OASE BioSmart 10000 Pond Filter

We were on the point of giving up. Our pond water was totally green every summer, and we could only see the fish when they were within the top foot or two of water. We tried different filters, barley, and algicides. Nothing worked. Our pond is 8'X10', with half of it 2 feet deep, and half 4 feet deep, so there's a lot of water in it. Previously we had an Aquaviolet filter, but it just didn't do the job. We were going to give our fish away and fill in the pond. Purchase of this filter was a last attempt. The results have been amazing. The water is crystal clear, and we can see right to the bottom of the pond. We used to have to pull the pump out every second day to wash the algae off the mesh bag protecting it, and we changed the pond water every second week. UV lights, different filters, nothing seemed to work. That's all changed now. It was difficult to pipe in. I used 1.5 inch plastic hose with spiral re-enforcing. It has nearly impossible to find connectors for it. I had to purchase things for toilets and use steel hose clamps. I used a splitter to get the full volume of water pumped up to the two inlets on top of the filter. My initial impressions were that it looked flimsy and I was disappointed to see that the filter media was only a few sponges. That all changed as we began to see how effective it is. Clean out of it is really easy and quick. I just shift the filter a bit so that they clean-out port is over the edge and let it drain. With the larger diameter piping that it's designed for, we can run much more volume through it than anything we have had previously. The water is so clean now that we only need to even clean the mesh bag over the pump about once a week. I only changed the water once during this whole season. The sponge filters only need to be squeezed about every couple of weeks. I highly recommned this product.

Allow me to set the scene: I have four rescued pet ducks who have taken up residence in a large run I’ve coined “Duckingham Palace”. Like any palace, it is equipped with a large pool (aka a 300 gallon stock tank). As one may imagine, the ducks absolutely love spending time in their pond. However, ducks are quite messy and poo quite literally every two to three minutes. This can make keeping their pool clean quite challenging. Enter this filter! I purchased the filter in combination with the corresponding 18v UV light attachment, a high efficiency pump (Little Giant 566407 WGP-95-PW, 4280 GPH) and an aeration system (Aquascape Pro Air 20). With my prior filtration system (an all in one pump and filter), within 5-6 days, their pool would need to be drained, power washed, and refilled. Their filters were replaced weekly because of how gross they were (they otherwise required hand washing - no thank you!). We are one week out and the water is still running crystal clear and I can still clearly see the bottom of the pond. I also have not noticed any algea, likely due to the UV light attachment. I have cleaned the filters every couple of days, even though the gauge doesn’t always indicate I need to do so. I just do it as part of my chores now to ensure the cleanest possible water. I do have advice for those that purchased this though! Some users noted that they experienced leaks or connections that didn’t fit tightly. The key for me, was the incorporation flexible PVC couplings from Lowes (shown in picturespictures). The first is a 3”-2” coupling that goes to the front. The 3” side attaches to the filter, the 2” side to the 2” PVC pipe that returns water to the pond. The other is a 1.5”-1.25” coupling. The 1.5” side attaches to the sludge drain insert, the 1.25” end attaches to my tubing. The tubing I used for my pump and sludge drain is from the Star Water Systems plastic kit sold at Lowes. It’s important to ensure your hose clamps are as tight as possible too! My setup is leak free and did not require any PVC cement to work. Another tip: this filter is gravity dependent - your tubing needs a downward gradient to work. My filter is raised and on a table, the PVC pipe is slanted slightly downward. The return hose is zip tied to the duck run at a downward slope, with the end in my garden bed - this allows drained water/sludge to filter out there and naturally fertilize my plants. I’ll update this review if my opinion changes, but so far, I do highly recommend this system. My next investment may be a pond hose to vacuum up debris at the bottom in between fillings, but I’m waiting to see if it will truly be needed.

I've had to take over for my mom caring for the outdoor pond. She used to clean the filter bi-weekly and had two filters running (3000 galfilters) Problem is we have goldfish and Koi in our 2500-3000gal pond... so we needed 6000-9000 (no fish) gallons to keep it clear. Me and my dad said screw it and went 50/50 in on this filter and a 3500GPH pump and in ONE DAY you could see the difference. However... that is our issue, the filter is overkill for my pond and is just doing it's job, so for the stress test it passed with flying colors. Onto the cleaning, I will say the sludge drain is leaky and requires a LOT of force to get it to a drip... I ordered more tube clamps since the filter only came with two... so my drain hose can be on permanently, but lead back into the pond when not in use. This is your best option to save your wrists ever time you clean the filter, just secure the drain pipe and move it when you drain. The other suggestion I have is a 3" flexible rubber gasket instead of gluing the output as instructed, the rubber gasket will let your output sag slightly for good flow and can be removed in the winter easily if necessary. TL;DR Pros: Works very well Easy to clean... once setup Cons: OOW MY WRIST Needs more Hardware for proper installation No UV Expensive I do recommend this filter because it is so simple but works so well, no pressurized chambers, no bio balls, it's just sponges with handles to wring them out... Which just makes it more annoying that it's so expensive and they dont even give you a few extra clamps and gaskets. I will probably add the UV attachment in the future, maybe next spring since my wallet has been lightened. It isnt necessary though, coming from a really dirty start this filter does the work.

