DIY 3-Barrel Filter System For Koi Pond - First Cleaning

Very easy cleaning. Cleaning manifolds work perfectly.

[@TheOutdoorsWithJohnny]

Thank you for sharing your videos. I just built my three barrel filters with the help of your video.

[@PTranProductions]

You’re welcome!

[@progressivepondkeeping]

It's doing a brilliant job so far 👌👍

[@hardnoxgrad5763]

Very nice job Tran…👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻😊. Phil from Northern California .

[@PTranProductions]

Thanks Phil!

[@my1956effie]

Looking good.👍

[@PTranProductions]

Thank you!

[@johnmango77]

Very good build and thank you for the clear instructions. I would appreciate your plans

[@PTranProductions]

Thanks for your interest! Please refer to below video description for details on the building plan: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5CtlYVsnM2qhrcsi=eAOM7q4GXzlpnaqQ

[@markfranklin8831]

For sure going this way

[@PTranProductions]

Good choice!

[@tomchristensen2914]

You don't have to blow air back in. This type of system is set up to settle. Yiur drains are set up perfect. But mixing up just stirs it up and breaks up your bio colony on the k1. If you just open each valve for 5 or 10 sec each you will draw all the muck from bottom of tanks and not lose much water. I built one like this a while back and this is how I do mine. Yiu want to bacteria colony on the media to help keep nitrogen down. Just my 2 cents but it is a nice looking build. Try next time just pulling much from bottom without aeration and yiu will see you get much more muck and lost less water. Also use the drain off for plants in yard as plants love the fish emulsion

[@PTranProductions]

Thanks for your tip! I’ll try next on the first cleaning cycle. You are right. Draining all accumulated muck and dirt at the bottom first before blowing the air in is a great idea. However the media themselves are quite dirty over time which need to shake off those dirts during cleaning. My barrel #3 - the moving bed - is the main house of beneficial bacteria. Other two barrels mainly serve as mechanical filters.

[@tomchristensen2914]

@@PTranProductions yeah you want to try to keep the bacteria built up in the media.

[@joebenson7385]

Really nice job….really nice. You did a great job. Should run your drain water into a vegetable garden to take advantage of the nutrients in the waste water.

[@PTranProductions]

Thank you! Yes, a garden sprinkler system has been implemented to use that waste water for the vegetables.

[@lagomez62g]

Excellent work, very clever. One question, why didn't you ese filter material like sponges? And some other material like Matrix? Thanks for your attention

[@PTranProductions]

Sponges are not easy to clean as bio media such as K1, K2 or K3. Not sure about Matrix but these K1 & K2 media are so easy to clean and maintain. You can watch some of my cleaning videos of this system. Sponges would be a pain to clean once they saturated and clogged up.

[@AMGINE1000]

Got same system on my pond they just work, get air locks myself time to time but always flushes at that last second:)

[@PTranProductions]

Hi Kev b, What kind of media do you use for your system?

[@AMGINE1000]

@@PTranProductions Use K1 like you in 3 of them and alfragrog in last tub but I have 4. find they work best if all the tubs are moving, not had a single reading with all moving tested it over a season if this helps :)

[@PTranProductions]

@@AMGINE1000 Thanks for the info! I have one moving bed and two static beds. The static beds serve as two mechanical filters that collect dirt/sediments from the pond water.

[@AMGINE1000]

@@PTranProductions Yes good Idea I have a Vortex to catch my mess so get what your saying, your media will soon brown up as it matures. like the air pipes you made really good idea to stir them up :)

[@PTranProductions]

@@AMGINE1000 Yes, all my media are fully mature now. The system has been working flawlessly. I am very happy with the end result - crystal clear water pond at last. 😀

[@KoiRun50]

Getting clearer. Weather is looking nicer too. Feeding the koi yet?

[@PTranProductions]

Yes, I just started feeding them two days ago.

[@rghunathkarunakaran4382]

What is the filter media

[@PTranProductions]

@@rghunathkarunakaran4382 K1 & K2

[@markbusey1593]

Great job Tran! So if you clean the barrels 2 times like this you are losing around 120 gallons of pond water! Are you adding fresh water back to your pond?

