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Top Poster: markf1fan (3,497)
I'm planning out pipework for my pond (not constructed yet) and am wondering whether I need to run a 4 inch pipe to the nearest drain. I have little experience with this and would appreciate some help!
The pond will be approx 2000 gallons. I'll be running something like 10,000l/h through a 4in bottom drain to a sieve then bio filters.
I've been advised that I need a purge facility for the bottom drain - for which I am planning to use a valve located before the sieve on the bottom drain line, about 2ft below water level that can be opened briefly. My question is what to do after this valve.
The pond isn't near a drain. To run 4 inch pipe from the valve to a drain is at least 10m, and will be across a patio so it won't be easy to route. The other option is to run a short pipe to somewhere else in the garden - like a large flower bed or something?
I don't plan on stocking heavily and realistically water changes will be limited to about 10% every couple of weeks. I would have thought 200 gallons is enough to purge the drain and could be lost in the flower bed? Is that a realistic option or not? Has anyone done anything similar?
Thanks for your help,
Matt
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I have a similar set-up to what you're proposing, ie sieve then filter. You don't say which sieve, but it should be fairly similar, in that there will be a drain facility at the bottom. I have a Cetus, which has a 3" drain. My problem was that because of the height of the pond (2ft above ground) I had to bury my sieve 1ft below ground level (the sieve is 3ft tall) This obviously created the problem of not being able to drain under gravity. So, what I did was to dig a hole near the sieve of the appropriate depth, and make a sump using a plastic dustbin. I then used a pump with a fitted float switch placed in the bottom of the sump. I was then able to make a pipe run to the nearest drain using 11/4" pipe. I also run my overflow and filter waste to the sump, so it's quite useful. As regards purging, all I do is to close a valve fitted in front of the sieve, and wait until I can hear the pump start to suck air, and re-open the valve. At this point water will rush into the sieve. I also hold down the float to prolong the purge. Others may well have a better idea, but this seems to work ok for me. Hope this helps.
Actually that's a very good point Freddy - thanks!
There's no need for the purge to go straight to waste at all. If I do as you suggest and just close the valve from the bottom drain then let the pond level build up/sieve level drop it will purge through the sieve when released. Then I can just run off water as slowly as I want to do changes.
I plan on building my own sieve rather than buying one - will post on here and let you know how it goes!
I should have said, you will definately need to rig up something for waste, don't run it to the garden! If for any reason you need to do a large water change (and you will!), your flower beds will quickly become a mess.
Yep - I was planning on having something! But now I know I don't need to worry about using 4inch pipe. I could even just use the hosepipe I suppose, although having a permanent 1 1/2 inch pipe would probably make sense.
hiya
i do the same as freddy, just shut the valve to the sieve then make sure pond is full right up. run the pump to empty the sieve and then open the valve and keep the sieve valve pushed open which then makes the water rush into the sieve which clears out the bottom drain and pipe work. this works great for me and then the waste pipe from my bead filter i have put 1/12" pvc solid pipe 6" under the ground to my nearest drain. this works good for me.
mark
__________________ 1x 2400 gallon pond
1x estro sieve
1x econo bead filter
1x bakki shower with crystal bio
1x 55w pro clear uv
1x eco 12,000
1x sequence 15,000
1x hi blow 40 air pump
and some really nice koi
I've a 40 gall "pump sump," I can purge the bottom drain in a matter of seconds and it then takes about two minutes or so to then pump the waste to the drain outside our kitchen through a good 40' of 1.5" pipe buried under the patio, this has worked fine for 25 years. I've a small hole in the drain supply to stop it syphoning once I've emptied the sump.
A word of caution, some sump installations use a double standpipe arrangement. One is connected by a 4" pipe to the bottom drain the other via a 4" pipe to an adjacent 4" drainpipe via a saddle connection. This are fine as long as the drain standpipe isn't accidentally removed without the bottom drain standpipe being in its socket. This could near as dammit empty half the pool in a few minutes. The other problem is if the drain or soil pipe to which the system is connected, backs up and then "all sorts" could end up in the sump.
__________________ "I don't mind if you don't like my manners!
I don't like them myself, they're pretty bad,
I grieve over them on long winter evenings."
Last edited by Doghouse Riley : 04-11-2011 at 05:57 PM.
That is what I was originally thinking - but after the responses here I've realised (I think) that I don't need the T before the sieve, I can just back up the water in the pond, let the pump empty the sieve and container it'll be in (which will be about 150L) then release the water and it'll purge the drain into the sieve.
This way avoids the need to have a T on the 4 inch pipe, and I can just run water off through 1.5 in pipe to the drain when required.
Do you think there's a problem with that method?
If you have meter on your pond supply and you are draining into the garden and not the mains sewage system it is well worth getting in touch with your water authority and see if they will give you a discount.
They normally work out your sewage charge assuming a fixed % goes into the sewer if you give them readings from your koi water meter you might, like me, get a worthwhile discount from your water authority.
Is a waste pipe to drains essential? 
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