I made this filter about 3-4 years ago and it's amazing!! I'm watching again now to refresh my memory as I'm about to make another one. I want to add that I used lava rocks instead of the bio balls which required running water over them for a few minutes to get rid of all that red dust just in case anyone doesn't want to buy all the bio balls. Happy crafting!
A massive thank you Trevor, I've built this today, took me 30 mins and cost me less than £15 all together (that said, I do have a trade card for supplies, but would still be cheap without), I instantly saw the water coming out of the filter was cleaner, I can't wait till it settles in and works its magic. I was literally about to spend another £400 on another rubbish filter promising the earth and delivering pants, but then I stumbled upon your video, so glad I did.. To anyone thinking of doing this... DO IT. You're a legend, thank you
Great idea for sure! There is one thing I noticed that may improve even water flow across the top filter layers; I would think if the holes in the inlet pipe were to be smaller and fewer closer to the inlet and slightly larger and more plentiful further from the inlet, it will even out the pressure in the pipe thus dispersing the water more evenly. As with anything, you may have to experiment with various configurations of hole size and placement to achieve perfect flow.
Hi, Trevor, used your directions to build a filter last year, and it's not only made it through the winter, the water is clearer than it's ever been! I am seeing some "string algae" that I've not had before, but all in all, it's been a great installation! Thanks for taking the time to share! Kathi In Va
+Kathi Meenehan Thanks for the feedback. I also get string algae at the onset of spring. When I see the string algae appear I scrub down the sides of my pond where it appears and replace 25% of the water in the pond. This is the only time I also clean the filter foam. Once I have done this cleaning I treat the pond with straw barley pellets. This is all I do to the pond until the end of summer. At this time I do a basic pond cleaning (remove as much dirt and dead leaves from the bottom) and again treat with straw barley pellets. I do nothing again until the next spring. You need to experiment a bit because straw barley is a natural treatment and may not work in all ponds depending on the severity of the algae. Here is a link to the straw barley pellets I use: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000256DPO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000256DPO&linkCode=as2&tag=trevswork-20&linkId=VS3UUEODJVVVZ4Y7"
Thanks for the tutorial on the Bio-Filter. My Koi Pond was previously filtered with a sand filter, a .75 kw pump and UV Light. This worked great. Recently the filter cracked and rather than buy a new filter I used your design. Due to the high flow rate, 20000 lit per hour, the tote would not cope with this volume of water. I therefore made the inflow pipe, 50 mm pvc pipe, to the tote go straight through the tote and drilled holes in the pipe for water to flow through the filter. Most of the inlet water flowed straight through so to have more water flow through the filter I cut a slot, about 5 mm depth, into the inflow pipe just before it exited the tote. I inserted a small plastic disk into the slot which restricted the flow of water and allowed more water to be filtered. By adjusting the depth of the slot I was able to achieve a perfect flow rate through the tote without it flooding. The slot also acted like a Venturi drawing in air so the pond is being aerated more than before..After a week my pond was absolutely clear. Thanks again for an informative tutorial.
Hi Trevor, your tutorial is so simple and easy to follow , not sure why some other people make it so complex but yours is straight forward, as a newbie knew nothing about filter and a small budget to play with , I watched many other samples but I chose your method as the best one so far . Thanks for sharing the idea. Cheers
This is the best diy pond filter video I found! Six months ago I used this video to help build my own filter and it has worked perfectly! Thank you for sharing this info, it was so helpful!! ☺️
That's exactly the DIY system that I was looking for!! We recently bought a house, with a big pond in the backyard (+6000L). The previous owner never filtered the water nor provided it properly with oxigen (the pond is, according to the neighbors, more than 10 years old), let alone ever cleaned it, with the result that a 30cm thick layer of all kinda crap settled on the bottom of the pond and filled with very dark green mucky and stinking water. We were barely able to see any fish that was surfacing for food. I was able to rescue about 20 fish, all sorts of them, 3 koi's included (I have no idea how they even survived in that stinking water!!) and pumped out most of the water out of the pond. Next step is getting rid of all the yuk and muck on the bottom with buckets, which is gonna be one hell of a backbreaking job of you ask me. ^^ And, because I'm a person who likes DIY, I was wondering how to make a proper working biological filter that would be easy to clean and working properly. And there you are! Tho my tub might have to be bigger, +6000L to clean, as well as maybe a stronger pump, the system stays the same. Thanks for sharing, buddy!! Cheers!