I have had a pond for koi for over 20 years and used many different filters. This filter you can see a lot of reviews mentioning the connection issue and that is 100% true. Here I provide some of my painful input and finally can make it work. The result is unbelievable good. For the clean water outlet to the pond ============================== it is 3". I reduced it from 3" to 2" by using the following parts either from Amazon or Home depot. 1. 3" to 2.5" Intake coupler $11.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000630B1O?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details 2. Charlotte Pipe 2 in. x 2 ft. PVC DWV Schedule 40 Pipe store SKU #276902 $8.87 each 3. Charlotte Pipe 2 in. PVC schedule 40 S x S coupling store SKU #232750 $2.11 each 4. Charlotte Pipe 2 in. PVC schedule . 40 90-Degree S x S Elbow fitting Store SKU #232734 $4.42 each For the dirty water outlet at the back ============================= Remove the "D" Sludge drain cover and use the come with adaptor that will become a 1-1/12" can use A. Fernco 1-1/2 in x 1-1/4in DWV Flexible PVC Coupling $8.51 /each at home depot B. 1-1/4 in PVC schedule 40 MPT x S Male Adapter store SKU #294039 $1.76 C. 1-1/4"PVC ball Valve IPS Schedule 40, 1-1/4 in. white $6.98 each Amazon.com: American Valve P200 1 1/4" PVC Ball Valve IPS Schedule 40, 1-1/4-Inch, White : Industrial & Scientific This PVC ball valve is to ensure the water will not leak from the filter even the slide valve is not completely closed inside the filter. D. PVC tube fitting, Adapter, Schedule 40, Gray, 1-1/4" Barbed x NPT Male $6.00 Spears 1436 Series PVC Tube Fitting, Adapter, Schedule 40, Gray, 1-1/4" Barbed x NPT Male: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific E. Charlotte Pipe 1-1/4 in x 2 ft PVC DWV Sch. 40 pipe $6.57 at home depot P.S. suggest to get a Votmell 1” (W) x 10 ft(L) self-fusing silicone Tape , water proof Rubber Tape. You can use different brand name this is only an example but this kind of tape can easily hold a the pipe together and seal the possible leaking. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09X2ZB6K3?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details I also purchased a 1-1/4 x 20 ft pond tubing and aquarium hose to connect the pump to the filter and the rest of the tubing to the end of the dirty water outlet behind the PVC ball valve. $37.98 each Amazon.com: Sealproof Kinkproof 1-1/4 Dia Waterfall, Pond Tubing & Aquarium Hose, 1-1/4-Inch ID, 20 FT, Black, Corrugated, Made in USA : Patio, Lawn & Garden The total money for these connectors, pipes and fittings are close to $100.00 ***** Not cheap if you compared with what you spend for this filter. Also one more problem about cleaning the filter, I will put a piece of pond filter pad at the outlet inside the filter to minimize the mucky water going back to the pond while cleaning. I have a fish Mate 500GUV Filter (green color box) with a small 8 watt UV light build in. This small filter is power by a 400 watt solar battery system. So in case no power for a few days my fish still have some circulation. Hope this helps.

I have a Koi pond approximately 8000 gallons and 17 fish medium to large in size. They’ve been in the Pond for 12 years. I have a bead filtration system with a UV light on it, that was doing a pretty good job, but I was still having cloudy water, sometimes greenish hue. I used to try different chemicals and products to clear up the water. none of that stuff ever seem to work. After reading many reviews on YouTube, I came to the conclusion that the best way to keep your water clean is to add extra filtration so I bought this pump and filter, and has done a fantastic job of finishing off what the bead filter was not accomplishing the two pieces together worked very well. The only stuff I put in the water now is the good bacteria, I put 2 gallons in in the spring and maybe add one more in July and one more in September. But that’s it no other chemicals the fish are very healthy. I’m thinking about adding another one of these just to really keep the pond clean. But for the price, I’m very happy with it. It was easy to set up and it’s easy to clean. You still need to clean out your pawn at a minimum every two years, it doesn’t matter what filter you have you will always need to clean out the pond to get all the sediment out of the bottom. But this thing works really well, I imagine if you had a smaller pond 3 to 4000 gallons it may be all you need.

