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  1. #1
    Members wh33t's Avatar
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    Do Bio Filters need cleaning?

    Hey all,

    Just a quick question that I wanted to run past the team. I have a raised pond underneath a flood table (which essentially just another raised pond) that drains back into the pond. It's a pretty simple system and has been working well but recently I've been noticing a lot of the fish waste and excess food pools in the center of the flood table and this waste matters seems to really enjoy clinging to my plants roots. I've received a few bit's of advice that suggest that this waste matter collecting on the plant roots will inevitably decrease PH and also increase the chance of anaerobic bacteria. Apparently a solution to this is to have a Sump style system (which I'd like to avoid for the time being) or to have a filter system that will catch the heavier waste before it enters the flood table.

    So I currently have a 6 gallon tote filled with Hydroton as my Bio-Filter. Water is pumped from a 3-way outlet from my pump which sits in the bottom of the pond. One goes to a venturi style aerator (that also creates a small current), one goes to the flood table and one goes into the Bio Filter. Water exits the Bio-Filter through a Bell Siphon directly back into the pond, so in case I'm explaining this poorly I want to directly state my water doesn't get filtered directly before it is pumped into the flood table.

    So here are the questions.

    1.) Can I use my bio-filter as a particle filter as well? I was thinking I could put the Bio-Filter above the flood table and simply have it drain into the flood table instead of into the pond. This would also eliminate the need to have a 3-way outlet from my pump.

    2.) If the above is a plausible solution how often will I be needing to go into the Bio-Filter to clean it out? I'm under the impression that you actually don't want to clean a bio-filter because it houses all of your good bacteria which completes the nitrogen cycle.

    3.) If my Bio-Filter can also double as a particle filter, and it doesn't need to be physically cleaned and if I were to remove my Bell siphon (which would cause the bacteria to receive less aeration) and turn the Filter into a continuous flow system would I need to add an air stone and air pump to keep the Bacteria oxygenated or do you think this would unnecessary?
    Current Aquaponics System


    11 Gold Fish
    Aquarium = Custom 90 Gallon Raised Pond on casters
    Flower bed = Custom 4' x 8' Flood Table (Bell Siphon)
    Bio Filter = 6 Gallon Polypropylene Tote with Hydroton (Bell Siphon)

  2. #2
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    Re: Do Bio Filters need cleaning?

    i'm no pro,
    but if it was me, the filter would drain into the growtray..
    using hydroton like that is a pretty good idea, you'll get lots of added aeration from the filter..
    throw some worms in with the hydroton, watch your flow to see if you need to clean it..
    i'm using 2 "swirl filters" in addition to my growbeds, in my case the filters drain back into the ft because of height constraints in my basement

  3. #3
    Members wh33t's Avatar
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    Re: Do Bio Filters need cleaning?

    Quote Originally Posted by keith_r
    i'm no pro,
    but if it was me, the filter would drain into the growtray..
    using hydroton like that is a pretty good idea, you'll get lots of added aeration from the filter..
    throw some worms in with the hydroton, watch your flow to see if you need to clean it..
    i'm using 2 "swirl filters" in addition to my growbeds, in my case the filters drain back into the ft because of height constraints in my basement
    Worms... of course! Will they enjoy living in my Hydroton?
    Current Aquaponics System


    11 Gold Fish
    Aquarium = Custom 90 Gallon Raised Pond on casters
    Flower bed = Custom 4' x 8' Flood Table (Bell Siphon)
    Bio Filter = 6 Gallon Polypropylene Tote with Hydroton (Bell Siphon)

  4. #4
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    Re: Do Bio Filters need cleaning?

    my growbed is mostly gravel, topped off with hydroton, i put in a few dozen worms last year, and there are defintely more now

  5. #5
    Members wh33t's Avatar
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    Re: Do Bio Filters need cleaning?

    Quote Originally Posted by keith_r
    my growbed is mostly gravel, topped off with hydroton, i put in a few dozen worms last year, and there are defintely more now
    Have you had to clean the bed yet? You see I'm mostly concerned that if I combine my Bio-Filter into a Particle Filter combo, and I have to clean it out due to clogging then I would lose my beneficial bacteria. Perhaps I shall just create a Particle filter as well and run them in tandem
    Current Aquaponics System


    11 Gold Fish
    Aquarium = Custom 90 Gallon Raised Pond on casters
    Flower bed = Custom 4' x 8' Flood Table (Bell Siphon)
    Bio Filter = 6 Gallon Polypropylene Tote with Hydroton (Bell Siphon)

  6. #6
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    Re: Do Bio Filters need cleaning?

    my swirl filters have been running for.. hmm.. a few months, and haven't cleaned them yet, i did add some daphnia to them..

    now that "redesign" has started, i'll be moving things around, and will end up "cleaning" the growbed a bit, but nothing major
    when i moved one pair of growbeds after 6 months there was very little "dirt" to clean

  7. #7
    Members wh33t's Avatar
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    Re: Do Bio Filters need cleaning?

    Quote Originally Posted by keith_r
    my swirl filters have been running for.. hmm.. a few months, and haven't cleaned them yet, i did add some daphnia to them..

    now that "redesign" has started, i'll be moving things around, and will end up "cleaning" the growbed a bit, but nothing major
    when i moved one pair of growbeds after 6 months there was very little "dirt" to clean
    Daphnia... Googling now.

    Where do you get Daphnia! do they reproduce well?
    Current Aquaponics System


    11 Gold Fish
    Aquarium = Custom 90 Gallon Raised Pond on casters
    Flower bed = Custom 4' x 8' Flood Table (Bell Siphon)
    Bio Filter = 6 Gallon Polypropylene Tote with Hydroton (Bell Siphon)

  8. #8
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    Re: Do Bio Filters need cleaning?

    daphnia are "water fleas", (not really a flea).. i've dumped some in my tanks, as well as gammarus (glass shrimp)
    when moving some pvc hides from one tank to another i did see at least one glass shrimp..
    and any time i disturb my filters, i see a few daphnia in the water
    as far as what is in my system,
    i have yellow perch, bluegill (not sure on specifics on them, could be a couple of hybrids) rosy red minnows, crayfish, daphnia, glass shrimp, and several species of water snails.. i think i got lots of them from the duckweed i bought..
    looks for pond supply places for daphnia, or ebay.. i found an ebay seller of daphnia that is just a couple miles from my house..

  9. #9
    Members wh33t's Avatar
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    Re: Do Bio Filters need cleaning?

    I'll look into that. Thank you
    Current Aquaponics System


    11 Gold Fish
    Aquarium = Custom 90 Gallon Raised Pond on casters
    Flower bed = Custom 4' x 8' Flood Table (Bell Siphon)
    Bio Filter = 6 Gallon Polypropylene Tote with Hydroton (Bell Siphon)

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