Stella Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 I am planning out a fairly large trickle filter for a fairly large volume of water. What is a cheap way of filling up a 40 gallon drum with biological filtration media? I have heard of hair rollers (I wouldn't want to know how you would order that many!) and green pot scrubbers (which I suspect would compact down eventually). What about polystyrene balls? Other ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 (I might have some words wrong, still getting used to the terminology, just came across 'bio tower' referring to what I am wanting to do.... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 The idea of filter media is to provide a large surface are for bacteria to grow on. You also have to consider how easy it will clog with dibris eg filter wool or sponge can be biological media but clogs quickly hence why most people use it as mechanical filtration. "Bio balls" have a large surface area, are made from plastic and don't clog as easy. So in saying that you can use anything that would not put any bad stuff back into the tank. Here are a few ideas thick poly netting pumice gravel plastic pill containers broken pots Cost will come into it, depends on what you can get your hands on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteS Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 Polystyrene balls would not work they would have no structure when wet and form a big mass at the bottom of the filter which would clog quickly. You need a cheap media with structure and hire surface area for the water to flow around. How about using the large expanded clay balls used in hydroponic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaNs Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 Pumice ftw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc360 Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 is Scoria suitable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 just out of interest what are you filtering? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 Olly - Its for a possible public installation, possibly involving a series of four or five 4ft tanks. Not too keen to say where as it is not definite yet. Need to find funding and all sorts of fun stuff. Just getting ideas at the moment. PeteS - Surprised that polystyrene packs down.... I thought their floating ability would keep them light and fluffy... oh well. TM - there would be some kind of mechanical filtration first to cut down on clogging. Something like a thick layer of filter foam or similar. Good ideas, keep them coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 TM - there would be some kind of mechanical filtration first to cut down on clogging. Something like a thick layer of filter foam or similar. Sure, but you can still get your media clogging with mechanical filtration first, some quicker than others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 Pumice ftw Ftw?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 secondhand lego or similar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 i use pumice in the 200 litre fikter on the 15,000litre eel pool also large grids put of old plastic milk crates some scoria in there as well filter wool on top divider is core flute real estate sign Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 Ftw?????? I had to ask myself the same question a few months ago :lol: :lol: For The Win http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/blo ... tisFTW.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 I had to ask myself the same question a few months ago :lol: :lol: For The Win http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/blo ... tisFTW.htm :oops: I see, hard to keep up sometimes or HTKU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 Ftw?????? Nub. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cichlid7 Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 :oops: I see, hard to keep up sometimes or HTKU No That should have been HTKUS :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 Nub. :lol: :oops: At least i know what that means "A lump or fleck appearing irregularly along a yarn. Nubs are sometimes considered flaws, but in certain fabrics, these flaws are counted on to " At lease im not a newbie at it a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 According to the folks at Monster Fish Keepers, nylon pot scrbbies are the best budget media. Because they are springy they dont clog or pack down like filter wool can. Lots of suface area and they last for years. Ceramic filter media is the best, but expensive. If you have the space the nylon scrubbies are more cost effective. Scoria will work, but it's not as good as either of the above. A popluar setup seems to be a 'Wet / Dry' setup where a plate is used to rain water down over the media. The media stays wet, but there is plenty of oxygen in the system for the bacteria. Here is an example - http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67797 Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPS Posted October 26, 2008 Report Share Posted October 26, 2008 I have about 4 x 15kg sacks of ceramic noodles for sale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted October 26, 2008 Report Share Posted October 26, 2008 broken floor tiles are really good. the side that usually gets cemented on has a microstructure and doesn't soften or anything in the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted October 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2008 Thanks for all the ideas! Ian, yeah I am planning to have a drip plate (thanks for the right words!), and the system will be wet-dry for the majority of it (probably a bit waterlogged at the bottom, but still flowing) Thanks for the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted October 27, 2008 Report Share Posted October 27, 2008 I have about 4 x 15kg sacks of ceramic noodles for sale How much for a bag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simian Posted October 30, 2008 Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 If you want biological filtration on a large scale, I'd go with a fluidised bed filter, I keep meaning to make one but always seem find more pressing projects. A fluidised bed is basicly a tall container with some sand in it. With the intake at the bottom of the container, and outlet at the top you will need some good flow as the whole idea is to get the sand suspended in the water column, what happens is the sand will be in constant motion and old bacteria will be constantly displaced and new bacteria will grow in its place. They do use up a lot of oxygen tho so good aeration would be a must. In the application that I suspect you will be using it in I'd run it through a mechanical filter first, follow up with the Fluidised bed and finally run it through a tank filled with water cres or something similar to strip out as many nitrates as possible. Its what I have been thinking about for our major zoo display when we get around to it. Should be low maintenance. 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catfish Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 broken floor tiles are really good. the side that usually gets cemented on has a microstructure and doesn't soften or anything in the water. Really..... The people I live with has a son that's a Tiler..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whetu Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 Really..... The people I live with has a son that's a Tiler..... Effectively the tiles are just unglazed ceramic (similar to the ceramic noodles or balls you can buy as commercial filter media). Terracotta tiles/broken pots work in a similar way. I would suggest layering the media so you have a wide variety of surface textures to support your biological helpers. Some are likely to prefer one kind of surface, and some will prefer others. Biodiversity FTW! So maybe some pot scrubbers, some pumice, some ceramic surfaces, some scoria... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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