What Is A Drum Filter?

A Drum Filter is a mechanical filter designed to remove waste from a koi pond. It features a fine mesh that effectively traps biological debris, and when this mesh becomes clogged, a sensor activates an automatic cleaning cycle. During this cycle, the drum rotates, allowing jets to spray away the collected waste from the mesh cover. Additionally, drum filters can be integrated multiple times within a single system alongside a biological filter.

A drum filter is positioned outside of a pond, similar to many other filtration systems. It usually receives water from the pond through a Bottom Drain, but it can also be supplied by a pump fed system if needed. These filters often come with multiple inlets, allowing for the possibility of connecting both a bottom drain and a skimmer, or even multiple intake sources.

In the case of a gravity-fed pond equipped with a bottom drain, water flows into the drum filter from the ‘dirty’ side and then moves over a dividing panel into the drum itself. The drum is encased in a high-quality stainless steel mesh, typically featuring openings that range from 60 to 80 microns in size. This mesh is prone to clogging quickly in a koi pond. The frequency of washing cycles could become excessive for a koi keepers which necessitates the need for an automated cleaning process. In a gravity-fed system, the circulation pump will return water to the pond at a consistent rate. When the mesh becomes obstructed, the water level on the clean side of the drum will drop, activating a sensor that starts a cleaning cycle. Once the cleaning cycle is activated, a motor will rotate the drum while a flushing pump simultaneously sprays water from outside the mesh to dislodge debris, directing it into a waste chute. This regular cleaning will take approximately 15 to 45 minutes, depending on various factors such as the size of the pond, the filter, the pumps, and how many fish you have..