Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I thought I'd put up a few pics of the Radial Flow/Swirl Solids Filter I cobbled together out of PVC offcuts.

Feedback is welcome, feel free to point out any fatal/catastrophic design flaws.


Here's all the separate pieces. Some 225mm, 150mm and 100mm PVC.


The slightly modified funnel that just so happens to perfectly fit the belled end of the 150mm pipe, forming a coned bottom.


A top view of all the pieces put together. The water enters from the left and exits on an angle in the centre pipe.

Here's a close up of the crenelations of the inner pipe to help stop solids from overflowing.


A Uniseal poked into the cap to accept the funnel, which also just so happens to be the same size as 1" pressure pipe!


The cap with the funnel pushed through the Uniseal.

A better shot of the inlet showing the attempt to get some kind of swirl going.


The bottom of the filter, with a pipe attached. I'll probably come up with something better than this down the track, but it should get me started.


The whole filter together!

Looks good.
Guessing your a homebrewer by those kegs in the background

Oh, and here's a couple of pics of my MBBR, if anyone is interested.

Thanks Mantis. Haha, I sure am. I knew someone would notice those...

Great design. I too am a fellow home brewer

I love the look you will have to let us know how they work. I wanted a smaller swirl my self that looks about right.

Lol Charlie you do grow your own hops and barley don't you that's why you pay so much for beer.

Will still work fine without the middle piece (with the teeth) and a good idea the way you fitted a funnel in the bottom.

I noticed the last post was in March and now we are into May. I was wondering how the radial flow/swirl worked out. I am interested in how combining the two works. I too thought of doing that but was discouraged from doing so after I came to an understanding of the theory behind the radial flow. I learned that the removal of turbulence was an important aspect of the radial flow so that the change of direction would drop the particles of sediment. Whereas the centrifugal circulation of the whirl filters is regarded as the method to separate sediment from the water. There are studies that indicate that radial flow or more effective on light sediments like fish poo. It may well be that heavier sediments like sand may act differently. However, I know of no studies that have combined the two and was interested in its effectiveness.

Have a read of this one TW

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11096&hilit=radial