Birdmans 330 Gallon Settlement Chamber

[birdman]

For this I am using the 330 gallon metal framed poly tote tank. These are used to carry just about any kind of liquid imaginable. From paint to vegetable oil. If you look around industrial areas you can usually see them stacked out back. Most places will give them to you just to get them out of their way. Try to get as clean of one as you can find. Once you have cut the top out you can hose it out and treat it with a 15% bleach solution if needed.

Start be removing the two top cross bars. Then cut the top out. I use a compass made from a stick to draw a circle on the top to cut from.

[birdman]

Next I like to replace the odd bottom drain valve with a 3" knife valve. After dismantling the stock valve use a 3 1/2 inch hole saw to cut a new hole for the new valve.

Install 3" male and female electrical conduit adapters. These elec. conduit adapters have straight cut threads and will screw together tight unlike the PVC or ABS adapters with tapered pipe threads. I use PL roof and flashing cement to seal all adapters used for this.

Once this is done it's ready for the 3" knife valve. I installed my knife valve right at the tank but it can be installed anywhere in line that is easy accessible.

[birdman]

The 4" line from the Bottom Drain should go in about 1/3rd the way up the side near a corner to create a circular flow inside. A counter clock wise flow is best if you live in the Northern Hemisphere. I use the Elec. conduit adapter for this also.

You need a 4" knife valve in this BD line to block flow when dumping the settling tank. Outside the tank just where the BD water enters is best, but if space is tight you can put this valve inside the tank. You will just have to get wet to reach it or use a stick with a hook.

[birdman]

I run the 4" outlet line out the center of what ever side of the tank that fits your needs. Once again 1/3rd the way up the side, and once again with the Elec. conduit adapters. Keeping the outlet through the side wall low allows you the flexibility of adding pre filters later.

Run the horizontal line to a 90 centered in the center of the tank. Glue the 90 onto this line. Now make a stand pipe that will slip vertically into this 90. DO NOT GLUE THIS PIPE! This vertical pipe not being glued can be pulled for pumping out, or changed later on if you decide to add a pre filter or micro screen. I can't begin to tell you how many different things I have experimented with, and how many different times I have pulled this stand pipe.

[birdman]

Run this 4" outlet to what ever is next in-line with your filtration. Put a 4" knife valve in this line. In this example the outlet went to a 2nd tote being used as a Bio Filter.

[birdman]

It is best to add some kind of pre filter or micro screen to the outlet. This will greatly enhance the performance of your settling tank. Here is an example of a static pre filter with matts and a roataing micro screen.

Check the "Stickys" as there are several good DIY pre filters there.

[birdman]

When servicing this settling tank I like to block in the BD knife valve and pump the tank as low as you can. Then shut down the pump, block in the outlet knife valve, open the drain valve and dump the tank.

Not all the waste will drain out, some will still be on the tank bottom. Don't worry, we'll get it. Open your BD knife valve fully and you will get a big "Whoosh" of dirty water through it. This is important as it's flushing out any sediment that has settled in your BD line. This will also stir up the solids that didn't drain the 1st time from the tank. Once water is running clear, close the BD knife valve and dump the tank again.

When finished, close the drain valve, open the BD valve. Once the settling tank is full open the outlet valve and start the pump.
Any away you go.

[birdman]

These tanks will not direct bury. The soil will collapse the tank sides. But you can direct bury them if you wrap 4 sheets of treated 3/4 inch plywood around the tank. Here is a case where you would want your BD knife valve inside the tank instead of outside in the dirt.

The last pictures is the installation using the settling tank then to the bio tank I described here.

[Ph1ngering]

Another great thread by the Birdman... Big fan!...

In this picture:

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=296161&stc=1&d=1236345614

Curious what you used for the basket? Can you just pull that basket off for cleaning? Water only enters through the top of the basket correct, not slots in the sides?

Thanks --Craig

[birdman]

Another great thread by the Birdman... Big fan!...

In this picture:

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=296161&stc=1&d=1236345614

Curious what you used for the basket? Can you just pull that basket off for cleaning? Water only enters through the top of the basket correct, not slots in the sides?

Thanks --Craig
It's a flower pot Craig. here's the const. thread.
http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81611
Yes water goes in the top, through the matt. You just lift out the matt and hose it off.

[Ph1ngering]

Link didn't work, but i think i found it...

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81611

It doesn't put to much stress on the pipe, or should it be supported right before the 90?

Thanks again Steve..

[birdman]

Link didn't work, but i think i found it...

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81611

It doesn't put to much stress on the pipe, or should it be supported right before the 90?

Thanks again Steve..
That depends on how rigid your outlet pipe is supported outside of the tank. If need be you can tie it up with some fine rope.
I fixed the link, thanks.

