A New Breed of Bead
A New Age for the Pond Bead Bio-Filter

Like the automobile, the very first bead biological filter was a breakthrough in technology. It offered pioneer pond keepers an alternative to archaic methods of filtering water.  It allowed 5-minutes-per-week maintenance, something unheard of with existing pond filters.  You didn't have to even get your hands dirty!  But like the Model T the very first model bead filter had its share of problems.  As time goes by these problems are addressed by manufacturers and improvements are made.  For example, the hour-glass design of the bubble bead was found to bottle-neck the water flow and was ditched by many distributors in favor of a single round tank that resembles a pool filter.

Some people confuse pool filters with bead filters because they look so much alike on the outside. The two, however, are NOT interchangeable and the differences are enormous.  Open up the units and you’ll see two completely different plumbing systems and media used.  A true bead filter flows UP through the beads while a pool filter flows DOWN through the sand.  It can be downright dangerous to use a pool filter on a pond.  The sand will clog almost instantly and does not get aerated.  This promotes growth of anaerobic bacteria that causes disease in fish, harbors parasites and produces smelly gasses. Even if beads are used the plumbing does not allow proper cleaning.

A bead filter is a closed, sealed tank that uses heavy water flow to trap dirt and debris and high water pressure to flush it out of the system. A large volume of water must go slowly through the beads when it’s filtering to perform optimally. On the other hand, high water pressure is needed to expel dirt during backwash.  If water is traveling through the beads too quickly it will not filter properly. If the unit lacks water pressure during cleaning the backwash does not do its job.

When Pond Doc developed his line of ProBead™ biological pond filters in 1998 he took the best features of all the bead filters in production at the time and combined them into a pond filter that would stand up to the rigorous handling it would receive at his garden center. He felt sure that if it held up to the abuse he would give it at the store then surely it would hold up for customers as well. He was right.  As customers began requesting the same technology on their home ponds he began a small-scale production of the ProBead™.  Those first ProBeads were so successful that it encouraged him to further develop the technology of his ProBead™ and he set up manufacturing facilities for the bead filter.  

Even the best bead filter ten years ago had its particular problems. The very first ProBead™ models, for example, did not have the Rinse or Bead Anti-Loss Drain Features nor did they come equipped with the anti-clogging multi-bead Feature.  Although the early models of bead filters from 10 years ago are still performing, just like a 10-year old car still runs, the newer ProBead™ models are equipped with better technology and features with more options available.

Click HERE to see Pond Doc's Line of ProBead™ Pond Filters

Anti-Clogging Multi-Bead Feature

Historically, the weaknesses of the bead filter is that it tends to clog or cake and only gives adequate biological filtration.  Because the bead filter is so competent with mechanical filtration - catching everything that comes along - it actually creates its own problem with beads caking.  Though the bead filter has in the past provided adequate biological filtration there is room to improve, especially with the time it takes for the nitrifying bacteria to develop.  To combat these problems, the Pond Doc incorporated the Anti-Clogging Multi-Bead Feature into his ProBead™ pond filter.  The feature utilizes several different types of bead media. In fact, this feature was discovered and implemented exclusively by Pond Doc.  He began by using two types of beads and is now up to four for full functionality.  No one else is using this advanced technology yet.  It's sure to start showing up in other bead filter brands in the future when they play catch up.

The Anti-Clogging Multi-Bead Feature consists of four styles of plastic floating beads.  There are two sizes of small pellet-like beads and two sizes of hollow, tubular beads.  The small pellet-like beads are used for fine-filtering.  The smaller of the two small beads has been used in bead filters since conception. They trap even the most minute pieces of debris, giving the bead filter it's mechanical filtration superiority.  When using only these small beads it's in its nature to increase the likeliness of the filter to clog.  Having two sizes of these smaller beads improves anti-clogging but does not completely cure the clogging problem.  It's the introduction of the hollow, tubular beads that really does the trick.  The Pond Doc has added two sizes of hollow tubular beads to the mix. These hollow beads have proven to help prevent clogging while increasing the amount of biological filtration.

Because they are two sizes the tubular beads resist "stacking" while breaking up the clumps of tiny beads that algae and sticky muck create - similar to the way stones break up sand.  Because there is less clogging and pond water circulates through the media instead of around it the media is oxygenated better.  That encourages the growth of nitrifying bacteria.  The surface area of these tubular beads is so much more than that of the small beads and that gives more housing area for nitrifying bacteria to thrive.  The result is an environment that encourages healthy biological filtration -- a HUGE IMPROVEMENT over the standard bead filter.

Another advantage the Anti-Clogging Multi-Bead Feature gives is that a blower option is not necessary on smaller bead filters for most situations.  Blowers are designed to break up the compacted beads before backwashing for a more thorough cleaning and to prevent clogging. With the anti-clogging properties the bead mix provides a blower is just not necessary and something the budget-conscience consumer can do without.