This is an amazing video. For both the beginner and expert pond owners. This is also a priceless video. Thank you for sharing your ingeniuty with the world. I have both extreme large koi ponds and small ponds. I have watched the pond industry and being a numbers person, I am constantly calculating how much money the pond industry is stealing from the good hard working people that just want to set back at the end of the day and enjoy their ponds. It is a blessing to see these DYI projects. Perhaps someday the pond industry will wake up and start lowering prices. But of course I will have long passed and my great grand children will be standing on my bridges feeding my life long passion.
I purchased an all in one filter uv pump and realized that my pond was too filthy for the filter to handle. Used your design to create one similar using the pump I purchased... Great idea.... Thank you..
i made one very similar to this and used it for years ,im about to make another one but it will have an openingwith a tap on the opposite side near the bottom so that when i give it an occasional hose out i can send it into a container rather than getting dirty . whenever i clean it out the garden gets the waste water and loves it .
@gomewex- you can put this filter at the top of your waterfall, you just need to ensure that your pump can deliver water to the filter (I am assuming it can because it is probably doing that now). With respect to cleaning, in the beginning my pond was very dirty so I had to clean the filter material several times during the first 4 weeks. Since then I rinse the filter material around 2-3 times a year (mostly during summer) to clear the debris out. Good luck with your filter if you decide to build one.
HI Trevor, great tutorial thank you. Can you submerge this filter into a pond? I need a filter that can be installed inside my 480 litre pond? The lid can be over the water line but not the body.
Thank you for taking the time to help someone that doesn't know anything about filters. Your gift has given me the ability to make my own because of your amazing step by step video. More than that you explained and then you demonstrated. From the Schachel Family, we sincerely say Thank's.
Outstanding job. There is only one thing I would add. The tub container I would spray paint the outside with two coats of black. This will help prevent any algae from over taking the growth inside the tub! After drying buy some bamboo, split the bamboo, get a glue gun, glue the bamboo to the sides and top. To camouflage the bio filter.
wow! i have been watching videos on DIY filters and this is by far one of the best. you explained everything in detail. Hopefully I can pull this off for my soon to be patio pond. Thank you!
Totally agree wiv u Natasha!!! Very well explained I found the visual diagram explained while drawn very helpful....ur video will save me hundreds of NZ dollars. Big fishy kisses from my goldies ❤
Very nice video. I really appreciate the real world drawing segment. I wish some of the other RU-vidrs would be so generous with their designs rather than running around their system with a shaky phone camera talking about this and that rather than slowing down as you have and actually providing excellent learning opportunities.
instead of the pricey pre-made bulkhead fittings you can use the just regular male and female pvc adapters and sandwich the plastic and cut your own rubber grommet out of soft thick rubber or just use silicone. A lot of useful info on here thanks :D
Thank you so much for this video and all your information., I built two of these filters for two differant Koi ponds and they are working great. I have tried several differant manufactored pond kits that did not work for me. Thanks again.
after watching this i made my own similar version based on this version.it works a treat,your video was extremely helpful and easy to understand .i have 2/3rds of my filter media under water and a baffle plate situated vertically in front of the outlet .it has holes drilled through it at the bottom which forces the water down through the media before passing through the baffle then up through more media and the exiting through the outlet .thanks !
Excellent video! I'm getting ready to build my own pond in the back yard and was wondering how to set up a filtering system. I just happened to stumble across your video. It answered just about every question I had. Great job Trevor!
An interesting video, my own home made pond filter was very successful but a very different layout. I used a plastic water butt and made the holes for fittings with a hole saw. I was trying to do it very cheaply but as you know the price of fittings and valves puts the price up!
Great video! Simple and a lot cheaper then buying one from a pond store! Sorry there not going like you showing everyone how simple and cheap is to have a pond system that works for you. $$$$
Excellent filter. I'm going to use this design but add more holes on the spray bar to get a better even spread against the filter pads. thanks for build.
nice, clean design. some good info. one tip: it is a small filter so, (i think) you can make it even more efficient if you want by installing a couple of air stones at the bottom to aerate the bioballs
This is an excellent video. The diagram at the start made everything very simple to understand, and then watching you construct the filter made the whole project seem completely doable. Thank you. I do have one question--how often does the filter need to be disassembled and cleaned?
This was a great explanation for beginners, I applaud you for sharing. Not my cup of tea though as I would never be able to sit and enjoy a pond where the focal point is a giant rubbermaid tote, its like trying to host a dinner party with a giant tote i the middle of the table. I'd take it a step further and build a simple enclosure to encase the tote and pump, a small bench structure built out of pressure treated boards that you could lift off/over would do nicely or some loose laid masonry to match the surroundings with a simple removable wood top. But your concept and premise is great. Keep sharing.
