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THIS PAGE IS LEFT FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.
After four years of research and development, 'The Answer' was launched in June 2001 and has had a dramatic effect on fish keeping, at both commercial and hobbyist level, throughout the world. ‘The Answer’ is a mechanical, self-back washing fine-screen filter, which is low maintenance and gives excellent water clarity and quality, whilst protecting the bio stage from unwanted solids.

Main Benefits:

  • Gives excellent water quality and clarity – therefore provides a healthier environment for your fish!
  • Mechanical self-back washing fine-screen filter stops ‘mechanical’ solids from entering the biological stage increasing the bio performance dramatically
  • Gives low maintenance to bio stages
  • Will run continuously without blocking
  • Can be retro fitted to existing vortex/settling chambers
nexus filter with answer microscreen
diy barrel filter with answer microscreen

The 325 Answer pictured left is in use in a DIY 3 barrel system filtering a 2200 gallon tank. Does a wonderful job and makes life easier when it comes to maintenance.

Click the picture to the left and see how this was built.

Pictured right is the complete filter set-up.

 diy barrel filter
The ‘Answer’ is designed to fit to exit pipe work within the primary settlement stage or prime mechanical filtration chambers, whether pump or gravity fed, from the pond. The water entering ‘The Answer’ generally comes from the bottom of the pond and contains dust, leaves and fish feces, amongst other solids. At this stage, it is important to stop all ‘mechanical’ solids from entering the biological stage, the more mechanically clean the water, the more effectively the biological stage will work – hence the development of ‘The Answer’.
All water that passes through ‘The Answer’ is finely filtered. The pump that provides the power and cleaning action draws filtered water from inside of 'The Answer’; it is then pumped into a hollow rotor arm. At each end of the arm are nozzles angled at 45 degrees. Water is pumped through these nozzles and in doing so causes the arm to rotate. Water is forced out at high pressure against the inside of the screen continuously. This causes water to backwash through the screen to the outside. The result is that particles lodged on the outside, which are naturally trying to get through, are forced away and eventually settle at the bottom of the container. Once here, there is no way back and they can be sumped to waste. Therefore, 'The Answer' will run continuously without blocking, protecting the bio-stage and giving excellent clarity.  		evolution aqua answer
*Micron Definition: 1mm = 1000 micron*
EA the answer
The Answer 325
325mm diameter
272mm deep
150 micron screen
Max flow rate 10,000 litres
(2,202 gallons per hour)
the answer
The Answer 410
410mm diameter
336mm deep
100 micron screen
Max flow rate 13,000 litres(2,863 gallons per hour)

Click here to view ANSWER installation & operating instructions.

You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these files. If you do not have Acrobat Reader you can download it HERE.
Expected Head Loss / Flow Restriction:

Every filter experiences some head loss / flow restriction through its inter connecting pipe work. The chart below will show the extra head loss / flow restriction that can be expected after fitting a new or recently cleaned Answer into the system, i.e. on a gravity fed system with a flow rate of 10,000 litres per hour a 325 Answer would cause the end bio chamber to drop 50mm lower than its pre Answer level. These restrictions may increase indicating a need to clean the screen after time.

Some filter systems may need adapting by lowering transfer weirs to compensate for this unavoidable head loss.

The Answer has an easy to remove lid and depending on the volume of the pond and the actual stocking levels of Koi or other pond fish, requires only a minimal amount of servicing. Approximately once per week is all the maintenance that is normally required to remove the lid and screen which should then, if possible, be pressure washed to leave the screen as brilliantly clean as the day you purchased it... a good garden hose with a jet nozzle attachment will also do the job quite well.
Example of a Retro-Fit:
 Note the slide valve, which can be fitted inside or outside the chamber if space allows. This means that water can be discharged without wasting good water contained in the bio stage.
retrofit the answer
 Typical Vortex with Central Exit

The important part here is the change we make to the inlet. An elbow or elbow spigot or specially made insert (contact EA for details) is placed in the inlet pipe work. A vertical pipe is inserted into the elbow to bring the water in vertically, level or slightly higher than the middle of ‘The Answer’. This has 2 effects, it stops the spin of the water caused by the tangential entry and secondly it creates a downward flow of water towards the screen of ‘The Answer’. This effect means that every time a particle is removed from the screen, instead of hitting it immediately after the pulse emitted by the arm has passed, it drops down slightly. This removing and dropping of the solids terminates when they reach the lower surface of the unit into what is effectively dead water. Once here, there is no way back and they drop motionless to

the bottom of the tank where they can be sumped to waste. If the vortex action were allowed to continue, all the fine matter which ‘The Answer’ stops from passing through, rather than settle out, would be agitated and in suspension of the entire volume of the vortex. It is this alteration to a vortex that gives at least 40% of ‘The Answer’s’ effectiveness.
To see more Examples of how the Answer can be Retro Fitted into an existing filter system please go HERE or download the Installation manual found above.
the answer Filter & Remove waste the easy way, the better way!
If we take a look at the unit again in full frontal view you will be able to see that there appears to be a submersible pump underneath the unit - it is one of the reliable OASE Nautilus pumps - which in its own case carry a 5 year guarantee.

This is an essential part of the system. It is this pump that makes it impossible for the smallest particle of dirt, waste, or dust to get even close to the 100 micron stainless steel mesh which surrounds the unit.

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