100 micron vs 50 micron filter media

[CarpCharacin]

I have a moving bed pond filter made out of a 55 gallon drum where the water comes in the top and goes out a side overflow, and I have a box made of lighting diffuser that sits on top of the barrel where the water comes in, and I usually fill it with polyester batting to use for mechanical filtration, but the only thing I don't like about the batting is that it is kind of expensive, and it is not reusable. I have been researching options for a replacement for the batting for when I restart the filter in the spring, and I came across AquaMaxx filter pads that are machine washable, and I like them, but they come in both 50 and 100 micron sizes. I fear that 50 microns might be too fine, but I worry that 100 microns might not be fine enough, since 50 microns is twice as fine as 100 microns. The pump runs at 3500 GPH. Which do you think would be best, the 50 micron or the 100 micron? I'm not sure what the fineness of the batting was, I just got it at Walmart.

 

[Drstrangelove]

Imo, there isn't a "best." One will catch more (good), but requires more maintenance (bad.) That's a personal choice and depends on what you want. It's also empirical. (Try one option and see if it works better for you.)

For me, I find that I sometimes don't have time, so low maintenance is better, but at other times, I do, so, better results are better.

 

[CarpCharacin]

I'm lazy so I don't like doing maintenance, but I want something that will at least work as well as the batting did. How many microns do you think the batting was?

 

[neoprodigy]

should have multiple stages... 100 micron --> 50 micron

 

[CarpCharacin]

should have multiple stages... 100 micron --> 50 micron

It is an outdoor pond, I don't care about filtering out every tiny bit of debris, I just want something that works as well as the batting did, but that is reusable.

 

[CarpCharacin]

So which is closest to the batting, the 50 micron, or the 100 micron?

 

[Yoimbrian]

thickness comes in to play here as well. The filters aren't perfectly sized holes, so a 5" thick (foam block) 100 micron filter will take out more than a 0.1" thick (filter bag) 50 micron filter.

For a pond though I'd go with 100 micron, 50 micron is really fine and will plug quick.

 

[CarpCharacin]

I ordered three of the 36 inch by 36 inch 100 micron filter pads, that way with three, I can wash them in batches of two while still keeping on in the filter.

 

[BIG-G]

Something I’ve discovered recently.
Don’t know if it will help in your particular situation.
Most of these whatever micron filter pads are made from felt.
I found felt at Walmart in their fabric dept that is the exact same thing.
You can buy it in different sizes.
It also comes on rolls and you can buy it by the yard and they cut it for you.

It also comes in different thickness but I have no way of knowing what micron it would filter to.
For me it’s going to be a cost savings for sure.
Just thought I would share the info just throwing it out there

 

[CarpCharacin]

Something I’ve discovered recently.
Don’t know if it will help in your particular situation.
Most of these whatever micron filter pads are made from felt.
I found felt at Walmart in their fabric dept that is the exact same thing.
You can buy it in different sizes.
It also comes on rolls and you can buy it by the yard and they cut it for you.
View attachment 1352044
It also comes in different thickness but I have no way of knowing what micron it would filter to.
For me it’s going to be a cost savings for sure.
Just thought I would share the info just throwing it out there

Are those machine washable?