[@PTranProductions]

Yes, there’s an autofill valve at my skimmer that automatically top up the pond whenever the water level goes down below my desired settings. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIvIloymoMyVa68

[@timgarretson3561]

When you shut off your pump to aerate for cleaning; do you have a shut off valve on the pump line? I noticed mine backwash into my skimmer, and figure a valve will stop that.

[@PTranProductions]

Yes, I have a in-line check valve at the inlet so the water would not back flow into the pond when the pump is shut off.

[@thisisger]

after you release the dirty water, do you add more NEW water into the pond? or how does the pond maintain water

[@PTranProductions]

Yes, there’s auto filling valve at my DIY skimmer that maintains the water level of the pond. Every time I remove the water from the pond, the valve opens and fills up the pond to the preset level. kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6W0aqdqebeEfZo

[@romeotalaver1871]

Can it work perfectly in the Aquaponics system..Where the first two barrels serve as the mechanical and clarifiers..Thanks

[@PTranProductions]

I don’t see why not,

[@romeotalaver1871]

@@PTranProductions Thanks

[@PTranProductions]

👍

[@buuluu7633]

Hay qua!

[@PTranProductions]

Cám ơn, buu luu!

[@alexcmcclay]

Do you know how much it cost you for this set up? I really like it, you did a great job!

[@PTranProductions]

Thanks Alex! The total cost for this project was $1,532 CAD.

[@alexcmcclay]

@@PTranProductionsthanks for the reply. Out of curiosity, what part of Canada are you from? I'm near London Ontario

[@PTranProductions]

I am near Kitchener, Ontario.

[@3bouldersurban653]

What quantity of media do you have per barrel? Thanks

[@PTranProductions]

2.25 CF in barrel 1, 2CF in barrel 2 & 1.75 CF in barrel 3.

[@romeotalaver1871]

What's the ratio volume of your K1media and water in Tank #1 and Tank #2..Do you used the 1/3 water 2/3 K1 both the Tank#1 and tank#2..Thanks

[@PTranProductions]

The ratio is roughly 50/50 - each barrel volume is 4 CF (30 Ga) with barrel #1 has 2.25 CF of K1, barrel #2 has 2CF of K2and barrel # 3 has 1.75 CF of K1.

[@romeotalaver1871]

@@PTranProductions :Many thanks I am finalizing my Aquaponics system's Filtration and i would like to use your system..You are doing a great job Sir and would like to thank you again..God bless

[@PTranProductions]

You’re welcome!

[@romeotalaver1871]

What is the size of your vaccum/blower..Thanks

[@PTranProductions]

It’s a 30L wet/dry shop vac.

[@royzdomain8815]

great idea, IMHO, reduce the amount of K1 so it can tumble

[@PTranProductions]

Thank you! Yes, K1 was reduced from 2 CF to 1-3/4 CF. Here’s the result: kzbin.info/www/bejne/paKuiaKDhslmotk

[@tungnguyen583]

Nice job man can you show me what kind of pump are you using

[@PTranProductions]

Thanks! Original pump was 3170 GPH Jebao 24VDC pump. Upgraded pump in 2023 til now is 4500 GPH VIVOSUN 120VAC 220W pump.

[@tungnguyen583]

@@PTranProductions how many of K1 Or K2 are you using, sorry for asking too many questions pretty new to the hobby

[@PTranProductions]

@@tungnguyen583 4 cubic feet of K1 & 2 cubic feet of K2. If you would like the building plan and material list, please read this video description below for more details. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5CtlYVsnM2qhrc Cheers!

[@tungnguyen583]

@@PTranProductions Ty

[@PTranProductions]

@tungnguyen583 Anytime! Let me know if you have any more questions. You can also send me a message (English or Vietnamese) via FB Messengers @PTranProductions.

[@lucasthijssen9844]

One more question. I thought each barrel had beneficial bacteria. I thought you had bacteria in stage 1 and 2 that their job was decompose the organic matter in the biomedia. Isn't that so?

[@PTranProductions]

Beneficial bacteria is usually added to the barrel # 3 (the moving bed). The other two barrels are static bed - mechanical filtration. Yes, there are probably bacteria accumulated to those bio-media in barrels 1 & 2.

[@jovenpangilinan467]

Can I place bio pebbles or other kind of biomedia on the 3rd barel rather than k1? Haha

[@PTranProductions]

Yes, it is your choice of any filter media as you wish. I chose k1/K2 as they’re easy to clean and maintain.

