Smokin Moose
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex Moderator
Where Do I get the Bacteria to Ripen my Slow Sand/Rockwool Filter?
The bacteria needed to "ripen" your slow sand/rockwool filter is in the atmosphere. Just running the filter for one month will give the necessary bacteria time to innoculate the filter.
How Small Can I Make a Slow Sand/Rockwool Filter?
You can make a slow sand/rockwool filter as small as you like, as long as the flow rates are correct for its size and the media depths are right.
Will a Slow Sand/Rockwool Filter Change the PH of My System?
No. A slow sand/rockwool filter will not change the pH of your system if you used an inert media for construction.
What Will Happen if I Construct my own Filter using Maximum Suggested Flow Rates and Minimum Suggested Media Depth?
In a worst case scenario, your filter will not be 99.9% effective against all types of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Typically, you would still expect it to be no less than 94% effective against a range of pathogens.
Will a Slow Sand/Rockwool Filter out my Hydroponic Nutrients?
No. A slow sand/rockwool filter will not filter out any of the nutrients in your system. The bacteria in the filter will use a very small amount of nutrients to grow and multiply, but it is negligible. Slow sand/rockwool filters only filter out bacteria, viruses and fungi.
How Do I Work out the Surface Area of One eEnd of a 4-Inch Storm Water Pipe I am Going to use as my Filter Housing?
Use the formula pi x radius squared. (3.14 x (2"x2")) = 12.56 square inches for a 4" pipe
Can I use Any Other Hydroponic Mediums as my Active System Media instead of Sand or Rockwool?
It is possible there are many other products that can be used as the active media in a slow sand/rockwool filter. All the hard test data I have seen has mainly focused on sand as the active media, as it is the cheapest. Only the Australian tests have trialed rockwool, as well as sand, as far as I know.
Rockwool has superior surface area for the bacteria to live on compared to sand. This is what makes rockwool more efficient. Combined with the fact that you don't get rockwool migrating through the drainage layer makes rockwool easier to use and maintain. There is a company in Holland that has put a lot of money into private research on slow sand filtration and they have developed their own technology. By using a special blend of bacteria to inoculate their filters, they are ready to use immediately. Combined with their own "volcanic" active system medium, they have decreased filter depth and increased flow rates while still maintaining 99.9% efficiency.
The bacteria needed to "ripen" your slow sand/rockwool filter is in the atmosphere. Just running the filter for one month will give the necessary bacteria time to innoculate the filter.
How Small Can I Make a Slow Sand/Rockwool Filter?
You can make a slow sand/rockwool filter as small as you like, as long as the flow rates are correct for its size and the media depths are right.
Will a Slow Sand/Rockwool Filter Change the PH of My System?
No. A slow sand/rockwool filter will not change the pH of your system if you used an inert media for construction.
What Will Happen if I Construct my own Filter using Maximum Suggested Flow Rates and Minimum Suggested Media Depth?
In a worst case scenario, your filter will not be 99.9% effective against all types of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Typically, you would still expect it to be no less than 94% effective against a range of pathogens.
Will a Slow Sand/Rockwool Filter out my Hydroponic Nutrients?
No. A slow sand/rockwool filter will not filter out any of the nutrients in your system. The bacteria in the filter will use a very small amount of nutrients to grow and multiply, but it is negligible. Slow sand/rockwool filters only filter out bacteria, viruses and fungi.
How Do I Work out the Surface Area of One eEnd of a 4-Inch Storm Water Pipe I am Going to use as my Filter Housing?
Use the formula pi x radius squared. (3.14 x (2"x2")) = 12.56 square inches for a 4" pipe
Can I use Any Other Hydroponic Mediums as my Active System Media instead of Sand or Rockwool?
It is possible there are many other products that can be used as the active media in a slow sand/rockwool filter. All the hard test data I have seen has mainly focused on sand as the active media, as it is the cheapest. Only the Australian tests have trialed rockwool, as well as sand, as far as I know.
Rockwool has superior surface area for the bacteria to live on compared to sand. This is what makes rockwool more efficient. Combined with the fact that you don't get rockwool migrating through the drainage layer makes rockwool easier to use and maintain. There is a company in Holland that has put a lot of money into private research on slow sand filtration and they have developed their own technology. By using a special blend of bacteria to inoculate their filters, they are ready to use immediately. Combined with their own "volcanic" active system medium, they have decreased filter depth and increased flow rates while still maintaining 99.9% efficiency.