Flow rate for vortex chamber

[flywheel]

I have a 1000 gallon indoor pond that I'm making a 32 gallon vortex chamber that is about 36 inches tall, how big of a pump should I be using to get the proper flow?

This is my first vortex so I'm not sure of the math.

Ron

[NaturesCall]

I don't know if this helps, I made a settlement tank out of a 32 gal garbage can. i'm feeding it with a 2" drain gravity fed to the 32 gal tank. I'm drawing water out of it with a 1400gph pump. The water level drops 1 to 2 inches when the pump is running.

[flywheel]

How well does it remove solids? I think I have too much flow with a 2500gph, since I started it up I have more suspended solids than ever. I am planning on cutting it down to 1000-1500gph today and see how that works.

[zack67360]

It's my understanding that your settling chamber should be 10%-15% of the volume of your pond. In your case that would be 100 - 150 gallon holding tank to slow the flow down enough. Course you could still get a pump that moved too much water and that size chamber still wouldn't allow the flow to slow down enough for the solids to drop out. I have a 2500 gallon pond and got a 425 gallon potable water tank for my settling chamber. The tank was used, so got a good deal on it. Wife found it for $125 and got it for me for Christmas :smile: Just a thought you might consider if you can find one. I've sealed the access hole in the top, which will become the bottom, so the bowl shaped will help collect the solids in the deepest area in the center from the vortex action.
Good luck,
zack

[flywheel]

Since I've got this one put in but not working right I can play with the rate to see if I can tweek it first and if that won't take care of it I will build a settlement chamber, I have a lot of treated lumber and pond liner left so I can make the right size.
Thanks,
Ron

[Peg]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong ,but I thought the idea of a vortex was to let the fines settle at the bottom as the water rises up through the filter medium it then returns to the pond. So if this is not the main filter for the pond but an add on, would it not be better to have it at a slower rate so the fines have a chance to settle and be filtered out ????? Just wouldn't know what the rate would be. Where's Ian or Terrie. This is a good one for them. :)

[flywheel]

Newbie, you are right on all counts, just need the magic numbers to make it work.

[Terri]

What are the dimensions? 36" tall but what's the diameter? 24"? 30"? What size pipe inlet/outlet? 2"?
You are right that you will have to play a bit with the flow rate to find your 'optimum' ... somewhere between 750gph to 1250pgh should be the sweet spot.

[Terri]

forgot to ask.. what comes after the vortex?

[flywheel]

Terri, 24'' diameter/ 1.5" inlet/ outlet is overflow back into the pond, this is separate from the rest of my filtration, I just wasn't happy with the amount of solids suspended in the water. The filter pads plug up so quickly so I decided to give this a try. I wanted to get it functioning properly before I incorporate it into the rest of the filtration system.

[Terri]

Ron, 24"D x 36"tall isn't very big so the flow should be well under 1000gph to allow for solids settlement, much smaller particulate (fines) are another issue- as mentioned above your looking in the 750gph range, with a little tweaking.

You will find better clarity results if you use a mechincal settlement chamber following the vortex to collect the 'fines' that will pass through the vortex... this could simply be another container which will handle the flow rate with static K1 or J-mat, or your present mech with the filter pads.

[flywheel]

Did a water change and made the changes, have the rest of the filter hooked in after the vortex now. Should have chrystal clear water by suppertime, right? :wink:

[Peg]

what about a check or ball valve to help to adjust the flow rate. I would think that to find the right flow rate that you would start at full pump power and adjust the flow rate down untill you get the result your looking for. As it is not your main system for the pond in could run at a slow rate. This is basically the same idea for when I put in the bottom drain ( the kind that sits on the liner ) As I have 2 main filter systems.

[flywheel]

My pump has a valve to divert water flow so I got it right where I want it, 5 hours after water change I have the cleanest water I've ever had in the pond. Works great!

[zack67360]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, isn't a rule of thumb for a vortex chamber to have a dwell time of 6 minutes minimum? With my current retro fit bottom drain I'm installing, my finished system will be: Retro bottom drain to my settling chamber with no medium or brushes, then pump, then to an Aquabead filter for fines, then my DIY 'skippy's' bio filter, then a waterfall back to the pond. It has been a "work in progress" since completion last April. :lol:
zack

[NaturesCall]

Settlement tanks are usually designed to remove the heavier solids. followed by a secondary filter to help remove fines. In some tanke people place microscreens with spray bars to clean the screen. Zack is right that you want dwell time to allow the heavier solids to settle. In our situation we place 3 layers of japmat to filter the poopers. so what didn't settle was filtered. I'll go take some pictures shortly.

[NaturesCall]

now keep in mind, this is the tank (Garbage can :) ) we use on one of our
indoor Quarantine tanks.

Pict 1- side shot. Lower line is to the 2" bottom drain, top line feeds the pump.

Pict 2 - Inside the take I set up the plumbing to create the circular motion of the water

Pict 3 - I raised the tank so I could plumb in a bottom drain in the tank which feeds to the sump.

Pict 4 - 3 layers of jap mat, course, medium and fine

i don't know if you can see it...this tank was cleaned out 2 days ago and already you can see debris on the bottom.