Hey guys, It looks like I'm going to need some help on this one. Here's a picture of my present pond. It's about 3,500 gals. Two bottom drains to a vortex, then to a 1x2x1 meter lava rock filter. This is full of minnows to keep the mosquito's down. Then water passes through bio brushes into a 1,200 gallon per hour pump, through a 25 watt uv light and to a water fall. From the water fall the water passes through 2 square meters of 6 inches of water covered by water cabbage. 6 water lily plants are planted in rock so they take their nutrients from the water for more filtration. Then I have about 4 other water lily's that are floating. In the pond I have about 30 guapotes. I just tested the water and it's at 124 of coli particles per liter of water. The biologist told me that under 150 is acceptable for swimming. It needs to be this clean because myself and my kids love swimming with the fish.
Here's the kicker. I've gotton the itch. I've started planning my next project. I'm shooting for about a 30,000 gallon concrete fish pond that If I move someday I can easily convert back into a swimming pool. Here's what I've got so far. I've got about 100 square meters to work with. I've already bought a 5,350 gal/hr pondmaster external x series pump that will pump water to a series of pipes under a lava rock basin full of filtering plants with a retaining wall to separate the filter area from the swimming/monster fish area. A 2,905 gal/hr laguna powerjet skimmer pump for the laguna high efficiency pond skimmer that will pass the water through a spliced laguna 55 watt and 25 watt uv light. One of my main concerns is the build up of waste on the built in lava rock filter. This I assume is where the fish will be breeding and most of the fry will be growing. This is very much like a natural swimming pool design except for the two bottom drains that will help remove the larger solids from the swimming area. Should I have the waterfall enter the lava rock area so that more water passes through the filter area or have it empty into the swimming area? Remember it needs to be swimming quality water. Here are some pictures of my present setup. This is the proof that I'm crazy enough to do these projects. Now its a year later and It's working great. I'll be breaking ground in about 1 month. I live in Costa Rica and its pissing down rain right now, but I want the project done by December.
The last photo is an example that I'm shooting for. The last photo isn't mine.
I need advice on:
1. Large in pool lava filter efficiency.
2. What's the best way to set up my external pump to the bottom drains and be able to extract solid waste?
3. Where should my be skimmer go in relation to my bottom drains?
4. Where should my skimmer water empty in to. (WaterFall)
Here's the kicker. I've gotton the itch. I've started planning my next project. I'm shooting for about a 30,000 gallon concrete fish pond that If I move someday I can easily convert back into a swimming pool. Here's what I've got so far. I've got about 100 square meters to work with. I've already bought a 5,350 gal/hr pondmaster external x series pump that will pump water to a series of pipes under a lava rock basin full of filtering plants with a retaining wall to separate the filter area from the swimming/monster fish area. A 2,905 gal/hr laguna powerjet skimmer pump for the laguna high efficiency pond skimmer that will pass the water through a spliced laguna 55 watt and 25 watt uv light. One of my main concerns is the build up of waste on the built in lava rock filter. This I assume is where the fish will be breeding and most of the fry will be growing. This is very much like a natural swimming pool design except for the two bottom drains that will help remove the larger solids from the swimming area. Should I have the waterfall enter the lava rock area so that more water passes through the filter area or have it empty into the swimming area? Remember it needs to be swimming quality water. Here are some pictures of my present setup. This is the proof that I'm crazy enough to do these projects. Now its a year later and It's working great. I'll be breaking ground in about 1 month. I live in Costa Rica and its pissing down rain right now, but I want the project done by December.
The last photo is an example that I'm shooting for. The last photo isn't mine.
I need advice on:
1. Large in pool lava filter efficiency.
2. What's the best way to set up my external pump to the bottom drains and be able to extract solid waste?
3. Where should my be skimmer go in relation to my bottom drains?
4. Where should my skimmer water empty in to. (WaterFall)
