One of the problems with the permabeads is that you can't backwash with too much pressure or they will get blown out of the filter. And backwashing with low pressure takes a lot longer and uses more water (which I don't have much of). So I decided to try something to allow me to backwash at high pressure.
I used 2 pieces of 1/8th" plastic mesh held together with zip ties and a couple of of plastic flanges.
You can see how filthy the media is.
The flanges keep the screen from laying directly on top of the media.
　
Seems to work fairly well. I did a long backwash at full pressure and only a few handfulls of beads were blown out. I think I have around a cubic foot more beads than I need in the filter. So if I stop blowing out any beads after a few backwashes I'll be happy. I made a large bag out of shade cloth to put at the end of the backwash hose so I can collect any beads that are blown out and keep track of how much I lose.
Weathermen say there is a chance for a tropical system to come our way next week and ease this drought. Keeping my fingers crossed.
I used 2 pieces of 1/8th" plastic mesh held together with zip ties and a couple of of plastic flanges.
You can see how filthy the media is.
The flanges keep the screen from laying directly on top of the media.
　
Seems to work fairly well. I did a long backwash at full pressure and only a few handfulls of beads were blown out. I think I have around a cubic foot more beads than I need in the filter. So if I stop blowing out any beads after a few backwashes I'll be happy. I made a large bag out of shade cloth to put at the end of the backwash hose so I can collect any beads that are blown out and keep track of how much I lose.
Weathermen say there is a chance for a tropical system to come our way next week and ease this drought. Keeping my fingers crossed.