[carolinacrane]

Run this 4" outlet to what ever is next in-line with your filtration. Put a 4" knife valve in this line. In this example the outlet went to a 2nd tote being used as a Bio Filter.

Don't know if you remember me, but I was trying to pull together plans for a pond build. Have looked at other options, and this is probably what I am going with. Could I use this as a fluid bed instead of a settlement chamber? If so, would it be drilled differently? Still have the stand pipe? Could I use a 9 inch air stone, or do I still need to do a air diffuser/manifold with grates for the bottom?

[Ph1ngering]

Hey Steve can you tell me how the setup on the bio container in this picture..

http://www.koiphen.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=296168&stc=1&d=1236346466

You go from the SC to the Bio, do you have the same kind of static filter in the bio chamber that exits to the pump? I know the bio will be boiling, so just curious how your exit pipe is setup on the bio..

Thanks AGAIN

--Craig

[birdman]

Hey Steve can you tell me how the setup on the bio container in this picture..

You go from the SC to the Bio, do you have the same kind of static filter in the bio chamber that exits to the pump? I know the bio will be boiling, so just curious how your exit pipe is setup on the bio..

Thanks AGAIN

--Craig
Pretty simple Craig. This one is filled with one 9000 foot roll of poly package strapping. It has an air blower manifold like the sand/gravel filters for blowing out the strapping twice a year. It has Dream Pond Koi Toilet 2 BDs with screens for the water in and the water out to the pump.

If made into a fluid bed, I would still use the Koi Toilet screens in and out, but in place of the air blower manifold I would use a 9" high capacity air diffuser.

[birdman]

Don't know if you remember me, but I was trying to pull together plans for a pond build. Have looked at other options, and this is probably what I am going with. Could I use this as a fluid bed instead of a settlement chamber? If so, would it be drilled differently? Still have the stand pipe? Could I use a 9 inch air stone, or do I still need to do a air diffuser/manifold with grates for the bottom?
Yes it can. Look at the reply I just answered for Craig.
Pictured here is the Koi Toilet 2 BD with screen i use for the inlet and outlet. Inlet goes in at the lower side, outlet near the top opposite side.

[Ph1ngering]

I was going to go with lower inlet hamster ball.. and same for the higher outlet. Should be cheaper right..

Is a 9" disc enough for that big of a bio or should i use two or make my one diffuser.

Thanks agian

[birdman]

I was going to go with lower inlet hamster ball.. and same for the higher outlet. Should be cheaper right..

Is a 9" disc enough for that big of a bio or should i use two or make my one diffuser.

Thanks agian
That all depends on water and flow rate. The higher the water flow, the more air you need.
The 3" line to the 7" hamster balls are only good for 2000 gph.
The screened Koi Toilet 2 is 4", will handle much more flow, and it has the nice wife flange for clamping onto the side of the thin tank.
There are lots of choices for an air diffuser, such as soaker hose, an air stone manifold like pictured, or the good old 9" high capacity air diffuser. (my favorite, just crank up the air amount).

[d.koi]

Hi steve I was looking for that PL polyurethane sealant and all I could find was PL polyurethane construction adhesive. It says it is 100% polyurethane but I don't know if it is the same as the stuff you use. I was also curious about weather or not it matters that it says right on the tube ''not recommended for under water applications" Thanks

Dave.

[birdman]

Hi steve I was looking for that PL polyurethane sealant and all I could find was PL polyurethane construction adhesive. It says it is 100% polyurethane but I don't know if it is the same as the stuff you use. I was also curious about weather or not it matters that it says right on the tube ''not recommended for under water applications" Thanks

Dave.
Here's a picture of it Dave.

[BruceP]

Good thread Steve. Can you give us the overall (outside) dimensions of these containers including cage and pallet please? lxwxh

[Ph1ngering]

Roughly 4x4x4....

[icu2]

... I was also curious about weather or not it matters that it says right on the tube ''not recommended for under water applications"

Dave,
I was worried about the same thing. The stuff Steve showed says right on it
that it's not recommended for under water... don't believe 'em. :D:
As long as it's in an application that it'll be "clamped" together, it works great.
I was also worried about putting water in right away, before the stuff even
had time to set... again, Steve said "just do it!!" :) I did, and no leaks what-so-ever! :cheer: :bow:

[maxxreebo1]

Birdman I have a question for you. My buddy and I are building him a new pond and just got 2 of the totes. I was gone see what you thought about using the 2nd one with kaldness or something similar. What I would do is put an air diffuser for BD's 8" +/- off the bottom to boil the media for bio. I would pull with a 2" from the bottom with a strainer at about 4500-5000 gph back to the pond via tpr's. Maybe use light diffuser so kaldness does not go below the air diffuser. The first tote will connect via 4" with a strainer on the bio side to keep kaldness out of SC. If you can picture all of that how do you think it will work?
Thanks , John
http://www.koiphen.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=296170&stc=1&d=1236346466

[birdman]

What I like to do to make a tote fluid bed is put a 3/4 inch threaded bulkhead fitting in the bottom of the tote. The 9" air diffuser will screw into this. This keeps the air diffuser as close to the bottom as possible. For the totes being so large and wanting to use 4" in and out for water flow I like using the Koi Toilet 2 bottom drains with the screen instead of the dome.

