Valve Question

[Jackie Ramo]

I want to put a valve on the back of the biofalls so that I can empty it easier. I would also use this to hopefully flush out the falls from time to time. What kind of valve thing should I use and where should I place it. Is there anyway to hook it into the feed pipe that is already there?

[TASSAJARA]

Hi Jackie,

Sounds like what you want to do can be done but without seeing how your bio fall is, I can't suggest but to put the valve at the bottom. (I know, not much help)

I can say to be sure you get a ball valve, they are quick to open and close and do not give any resistance when open.

[Jackie Ramo]

Well at least a name for something Ball Valve. I'll have to write it down. Truly I go brain dead in the plumbing and electrical sections. All those little puzzle pieces give me a headache.

My system is the ADI or Aquascapes system. So the filter is the waterfall. Last week the power failed and the check valve also failed. To make things worse, if they could be, the falls were a mess in spite of me cleaning them every 4 weeks. The advertising says once a year.... never bought that part anyway but certainly never had to do it once a montheither. So if I can flush them out it will keep them cleaner until such time as I find the funds to build the upper pond and filtration.... no lottery winnings last week but I got a free ticket for this one. :lol:

[TASSAJARA]

Jackie, If you can post a pic of the area It would help to draw up a plan.

I'm sure we can all come up with one solution or ten. :lol:

[ozzyrockman]

Jackie, sorry my photo service is down right now so I can't post picts. I would say the cheapest and easiest way is to get two shower drains, two 2" ball valves, a 2 3/8" hole saw (double check the size to fix the shower drain), 2" schedule 40 or 80 pvc pipe (doesn't matter for what you will use it for), pvc primer and pvc glue. The reason I suggest this way is due to price because one high end bulk head will cost almost as much as the entire supply list I gave you and you will still need to buy everything except the shower drains. Also if you use the 2" ball valves it will save drain time, in this case bigger is better.

So you don't like the check valves is see, in concept they work great however ponders don't flow clean water thru them so guess what it just slows the inevitable back flush into the pond. GOTTA LOVE IT UM YUMMY

Allen

[ozzyrockman]

As for plumbing, keeping things seperate helps in cases of failures or additions. So I would say add a ball valve to the feed line and then add individual drains to the bottom in the area where most of the crud builds up at the bottom if possible. The supply line ball valve can be any size equal to your current line. Allen

[Jackie Ramo]

Allen!! You give me a headache. I don't even know half the words you have used!! I am not a techy!:frisbee:

Michael a picture would show you dirt as the falls are buried :lol:

Basically the system is a big plastic box (buried in the ground) with a hole in the bottom to allow water to be fed in and a lip at the top to allow water to flow out, in the middle are matts and biomedia.

MY biggest problem is that behind the falls are planted my wonderful and treasured brittle rooted tree peony and on the other side the Japanese Maple, neither of which like to have their roots dug up so ball valves can be installed.

[Brady Brandwood]

Hi Jackie,

If you have a "Bio-Falls System" you should have a Submersible pump in the skimmer, with a check valve right after the submersible pump, right? If so, then just where your pipe work comes out of the skimmer and begins to head up the hill to your "Bio-Falls" you can put a PVC "T" fitting, and put a Ball Valve on the open end of the "T" fitting there, and use this as a waste drain.

Just cut the pipe as it exits the skimmer, glue in the "T" fitting, add the Ball Valve to the open end of the "T" fitting,... then when you turn your submersible pump off, you can open the ball valve, and the water and gunk that is in the BioFalls will run out of the open Ball Valve, since the Bio-Falls unit should be at a higher elevation. Will this work with how your system is configured?

Best Wishes,
Brady

[Jackie Ramo]

Brady, has anyone told you today that you are brilliant!!! Never thought of putting it there but it would also be easier to get at than climbing into the garden each time.

Do you do installs??? :wave:

[Tom C]

Brady hit it on the head. We have done that to a few of our customers ponds. The only down side to it is, the line comes in the side of the filter about 2" above the bottom. A lot of waste will sit in that area. You still might have to pull the media out and suck the waste out that sits in that area. If it wasn't installed you would want to add a bulkhead fitting in the bottm of the filter and run a line off of that. It's just way to much work to do that now. I would do like Brady said.

