The water entering our prime mechanical filter
stages generally comes from our pond bottom drains and contains
non-toxic dust, debris, leaves, and fish faeces amongst other
solids. It also contains dissolved toxic ammonias and nitrites
that have been given off by our Koi in gill action and urine.
Our real aim has always been to try and stop all the non-toxic
'mechanical' solids from entering our biological stages for
discharge to waste as necessary. By removing these mechanical
solids we can successfully stop them from entering our biological
stages. This would then allow the living biomass, formed and
reproducing on our filter surfaces, to remove the dissolved toxins
(ammonias and nitrites). This biomass gives off non-toxic nitrates
as a by-product, these non-toxic nitrates are then returned to the
pond. As we all know, this is called the 'nitrification process'.
We all know that our biological stages are more
efficient if they are as mechanically clean as is possible. We do
not wish debris to form under our media and continue to build-up
into an anaerobic time bomb, and we also know that the main reason
for 'Hikui' is directly due to the hidden debris building up and
becoming 'anaerobic' within our biological stages. We therefore
strive to keep mechanical solids out of our biological stages by
any means possible but we're merely fighting a lost battle from
the onset!
The seed of the idea was conceived during the
mid 1990's by a frustrated koi keeper named Nick Jackson from
Southport, England. He was dismayed with the endless work involved
in trying to keep his pond and filters clean, so he simply decided
to do something about it. Nick tried all the old methods only to
fail miserably, he made prototype after prototype, nothing worked
effectively. Then a simple idea came to him of using 'a
self-cleaning screen' with gravity, placed in a catchment tank to
trap and eliminate solids with less hands on maintenance. He
finally had the confidence to apply for a worldwide patent for
this outstanding invention.
Like all great inventions, 'The Answer' is so
simple in its operation that we all ask ourselves, 'Why didn't I
think of that?' However, it's all quite academic - because we
didn't, and you didn't but Evolution Aqua did, with the extensive
help of Jim Hosford. The expense involved in getting to final
production is significant and the quality and build of the entire
unit can be seen at a glance. This is a very high quality product
that is built to last within our Koi pond filtration systems.
We have tried a great number of ways of combating the debris
and to prevent this entering our biological filtration systems -
using a great number of different products such as:-
- Filter brushes.
- Sand filters.
- The wife’s tights!
- Constant manual cleaning of
biological stages.
- Prime vortex units.
- Settling chambers.
- Sponges.
- Filter floss.
- A myriad of other inventions.
All have their good points, but are not
totally effective – the reason for this is obvious!
Let us look at an example, a 6,000 gallon Koi
pond system is a good sized system and probably an ‘average
size’ for most Koi keepers. Let us estimate that 2,000 gallons
of water per hour is being passed through the filter system. This
really means that 17,500,000 gallons of water, waste and debris is
being processed by four tiny 40” diameter units some 50” tall
in any given year.
17,500,000 gallons is a body of water exceeding
300 metres
Without any doubt - and now well proved, tried and tested - The
Answer is the Only Real Answer to the problem ... so if you are
fed-up with constantly cleaning your filters and trying to get
your pond water clear and clean - then the Answer is here waiting
for you ...
Please go to some other sections to read more about this amazing
piece of equipment.
For 'How to fit The Answer' .. see our 'Retro-fitting' section ... click here
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