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  • Results 1 to 14 of 14

    Thread: Ideas on an autofill for a raised pond

    1. #1
      davesurfer is offline Senior Member
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      Ideas on an autofill for a raised pond

      Hi! I have a 700 gallon raised pond built from 4x4 timbers. On the one end I have the spillway which comes from a Zakki shower filter and pre-filtered by an Oase 3000 pressure filter. The Oase and other equipment are kept in the filter house on the end as seen in the pictures. I've seen these autofill devices such as this one from Sacramento Koi https://sacramentokoi.com/external-auto-fill/ but not sure how I would incorporate it with my setup. Or maybe a DIY one with this: https://www.amazon.ca/Little-Giant-5...7325224&sr=8-2 I'd be willing to cut through the 4x4s and the pond liner to install a pipe going to the pond from one. I'd prefer having something as hidden as possible and not taking up real estate inside the pond. Also not sure but I'm guessing I'd have to disconnect it for the winter time to avoid the water feed hose from freezing--or maybe I can get it insulated somehow or use a pipe heating cable or inline heater? Any ideas?? Thanks!

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      Last edited by davesurfer; 07-26-2021 at 05:21 PM.

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    2. #2
      cvostmyer is offline Member
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      Not an auto fill, but if you have an overflow in your setup, you can use a RO flow restrictor (https://www.amazon.com/Tier1-PFR402Q...-garden&sr=1-4) connected to a carbon filter to give you a slow constant flow through the pond.

      I'm using a 150 ml restrictor on my pond with an RDF on a timer. My overflow (not from the RDF) is collected in a 5 gal bucket which just needs to bumped once a day.

    3. #3
      davesurfer is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by cvostmyer View Post
      Not an auto fill, but if you have an overflow in your setup, you can use a RO flow restrictor (https://www.amazon.com/Tier1-PFR402Q...-garden&sr=1-4) connected to a carbon filter to give you a slow constant flow through the pond.

      I'm using a 150 ml restrictor on my pond with an RDF on a timer. My overflow (not from the RDF) is collected in a 5 gal bucket which just needs to bumped once a day.
      No I don't have an overflow, didn't need it as it's a covered pond. I do like the idea of adding a carbon filter especially for topping up. I do a backwash every day so having to top up with the hose is getting tiresome.
      Last edited by davesurfer; 07-26-2021 at 07:47 PM.

    4. #4
      cvostmyer is offline Member
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      If you do go with an auto fill, you may want to think about an overflow as well. They do sometimes stick open or a seal fails.

      With a raised pond you can hook them to a hose and move it somewhere safe away from the house.

    5. #5
      davesurfer is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by cvostmyer View Post
      If you do go with an auto fill, you may want to think about an overflow as well. They do sometimes stick open or a seal fails.

      With a raised pond you can hook them to a hose and move it somewhere safe away from the house.
      For sure, that one by Sacramento Koi has an overflow outlet.

    6. #6
      icu2's Avatar
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      I use a Tandy K1100 that uses a remote sensor and a electric solenoid that turns on the water.
      I feed the new water into the top of my shower. I've had it for about 5 years and it has worked well.
      It also has a auto stop if for some reason it runs more than 20 minutes non stop.
      --Steve



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    7. #7
      davesurfer is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by icu2 View Post
      I use a Tandy K1100 that uses a remote sensor and a electric solenoid that turns on the water.
      I feed the new water into the top of my shower. I've had it for about 5 years and it has worked well.
      It also has a auto stop if for some reason it runs more than 20 minutes non stop.
      I just looked at the Jandy K1100, nice idea, but really expensive, probably good if I had a much bigger setup/pond, it's nearly $600.
      Last edited by davesurfer; 07-27-2021 at 12:03 AM.

