Black water pipe floats. I have made hula hoop corrals with it and then tethered the hoop with nylon fishing line. Water lettuce stays inside pretty nicely, but water hyacinth will eventually grow right over the water pipe. At least you can grab the whole mess and trim it when it gets out of bounds. One year I just let the water hyacinth mass in front of the skimmer. It still worked as long as I would tug the mass aside about three times a week to let the sludge loose to get into the skimmer. The fish absolutely loved being in the tangle. This year I don't have any lettuce or hyacinth. The koi have gotton so large (18" and up) that they just trash anything that is green unless it is well protected. My only plants are lotus, water lillies and rushes, all protected from rooting rowdy koi in one fashion or another. When they get big they can get plants into a lot of trouble, like tipping over whole pots. I saw a dwarf Perry's red water lilly being towed across the pond, pot and all, this spring by a big fella. Knew it was time to repot! LOL
Re-using a above ground pool filter and pump?...help please!
Hi everyone...I pulled my old Pondmaster magdrive out/yes I know what it is now!...lol... and put it in the water this afternoon...it started up/I was shocked!...and it even pushed water well...BUT...in reverse!!!...what in the heck?...is there anything I can do to make this pump run right again in the correct direction and why did it start up in reverse anyway?...it's a 3600 gallon an hour one and I figured I 'd give it a try to have for a spare...for winter time use also...this was the one I had said stopped working years ago...I never threw it out and had it in a container outside with some other old stuff behind the pond......I tend to keep pretty much everything figuring it'll come into use some how or another...hopefully!...
another question...I looked at fittings in Lowes today and I got a headache from them...randbponder...I was studying your piping picture again and you're using that 7500 gph Cal pump the one I am looking to buy...it says it has 3 inch inlet/outlets...I saw NO 3inch pvc pipe stuff...just 2 inch and the ball valves...there were 4 different kinds in 3 inch and I could not open and close but one of them...and even that one was hard for me...they were SO hard for me to turn...what are those gate valve things I have seen online?...they work like a shutter and close up like a ball valve would?...and if I can't find fittings for this 7500 torpedo pump around here in my area...who has them all in one place online to buy?...I see things here and there...all over the place and it really is getting stressful looking at all these different sites for the parts...PLUS!...there was NO 3 inch black tubing in Lowes here either...NOR clear!...and I only have seen 10 or 75 foot rolls for sale online in 2 inch and it's alot of money...the ten's not enough and the 75 is TOO much!...I hate being a pain but I am so worn out from reading all these different pond pump things and trying to match the parts for the torpedo pump...thanks for any more suggestions everyone!....
This message was edited Aug 10, 2006 9:04 PM
Yes I have even had water iris being pulled apart. But Once in a while I'LL thaw out some frozen peas, and sit there and feed them peas, one at a time. They are like "swarming" and acting like lets get this show on the road. Usually run out of peas before their full, but they leave my plants alone for a while.
Thankfully a neighbor had really good luck with water lettuce this year. It had her pond covered over. I happend to be the lucky recipient of the excess. I traded some lilies, as she didn't have any pinks.
Sometimes I'm a little preturbed at the koi, for tearing things up. But then I look at the ones that are being sold for $600. and I see that it looks just like mr. frindly. or another one Same price, well that looks just like sulu same coloring same scale patern. Think wonder if I should put their pics on a web site???
Naaaah I've got him or her trained, they know when I have that can and I walk out on the patio- - - - - they will follow me back and forth. Just to see who gives in first. or maybe who gets in line first. heeh hee hee (*-*)
susanna:
I hooked mine and my friends, up with a three by two inch rubber reducer sleave and just clamped the sleave onto the threded ends of the pump. They do have 3" pvc sleaves. Threded in one end and slip fit or glue together. but if you attach it with all glue together fittings, You would pull your hair out when you had a problem. as you would have to be ducking under water to undo the sucktion end then turn the pump to unscrew it from the pipe. So I just used those two rubber reducers. Put the 3" end on the pump. and the 2" end sliped the 2" pipe into that and tightened them up with the clamps. Then on the plumbing on the falls filter, I used the 2" check valve that came with the two 2" rubber sleaves and otherwise all the other 2" PVC is glued together on the pressure side. On the suction side I did not glue them, just in case I had to take it or the pump out of the pond for some reason. Also I just put the pump and the homemade strainer in the bottom of the pond..
I do apolgize for that jungle of pipes and fittings, the way they have them laid out and so much mixed up some times by their own help. and then by some customers that can't remember where they picked it from. so it just gets tossed into a bin.
