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    Thread: best RDF

    1. #1
      fsbbn is offline Senior Member
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      best RDF

      I am researching to buy two DRFs for a 20K gallon pond I will be getting built in the next three months. I am thinking they should flow over 20K gallons each. Some of the brands are red label, profidrum and now sea Side aquatics carries its own brand (i think chinese made) that looks like a good one. Can someone with first harn experience provide some guidance? I am hoping to pay between 9 - 12K for the two drums combined. If there is something better out there that someone in the US can get, please let me know.

      Also would it be better to buy a huge drum instead of two drums and save on cost?

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    2. #2
      batman is offline Senior Member
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      Many concerns with the future of Red Label in the US and even more unknowns and user lack of experience with vendor proprietary drums coming out. Vendor proprietary products in the past have proven to be problematic with support and finding spare parts after a few years. Personally I'd go with 2 drums made by Profidrum. Buying two should result in a nice discount.
      The real Batman wears polyester! Don't be fooled by the plastic imposter.

    3. #3
      mplskoi is offline Supporting Member
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      If I were you I would go with two drums rather than one. If you ever have a hiccup in the system you can keep one running while waiting for replacement parts.

      I had a BE RDF. Swapped it out for Red Label. I had one hiccup with the RL and Tom had a replacement part overnight shipped to me. I do think that vendor support is the most important part of the decision. It does look like Toms new Sea Side brand uses a lot of parts that can be swapped and exchanged rather easily. And while I have never met the man I do get a sense that he is in this for the long haul. I don't imagine he would introduce this line and then disappear from the hobby. He and his products get my vote.

      That being said there are some other pretty nice products on the market.

    4. #4
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      Quote Originally Posted by fsbbn View Post
      I am researching to buy two DRFs for a 20K gallon pond I will be getting built in the next three months. I am thinking they should flow over 20K gallons each. Some of the brands are red label, profidrum and now sea Side aquatics carries its own brand (i think chinese made) that looks like a good one. Can someone with first harn experience provide some guidance? I am hoping to pay between 9 - 12K for the two drums combined. If there is something better out there that someone in the US can get, please let me know.

      Also would it be better to buy a huge drum instead of two drums and save on cost?
      No, the new drums are made in Holland not China.
      people like to vehemently defend their purchases and find it incredulous that anything could be better

    5. #5
      fsbbn is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by Russell Peters View Post
      No, the new drums are made in Holland not China.
      Isn't Hai Feng a Chinese or Oriental company? On his web site that is what it says. Maybe I misunderstood.

    6. #6
      tf104 is offline Senior Member
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      my vote would be for the profi drum all others seem to come and go and the profi drum is still here.
      my combi has been in service for four years and it has been awesome.

    7. #7
      coolwon is offline Senior Member
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      Go 316 stainless steel, Pro Drum or PofiDrum .

      they don't warp.

      WARPS are problems.

      Absolute best in the West.

      Cost you an arm and leg.

      Bugger poverty give the cat another Gold fish.

      Garfield
      Find more about Weather in Durban, ZA

    8. #8
      kimini is offline Senior Member
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      I have a non-stainless Profidrum that hasn't warped in two years. In my opinion, warping is an overblown issue, but it's your money.

    9. #9
      coolwon is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by kimini View Post
      I have a non-stainless Profidrum that hasn't warped in two years. In my opinion, warping is an overblown issue, but it's your money.
      That's why they warp, the plastics overblown.

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    10. #10
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      Quote Originally Posted by fsbbn View Post
      Isn't Hai Feng a Chinese or Oriental company? On his web site that is what it says. Maybe I misunderstood.
      Hai Feng is Koi food and we are talking about RDF’s right?
      people like to vehemently defend their purchases and find it incredulous that anything could be better

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    11. #11
      tbullard is offline Senior Member
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      According to the 6th picture in this thread they are made in the Netherlands https://www.koiphen.com/forums/showt...DF-and-website

      Based on the history of Profidrum that would be the safe bet for such a large purchase. Looking back at old threads it looks like the first profidrums were in the US in 2014. Several other RDF models have come and gone since then and are usually hyped by the same few members but Profidrum is the only one that has passed the test of time. The Seaside RDF may be perfectly good and around for the next 20yrs but as of now they are brand new and not even available yet. There is also the issue of being an early adopter and dealing with issues that only pop up in real world use.

