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Filter start-up:
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Your BioSteps filter is now assembled and can be put close to your water garden in a shaded
spot chosen in function of convenience, easy maintenance and landscape esthetics.
Position the filter in horizontal way on a non compactable surface and make sure that the outlet
drain valve can function properly.
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Connect the inlet of the filter to the hose that is already connected to the water pump. Connect
the clean water outlet to the water pipe that returns the clean water to the water garden. Connect
the sludge outlet to the hose or water pipe that leads away the dirty water.
Switch on the pump only, not the UVC! Check that there are no leaks! If any leaks please make
sure that these are sealed:
position the O-rings correctly,
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use some Teflon tape on the threads of the fittings
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Check that the nuts are correctly secured
Use proper PVC glue to connect the piping
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Use a hose clamp to secure the position of the hose on the hose socket.
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Once confirmed that there are no leaks you can switch on the UVC. To control proper function
you can see the blue light through the transparent UVC water inlet socket. Never look direct into
the UV light as it can harm your eyes.
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For proper function of a biofilter it is imperative to let the water flow through the filter 24h/24h
continuously. If the water pump is not functioning for more than 2 hours, the oxygen level of the
water in the filter will drop quickly which might kill the nitrifying bacteria and plankton that purify
the water.
Filter Maintenance:
Frequency of maintenance will depend on many factors such as:
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Fish load and feeding rate, season and water temperature, etc...
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new- or old water garden and level of existing sediment or algal blooms
In principle, maintenance of the filter is needed when the filter mats are clogged up with dirt, silt or bacterial
flock and consequently the water starts to flow over the filter mats.
For maintenance please take following steps:
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First switch of the UVC and then switch of the pump.
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Unscrew the cap of the UVC and take off the filter cover. Then put the UVC cap back in place and
tighten it.
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Lower the water level of the filter by opening the drain valve and simultaneously rinse the filter
mats. Normally, this can be done without removing the Matala from the filter. Only in cases of
heavy silting or clogging of the filter mats or substrate it will be necessary to remove these from
the filter, clean and put back into position.
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For rinsing, we advise to use pond water. Prepare pond water in a bucket on the side and pour
over the Matala mats with sufficient volume to dislocate dirt. Alterably, you can pump water from
the pond and hose off the filter mats.
Do not use high pressure and avoid cleaning the Matala overzealously because you will remove too many
bacteria and drastically lower the filter's bio-filtration capacity!
For countries with distinct winters it is advisable in case of shallow ponds to switch off the filter system when
water temperature reaches below 8 degrees C ( 46 degrees F) and fish are no longer feeding. In such case
clean out the filter properly and store until next spring.
When cleaning the filter, simultaneously clean the pump's filter housing or prefilter in order to keep a normal
flow capacity to the filter.
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