By watching your video, I got a good idea of how to make a Sand and Gravel Pond filter. I was able to set up the filtration device in my pond as well. Thank you.
Nice design. I built one after watching your video about flushing it. I would avoid using ABS plastic pipe. In the future you are safer using pvc marked PW (potable water) safe for residential water suppy. Won't leach chemicals into your water. You can find this size pipe at a plumbing supply house with cheaper prices... Thanks for your videos, my pond looks clean and clear.
Very nice presentation. I built one last summer and a pipe froze under buried barrel. Ugh! Had to empty barrel to fix. Never again. Thanks for the tips.
Barb same thing almost happened to me as well on the pipe leading up into the SG filter. I had the pipe from the shower drain right into a check valve so it was impossible to drain the SG filter before the winter. It had about 2" of water. So I cut the pipe and jammed a stick into the check valve to drain it. This year I installed a 2" quick release union valve and now I can unscrew that to drain it in the winter.
Thanks for making this video. You have some good information here. I was wondering if you put anything between the layers of rock, gravel and grit to keep I the small stuff from all falling to the bottom?
Over a year ago after watching a few videos I followed your instruction and build a sand and gravel filter just like your. I must say the result was amazing and for couple months the water stayed as clear as drinking water. every 2 weeks I'd replace 1/3rd of the pond water. All of the sudden for what ever reason the filter stopped working and every week I had to change the water. Since then I have re-done the filter 3 times just like the first time and the water goes murky in less than 24 hours...same pond, same fish, same everything. I am going crazy. Any idea why?
1. I don't ever do water changes. Only the water that evaporats from the pond and what is drained when I blow out the SG filter. 2. Murky? Like cloudy? Green? Need more details. How big is your pond? What do you have for biological media for bacteria to grow on? 3. Do you have a uv light on your pond? Is it bare bottom or filled with rock?
Thank you for responding. May ne that's my problem. when I see the water is murky I change it! This pond is only 35gals and G filter is the only system I have which worked beautifully for couple months. Someone told me about "Blooming". May be that's what happens as I change the water. Will try your way and let you know. Thx. Bardy
Very new at this I want to make one of these for my pond and my question may be dumb but here it goes: from what I understand the water from the pond is pumped into the barrel from the bottom. Goes through the filtration and pours back into the pond from the top of the barrel. Is it possible to reverse the direction? I have a small waterfall with two cascades poring into the pond. Can I pump the pond water on top of the barrel and return it back to the pond from the bottom of the barrel?! Thx. in advance.
Very clever stuff. Thanks for the details, will try something similar. I have an inline pond that runoff runs directly through and no liner, just natural bottom. Trying to make it so can stock with koi. By the way does your skimmer adjust with water level do you know as my water level fluctuates constantly? Thanks for the videos.
As long as it's an external pond pump just run a good quality ball valve to restrict the flow entering the filter. I run my pump with half the water entering the SG filter and the other half diverts to the waterfall..
Great Vid o your S/G setup... I built one myself after testing the manifold can blow bubbles through the water halfway up the barrel. After I pour the last bag of pea gravels into the barrel I tried blowing air into my 1" pipe for air bubbles to come up and NOTHING came up. I can see water inside my 1" pipe when I look into it. Is this normal? Can this be preventable or am I missing a step that is allowing water to flow up the 1" pipe? Any suggestions would be great.
I guess the first question is what are you using to blow air? If air is actually getting in it has to come out somewhere. Water is normal inside of the air manifold. Remember. Air and water always follow the path of least resistance. If air was actually making it all the way to the bottom and out of the manifold it would be boiling the water. I bet that whatever your using to blow air isnt strong enough.
First off - Thanks for getting back to me. I was using a Leaf Blower for the filter (learn it was not enough). Went and got a ShopVac - It did the job perfectly. The ShopVac was able to blow the bubbles up from my manifold. I'm excited now and again - thanks for responding to my comment. Two Thumps up for your advice.
barrels can be found typically on sites like craigs list. Kijjiji in Canada. Or just look online for 55 gallon plastic drums. Make sure they were used for food and not chemicals
Took your advice and got the right gravel sizes. The water is indeed CRYSTAL clear to the bottom:)))))) Just need to find the chicken grit to put over the pea gravel. Thanks again for your advice and videos!!!!! You can check out my filter on my channel...
