500 microns, so it's not 'crystal clear' by any stretch. But for ponds it would work great. Water clarity depends on how you view it. What may look clear from looking down through the water (pond) will look dirty when viewed through a pane of glass (aquarium).

 

[kendragon]

Great pics Ken! The filter room for that 40,000g pond is incredible. Somebody put a crapload of money into that thing. Shame they weren't maintaining it.

I too am interested in hearing more about these Wlim mechanical cartridges. I checked out their website but don't see much info. Are these cartridges sold separately? Price? What are they made out of?

Their website says the pressurized mechanical chamber can filter down to 250/500 microns, so it's not 'crystal clear' by any stretch. But for ponds it would work great. Water clarity depends on how you view it. What may look clear from looking down through the water (pond) will look dirty when viewed through a pane of glass (aquarium).

I hear what your saying.
Let's not confuse micron vs turbidity. Micron is the size of the particle where as turbidity is cloudiness/haze. You and DBjunkie have the same response about how a coarse filter can produce clear water. Hard to believe. Well, it's not straight straining of the particles but causing the particles to bind or cling for easy removal. Thus, clear water.
I need to build another tank with messy fish to show. The tank and filter is easy but obtaining the messy fish is the problem right now. If it's any consolation, the ponds are quite deep and I can see the grains of sand on the bottom but I know....apples and oranges. These koi pond filters are just examples and ideas for all to build on for their tanks. Like I said, they are not for all tanks and definitely over kill for some.
Oh, I forgot about my pbass tanks, they are clear but they are not messy fish so I'll wait for my messy fish before I can show. FYI, clear water is not always an indication of good water. The fish is the best indicator. Color, body conformation and size. So many times I see high end japanese kois go down hill. Champion Kohaku losing all it red turning muji....very sad.
wlim is a manufacturing company. He makes what ever I need and may not show up on his Koi Pond website.