I will also apolgize for not having taken a picture of all the plumbing and the homemade strainer, I made. but I will try to draw something with lables for you. Does that help make it clearer by useing the rubber 3" to 2" reducers, instead of trying to find a threaded fitting? I know I would hate to see you haveing to cut the pipe just cause you may have a bunch of string algae get in the pump and slow down the flow or something like that. I'm no artist but I will work on the drawing for you tomorrow
Ah SusanaLyn, take a breath girl. It's OK. I think the hardest part of ponding, other than losing a fish of course, is making things fit together. I have to take everything with me when I visit Home Depot or such because I can't even remember inside diameter from outside diameter when I have to start connecting stuff. It's awful isn't it. Too be honest I havn't dealt with anything larger than 2 inch and that was bad enough. For really difficult connections I have had good luck with this web sight: www.aquaticeco.com
Search under plumbing. This company supplies commercial fish hatcheries and carries an excellent line of plumbing accessories. They also have a pretty good selection of heavy duty home ponding equipment. I'll wager you will find what you need there. Their filter matting, which comes in a roll that you trim to fit yourself, is super. It is way cheaper that way plus the stuff is of much heavier quality, traps a lot more debris and lasts and lasts and lasts. If you order and they send the catalog you will spend all winter reading it.
Thanks Snapple the green full flow check valve would be identical to the one I used. Cost I think was $12.00. Didn't look any further. I think I will look up their filter material tomorrow. I've had a day. I'm putting in a raised shade garden. and I got the digging done and a form made for a footing. shoveld in the sand and leveled and packed that. and unloaded the rest of the gravel by the cement mixer. Many trips back into the house to wipe the sweat and cool down a bit. Guess I just can't take the heat any more. An I thought retirement was all going to be fun an relaxation hee hee hee.
Took a pic of that little project. still in camera. post it later.
Russ
Thanks snapple45 for all your suggestions and advice and for that link also...I was reading over there for a long time last night and I came across this here below...pic too I put here from there...they claim people have asked for this and it's a new development...
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Filtration » Sand Filter Media » Lightweight Sand Filter Media
Particulate removal down to the 20-40 micron range.
Our lightweight media reduces the problem of backflush channeling, a common problem with sand filters in "reuse" aquaculture. This occurs when the heavy sand media doesn't fluff up (bed expansion) as it should because the organics and bacteria make it stick together. Our lightweight media minimizes the problem because it expands 30-50 percent with only 8-10 gpm per square foot backflush (if the flow rate is in excess of 10 gpm per square foot of area, a restricting valve on the backflush drain may be needed to prevent the loss of media). Weighs only 25 lbs/ft3 (sand is about 100 lbs per cubic foot). The irregular shape of the lightweight media provides more void space, resulting in less pressure loss. Its irregular surface provides particulate removal down to the 20-40 micron range. Made of non-hydrous silicon dioxide and approved for potable water. Try it. Depending on conditions, it could solve your backflush channeling problem, like it has for others.
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I wonder if this actually works?...I am SO curious but I think I will not try it...maybe I'll try it later on down the line somehow...I was actually thinking if I am up to it someday to put another smaller pond in the front garden...or...perhaps over where my flagstone patio in the back is going to be...something shallower and with alot of river rocks...more stream like....I will think about that for sure...I just wanted to thank randbponder again also...I am going to go and read a little bit more about the torpedo pump and compare it to a few others and then find a place online where I can get some or all the fittings...and tubing...I hope anyways...and I am definitely usiing randbponder's piping/plumbing pic as reference...te,he...I'll let you know what happened...:)
Has anyone ever had one of these pumps?...I am looking on ebay and came across these...there are quite a few of them there and people are bidding on them?...what's "worldwide 50/60 Hertz electricity"?...I don't think I 've ever heard that term before...
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Starting bid: US $50.00
Reserve not met
Buy It Now price: US $280.00
Dolphin AM 7500/6500 External Pond & Aquarium Pump
Description
This is a high quality factory refurbished pump that is backed by a 90 day warranty and a nine year extended service guarantee. The Amp Master 7500/6500 is quiet and cool running with low vibration noise levels and low heat transfer. This pump runs on worldwide 50/60 Hertz electricity with an average amp draw of 4.4 amps. With a maximum of 22.25 head feet, this pump is designed for dual performance. It has a max flow of 7500 GPH when plumbed to 2" pipe or 6500 GPH when plumbed to 1.5" pipe. Flow may be toggled back to any desired flow rate without harming the pump. The pump is supplied with a new, heavy duty marine carbon/ceramic seal. The reverse marine seal design is extremely reliable in saltwater and freshwater systems. With an ultra efficient, 1/3HP, low speed (1725RPM), outdoor rated (1081) Emerson motor containing weather resistant sealed bearings, this pump is ideal for use on ponds, aquariums, and aqua culture facilities. Pump unions and 115V electrical cord are included.
