Thanks for all your help!!!

[Andy H]

Well sorry I got all the various info and questions on various threads but I would like to say thanks to all those helpful hints and pictures. My filter has been like this for a few years now...
[img]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beck ... est019.jpg[/img]

But now I have copied this lot from you

[img]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beck ... ter002.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beck ... ter003.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beck ... r006-1.jpg[/img]

and cutting this circle I reckon I went round and round with the jig saw about 12 times, didn`t think the vortex was tapered!
[img]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beck ... ter007.jpg[/img]

Then when fitted and with a million 8mm holes in it I found a gap the K1 could get through!!! so wedged a bit od sponge in the gap.

Then I made another for the top with a million holes which is holding the K1 down so it doesn`t spill into the 3rd chamber.

I hope it works holding it down as I found a diagram on ebay doing it.
[img]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beck ... ter008.jpg[/img]

so I now have chamber 1 that was empty and now has the static K1 and chamber 2 had the brushes and now fluidised K1

The new pump oase eco 16000 doesn`t seem to be pumping a huge amount though. with this filter, could I get rid of the UV(just bought it)! and go from 1.25" floppy pipe up to 2" solid pipe from pmp straight to filter???

Andy

[Andy H]

Have I missed the point on the 2nd chamber(fluidised K1)?

It is not all fluidised and outside is gathering crap. Probably from when I flush out chamber 1(static K1) and restart pump.

Tomorrow I was going to replace the air stones and ring and do more area under the K1 with tubing so it covers more area, so bubbles coming up all over the place.

Would this work better?

Would getting rid of the perspex holding the K1 down be better? That would mean I would have to block the weir off with plastic and put either slots or many holes in it.

[ageinghippy]

Andy,

Good on you for getting stuck in so quickly.

By the looks of it, there doesn`t appear to be much room for the k1 to roll and boil around. If it were me, I think I`d try lifting your perspex up level with the weir, and see if it improves the fluidising action. A couple of little blocks of wood under the brackets temporarily, will give you an idea if it works or not.

Another thought is to try taking some of the k1 out, it looks as if there is quite a lot in there. Maybe if its not so stuffed in, it would have more `elbow room`.




Chris (another one)

[Andy H]

Thanks Chris

Lifting the top perspex didn`t help, in fact lots of K1 "escaped"!!!

Was thinking of removing top perspex and blocking the weir with this or something neater...

[img]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beck ... eir004.jpg[/img]

would enough water get through???

[Gazza]

Hi Andy,

You may need to try a filter grid with lots of holes in it i have even used a grid type of stuff which i stuck in my filters which works well.Were are you based as i may be able to find a strip that would do the job in the shed

What size do you need to cover

Another note is that is this is new K1 then it sometimes can take a while to get going as it seems to buoyant at first.You can also give it a good soaking with PP before using it to help remover the coating it has which also gives it a little help

[Andy H]

Thanks for the offer, I am near Gatwick.

Today I blocked the weir off and put as many 8mm holes in it as I could and bought some black gunge(£20)! and sealed it off and sealed the screws as I don`t think you should have metal screws in the water(?)

Fitted an inline tap from pump so I can stop static chamber draining when pump is turned off.

removed air stones and ring from fluid chamber 2 and replaced with 1" pipe with holes in it coiled round and cable tied to bottom perspex. All seemed fine and ready to go.

Turned it on and it over-flowed!!!

All the madly fluidised K1 stuck to the new weir and blocked it in an instant and I had only replaced a few handfuls!

So tomorrow, I will stick two bits of round pipe in like in the 1st chamber so that it doesnt block... I hope.

Another question.....

In the 4th chamber is lava rock stuff and foam on top, thanks to the static 1st chamber the foam doesn`t need cleaning very much now but the water is acting weird, it always has when leaving the chamber, as you probably know the water goes through foam and at bottom of the chamber it enters the centre pipe and comes up the pipe above the foam and out the tank, down the pipe and into the pond. I have drilled a 2mm hole in the horizontal pipe otherwise the chamber fills and empties itself fills up and repeats.

With the 2mm hole it sucks in enough air and settle to a level most of the time. why does it do this???

After 15 years I am wondering if there was something I should have done when I bought it???!!!

[Andy H]

[img]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beck ... wer005.jpg[/img]

The above didn`t work!!!

So I did this today, much to the disgust of the wife for spending too much time on the pond instead of the allotment!

[img]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beck ... wer007.jpg[/img]

drilled a hole in thumb in the process!!!

[img]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beck ... wer008.jpg[/img]

but managed to do this and it seems to work although a dead spot in the corner, funny stuff air and water!

[img]http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beck ... wer009.jpg[/img]

[Gazza]

Hi Andy,

Full marks for perseverance and sticking in there mate,it takes some time to get these modifications to work sometimes but once they do its always a great feeling to see the benefits

Please try to be more careful we already have a dangerous Brian on Koi Quest we don't want another

[B.Scott]

Need a picture of the hole in thumb as a plaster makes it hard to judge if you did a proper job

B.Scott

[Andy H]

No its only a small cut, not like previous stanley cuts. but it was one of those pointy drills!

Another question...

static k1 obviously working but clogging every 2 days and so is the foam.

So how can I improve it? Turn Ch1 to fluidised as well as Ch2 and Have a big dustbin pre static???

[Gazza]

Hi Andy,

Well it all depends how dirty the pond is on how often you have to clean it to be honest.When i first converted mine i was cleaning it all the time and i thought i had a clean system but it gradual become less and less waste and the pond water was great the best it has ever been.As i did this i was testing the water (TDS) and i could actually see my TDS reduce which meant i was making the pond cleaner and getting rid of the small particles i had before which i used foam which used to clog quickly.

I would just keep going and let it all settle down it may be a bit of work at first but it should get there in the end hopefully

[Andy H]

OK thanks mate. will keep at it.
Its all fairly new and it is much more fun pushing a few switches and knobs and stuff than squishing filter foams in buckets!

Anyone going to swanley koi thing???

Looking on ebay I was "alarmed" at the state of the expensive fish that looked horrible compared to the cheaper fish that looked nice!!! So I will go along to a koi day out! to see what is what!

[herbie]

Andy

I'll be at the South East Show if thats what you mean I'm always there
We start this weekend before the meeting (washing all the vats ready for the show)

There's about 20 dealers? this year so you can probaly spend some cash whilst you there
Regards

[GERRY5]

south east show,will be there on the sunday ,

[Andy H]

Staring prparations already! Glad I checked date, so it`s sun and bank hol monday. Will be there on the sunday probably, will where 2008 Hollowell steam rally T-shirt if anyone sees me, say Hi!!!