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  • Results 1 to 8 of 8

    Thread: Retro bottom drain on submerisible pump

    1. #1
      mark622's Avatar
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      Retro bottom drain on submerisible pump

      Been thinking of an easy way to add a bottom drain for my little goldfish pond. Really didn't have much faith in it working so I didn't take pictures of the making of lol. I spent zero money on the project, just used some junk out of the shed along with some epoxy and loctite construction adhesive that I already had.

      First I took my strainer off my submersible pump. Then I found an old black plastic flower pot in my shed, think I got it a couple years ago at Walmart for 1.98. Then I traced the size of my pump strainer on thebl bottom of the flower pot, which was just a bit smaller than the bottom of the pot. Used epoxy to set the strainer in the hole I cut out in the bottom. Then sealed it off with the construction adhesive. Then I made 5 small legs out of half in pvc and used adhesive to set them in the pot so the pot sets about a quarter inch off the bottom of pond. Finally I used the adhesive to attach rocks on the inside of pot for some weight. The pump the just attaches to the drain like it would to the strainer, guess you could day I modified my strainer into a retro bottom drain.

      As mentioned before I really didn't think it would work all that well, but I hooked it up, had to do some running and came back to see a pretty clear pond bottom. Actually had to pull it up and clean out all the string algae it sucked up. This is gonna really work well and save me quite a bit of trouble. Didn't take pics of the making process, but took one of it in action after I realized it was a success.
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    2. #2
      Jetmek's Avatar
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      This is really a cool idea, If you can, the next time its out of the pond, could you take a pic. I have a submefrgible with a bottom strainer. This may be what I need to do to mine.
      Thanks
      Doug


      " If a cluttered desk is sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then is an empty desk a sign?"
      Albert Einstein

    3. #3
      KoiKid55 is offline Senior Member
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      Some out of pond photos would be nice this is a really good option for small patio style ponds.
      Well I messed that one up
      BULKHEAD Y U NO WORK



      Music Makes Life Kenny Chesney Zac Brow Skrilex Enimem


    4. #4
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      I am super shocked at how well this is working. Bottom of my pond is bare liner, it never was this clear even after vaccuuming it out with a shop vac since the shop vac never would get the attached algae. Cleaned out the filters and after only three days they were as dirty as they normally are after a week. Pulled up the drain to clean it, but it really wasn't too bad, I hosed it off any way and had my daughter take some pics of it. Definitely not pretty, but very functional. May make a nicer one eventually since the concept works great.
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    5. #5
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      Hmmmmm. You have my attention.

      proudly Canadian

    6. #6
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      So, where does the waste ends up at ?
      Is it in the basket ?
      If it is, when the pump is turned off, does it not comes back out ?
      Just in case you are interested to see my setup: https://www.koiphen.com/forums/showth...9-Introduction

    7. #7
      mark622's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by Red Wakin View Post
      So, where does the waste ends up at ?
      Is it in the basket ?
      If it is, when the pump is turned off, does it not comes back out ?
      The bigger things get caught in the strainer just like it normally would, some comes out but is easily scooped out with the leaf net. Obviously not as good as regular drain or a retro drain with an external pump, but works much better than just throwing a submersible pump down there as I've been doing. I understand the whole churning of the poop andsubmersible pumps and ideal set up is gravity flow to seive before pump, but for my little water garden I am making the best of my situation lol.

    8. #8
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      Quote Originally Posted by mark622 View Post
      The bigger things get caught in the strainer just like it normally would, some comes out but is easily scooped out with the leaf net. Obviously not as good as regular drain or a retro drain with an external pump, but works much better than just throwing a submersible pump down there as I've been doing. I understand the whole churning of the poop andsubmersible pumps and ideal set up is gravity flow to seive before pump, but for my little water garden I am making the best of my situation lol.
      Cool

      One of our pond is an above concrete floor, small goldfish pond (about 700 gallon or so).
      I have been wanting to put a bottom drain to minimize maintenance on it.
      Just in case you are interested to see my setup: https://www.koiphen.com/forums/showth...9-Introduction

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