Filtration Installation
By Freddie Combas, The Pondman

The Intake Section
Start installing the equipment by placing the pump in its location facing where you plan to install the settling chamber. Connect the “out” port of a 3-port valve to the “intake” (suction from pond) side of the pump.

Next, install the settling chamber. Dig a hole that is large enough to fit the chamber to the correct depth, which is determined by the pond’s water level. I recommend using a transit or line-level to determine the water level at multiple points of the pond in reference to the settling chamber. You also can place a wood stake on the ground beside the skimmer and draw a line at least 3 inches above ground-level. Measure how many inches are from the mark on the stake to the spot on the skimmer that you chose would be the water level. Record this number for use when determining the water level for the settling chamber.

Place another wood stake by the settling chamber. Tie a string on the mark of the skimmer stake and tie the other end of the string to the settling chamber stake. Place your string level on the string next to the settling chamber stake and adjust the string until it is level. Mark the level spot on the stake.

To determine the settling chamber’s water level, measure down the same number of inches as you did at the skimmer side, which you recorded earlier. Add or remove dirt from the hole until the water level reaches the correct spot on the settling chamber based on the manufacturer’s recommendations, but do not backfill with dirt.

Use worm clamps, such as those used on your car’s radiator hoses, to attach the rubber coupling, provided with the settling chamber, to the extrusion at the bottom of the settling chamber. Note: When the term “connect” is used as to PVC pipes, it is intended as a procedure that includes the use of PVC primer and glue.

Use the appropriate fittings to attach 3-inch pipe from the rubber coupling at the bottom (coned end) of the settling chamber to the “in” port of the pump’s 3-port valve that you installed earlier. Next, use the necessary fittings to attach the 3-inch PVC pipe that is connected to the bottom drain unit to the rubber coupling located on the lower side of the settling chamber. Tighten this with the provided worm clamp.

Check that the water level remains where it needs to be, and adjust as necessary by adding or removing dirt under the settling chamber. Once the water level is correct, backfill around most of the settling chamber leaving exposed a 2-foot wide section of the settling chamber that is closest to the pump.

Next, install the bulkhead fitting provided with the settling chamber. Install the fitting on the flat spot located at mid-point on the side of the settling chamber. On the inside of the settling chamber portion of the bulkhead fitting, connect the 2-inch pieces of PVC pipe.

Connect the “out” port of a second 3-port valve to the remaining “in” port of the first 3-port valve. Then, connect a piece of 2-inch PVC pipe to the same bulkhead fitting, but to the outer side of the settling chamber and to one of the “in” ports on the second 3-port valve. Connect a series of PVC pipes from the remaining “in” port on the 3-port valve to the back of the skimmer. You can run the pipe to the skimmer in the same trench as the bottom drain pipe.

Fit the pipe through the hole at the skimmer’s back and connect a 90-degree elbow to the pipe end inside the skimmer, with the elbow facing the bottom of the skimmer. Now connect a piece of PVC pipe to the 90-degree elbow. The pipe must be long enough to extend from the elbow to a few inches from the skimmer bottom. This PVC pipe will draw water from the skimmer and into the pump.

This completes installation of the “intake” (suction from pond) portion of the filtration system. Installing the “intake” in this manner, allows for total control of from where the water is drawn. If you need more suction from the skimmer due to increased leaves in the fall then you can partially close the bottom drain. If you need more water from the bottom drains, you can partially close the skimmer intake. This type of plumbing design also allows you to use one pump to run your filtration system and the waste side of your settling chamber, which normally requires a second pump and buried wastewater chamber.

The Return Section
The “return” (flow to pond) portion of the filtration system proves less complicated and faster to install. To begin, connect the “out” port on a 3-port valve to the “return” side of the pump. Connect 2-inch PVC pipe from one “in” port on the 3-port valve to the “in” side of the pressurized media filter.

Next, connect PVC pipe from the “out” on the pressurized media filter to the “in” on the UV sterilization unit. Connect the UV light’s “out” to the PVC pipe from the waterfall filtration unit. You can run the pipe to the waterfalls in the same trench as the bottom drain and skimmer pipes. The “return” portion of the filtration system is now complete.

The “waste” portion of the filtration system directs the water from the settling chamber and the pressurized media filter when they are being flushed or backwashed to remove the collected fish waste from the filtration system. Choose a place to where you want this water drained. This water is rich in ammonia, nitrates, nitrites and more, making it a great fertilizer for lawns and shrubs. This water will smell foul, however, and be thick with waste.

Connect a PVC pipe from the “waste” port on the pressurized media filter and run it to your wastewater location. Next, connect a PVC pipe from the remaining “in” port on the 3-port valve at the pump’s “return” side and run it to the selected wastewater location. <HOME>