    8. #8
      pondfishguy is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by davesurfer View Post
      Hi! I have a 700 gallon raised pond built from 4x4 timbers. On the one end I have the spillway which comes from a Zakki shower filter and pre-filtered by an Oase 3000 pressure filter. The Oase and other equipment are kept in the filter house on the end as seen in the pictures. I've seen these autofill devices such as this one from Sacramento Koi https://sacramentokoi.com/external-auto-fill/ but not sure how I would incorporate it with my setup. Or maybe a DIY one with this: https://www.amazon.ca/Little-Giant-5...7325224&sr=8-2 I'd be willing to cut through the 4x4s and the pond liner to install a pipe going to the pond from one. I'd prefer having something as hidden as possible and not taking up real estate inside the pond. Also not sure but I'm guessing I'd have to disconnect it for the winter time to avoid the water feed hose from freezing--or maybe I can get it insulated somehow or use a pipe heating cable or inline heater? Any ideas?? Thanks!

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      I use a 1/2” ball valve with a 110volt electric actuator and a sump pump float control to turn it on/off. About $80 for all the parts.

      Also use stock tank fill valve.
      Little Giant Trough-O-Matic Stock Tank Float Valve with Plastic Housing and Expansion Brackets
      Roll over image to zoom in






      Little Giant Trough-O-Matic Stock Tank Float Valve with Plastic Housing and Expansion Brackets

    9. #9
      davesurfer is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by pondfishguy View Post
      I use a 1/2” ball valve with a 110volt electric actuator and a sump pump float control to turn it on/off. About $80 for all the parts.

      Also use stock tank fill valve.
      Little Giant Trough-O-Matic Stock Tank Float Valve with Plastic Housing and Expansion Brackets
      Roll over image to zoom in






      Little Giant Trough-O-Matic Stock Tank Float Valve with Plastic Housing and Expansion Brackets
      I'm not sure what that would look like, did you post pictures? It says "roll over image to zoom in" but I can't see any pics.

    10. #10
      KoiFan84 is offline Senior Member
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      I would recommend making an overflow if possible. Flow through is a great thing to have. Get yourself a couple more koi with that. Just have to make sure it’s water tight!

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    11. #11
      KoiFan84 is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by cvostmyer View Post
      Not an auto fill, but if you have an overflow in your setup, you can use a RO flow restrictor (https://www.amazon.com/Tier1-PFR402Q...-garden&sr=1-4) connected to a carbon filter to give you a slow constant flow through the pond.

      I'm using a 150 ml restrictor on my pond with an RDF on a timer. My overflow (not from the RDF) is collected in a 5 gal bucket which just needs to bumped once a day.
      CVO would you mind posting a video or pic of how you incorporated your flow through method and how it works? I have an overflow and had a dosatron, but it wasn’t reliable. Thanks!!

    12. #12
      cvostmyer is offline Member
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      I'll see if I can get some pictures tomorrow. For now it is just a make shift system to make sure I kept a stable water level for the RDF.

      Here is the set up:
      1. fresh water hose (https://www.amazon.com/Camco-TastePU...s%2C240&sr=8-7)
      2. hooked to a carbon filter (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
      3. reduced to a 1/4 tubing (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
      4. restricted to a trickle using the flow restrictor (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)


      The tubing after the restrictor just hangs over the side of the pond (it is a raised pond) and the RDF removes most of it, the rest drips out of the overflow.

    13. #13
      pondfishguy is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by davesurfer View Post
      I'm not sure what that would look like, did you post pictures? It says "roll over image to zoom in" but I can't see any pics.
      Sold on Amazon. Sorry if the link didn’t work. Just search by title on Amazon

    14. #14
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      I had that Sacramento Koi external auto-fill and HATED it. I actually threw it in the trash a few months ago. Because of the tiny water volume in the reservoir, it was super inconsistent in maintaining water levels in the pond. The water level in the pond would have to drop several inches in order for the valve to kick on.

      I switched to a Jobes Topaz autofill valve. It works great and is really precise. However it is a bit unsightly since you're going over the edge of the pond. It could easily be hidden a planter box or something similar.





      I have it plumbed to a normally-closed solenoid valve

      ~ Jose

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