@Dale Meaney. Did you not see the opening sequence that shows that he had made exactly what you suggest? The tote is enclosed in a rather attractive looking enclosure made of wood. If you had paid attention you would not have made such a condescending comment. Also would hate to come to one of your dinner parties.
Thank you for a great video. I purchased all the items (except I made a mistake of buying Uniseal bulkhead (very difficult to use) instead of the suggested slip and thread per you video. Everything worked well so far. I added two 2” outlet PVC pipes ( I used a very heavy duty sum pump (already have it) with 1-3/4” flex hose. It took me close to 2 hours to assemble it (not too handy....lol), but it worked as seen on the video.i also drilled three rows of 1/2” holes along the inlet PVC pipe tp spread the water over the filter surface... this also helped to reduce the pressure generated from my fast sum pump...so the water in my tote never reached higher than the middle and it’s very quite to run. My pond is about 4,000 gallon....and it’s so green even though I only have 30-40 small fish. Will report back when the water is clear up... Thank you.
Thank you! An excellent instructional video. Really helpful for newbies to see and hear the principles of operation and construction clearly explained and delivered with excellent diction! Just one question; what size pump was delivering water from the pond to the filter?
Thanks, I always empty part of my water each Spring, but it's still too cold here in Va. ( we had snow overnight) so I will plan on that next month! Once I float in some aquatic plants in May, and barley, it will help! Thanks again!
Home made filter is best filter, the best video you upload I think now anyone can make a filter , I use hand made filter in my pond & it's working perfect
Dear Mr. Trevor, thanks for a very complete and informative vid on pond filters. I shall make the one you've shown. Blessings, - pierre from New Mexico
Dear Trevor, great tutorial, thank you!! My current position is that I took an existing plunge pool (2.85 x 2.85 x 1m deep) and a full three years ago added Tilapia fish to it :-) I was led to believe that they would consume all the algae but that was wishful thinking. The fish have been happy, have multiplied and come up for food but the green water has prevented me from actually seeing them for well over a year!! Sad, huh?! I have tried barley grass and various products designed to magically reduce the algae but these have been unfulfilled promises. The existing pool pump is obviously far too powerful for this job unless I were to somehow do a flush thru the diatomaceous earth filter as a one-off booster - the only problem being that I cannot see the fish so cannot run any pool brush or suction device thru the pond, least of all to the bottom! My current submersible pump is the largest I have tried so far but seems happier just pushing the water around and at least getting some aeration in the water. However, with current summer temps around 35C this is all rather a test of the Tilapias' tenacity and staying power than anything else. So, my question to you first of all must be - what size pump are you using? I am using a B.I.C.I.S.A. - 4500, operating at 100W and a flow rate, (oviously) of 4500 l/h and a max Delivery Height of 4,5m. Any input would be most graciously accepted at this stage, thank you.
Nice job. About to build an above ground pond myself and I'll be using a combination of commercial and DIY filtration. I don't believe you can ever have too much filtration. 😁 Except of course if you do it to the point where the extra work achieves nothing. Basically I'm just adding more to the biological side of things.
Thank You 🙏 our hand me down Calypso filter doesn’t seal. The UV lamp electrics went 2 years ago. It leaks water slowly draining our 1500 gallon overstocked with Goldfish who keep on reproducing. Gave 30 away last year but they keep on Spawning, so I need a strong filter.
How does the pump itself bring dirty water into the system without clogging in the first place? I have have a natural pond with trees around it and a bunch of algae/ muck. I've tried copper sulfate and muck-away, but it seems to have gotten worse ( I followed directions) I really need a filtration system, but I feel that the pump itself would get clogged. Btw, this is by far the best video I've seen on how pumps work. Thank you for that.
Very nice video sir. Now that's what I call explaining things. got a quick view of your pond your idea is very good but I would of stepped up the size filter box plus a little more power in the pump wouldn't go amiss BUT really like your idea well done sir.
Why would you use such a big inlet pipe? Why not just use a 20mm inlet with 20mm drilled pipe arranged into a ring to better distribute the water? Your current setup dumps all of the water in a straight line across the filter foam and the 40mm pipe is way thicker than it needs to be. Other than that oversight the rest of the design seems decent, although your filter media isn't the best, though if you're going for cheap, it's better than nothing.
just a follow up. Two years later and this filter is still going strong. My 600 gallon pond with 15 very active fish is crystal clear. I use an 18 gallon tote, pot scrubbers, scour pads, and two layers of flat 1.5" filter media pads.