[@jessenewman1610]

What size air pump

[@PTranProductions]

It’s a Pondmaster 1700 Cu. in/min air pump

[@mariovb4413]

whats the size of your pipes

[@PTranProductions]

1.5” for the inlet and bottom drain. 2” for the outlet and between barrels.

[@brandonmckinnor9398]

How much K1 and K2 do I need to order for your system?

[@PTranProductions]

4 CF of K1 and 2 CF of K2

[@brandonmckinnor9398]

@@PTranProductions thank you I also sent 5 for plans

[@PTranProductions]

Thanks Brandon! Please check your PayPal message Or leave me your email here.

[@brandonmckinnor9398]

@@PTranProductions info sent

[@PTranProductions]

@@brandonmckinnor9398 All done! Thanks again!

[@lucasthijssen9844]

Excuse me, why not simply drain the dirty water instead of using the vacuum blower? By the way why using the vacuum blower and not simply an air compressor?

[@PTranProductions]

Over the course of two weeks of filtration, lots of sediment and mud would be accumulated at the bottom of barrels. That’s why the vacuum blower is used to stir up that sediment and drain it out. You can also use an air compressor if you like. I utilize the blower option out of my shop vacuum instead adding extra cost for a new air compressor.

[@user-lf2jp6eb9n]

Как часто вы чистите фильтры?

[@PTranProductions]

???

[@user-lf2jp6eb9n]

@@PTranProductions how often do you clean the filter?

[@PTranProductions]

@@user-lf2jp6eb9n Every two weeks

[@user-lf2jp6eb9n]

@@PTranProductions thanks so much

[@PTranProductions]

You’re very welcome!

[@CristianGonzalez-zn9hk]

Does you water just go to ur back neighbor

[@PTranProductions]

Yes, there’s a city storm drainage basin in my back neighbour’s yard and it is ok with him for me to drain excess water especially swimming pool water back there.

[@michaelcorcoran8692]

I thought the bio media was to grow beneficial bacteria, not keep sterile clean. Yes, clean & clear water is great,, but the right bacteria/algea help control other chemical elements that affect the fish living in the man made puddle.

[@PTranProductions]

Barrel # 3 is the house for beneficial bacteria. Barrel 1 & 2 are mechanical filtration. Water condition has been improved and the fish are still active and well.

[@richieremo1]

Send dirty water straight to your garden plants!!! Will do them a world of good.

[@PTranProductions]

Yes, indeed! DIY KOI POND UPDATE - RECYCLING WATER FROM FILTER CLEANING kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3y5qYOGe9JpqZY

[@tannernewton8543]

Are you draining your water straight into your Neighbors yard??

[@PTranProductions]

There’s a storm basin at the corner of my neighbour’s backyard. So it’s ok to drain. However, I have redesigned and utilized the water for my garden.

[@tannernewton8543]

@@PTranProductions Nice that sounds way better. Bet the garden loves that water

[@PTranProductions]

@@tannernewton8543 Yep! Check it out: DIY KOI POND UPDATE - RECYCLING WATER FROM FILTER CLEANING kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3y5qYOGe9JpqZY

[@hirocaster]

it's not that dirty, mine came a very dark brown water lol

[@PTranProductions]

This was only one week old. The system was not fully mature yet. Check out this latest cleaning video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3y5qYOGe9JpqZY The media got more mature and more dirty.

[@hieuphamvan6086]

Hay day a ơi may sức rua la may gi do a

[@PTranProductions]

???

[@hieuphamvan6086]

Be too much knet is sometthinh

[@PTranProductions]

@@hieuphamvan6086 Anh có thể đáng tiếng Việt. Nhưng nhớ bỏ dấu thì tôi sẽ dể hiểu hơn. 😀

[@hieuphamvan6086]

@@PTranProductions ok hay đấy anh ơi cho em hỏi máy rửa knet là máy gì đó anh

[@PTranProductions]

@@hieuphamvan6086 Đây không phải là máy rửa Knet. Đây là máy lọc nước 3-bồn tự làm cho hồ cá koi.

[@tungnguyen583]

Can you talk Vietnamese

[@PTranProductions]

Still remember bit of Vietnamese, so yes I can still talk sometimes. 😀