Great videos and excellent info. More or less copying your filter system and just wondering if I can just go from 3/4" gravel to pea gravel without the 1/2" in between??? Thanks, Ken P.S. Where can I get chicken grit in Toronto, Canada??? LOL
Ken. The reason for the sizing is to prevent the pea gravel and sand gravel, from falling into the lower layers. So I haven't tried it. You could try it but be forwarened that the pea gravel could fall. Canadian tire carry to both sizes. As far as Chicken grit. I go to a farm supply store. Call around there's gotta be one close around mississauga area. Once you buy it you don't ever have to replace it. It's a one shot deal. But build it right the first time. Make sure you use Union connections so you can drain it 100% in the fall. Or you risk pipes bursting in the winter.
Hi, love your videos...I can't watch this one, it says not available in my country...I'm from BC, any ideas on how I can watch this one? Thanks for your videos btw
Rob try on a computer and not a mobile device. I added in some stupid song so it wouldn't be to boring to watch and I got some silly copyright restrictions. Sorry. Aside from that I'm not sure what I can do.
I made one of these and it was amazing how clear the water became. After 3 weeks or so I decided to clean the filter. Unfortunately a week or so after the cleaning the water turned murky and later with algae. I have tried cleaning the filter a few times but the water never stays clear anymore. Someone said the problem is "BLOOMING"! Any idea how to correct this and what should I do so the pond would stay clear?!Thx in advance.
uv light is a band aid on algea blooms not to mention bulb needs to be replaced each year and extra power usage. new ponds need time to cycle to build bacteria i ha green water too first month or so, now i run a moving bed with a drip system and have about 8 water hiycintas in my 600 gal pond in open sunlight an my water is always crystal clear. its all about balance an the nitrogen cycle .
If a person has some intellect and is capable of using basic tools and can follow simple directions then this is simple to follow. However in this case in order to make an actual video on making this filter it would be 2 hrs long. So thanks for the suggestion but the way the video was completed its simple to follow. I suggest showing the video to someone that can show you how it's done. Then you can film it and make a video of your own.
By watching your video, I got a good idea of how to make a Sand and Gravel Pond filter. I was able to set up the filtration device in my pond as well. Thank you.
My pleasure. It's why I made the videos.
Nice design. I built one after watching your video about flushing it. I would avoid using ABS plastic pipe. In the future you are safer using pvc marked PW (potable water) safe for residential water suppy. Won't leach chemicals into your water. You can find this size pipe at a plumbing supply house with cheaper prices... Thanks for your videos, my pond looks clean and clear.
Very nice presentation. I built one last summer and a pipe froze under buried barrel. Ugh! Had to empty barrel to fix. Never again. Thanks for the tips.
Barb same thing almost happened to me as well on the pipe leading up into the SG filter. I had the pipe from the shower drain right into a check valve so it was impossible to drain the SG filter before the winter. It had about 2" of water. So I cut the pipe and jammed a stick into the check valve to drain it. This year I installed a 2" quick release union valve and now I can unscrew that to drain it in the winter.
You are the best i seen online
Thanks for making this video. You have some good information here. I was wondering if you put anything between the layers of rock, gravel and grit to keep I the small stuff from all falling to the bottom?
Nope just the different layers of rock.
Over a year ago after watching a few videos I followed your instruction and build a sand and gravel filter just like your. I must say the result was amazing and for couple months the water stayed as clear as drinking water. every 2 weeks I'd replace 1/3rd of the pond water. All of the sudden for what ever reason the filter stopped working and every week I had to change the water. Since then I have re-done the filter 3 times just like the first time and the water goes murky in less than 24 hours...same pond, same fish, same everything. I am going crazy. Any idea why?
1. I don't ever do water changes. Only the water that evaporats from the pond and what is drained when I blow out the SG filter.
2. Murky? Like cloudy? Green? Need more details. How big is your pond? What do you have for biological media for bacteria to grow on?
3. Do you have a uv light on your pond? Is it bare bottom or filled with rock?
Thank you for responding. May ne that's my problem. when I see the water is murky I change it! This pond is only 35gals and G filter is the only system I have which worked beautifully for couple months. Someone told me about "Blooming". May be that's what happens as I change the water. Will try your way and let you know. Thx. Bardy
Very new at this I want to make one of these for my pond and my question may be dumb but here it goes: from what I understand the water from the pond is pumped into the barrel from the bottom. Goes through the filtration and pours back into the pond from the top of the barrel. Is it possible to reverse the direction? I have a small waterfall with two cascades poring into the pond. Can I pump the pond water on top of the barrel and return it back to the pond from the bottom of the barrel?! Thx. in advance.
Very clever stuff. Thanks for the details, will try something similar. I have an inline pond that runoff runs directly through and no liner, just natural bottom. Trying to make it so can stock with koi. By the way does your skimmer adjust with water level do you know as my water level fluctuates constantly? Thanks for the videos.
nice job. thanks for sharing. would a small 2.5 gal/horse power shop vac be strong enough to blow into this filter?
pappy&beers it-should work if not you'll have to go with something stronger.
pappy&beers it-should work if not you'll have to go with something stronger.