As for the filter. You will want to clean it a few times a month. Turn off the pump and open that drain line and get a few buckets of pond water and dump it in the top of the filter. I think you will be shocked to see how dirty it will get in just a few weeks.

Good luck with the pond and filter!

Tom

[Jackie Ramo]

Thanks Tom. One of the reasons I'm looking at doing this is for some reason this year I can't keep up with the dirt in the biofalls... 5 years I've run this system and never had a problem. Yes I do clean it more often than recommened but usually it only needs it a few times a season, I check it often. This time it was only 4 weeks from the last total clean and the falls stank when I pulled them apart... not good at all!! I think it may be the fish are so large this year. All those babies have grown up now !wow! and as we know a big fish=big poop!!

I planned on adding this valve then emptying the falls every week, filling and empting until it ran clean. I have a lot of gardens to water so this should go to good growing.

The new units sold by ADI do have the drain built in.

[Louis]

HeyJackie, i found the cheapest ball-valves at Princess-Auto stores...

[Jackie Ramo]

Thanks Louis, do I need to know what size I want??? or do they only come in one size.

Anyone got a pic of one? setup would be nice :)

[Dennis Woollum]

Hi Jackie. If you can access your incoming pipe to the biofalls, "simply" install a wye fitting (it has one port on one end, two on the oppisite end) just before the pipe reaches the biofalls box with the two port side towards the box. The incoming water goes in through a ball valve as usual, but when you shut the water off and close the incoming water ball valve, you open the ball valve on the other side of the wye fitting fitting allowing the bio box to drain. As the water level in the box gets near the bottom, keep a hose running to swirl the water around. It will take out most of the bottom sludge. Close the exit ball valve, open the incoming ball valve, and re-start. It works good, especially if the box is raised above the outgoing pipe allowing for better drainage.

Good luck, Dennis

pond pics at www.woollum.com

[Jackie Ramo]

Thanks Dennis, but so far I have avoided all plumbing including the ball valve stuff I bought over a month ago. I can't get to the inflow of the biofalls as it is buried under the tree peony which hates to be moved or disturbed in any way shape or form. Yeah stupid to plant it there but I didn't know then what I know now!

I hope to get the valve installed at the skimmer end of things where the garden gets trampled on a regular basis so nothing of import to damage. So far I have avoided doing that. Leaks scare me so I've left well enough alone although I know I and the fish would be better off if something changed.

BTW the website looks great. Any more pics of the fish?

[Dewi]

With out actually seeing your water-fall and the supply pipe its difficult but Dennis i sright you need two valves the same size as your supply pipe, and a tee piece,
You need to put one of the valves in to your supply pipe where it is convenient,
Then between the valve and your waterfall place the tee-piece, you will need to place the tee as close to the valve as possible this will prevent any build up of waste material being pumped back into your filter once the operation has been achieved,
Place the other valve onto the tee, a hose conection and there you have it.

PS I'm sure if you went to a DIY store someone there will show you how things work and what you need, not as difficult as you think. :wink:

PPS of course for this to work your inlet pipe must be at the bottom or close to it.

[Jackie Ramo]

You guys need to come over here I have beer, wine and whiskey!!!

[Dennis Woollum]

Hi Jackie. Thanks! My son Brett created and maintains the website. We are about to update the pics including the fish and the plants that have mostly filled in. Were starting to work on the pond monitoring system as described on the website, but progress is slow. The underwater color camera works great at home, so-so on the web. Lots of work to do still..

Hmmm, I do believe travelling to Canada this time of year to work on outdoor pond plumbing would numb my usually fair weather hands (it was 72 here a couple of days ago in California) creating a need for all three of those libations!

[Jackie Ramo]

Dennis, trust me it is getting cold here. Supposed to be warmer this weekend but unfortunately life will take us away from working on the pond... isn't always that way.

Brett did a great job on you website. Always nice to have talented children