• Amused
  • Angry
  • Annoyed
  • Awesome
  • Bemused
  • Cocky
  • Cool
  • Crazy
  • Crying
  • Depressed
  • Down
  • Drunk
  • Embarrased
  • Enraged
  • Friendly
  • Geeky
  • Godly
  • Happy
  • Hateful
  • Hungry
  • Innocent
  • Meh
  • Piratey
  • Poorly
  • Sad
  • Secret
  • Shy
  • Sneaky
  • Tired
  • Page 3 of 85 FirstFirst 12345613 ... LastLast
    Results 41 to 60 of 1682

    Thread: Birdman's Sand/Gravel Filter

    1. #41
      birdman's Avatar
      birdman is offline DIY Savant
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
      Location
      Palm Springs, CA.
      Posts
      21,812
      They create very little head. And yes, flow will decrease slightly if they become to dirty. But what you will see is channeling in the sand before the flow is decreased very much. Between my three I only see a reduction of 30 to 30 gph when dirty, or 10 gph each.

      • Remove Ads
        Advertising from Google
        Promoting Koi and Pond
        keeping since 2007

         

    2. #42
      rdm757's Avatar
      rdm757 is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      May 2006
      Location
      Charlotte, NC
      Posts
      454
      Thank you Steve! That is just what I was hoping to hear. I prefer to avoid high head systems because of the higher wattage pumps required. I'm pretty sure that bead filters require more powerful pumps. The fact that a S&G can run with a low head pump is a hugh advantage in my view.

      Thanks again for this most informative thread!

    3. #43
      Kent Wallace's Avatar
      Kent Wallace is offline The luckiest man in the world
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Las Vegas NV
      Posts
      4,598
      A well built sand and gravel filter creates about 1/4 psi.

    4. #44
      rdm757's Avatar
      rdm757 is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      May 2006
      Location
      Charlotte, NC
      Posts
      454
      Quote Originally Posted by Kent Wallace View Post
      A well built sand and gravel filter creates about 1/4 psi.
      If I remember the formula right, 1/4 psi would be just over 1/2 foot of head. That is really an amazingly low number, especially for such an effective filter. Most systems will see far more head loss from the plumbing!

    5. #45
      ikoi's Avatar
      ikoi is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Apr 2008
      Location
      Far Far Away
      Posts
      153
      Quote Originally Posted by birdman View Post
      There are several choices for sand. Kent uses #12 sand blasting sand.
      I just bought the sand and it's labeled as #2/12 blasting sand. Is it the right sand?

      Thanks.

    6. #46
      Dillon's Avatar
      Dillon is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Feb 2006
      Location
      Maryland zone 7a
      Posts
      1,299
      Is there any way to modify this filter to work before the pump? I would like to suck 2000gph through it. I assume the sand may not work but how about another sinking media?
      Still biding my time...but I will be the thread killer again!

      Yada

    7. #47
      luke-gr's Avatar
      luke-gr is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jun 2004
      Location
      Boone, NC Zone 6
      Posts
      11,566
      Dont think that will work.

      Other medias could work but you wont get the benefits of the sand.

    8. #48
      Kent Wallace's Avatar
      Kent Wallace is offline The luckiest man in the world
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Las Vegas NV
      Posts
      4,598
      I have done it but it requires a lot of extra tank space at the top to allow for the huge draw down the media restriction creates. I would never do it again.

    9. #49
      Dillon's Avatar
      Dillon is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Feb 2006
      Location
      Maryland zone 7a
      Posts
      1,299
      I was afraid that would be the case. Especially with sand. Luke mentioned that it might be possible with another media? I know matala works ok but i am finding that it wears out after a couple of years and the cleaning is not as much fun as it used to be

      I would like to use a blower setup like you have for your sand filter. Do you think another sinking media would catch the same or more crud than my matala or would I be wasting my time?

      I do have a 75 skippy filter that could be replaced with a 55 gallon sand filter but I would like to get rid of the matala...

      Quote Originally Posted by Kent Wallace View Post
      I have done it but it requires a lot of extra tank space at the top to allow for the huge draw down the media restriction creates. I would never do it again.
      Still biding my time...but I will be the thread killer again!

      Yada

    10. #50
      birdman's Avatar
      birdman is offline DIY Savant
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
      Location
      Palm Springs, CA.
      Posts
      21,812
      The finest PVC shavings that Kent sells work well for trapping fines, and could be used in a gravity flow service. but not sure if you could blow it clean like the sand.

      • Remove Ads
        Advertising from Google
        Promoting Koi and Pond
        keeping since 2007

         

    11. #51
      Kent Wallace's Avatar
      Kent Wallace is offline The luckiest man in the world
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Aug 2004
      Location
      Las Vegas NV
      Posts
      4,598
      PVC shavings!!!!!!!

    12. #52
      Dillon's Avatar
      Dillon is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Feb 2006
      Location
      Maryland zone 7a
      Posts
      1,299
      Can you blow them clean without launching them out of the barrel?


      Quote Originally Posted by Kent Wallace View Post
      PVC shavings!!!!!!!
      Still biding my time...but I will be the thread killer again!

      Yada

    13. #53
      zack67360 is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Feb 2007
      Location
      Peru Kansas-SE KS.
      Posts
      967

      skippy conversion?