[maxxreebo1]

Want the pump suck air if it goes out there or does the air column stay in the center?

[birdman]

Want the pump suck air if it goes out there or does the air column stay in the center?
On the outlet line use a Tee, pointing down to the pump and up for a burp pipe.

[prestongohlke]

With a S/C built out of a tote just as you show, would it be worth it at all to just go ahead and add a roll of poly straping for added bio?

I realized you would have to pull it out and clean it good a couple times a year but would it reduce the preformance of the s/c?

P

[BruceP]

P....... it will work but has some drawbacks. First is that a true sc swirls the water around letting the solids drop to the bottom. Wont happen with media (strapping). The media will trap the solids. But, you are right in that it will give more bio... the only problem is that its going to get nasty alot sooner. If you don't mine shutting the sc down; shaking out the media; and then draining the sc, it WILL work.

[prestongohlke]

:bow: Thanks !

[luke-gr]

Bummer to see that these cannot be buried. I figured they werent the strongest but figured they would work with the cage. You have first hand experience on that Birdman? ;)

[prestongohlke]

Just a few pieces of plywood and its good !

[TexasTravis]

Yup. Alls you really need to do is just slip a sheet of plywood between the cage and plastic container. That or just slip it between the cage and dirt. You dont even need to hammer, screw, or square anything really. Good Luck

[birdman]

Yup. Alls you really need to do is just slip a sheet of plywood between the cage and plastic container. That or just slip it between the cage and dirt. You dont even need to hammer, screw, or square anything really. Good Luck
That's basicly what I do, just cheap, scrap plywood around the outside.

[maxxreebo1]

Here are some pics of Colin's filter tote.
It's not complete and is shown in stages. The first on has 2 basket that now has spring flow in them. Then it goes to the next one via 2-4" pipes. The bio chamber will hold kaldness and be boiled with 2- 9" diffusers.

[maygarden]

In this setup (SC with pre-filter), how often do you have to clean the pre-filter baskets? Thanks-

[Luck]

With a S/C built out of a tote just as you show, would it be worth it at all to just go ahead and add a roll of poly straping for added bio?

I realized you would have to pull it out and clean it good a couple times a year but would it reduce the preformance of the s/c?

P
the only problem with that is the strapping will eventually take care of the bio load and you won't need the MB's any more...

That's why you always run bio chambers in parallel instead of in series, the second one won't have much to do but sit there and twiddle it's thumbs(media)

[birdman]

In this setup (SC with pre-filter), how often do you have to clean the pre-filter baskets? Thanks-
Depends of what kind of waste and how much your pond is generating. I have seen pre filters go a week and at other times, mostly because of algae, needing to be cleaned a couple of times a day.

[sworley]

Next I like to replace the odd bottom drain valve with a 3" knife valve. After dismantling the stock valve use a 3 1/2 inch hole saw to cut a new hole for the new valve.

Install 3" male and female electrical conduit adapters. These elec. conduit adapters have straight cut threads and will screw together tight unlike the PVC or ABS adapters with tapered pipe threads. I use PL roof and flashing cement to seal all adapters used for this.

Once this is done it's ready for the 3" knife valve. I installed my knife valve right at the tank but it can be installed anywhere in line that is easy accessible.

Steve, Is that particular replaced bottom drain used for anything? Since your inlets and outlets are both 1/3 the way up the side of the tote, couldn't that "odd" drain just be left alone? I'll be pumping my tank out with a sump pump and will have a static prefilter basket of pvc shavings. Thanks

[birdman]

Steve, Is that particular replaced bottom drain used for anything? Since your inlets and outlets are both 1/3 the way up the side of the tote, couldn't that "odd" drain just be left alone? I'll be pumping my tank out with a sump pump and will have a static prefilter basket of pvc shavings. Thanks

Yes, in your case, just leave it alone.

[chris1177]

Could I get away with running two 4" bottom drains into one tote? Or would that be too much flow?

[Marilyn]

Could I get away with running two 4" bottom drains into one tote? Or would that be too much flow?
Chris, you may want to pose this question in the Construction area. With its location in the Archives members that could help likely didn't see it.