      As far as 2 smaller RDF vs 1 large RDF if money were no object I would say go with 2 smaller RDF for the redundancy if there was an issue. Also if in the future you decide to sell the RDF its probably easier to find a buyer for a standard sized RDF than one of the giant ones.

    12. #12
      batman is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by fsbbn View Post
      Isn't Hai Feng a Chinese or Oriental company? On his web site that is what it says. Maybe I misunderstood.
      Maybe it's a typo by Seaside??? I see why you're saying this.

      Seaside doesn't manufacture any products. This is their branded product manufactured for them. For this item they are the equivalent of Sears selling appliances with the Sears Kenmore name that were manufactured by different companies. Sometimes replacement parts support becomes an issue a few years later because of the separation.
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      Last edited by batman; 01-20-2020 at 12:55 PM.
      The real Batman wears polyester! Don't be fooled by the plastic imposter.

    13. #13
      DragonFireSG is offline Senior Member
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      2 independent drums > 1 drum.

      We're building a life support system. Redundancy if you can afford it, especially for such a key component is very desirable.

      Regarding warping - dry running is the main cause whether or not the drum is plastic or steel. This effect is amplified with large drums, since the bigger the drum, the more water can back up - and backed up water weighs a LOT. Commercial drum systems avoid complete dry running by separating the drum compartment from the pumped outlet using a raised spillway. This ensures that the drum is always partially submerged even if some failure causes the clean side to empty faster than it fills.

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    14. #14
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      I'm interested to see seaside rdfs in some ponds.

    15. #15
      ccna101 is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by DragonFireSG View Post
      2 independent drums > 1 drum.

      We're building a life support system. Redundancy if you can afford it, especially for such a key component is very desirable.

      Regarding warping - dry running is the main cause whether or not the drum is plastic or steel. This effect is amplified with large drums, since the bigger the drum, the more water can back up - and backed up water weighs a LOT. Commercial drum systems avoid complete dry running by separating the drum compartment from the pumped outlet using a raised spillway. This ensures that the drum is always partially submerged even if some failure causes the clean side to empty faster than it fills.

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      And this exactly how I semi retrofit my rdf to make it ran as much as I can with my BE issue:
      The secondary chamber: I built a 2x2x3 with extra liner and it works wonderful for add/remove pumps via pipe-boot, I add a cheap HD floater and the minute the water drop 5 in or more ( also RDF), float is trigger and the entire pumps shutdown . Once the level is back up, float switch is activate and all pumps start to pump again.

    16. #16
      cottagefog is offline Senior Member
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      ...and let us have the clock tick away and now its 10, 15, even 20 years from now and the manufacturer of your RDF's are no longer around and parts and support are scarce. At least you can morph one for parts and keep one going strong....

      My vote on having 2

    17. #17
      fsbbn is offline Senior Member
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      Do most of you go directly from RDF to Bakki shower or do you go to moving bed and then Bakki if you are planning to have bakki showers anyway? I saw a youtube video of a KOI guru named Raad Hassan who grows champion koi in England and he says to go from moving bed to bakki but I have heard a lot of people say to skip the moving bed.

      Also, i tried to call Profidrum two days in a row but no answer. Any hints on who to talk to?

      Thank you again for all the wisdom.

    18. #18
      htgoldfish is offline Member
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      You can operate the Bakki or moving bed or both of them in parallel . Most people here believe Bakki is more effective. I have both. Contact Mike Swanson at Koi Acres (google it) for Profidrum info.

    19. #19
      batman is offline Senior Member
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      For bio filtration it also depends on your site layout and ability to place or hide equipment. You can be successful with either or both.
      Last edited by batman; 01-20-2020 at 11:20 PM.
      The real Batman wears polyester! Don't be fooled by the plastic imposter.

    20. #20
      icu2's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by fsbbn View Post
      Do most of you go directly from RDF to Bakki shower or do you go to moving bed and then Bakki if you are planning to have bakki showers anyway? I saw a youtube video of a KOI guru named Raad Hassan who grows champion koi in England and he says to go from moving bed to bakki but I have heard a lot of people say to skip the moving bed.

      Also, i tried to call Profidrum two days in a row but no answer. Any hints on who to talk to?

      Thank you again for all the wisdom.
      Just to correct a common error but Bakki is a specific type of media, not the shower design itself. I think many
      use a shower filter without Bakki media... and have good results.

      I use a RDF to a shower from an Evolution ESBB10500 and have been very happy with the results in my 4000
      gallon pond.
      --Steve



      Koiphen 2021 Koi Person of the Year!

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