Tell me more about the UG filter setup.
Okay, I will! It is so basic and simple and that is what I like about it. As you mentioned, it is called reverse flow and it all starts at the pre-filter, water is pulled through the filter sponges and then pumped through the sprinkler hose and then those red rocks, lava rocks, each rock has millions of lil worker bees making poop water safe to swim in. And then it just keeps happening, 24-7, 365, 5 ten, 15, 20! Sing it with me, Dummies! That black pre-filter is 10" x 12" and I liken it to a toilet that is constantly running. Ya wanna keep singing with me? 5, ten, 15 , 20, I had Bacon for Breakfast! And Eggs and Toast! NOT Burnt Toast! He's my Goldie!
Here are two more pics detailing the components and layout of my version of the UG. Before I built my first plywood tank, the Akron, I read up on backyard pond builds and a lot of the builds featured reverse flow UG systems, and so I tried it and as I already Brag Mentioned, the pre-filters in the Chicago have been circulating water for ONE whole year and the filter sponges have NOT needed cleaned or rinsed, they don't clog and run almost clean. It Amazes me. I Better do the Sign of the Cross! I can do it with both hands at the same time!
1. Black box is the pre-filter.
2. That Pump, pretty small for the punch it packs. 120 watts, rated at 2600 gal. per hour.
3. Sprinkler hose. I'm not sure it's necessarry but I sliced up the holes a bit bigger in the sprinkler hose because I was concerned too much back pressure might not let the pump perform at full capacity.
4. The Lava rocks. We aleady discussed their role in all this.
5. And then tomorrow I will level the lava rocks, place a layer of landscape fabric over the lava rocks before I add two to three inches of clean sifted pea gravel
6. My goal is a bed 4" deep lava rack tooped by 2 to 3" of pea gravel
7. Since I sift the pea gravel, I remove loads of sand and smaller gravel that my thinking and experience is, it is that the removal of those smaller particles might very well help the UG keep the gravel surface spotless.
Because when I set Akron up, it has a UG but I did NOT sift out the sand and finer gravel. Now, it still keeps the water crystal clear in Akron but the floor of gravel has lots of visible fish debris...
It will be so much fun adding secondary filters, air stones and circulation pumps, and fans too. I wish i could harness the Sun! Because that's fun too, not using electric lights, but indoor lights are a must in my situation.
That big flexible pipe, that is for my Goldies to swim through.