Thank you looks easy enough to do. I have a bio filtration system allready works fine but I purchased one thing They came this morning and within 4 hrs my pond was so clean. I put bio home ultimate filter media in amasing stuff . Thank you for making this video Happy fish to
I've watched your video several times before I made this comment. First, the video is very helpful and simple, thank you. How would you clean and use the waste water, I didn't see a shut off valve to drain and shouldn't you have to turn the pump off to clean and drain. I have 5 preformed ponds that I want to use, I'm thinking about placing each pond side by side, will I have to have a bio-filter for each pond. I've also made a large skimmer. I'm going to use larva rocks instead of the bio balls. To hold the top cover in place I am screwing it down with stainless steel screw. Again, thank you for your helpful video, great job.
adairsr53 I built biofilter with a 30 gallon trash can from walmart. My filter media is from Lowes. It is the blue replaceable airfilters. DO NOT PURCHASE THE GREEN FILTERS AS THEY ARE SATURATED WITH FORMALDAHIDE! I use scrubbies in the bottom for bio-media. My out going bulk head is approximately 10 inches from the bottom. I leave my pumps running while cleaning my filters. I would not recommend completly emptying your filter as all of your beneficial bacteria grows in the bottom of the filter. If you decide to use lava rock please wash the lava rock until the water runs clear! If not your pond will turn red. If you are on city water, after cleaning the lava rock place the lava rock in a large tub, fill with water, and treat with a double dose of dechlorinator. You don't want to harm your fish with chlorine that deposited in the lava rock. Let it stand over night in the dechlorinated solution. If the five ponds are not connected then yes you will need a filter for each pond. If your ponds are connected I recommend at least two pumps and two filters. Remember that the rule of thumb for keeping a clear and clean pond is filtering or pumping the entire amount of pond water every hour. For example if your pond is 1,000 gallons then you should have a minimum size pump of 2,000 gallons perhour. My largest pond is 5,000 gallons. Since I can't afford to purchase a 10,000 gallon pump every few years, I run two 5,000 gallon pumps to two separate water falls at each end of the pond. Both pumps are ran to homemade bio filters and I have never had a problem with green or cloudy water. Although I do use beneficial bacteria regularly in all of my ponds. I never use ALGECIDE! This chemical and other toxic chemicals not only kill wild life but also shortens the life of your pond liners. I hope this helps. Sincerely, Lost Sheep
Awesome...Long forward to making this. I have a very tall waterfall...can I put this on the top of the waterfall and will it still work. Also, how often should I expect to change the filters (clean the filters)? Thank you very much for this wonderful idea!!! It will help me save a TON of money!!!
Great video and excellent explanation, and execution, of a bio filter! Question: why not have the outlet flow straight out from the bottom, tee off of it and go up with an elbow back into the top of the container, for the overflow, to maximize bio surface area and eliminate the need for cutting the media pads..?? _______ / _ | __ this is the overflow | | | | | |
How does the flow rate impact the filtering process. I have a small pond about 5’x12’. About half of the pond is 3’ deep and the rest is about 1’ deep. It is currently fed by a creek about 12’ in length and an overall decline of about 6’. I purchased on auction a Flotec 1/2 hp pump. The good news is that for $7 I have a $200 pump. That said the current pump is only 1/4 hp and I’m questioning the impact of stepping up the flow. Also looking for a good filtering solution. Thanks….great info and videos are very well done.
Looks like a good filter, but more information on the pump, pipes and connecting material would be appreciated. Can you use garden hose off the pump to the filter?
jsharp116 Dear jsharp116 I would not recommend a garden hose from the pump to filter due to the small diameter of the hose. The garden hose would easily clog from algae growth within the hose. If there were a way to flush the hose weekly with a high pressure pump, then perhaps. I never use any type of plumping less than 3/4 inch in diameter. Have you ever notice how decrotive spitters always seem to clog, or even just contained water garden features such as barrels, wishing wells, fake rock formations from lowes? This is because they all use very small hosing. If the algae doesn't clog the system first then mineraliztion from your water will (hard water deposits). Unfortunately these companies aren't properly engineering these expensive water features for the common person like us. They know in a year or two were screwed due to the plumbing and it's nearly impossible to replumb. Hopefully this was able to give you some insight not only into the DYI filtration but also other water features and food for thought on your next purchases.
Hello trevor hi i have been looking for them black connecontions things you got but cant find them and not sure what there called so if you could drop me a line and let me no i would be verry gratefull thanks
dennis hopkins You can find them here: aquariumsupplies.marinedepot.com/search?w=bulkhead%20fitting I have purchased many items from this site and every transaction was smooth. Hope this helps, Good luck!
