Trickle Tower and Shower Filters

8/2/2019 Trickle Tower and Shower Filters

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TRICKLETOWERS

& BAKKI

SHOWERS by Noel L Shaw

AKCA Koi Health Advisor


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WHY WE DO IT


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OVERVIEW

1. Bioconverter Basics

2. BioConverter Design

3. Water Flow

4. Oxygenation

5. The Ideal BioConverter

6. Things that can go wrong

7. Summary


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1. BIOCONVERTER BASICS

The purpose of the BioConverter is to convertnitrogenous waste (ammonia excreted through thegills) to relatively harmless compounds via thenitrite / nitrate cycle.

In addition, the ideal bioconverter will convertorganic (carbon containing) compounds in solid fishwaste to an oxidized state - ultimately carbondioxide - which will then gas off to theatmosphere.

Its job is NOT to remove solid waste (fish orotherwise) from the water.


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Bioconverters work because of the actions ofhard working, middle class bacteria,which, like koi, have basic needs:

a) A home (usable surface area):

- gravel

- matting- ribbon

- beads

b) Food: exposure to nitrogenous & organic compounds

1) stuff in water2) exposure to water

3) appropriate flow rate - fast vs slow

c) Oxygen: supplied by O2 dissolved in the water


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2. BIOCONVERTER DESIGN

A) Pre-Filter:Catches the big chunks to help avoid clogging

bioconverter media

- Settling chambers- Coarse matting

- Should not be relied on for bioconversion

- Should be easy to clean / flush

The pre-filter is the first line of defense for thebacteria in the bioconverter, to keep them frombeing smothered in solids.


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B) BioConverter Media:

Home, home on the range Where theNitrosomonas and Nitrobacter (and Aeromonas)play

- Adequate total surface area?- Flow capacity

- Maintenance of design flow - will media settletogether, plug easily, or clump?

- Contact time with water

- Biggest possible for space and budget

- No such thing as over - filtration


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BIOCONVERTER TYPES

Maximum O2level possible:

9 ppmThe DO concentration for 100% air saturated water at sea level is 8.6

mg O2/L at 25C (77F) and increases to 14.6 mg O2/L at 0C.


9 ppm


9 ppm

Moore, M.L. 1989. NALMS management guide for lakes and reservoirs. North American Lake Management Society,P.O. Box 5443, Madison, WI, 53705-5443, USA (http://www.nalms.org).

Bead Filter Fluid Bed Filter Matting Filter


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OTHER

POSSIBILITIES


9 ppm

AquaScapes type filtration- gravel / rock surface area & matting


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Flow rate:

Turnover time (all pond water passes throughbioconverter) of at leastonce per hour

General plumbing considerations:- Pump size (design flow rate)- Actual flow rate = design flow rate minus back

pressure due to height and back pressure due tofriction in plumbing, fittings, and other

restrictions- Pipes never get bigger, they get smaller with

buildup

- Pressure of media (draw through or pressurized

filters and bioconverters)

3. WATER FLOW


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Bioconverter plumbing

and flow considerations:

High flow rate is OK and even great if:

a) the water is clean and wont plug up the front lineof the media, and

b) bacterial colonies wont be mechanically knockedoff by excessive turbulence, and

c) there is a large frontal cross section of media(water can flow through gently and equally asopposed to being pushed through a small openingthrough multiple layers)


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Consider trying to push a certain volume of waterthrough a certain amount of filter media,represented by the media filled cylinder, open at the

ends.

All of the water needs to go through the

first layer of media (shown in green). If itplugs, all water flow ceases.


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Now consider trying to push that same volume ofwater through the same amount of filter media, but

the water is flowing through the sides.

The water has a much larger surface area tospread out over as it passes through themedia.

This filter design will flow with less pressure,and will be much more difficult to plug up.


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4. OXYGENATION

Oxygen is our friend.- Higher levels of oxygen can support higher

densities of bioconverter bacteria.

- Goal of water flow is O2 saturation at all levels of

pond activity (top, bottom, in bioconverter)- Bioconverter bacteria, even more than koi, function

best at high O2 levels.

Oxygenation of pond water:- Bring the water to the oxygen (flooming, streams)- Bring the oxygen to the water (waterfalls, air

pumps, turbulence)


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Water, when cold and highly tumbled, holds, atbest9-10 ppm of dissolved oxygen.

Air, by contrast, holds about 21% (21,000ppm)oxygen.

If we can get the media (and thus the bacteria)into the air, and still provide the bacteria withfood and moisture to do their duties (or is thatdoodies?), they stand a much better chance ofbeing at O2 saturation, and their populationsand therefore productivity should be muchgreater.


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5. THE IDEAL BIOFILTER

What Kind Of Bio ConverterEnables Maximum Oxygenation;Can Handle Huge Water Flows;

Has A Huge Media SurfaceArea; Has Little Or No

Restriction; Has Rapid Biological

Start Up And Recovery; AndWill Not Go Septic After A Day

Without Water Flow?


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Bakki Showers


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THE Bakki Shower $5000.00 ish


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Trickle Towers


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Shower Filter


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Barrel basin Ventilated milk crates

4 pond outlet to pre-filter Pre-Filter


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3 pump outlet to 2-2 valves Cover (evaporation, shade, and splash)

Free flow water return Four 1-1/2 spray bars per tray set


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Youll also need hugeplumbing, lots of space

above water line (this is agravity return system) , aBAP (large pump), and ...

A means to hide the Shower Filter

This is a temporary pond, aboveground, built to avoid the troubleand expense of dealing with abuilt-in in a few years.

The filter cover is for water loss,and does little to camouflage thefilter. The screen in front helps a

little.


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Lava Rock Tray after six months Spray Bar after six months


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6. WHAT CAN GO WRONG....

Just kidding


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Shower Filters are large.

They are gravity return, so they need to beabove the water level of the pond.

They require massive water flow.

They splash a fair amount.

They lose water to evaporation.

They can cool the water too much in winter.

They are loud (a pleasant sort of loud).

Potential Drawbacks


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Hide the Filters behind a screen or a faux

rock waterfall.

Use the gravity return to further directwater flow in the pond.

Use large plumbing to flow huge water andminimize friction and power losses.

Cover to minimize splashing, water loss, andexcessive cooling in winter.

Install an autofill.

Enjoy the extra water noises.

Potential Solutions


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7. SUMMARYEfficiency of oxygenation.

Great water movement.

Organics and nitrogens are broken

down very rapidly.Cooling effect in summer.

Soothing effect on fish.Except for Bakki Shower, eachpond / filter setup needs to be

specifically engineered

Documents

Trickle Tower and Shower Filters