      Planning a redo in 2010, but after reading this post, was thinking that maybe I could use the old skippy filter tank (150 gallon Rubbermaid) that is now empty at the head of the falls and make it into a sand/gravel polishing filter. The tank is in place with a ton of rocks stacked around it, but can access the back of the tank. Was wondering about putting a bulkhead in the side at the bottom for the water intake, then have the air ring oblong inside around the perimeter bottom of the tank about 4" in from the sides. Then build the rest as described. Would this allow proper waterflow evenly up through the gravel and sand? I was thinking of placing a 90* elbow on the water intake, to create a swirling action. Thoughts?
      Thanks,
      zack

    14. #54
      birdman's Avatar
      birdman is offline DIY Savant
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
      Location
      Palm Springs, CA.
      Posts
      21,812
      Quote Originally Posted by zack67360 View Post
      Planning a redo in 2010, but after reading this post, was thinking that maybe I could use the old skippy filter tank (150 gallon Rubbermaid) that is now empty at the head of the falls and make it into a sand/gravel polishing filter. The tank is in place with a ton of rocks stacked around it, but can access the back of the tank. Was wondering about putting a bulkhead in the side at the bottom for the water intake, then have the air ring oblong inside around the perimeter bottom of the tank about 4" in from the sides. Then build the rest as described. Would this allow proper waterflow evenly up through the gravel and sand? I was thinking of placing a 90* elbow on the water intake, to create a swirling action. Thoughts?
      Thanks,
      zack
      While your idea sounds workable, I don't know if you have enough height. How high is the tank?

    15. #55
      zack67360 is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Feb 2007
      Location
      Peru Kansas-SE KS.
      Posts
      967
      I would guess about 24", maybe a few inches less to spillway openings which are 3- 2" bulkhead fittings. Won't be back home until Monday morning to say for sure.
      zack

    16. #56
      birdman's Avatar
      birdman is offline DIY Savant
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
      Location
      Palm Springs, CA.
      Posts
      21,812
      Quote Originally Posted by zack67360 View Post
      I would guess about 24", maybe a few inches less to spillway openings which are 3- 2" bulkhead fittings. Won't be back home until Monday morning to say for sure.
      zack
      Part of what makes this filter work when flushing is the weight of the respective layers. If you went
      3" free space
      3" lg gravel
      3" med gravel
      3" pea gravel
      and on top 6" free space
      that only leaves 6" max for sand, I know at these levels you would lose some sand out the waste pipe when flushing, but sand is cheap, you can always add more, give it a try.

    17. #57
      luke-gr's Avatar
      luke-gr is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jun 2004
      Location
      Boone, NC Zone 6
      Posts
      11,566
      Dillon, following what Kent said about needing a taller container to deal with draw down, I would think one could use a bigger diameter container to achieve the same purpose end......might be easier to find a bigger diameter container than a taller one??? Seems to me a larger container at any given flow rate would have less restriction and lend itself more to gravity fed. Might be construed as a waste of materials, simply building a bigger filter so you could accommodate gravity flow.

    18. #58
      Dillon's Avatar
      Dillon is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Feb 2006
      Location
      Maryland zone 7a
      Posts
      1,299
      Luke are you referring to using sand & gravel in a larger diameter container? Maybe if I pull water through a wider return inside the container I can get a 2000 - 3000 max gph flow rate?

      I suppose I have all winter to think about I am working on a model of my existing set up and will post it when I am finished. Maybe it will help...
      I suspect that my fish load is going to max out next season and I may need to add another circuit. I could push water to a standard S&G setup on it.

      If I do go that route i still would like to figure out a less messy way clean my existing filters. The dirty water gives me a rash
      Still biding my time...but I will be the thread killer again!

      Yada

    19. #59
      Dillon's Avatar
      Dillon is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Feb 2006
      Location
      Maryland zone 7a
      Posts
      1,299
      This is a model of my setup including a second pump. I have the barrel set up as down flow using matala. I am currently running one circuit with a 3600gph sequence 750. I probably will need to add another similar pump in the near future.
      Attached Images Attached Images  
      Still biding my time...but I will be the thread killer again!

      Yada

    20. #60
      luke-gr's Avatar
      luke-gr is offline Senior Member
      This user has no status.
       
      Feeling:
      ----
       
      Join Date
      Jun 2004
      Location
      Boone, NC Zone 6
      Posts
      11,566
      Is the large rectangular object a settlement chamber?

      You are right about my thought.....a larger diameter sand and gravel filter would have less restriction to flow than a smaller one all other things being equal. The problem with gravity flowing through one of these is it's fines catching ability. By it's very nature, it has a tight media and will fill up quickly with and need more "draw down" difference to let the water keep up. Using a bigger container would be just like stepping up in pipe sizes when using gravity flow. However, the rate of media clogging is a bit of an unknown.

      I was mostly talking hypothetically. Not sure I would go through the effort to experiment. I presume you are not able to pump feed a filter of this type?

      • Remove Ads
        Advertising from Google
        Promoting Koi and Pond
        keeping since 2007

         

    Page 3 of 85 FirstFirst 12345613 ... LastLast

    Tags for this Thread

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •