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The Pond Doc Answers Questions About the Performance of the ProBead™ Biological Bead Filter |
Q My garden center tells me bead filters don’t work because they clog. Is this true?
~ Eric C. in Waynesboro, NC
A It is true that SOME bead filters clog. I would hate, though, to miss out on the best system for removing trash out of the pond because I had a bad experience with a poorly designed bead filter system.
Most problems with clogging occur for two reasons: The technical design of the filter and pairing the filter with the wrong pump. If the filter has insufficient slots in the laterals inside the tank the water cannot flow through the beads properly and clogging can result. If the pump is undersized or if a low-head pump is used there isn’t enough water force to jostle the beads properly and the beads may become caked over time. That’s why it’s important to select the right bead filter and to couple it with the right pump.
The ProBead™ is the most efficient bead filter available for the removal of solids that I know of. Its advanced technology and use of 4 different types of beads has proven to be anti-clogging when teamed with the proper pump. I personally consult with each customer to insure that the correct pump and other system components work together with their ProBead™ to provide years of low-maintenance, trouble-free use on their ponds.
For ponds that have an extraordinary amount of string algae, clogging is an inherent problem. String algae collects and works like glue to stick the beads together. I would suggest purchasing a ProBead™ with a blower attachment if this is the case with your pond because the infusion of air before the backwash will be a valuable aid to keep the beads free flowing. Another advantage to a blower is that it reduces the amount of water needed (by about 70%) to backwash the filter and, in places like Georgia where we are currently experiencing a drought, that's a great thing!
Q How is the ProBead™ different from other bead filters?
~ Thom in Lawrenceville, Georgia
A Over the last 10 years I’ve continued to refine the design of the ProBead™ and I’m not afraid to incorporate new ideas. For example, though the ProBead™ has been using the Multi-Media System I developed successfully for many years now, this year (2008) I’ve added a 4th bead style that has proven to help create that special balance needed to remove solids without creating a caking and clumping nightmare. The multi-media system gives the ProBead™ a superior biological filtration advantage as well. The addition of highly captive biological media helps the filter seed faster – a MUST for koi ponds. The mixed media also helps to increase the flow of water through the filter.
The slot gaps have been made wider to create better water flow and I have increased the size of the slot from 2 inches in length (like in most bead filters) to a full 5 inches. This allows higher flow rates and that results in better filtration and backwashing.
Q I was on a website that sold sand filters for ponds. They said it works great. Why should I pay more for a ProBead™ when I can use a sand filter instead?
~ Brad J. in Bethesda, MD
A First off – if a sand filter worked on a pond, I’d be selling them! Secondly, you can’t believe everything you read – especially if it’s on the internet. Some people just want to make a quick buck.
A sand filter filters out every last particle. The sand inside the filter filters ultra fine. That’s why it’s a wonderful filter for a swimming pool. Pools do not have the organics (plant material, fish poop, algae, etc.) that a pond has. The organics present in ponds literally clog the sand within days and renders the filter useless. Even worse, it creates a fertile environment for anaerobic bacteria.
15 years ago I installed a sand filter on my personal koi pond. Months later I was having problems with ammonia spikes and fish dying “for no reason”. I checked the sand filter and found the sand literally glued together by the organics in the pond. Further examination of the sand showed tiny holes created by the water pressure from the pump. The pressure forced long tunnels in the sand that channeled the water through so that it could flow. I describe it as an upside-down tornado. What this meant was that nothing was being filtered out and – worse – the compacted sand was a haven for bad bacteria growth. The sand filter was actually doing the opposite of what it should have been doing!
I removed the sand immediately and, over the next few months, I experimented with several different types of filter media inside the filter tank like lava rock, pea gravel, etc. None of them were effective with removing organics or building a sufficient biological cycle. Having to find a solution to the problems the sand filter was creating led to my developing the ProBead™.
There are two very distinctive differences between a true bead filter and a sand filter: The type of media used and the internal plumbing. The water has to circulate differently than in a sand filter for the beads to work as they should. That’s why simply adding beads to a sand filter doesn’t work either.
Q Why do you manufacture your own [bead filter] instead of just selling other ones?
~ Monica G. in Seattle, Washington
A I could take advantage of all the advertising monies spent by manufacturers for promotion of their products and sell the more well-known brands of bead filters but none of them measure up in quality. Back when our water garden center in Alpharetta was in its first year I actually created the ProBead™ for my own use. I needed filters that were low-maintenance that would support extremely high fish loads for my 5 display ponds and 14 koi and goldfish selling and holding tanks. I tried several brands of bead filters but none of them gave me the quality I wanted. I tweaked existing filter designs, adding features that I needed and improving the flows inside the filter tanks so that I didn’t have to spend a fortune on labor to keep the ponds clean and the fish healthy. Over time, customers began asking for the same quality when they saw how clean and healthy my ponds were so I started manufacturing the ProBead™ and selling them. I also began selling them over the internet and, before I knew it, the ProBead™ was an established brand.
Q How much restriction will the ProBead™ create on my pump and how will that affect my water flow?
~ Patrick M. in Binghamton, NY
A All bead filters will create some restriction and reduce water flow. In fact, every turn in the plumbing, such as in the case of an elbow or tee, or reduction in diameter of the plumbing will create resistance and inhibit the flow of the water. As water makes its way through the ports of the 6-way valve on the bead filter it creates resistance and slows the flow. There are ways to minimize the amount of flow resistance that the filter creates.
The design of the laterals inside the ProBead™ and the multi-media system work together to increase the flow of the water and decrease the amount of resistance. This is something that I couldn’t find with other bead filter brands.
Another way to increase the amount of water flow is to opt for the 2 inch High Flow Valve on the ProBead™. The ports on 6-way valves that come standard on some bead filters are 1 ½ inch in diameter. If your plumbing is 2 inch throughout your system, resistance is created when the water is pinched down to 1 ½ inches whenever it enters and leaves the valve. The 2-inch ports will minimize resistance within the valve.
Properly sizing the pump is the key to getting the flow you want. When sizing the pump it is imperative that the filter and other components are considered. My experience with selling and installing hundreds of ProBead™ filters has given me valuable insights when it comes to helping my customers choose the right pump.
Q Why won’t you sell the ProBead™ through distributors?
~ Ronnie O. in Pasadena, CA
A I’ve had many inquiries from pond and water garden stores from all over the US about carrying the ProBead™ but I’ve resisted doing so for two main reasons: #1 - It would increase the sell price of the ProBead™ to the end user and #2 - we are simply physically not set up for mass manufacturing.
A distributor adds another tier to the selling process. To stay in business a distributor must make money. I would have to sell the ProBead™ to the distributor for practically the same price as I sell it now to the consumer. For them to make their percentage the price would have to go up. It’s economics. Simply stated, I can sell an excellent bead filter (the best on the market) for a price that’s lower than almost every bead filter of the same technology that’s out there. I don’t have to gouge the customer while still maintaining a decent profit.
This brings me to a gripe I have about companies (not just companies who sell bead filters) that advertise an inflated price then say they’ll match their competitor’s price. This is so insulting to me as an honest businessman and insulting to the consumer as well! My question to a company who does this is “Why don’t you sell it for that price to begin with?” Integrity must have no meaning to these people.
Okay – now that I’ve gotten that off my chest – the other reason I don’t sell the ProBead™ through distributors is that I can’t do it all. There’s just not enough time in the day. Ours is a small company and my facilities are limited. I certainly do not want to sacrifice the quality of my ProBead™ and the time I give to my customers for a quick buck. I prefer to remain a “king” of my trade instead of “jack” of all trades by keeping my focus on providing a healthy solution for pond filtration to my customers. That entails more than just manufacturing a filter. I don’t see “a ProBead™ filter on every pond”. I see a ProBead™ filter on my customer’s ponds.
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