AST Endurance 2000 Bead Filter, Advanced Pond Filtration Technology, Automatic Backwashing, Air Pump & Pond Media Included, Koi Ponds Up to 2000 Gal, Media Lasts Forever

Has never done what it was supposed to do!! Spoke with seller several times with no results. The worst product I have purchased from Amazon.Definitely not not worth the money. It has never kept the pond clean.

I've been using the Endurance filter for 3 months now and I must say it is a wonderful product! The only issue I have is at backwashing some beads come out with the fish poo. Paul instructed me to collect them and once I have a gallon of beads I can put them back into the filter. The filter keeps my aquaponics tanks clean, my ammonia levels under control, and without work! It is a large investment, as is the lights, but as Brooklyn tells us it is one of those things you don't want to DIY. I wish that ordering the filter wasn't as confusing as it was or this purchase would get 5 stars! Its small size, simplicity, ease of use, and efficiency, makes it a very wise investment!Update: I’ve been using the Endurance filter for almost 3 years. These are some things I’ve discovered while using it. First when drain the sludge from the filter you should use a strainer so that you don’t lose the filter media from the bead filter. I use the food strainer from New Star Foodservice (34158). It is 12” in diameter with 3mm perforations which is perfect for passing fish waste but not passing the beads. Next make sure you set air flow to backwash often enough so that be beads do not become blocked. If backwashing doesn’t happen often enough after a couple of years the beads become plugged and the air will trickles out the output without backwashing the beads. I kept my airflow set on 2 which is NOT enough! Cover the clear tube between the 2 chambers so that an alga doesn’t grow in the sight tube and block seeing anything. Should your filter become blocked you have to pull out some of the beads and wash them. Forcing out a couple of gallons of beads will cause the system to start to work again. (pushing beads back and forth between the 2 chambers) This is why they have a clear pipe between the 2 chambers so that you can see if the system is working. When the pipe becomes plugged with beads, and they don’t move, you have a plugged system and the filter doesn’t work anymore. (it will just pass air from one chamber to the other without backing washing) There is no way to open up the filter. Everything is glued. Shut off the pump and airflow. Close the output valve. Pipe in a pressurized water source (I used a garden hose and my house water) with a shut off on the water source (close enough where you can control it) and pipe into the filter’s output. (garden hose to ¾” pipe) Open up the sludge output and place a 5 gallon bucket with the food strainer on the bucket. Turn on your water source and push out a couple gallons of beads. (this is why you use a shut off on the water. You have to be right there watching the process) Once you have enough beads out of the system (2-3 gallons) hook up your system again (water pump and air) and backwash the filter. Make sure the beads move back and forth in the clear plastic pipe. After washing the beads (works best if they are dry!) unscrew the union on the bottom of the filter (clear pipe) and allow the water to drain out. This union and pipe cannot be turned it is glued in place but it will allow the water to drain without losing any beads. Removing the top bung will allows the water to drain out freely. Once the water is drained out you can easily pour all the beads in through the bung hole. Because the beads float it is difficult to put the beads back into the filter when it is full of water.

Talk about a great water filter!! You get crystal clear water, practically no maintenance and water loss, and reliable long term operation. I've had 6 of these at my school, where I teach aquaculture for 3 years and have had no problems whatsoever. I got one at my house in my backyard system for one year. This is the best product in its class and is well worth the money!!!!

Great product, great company!

At first, I was a little nervous about setting this thing up, doing all of the plumbing. Once I read the directions, it ended up being pretty easy. It keeps the water clear in my 3000 gallon koi pond. When I empty out the back wash, it stinks, so I know it must be removing the fish poop. I was also worried about the air pump being out in the elements, but so far (3 months) there have been no issues (I did put it on top of a cinder block). It is a big filter, but since it is green, you can kind of camouflage it. I keep mine behind a small rock wall that I built.