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EU nations run on 50 hertz US uses 60 hertz This motor must therefore run as well on either. Now if they were talking about a radio or TV I would doubt their word. I have never had the opertunity however, to try find out. The word hertz took the place of cycles.
I am running concrete today for the footing for a short retaining wall for my shade garden, so I can keep the darn fescue from invadeing that area.
Just came in for a break and lunch will still get that drawing to you.
Doing that job by myself sure makes the sweat run. I better get back at it before I talk myself out of it,
Russ
Thanks Russ...and good luck with that retaining wall!...I still have not decided on a pump...I am hoping to decide once I see your drawing!...
Susana:
I spent some time on a drawing, only to find, I can't get the scanner to work on this compututer. However I remembered that we set my friends pump outside the pond. I took some pics of that. Now bear in mind it will work, as long as the pump is below the water level of the pond. so hopefully this first pic will show the rubber reduceing sleaves.
He wanted his check valve right after the pump. so this next pic should show that.
Ok here is another shot of the pluming on mine. It is an angle where I had to make an adjustment in the level of the PVC comeing up from the pond and turn and still make another level
Now I will have to do you another favor. I will pull my strainer, for cleaning. and take some pics of that. I will give a discription, at that time. But for bearing with me, here is a shot of the work today
And one more just as I was finishing up with the pour.
Glad I showed that last one, as I saw that I had left my hammer laying. After having several things walk- - - - I try not to leave things lay after I'm done for the evening.
Don't rember if I shared this one or not. This is a slightly raised ring around the walnut tree that gives shade to the area I am working on now.
WOW!...Russ...you do SO MUCH work and it all looks GREAT!...I love your wall area you're building there...I wish my father and son knew or were interested in doing any kind of garden things...they could care less!...it's always just been me doing everything over the years...neither one of them even liked to mow the lawn and that's pretty much all gone as I have made gardens all through the yard with fieldstone and small boulders to enclose them...
and...thank you for showing me good close up pic's of all the pipes and fittings...if I put the pump at ground level up and outside of the pond...by the waterfall container that I will be getting...are you saying I won't be able to use reducer fittings in this way?...is the pull of water reduced too much when it's pulling from over the water lever/say as compared to a pool pump pulling water up like that?...I am a little not so much confused BUT really being careful before I plunge into all of the buying and the proper placement of all of the fitting work and also the proper placement of the pump in relation to in or out of the water...especially the torpedo one as it can be in or out of the water while running it...and I was thinking having it on the ground right in front of me mounted on somthing would surely be simpler for me...being that I am the one who will be having to deal with it if something goes wrong with it...that's why I thought the old Hayward filter and pump would be good for a sometime/like spring/summer run would be good...I used to run that hing constantly for a good 4-5 months and the electric bill was not much more as we are on a contract with out electric company here...one of those equal payment plans....and with the old Hayward filter...now that they're especially offering that lightweight sand filtering media especially for aquaculture/pond use!!!...hmmmmmmmm......I am STILL so unsure of what the right thing to do is here concerning buying a correct new pump and the waterfall filter box/spillway...I wish someone here on the forum had tried that new filter media in an old pool filter and could comment it if worked or not....it surely would be a boon for anyone who has one laying around to give it a try...it could save ALOT of people LOTS of headaches and money also!....I saw more filters that look EXACTLY like my Hayward being sold on ebay as fish filters and they had the same spray contraption in the bottom of them/plus mine has a spray overhead thing inside it too...right below the valve handle assembly...I just don't see any difference in ALL of those type filters construction...EXCEPT...for the filter media put into it...all the complaints and down side was about regular sand being used...as azreno had mentioned way up in the top of this thread......
I think I may have to try that new filter media stuff to satisfy my own curiosity!...BUT..still set up a new pump as I said and I surely would like to have it above ground if it's feasible...PLUS.....my helpers have been missing ALL WEEK long...and my son is TOO busy to help me...he's NEVER here...my father won't help me AND my liner is supposedly on a freight truck and on it's way here...I surely hope someone is here the day they deliver it because I would hate to be stuck alone when it arrives off of the truck as it's SO heavy...sometimes the truck drivers won't bring things to your door anymore around here............acccccccccccck!!!...
Yup I'm saying that the pump like I have will not pull the water up over the edge of the pond or the skimmer if you are using a box type. The pump, all the intake plumbing, and bulkhead fittings need to be below water level. If you use a box skimmer and go into the side of it with a bulkhead fitting, you will also have to have an elbow and a stub pipe going down on the inside. This pump has so much suction that it will make a whirlpool and suck air, and keep starving it's self.