Bead Agitator / Blower

There are times when a blower (or bead agitator) is a useful and/or necessary addition to a bead filter. 

#1 - On larger bead filters.  The Pond Doc's ProBead™ 360 comes standard with a bead agitator for just that reason.  On larger bead filters the sheer mass of the beads inhibits the ability of the water pressure created by the pump to thoroughly break apart the beads and expel the dirt.  A Bead Agitator / Blower uses high-pressure forced air to break up the beads.  This way water pressure is only used to flush the dislodged debris out of the system. 

#2 - Ponds with heavy string algae.  String algae is a spur in many a pond's side.  It literally gums up the works.  It takes the extra "umph" of a blower to keep that stringy mess from "tying" the beads together.

#3 - Water Conservation - A bead agitator is a valuable tool in areas like Georgia where we are experiencing severe drought and water is worth its weight in gold.  It usually takes 5 minutes of backwashing per week to get a thorough backwash of a bead filter.  That can amount to hundreds of gallons of water down the drain so to speak.  By using a blower first that number of gallons is sliced by 80%! 

We always want to test and experiment with "new" ideas and products and the blower was no exception.  It's water conservation properties, alone, is a reason to invest in it.  We aren't convinced, however, that all ProBead™ pond bead filters must have them -- and that's because of the new anti-clogging multi-bead properties.  That's why the bead agitator / blower remains an option on ProBead™ pond filters.. 

2” High Flow 6-Way Valve

A bead filter needs to filter a lot of water in an hour’s time. During normal filtering mode large amounts of water flowing through the filter should flow through more slowly.  Debris has "time" to get trapped by the beads, making it filter at its best performance.  2" plumbing helps create this scenario and 2" plumbing throughout the bead filter is desirable.  Many bead filters (but not the ProBead™) reduce down to 1 1/2” piping inside the unit. 

All models of the ProBead™ pond filters are manufactured with 2" plumbing throughout the whole unit and that increases to a 6" lateral to handle water entrance and exit flows.  Elbows, notorious for reducing water flow, are non-existent inside the ProBead™.  With this design the ProBead™ is equipped to provide the best performance regardless of whether the rest of the pond is plumbed with 1 1/2" or 2" pipe.  The standard 6-way valve on bead filters (including the ProBead™) has 1 1/2” ports.  That's fine for small ponds where high flow rates are not necessary.   There's no need for the owner of the pond to pay more for a 2" valve. 

A pond owner may opt for the 2" High Flow 6-Way Valve if he (or she) desires a high volume of water flow, regardless of the size of the pond.  For example, a 1000-gallon pond normally doesn't require high water flows.  If the pond has a large waterfall, though, it needs all the flow it can get so he certainly would not want to hinder the flow by using a 1 1/2" valve.  Many ponds are constructed with 2" plumbing (and many should have been constructed with 2" plumbing - but that's another article).  If the bead filter is equipped with a standard 1 1/2" 6-way valve on a pond with 2" plumbing the flow is restricted and the system is not living up to its potential.  A rule of thumb to follow - if using 2" plumbing (or higher) on your pond, opt for the 2" Valve.  A 2" High Flow 6-Way Valve is a simple upgrade.  Most bead filters, including the ProBead™, have this upgrade available.

The Pump

The choice of pump directly affects the efficiency of the filter as well as the aesthetics of the pond.  The idea is to choose a pump that works well with the bead filter and produces the desired effect. A good choice of pump for many ponds is a 2-speed external pump.  2-speed pumps give energy efficient electrical consumption while filtering and running on low.  With a simple flip of a switch it provides the ability to backwash with high pressure. 

At one time, the use of a low head, high volume pump (like the Sequence or Performance Pro) with a bead filter was not a good match because that kind of pump would not provide enough pressure for a thorough backwash.  That's all changed now for ProBead™ owners!  The Anti-Clogging Multi-Bead Feature of the ProBead™ makes the combination quite workable because it provides a better backwash with less pressure.

Though many kinds of pumps work perfectly well with the ProBead™ Filter (both submersible and external) it takes the knack of understanding what each variable of a pond does to the water flow.  The decision of what pump to place on a pond can be a daunting one.  That’s reason number 528 to consult with the Pond Doc before purchasing equipment.  He has that knack!  Call him at (770) 663-6325 or email him.

From The Spring 2003 Edition of What's Up, Doc?  Revised and Updated February, 2008.  © Copyright 2003, 2008, PondDoc.com. All rights Reserved. Reproduction of this article prohibited without prior consent of The Pond Doc.

Click HERE to see Pond Doc's Line of ProBead™ Pond Filters