Mini Easy

Bob Hart · Post by **Bob Hart** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 12:46 pm

Over the past few weeks in a little spare time, I've been slowly making up a Mini Easy for my 450 gallon growing on pond. The 2" side wall drain from the pond feeds into a 24" diameter vortex, the outlet feeding a pump which feeds the showers.

Not sure I really needed an Easy in this situation, but thought it simple enough to make so experimented. Thought it may interest a few of you with similar quarantine/growing-on set-ups, who may want to do similar.

Having a little available time over the Christmas period I finally finished it this morning. The pictures describe it, but ignore the 'times' on the pictures, I wanst up that early!

14" diameter bucket from B&Q Ã‚Â£2.50 if I remember correctly
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

This pic shows the pipework going through the bucket. The outlet from the Vortex is at the top and a side entry. The connecting piece (on the right hand side) is a bit of 2" warmed up and now just pushes over the outlet pipe. Can be removed if required!
The other end was a bit of 1.5" pipe warmed up with a paint stripper gun, flattened, then bent into shape, so it sits on the end of the vortex like a supporting bracket. Not pretty .......
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

Top view of the pipe in place. I used a 'T' to join the pipework and then drilled loads of holes in the top and sides.
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

This view is looking through the outlet pipe. You can see the holes at the top of the pipe inside and the 1.5" pipe is blancked off to stop any muck going up there.
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

The aeration cleaning pipe, the 1.5mm air holes can be seen.
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

Aeration pipe fitted into place in the Easy bucket
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

Showing it all in place.
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

The 'bracket' in place
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

Another picture of it all in place without any K1 in it
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

Aeration pipework connected and K1 from my main pond now in place
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

This is the aeration pipe connections. The pipe coming from the right is from the air pump, into a 'T' with valves on either end. The connections to the air lines can be seen at the bottom and to activate the Easy aeration cleaning pipe all that I have to do is open the black valve, which is shown shut. This just lets the air go the easiest route, which is to the Easy chamber pipe.
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

A picture of the unit in place. The K1 is floating above the inlet holes in the bucket.
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

K1 bubbling away after the valve is opened.
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

Water draining away.
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

Water fully drained.
[img]http://www.koipix.com/gallery/albums/userpi ... al%201.jpg[/img]

Be interesting to see how much muck does get taken out by this unit. The growing on pond is heavily fed and at 25 degrees, so I'm hoping for some interesting growth.

co2 · Post by **co2** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:17 pm

Nice one bob
Sick of drilling yet lol, itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s a pain isnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t it?
I had four attempts at mine the more open space in the easy case the better
Just a few holes make it act like a vacuum cleaner.
I used a 6ml router bit in a cordless drill to make the holes into slots, this cuts down the suction of the easy allows better settlement outside the eazy less work for the static k1.
I would like to talk some more about the prose and cons of pre filtering the shower if you donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t mind some time in the near future.

John

jason-m · Post by **jason-m** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 3:53 pm

Cheers Bob..thats given me a few ideas....

chriskoi · Post by **chriskoi** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:28 pm

Bob
What a clever little sod you are

jason-m · Post by **jason-m** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:39 pm

So Bob, looking at your last pic, have you raised the K1 inside the bucket with a grid above the holes or does the K1 just sit all the way into the bottom of the bucket...?

Bob Hart · Post by **Bob Hart** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 9:40 pm

John - I couldnt use slots on this bucket, it's so thin and flexible it would either collapse, or the slots would move about and let the K1 out! Happy to talk about these things whenever you wish.

Jason - The K1 is just put into the bucket, roughly half full. It floats when in use and sinks to the bottom of the bucket when it is empty of water. As long as the holes are smaller than the K1 it doesnt escape. I think I used an 8mm drill, but on another K1 adaption I used up to 10mm.

red koi · Post by **red koi** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:07 pm

Hi Bob,
Good to see your project finished. It looks very good and effective too. I hope you had lots of fun drilling those holes .

Regards
Amir

co2 · Post by **co2** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 11:10 pm

A man of many talents and always the gentleman,
I do hope our paths cross one day.
Cheers bob
Ps. probably going to pinch your idea about teeing the air pipe to still include the branch manifold.
John

Bob Hart · Post by **Bob Hart** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 11:15 pm

John,

I'm sure I 'borrow' all my idea's from someone else anyway!

I know 'the bucket' is already working well. Earlier I went and moved some K1 with my hand and loads of 'bits' came floating away from the K1.

Work tomorrow (I know, someone has to though!) so I'll give it all a clean tomorrow evening and see what 24-hours+ running has captured.

co2 · Post by **co2** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 11:32 pm

Sorry bob but if you donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t work how do we carryon toping our ponds up, I will continue drinking for you.

I notice you have used mature k1 do you know if the easy gets better the more the k1 matures?
My temps are very low but still the k1 is tanning which surprised me.
John

Jules · Post by **Jules** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:14 am

John for the K1 in the centre chamber to fluidise efficently and correctly you are better to use mature K1 that will perform to its best. You can always put less mature media in the outer chamber where it will soon mature.

Jules

Bob Hart · Post by **Bob Hart** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:35 am

John,

I used mature K1 because that's all I had. I'm sure that unmature K1 would still mature to some degree and become part of the biological filter system, although it's really there just for mechanical cleaning.

Got an inch or so of snow this morning, so just have to see if I can actually get to work.

Taggy · Post by **Taggy** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:55 am

Roads are not to bad Bob,typical of our council not to grit.I spoke to someone this morning that came from Maidstone and said all roads are clear!!!!

Graham

Bob Hart · Post by **Bob Hart** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 9:47 am

Thanks Graham, Getting to work was very easy - Wasnt able to skive off and have a day at home unfortunatly!!!!!!!

co2 · Post by **co2** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 11:50 am

Sorry bob/Jules
I was referring to the mechanical properties of static mature k1 against new k1 without biofilm.
Will mature k1 take out more of the super fines because of the biofilm surface?
Cheers
john