I'd love to do this, but fish native to my area are a bit picky when it comes to Water Temperatures. Like, they want Glacial Cold.
Anyway to make this work with a pump that pumps 4100 gph?
As long as it's an external pond pump just run a good quality ball valve to restrict the flow entering the filter. I run my pump with half the water entering the SG filter and the other half diverts to the waterfall..
@@RobsKoiPond its an easy pro, submersible pump..
@@EyezLikaFox̌ This will only work with external pond pumps.
Probably a dumb question, but where do you find the barrels?
Great Vid o your S/G setup... I built one myself after testing the manifold can blow bubbles through the water halfway up the barrel. After I pour the last bag of pea gravels into the barrel I tried blowing air into my 1" pipe for air bubbles to come up and NOTHING came up. I can see water inside my 1" pipe when I look into it. Is this normal? Can this be preventable or am I missing a step that is allowing water to flow up the 1" pipe? Any suggestions would be great.
I guess the first question is what are you using to blow air? If air is actually getting in it has to come out somewhere. Water is normal inside of the air manifold. Remember. Air and water always follow the path of least resistance. If air was actually making it all the way to the bottom and out of the manifold it would be boiling the water. I bet that whatever your using to blow air isnt strong enough.
First off - Thanks for getting back to me. I was using a Leaf Blower for the filter (learn it was not enough). Went and got a ShopVac - It did the job perfectly. The ShopVac was able to blow the bubbles up from my manifold.
I'm excited now and again - thanks for responding to my comment.
Two Thumps up for your advice.
barrels can be found typically on sites like craigs list. Kijjiji in Canada. Or just look online for 55 gallon plastic drums. Make sure they were used for food and not chemicals
Took your advice and got the right gravel sizes. The water is indeed CRYSTAL clear to the bottom:)))))) Just need to find the chicken grit to put over the pea gravel. Thanks again for your advice and videos!!!!! You can check out my filter on my channel...
Great videos and excellent info. More or less copying your filter system and just wondering if I can just go from 3/4" gravel to pea gravel without the 1/2" in between???
Thanks,
Ken
P.S. Where can I get chicken grit in Toronto, Canada??? LOL
Ken. The reason for the sizing is to prevent the pea gravel and sand gravel, from falling into the lower layers. So I haven't tried it. You could try it but be forwarened that the pea gravel could fall. Canadian tire carry to both sizes.
As far as Chicken grit. I go to a farm supply store. Call around there's gotta be one close around mississauga area. Once you buy it you don't ever have to replace it. It's a one shot deal. But build it right the first time. Make sure you use Union connections so you can drain it 100% in the fall. Or you risk pipes bursting in the winter.
Hi, love your videos...I can't watch this one, it says not available in my country...I'm from BC, any ideas on how I can watch this one? Thanks for your videos btw
Rob try on a computer and not a mobile device. I added in some stupid song so it wouldn't be to boring to watch and I got some silly copyright restrictions. Sorry. Aside from that I'm not sure what I can do.
I made one of these and it was amazing how clear the water became. After 3 weeks or so I decided to clean the filter. Unfortunately a week or so after the cleaning the water turned murky and later with algae. I have tried cleaning the filter a few times but the water never stays clear anymore. Someone said the problem is "BLOOMING"! Any idea how to correct this and what should I do so the pond would stay clear?!Thx in advance.
Uv light. Mine has been murky too. Added a new bulb to the uv light and water is Crystal clear again.
+rghill100 in addition clearity max plus is a powder I add for algea control. It works great as well.
uv light is a band aid on algea blooms not to mention bulb needs to be replaced each year and extra power usage. new ponds need time to cycle to build bacteria i ha green water too first month or so, now i run a moving bed with a drip system and have about 8 water hiycintas in my 600 gal pond in open sunlight an my water is always crystal clear. its all about balance an the nitrogen cycle .
How much of each layer of material did you use?
Andrew sorry for the late reply you about 6 to 8 " of each.
I think I know why my idea will not work because all the mess will collect at the bottom of the filter. Right?
I suggest you look at the remainder of my videos that will explain it better
What's the point on making a movie with photos and a scrolling text?
A tutorial would be a better idea after all...
If a person has some intellect and is capable of using basic tools and can follow simple directions then this is simple to follow. However in this case in order to make an actual video on making this filter it would be 2 hrs long. So thanks for the suggestion but the way the video was completed its simple to follow. I suggest showing the video to someone that can show you how it's done. Then you can film it and make a video of your own.