Hands down the simplest and the best filter I've ever had!!!........ I went through countless pond filters all pressurized uv power-operated each and every one had a leak each and everyone eventually had a power shortage and each was three times the price not to mention how difficult it was to clean it. In The five years I've had my pond I've never had a filter that made the water crystal clear until I purchase the oase biosmart 5000, in a matter of hours the water was crystal clear clear than the day I filled up the pond for the first time my pond is roughly 2000 gallons Plenty of Fish at about 2 feet deep I can't believe how clear it is right now I can see the way to the bottom the fish seems happier the plants look healthier all in all a wonderful purchase highly recommended super easy to install I don't get the people to write the installation is difficult, all you have to find is a 3in rubber sleeve to adopt into the outlet took me exactly 1 minutes to figure it out people need to learn how to improvise and you got to do the same thing for the second inlets and attach rate post shut off so when they're water rises it won't drain out from the back, literally altogether five minutes of installation. Cleaning is so easy one minute to squeeze the sponges rinsing inside where the hose connection is and put the lid back on couldn't ask for a better more efficient filter. Those of you who have really murky water to begin with you might have to clean the filter on a daily basis in the beginning until the water condition adapts and then all you have to do is maintain it maybe once a week depending on how much sun exposure you have and algea buildup. I hear some reviews about people who complain about maintenance, you're pond owners there's no such thing as Carefree or maintenance-free ponds it always requires some cleaning no matter what. To do it to minutes a week won't hurt anyone.

This might work, if we can ever put it together. The instructions are horrible. Nor did they send all the parts we need. I’ve been searching for a video. When I finally found one, I realized that they expected us to figure out what goes where on our own. Also, we should have already installed a 3” rubber hose with parts they did not send. Edit: We finally got this put together. It took several trips to the hardware store and a lot of trial and error, but it is finally together. Now that it is operating, it is doing a great job of clearing our pond. So I would give it five stars. But I still am upset with the lack of logical instructions and lack of parts. Basically, the user needs to somehow attach two of the three hoses to the box on their own, without parts or instructions. Lotsa luck. Edit again: this unit is FANTASTIC for cleaning a pond. So I just rated the unit three stars instead of one. It does need to sit at a level above the pond because it relies on gravity. It does need to be insulated in winter. If the manufacturer would just address the lack of good instructions AND provide parts to attach to standard hoses, it could easily earn five stars and be a favorite for pond enthusiasts everywhere.

Two weeks ago we could not see our koi in the water it was pure mud, all 8000 gallons of it. Everything they claimed about this product is correct and better, super easy to install and works fantastic! We purchased the 10000 gallon filter for our 8000 + gallon pond. We have 12 Koi, some very large We could not see our fish at all. Removal of an orchard directly behind our house and construction of a new housing project for two years now, high winds has filled our pond with dirt and muck 6 -12 inches + deep. Water quality was very poor no matter how much we changed water or vacuumed we could not get all the dirt and muck out of our pond. Three years ago we spent $7000 emptying cleaning and adding new pumps, lights, fountain etc. so we could have a clean and healthy pond for enjoyment. But now We have spent $1000's on bacteria and chemicals, eco-safe and not so eco-safe to clean it. Koi got ulcers even though we have a very expensive bead uv filter system with two pumps, it was here when we bought the house 10 years ago. It could not do the job. I ordered this OASE BioSmart filter without telling my husband because it was the last resort to try to save our koi and be able to enjoy the beautiful backyard, he was ready to give the koi away and fill in the pond, which would have been 1000's of dollars also (google it, very expensive for a huge pond). The pond has two waterfalls and two creek beds, they also full of muck and dirty water. I only wish I would have taken a picture of before our OASE BioSmart filter. Our pond is now clearing, muck is disappearing, and the pump has only been up and running for a little over 2 weeks. We noticed it clearing in only one day and everyday since it is better. As you can see in the pics we have some more to go before crystal clear but now We are enjoying our koi and they are loving it and starting to spawn as soon as the water started cleaning up. Thank you, thank you and thank you for saving our koi and cleaning up our pond. PS: We did not add the UV unit but may do so down the road. A happy life now!

Did the job and solved the filtration problem I was having

Excelente sistema de filtración, fácil de instalar y el uso

JUST bought and installed June 2020, BUT! It has worked VERY WELL so far! Our pond went from looking like a MUD HOLE to being so clear I can see the bottom! In just a matter of days. The fish are much more active and happy; there are now a ton of frogs/toads and snakes...a very thriving pond, thanks to the filter. It seems very well made. I've already done a thorough clean and backwash (and used the backwash to feed/water surrounding plants, trees, shrubs...they love it). I did the cleaning before it was indicated, just to see what it was like. It is easy to install, easy to maintain...perfect for elderly pond owners or those not wanting much filter maintenance. Hints/tip: drain/backwash prior to trying to lift the sponge filters out. I tried before draining and they are extremely heavy...and our filter is elevated. Also, I added beneficial bacteria and some hornwort plants. Already had lilies and hyacinths in the pond I will update again end of summer and next year if this product fails or doesn't perform as well but in all honesty, it seems like a MONEY WELL SPENT! Great value and a healthy, crystal clear pond in no time! Highly recommend (NOTE: local pond retailer has several of these filters and swears by them; and has had their filters for YEARS, FYI...so the product likely lasts).

BUYER BEWARE: the outlets for dirty discharge and back to pond are metric sizes. DM70 relates to 2&3/4 inches. no adapters available but same unit sold in US has 3" Imperial outlets. For the price of this great filter you would think they could at least supply a proper adapter. Had to use glue, gorilla tape and hose clamps. A short term fix at best. Apart from above unit works great. Couldn't see my fish before but next day almost completely clear. Hard to believe after the state the pond was in before.

works great pond is clear