Building a 9'x25' pond
- Thread starter mrunlucky07
- Start date
Figured its been a few weeks so I would add in an update. My camera had an unfortunate accident in the hot tub last month. I thought it was dead, but slowly its been unfogging, the pics are off a cheapie though so not that great.
My Jack Russell also pulled the flex hose out of the upper pond one day from under the deck and drained the pond below the skimmer. The pumps ran dry all day but didn't seem to hurt them. Luckily once the water dropped below the gravity lines between filters the pond stopped draining. I decided to leave the flow in that pond off for now.
First couple are of a new filter I added. Its a sand/gravel fines polishing filter. There are quite a few people that swear by them and I am really impressed so far. If I could only have one filter this would be it. It has decent bio capabilities and catches very fine debris like dust and algae. Basically it works by pumping water in to the bottom of the barrell and spreading it out. The water goes up through a layer of course rock, then gravel, then pea gravel, and finally sand. All of the poop and algae gets caught in the sand and gravel and very little can make it through to the top. To clean it you plug the line to the pond and open a second line to waste. Then turn on a blower (my shopvac on reverse) and all of the air fluidizes the sand and gravel blowing the gunk up and out the drain. Hard to believe, but it works.
Prts for dispersing the water running and air for cleaning
Water input. The legs are drilled to disperse the water.
Top of the barrell drilled to help disperse the water. Water input below it and air manifold on top. The air manifold is drilled all over on the bottom for the air to flush out.
I added some large rocks I had to help keep it flowing.
Then about 5" of smaller rocks
Then came about 8" of pea gravel and 6" of sand.
Filter running. Plug is in drain line, clear is the input line and cap is over the air manifold.
Plug switched for cleaning.
Air blower turned on and blowing out all the crud. Takes about 5 minutes.
Air turned off to show all the crud it catches.
After about 5 minutes the water flows clean again and you just switch the drain plug.
I had to run about 25' of 3" line under the deck to make a separate return for the filter since it is gravity returns. Not fun if you are claustrophobic.
I also decided to add air to the bottom drain. I had collected the parts but had put it off until recently because it involved a snorkel trip to the bottom. I just attached the 9" diffuser the the top of the BD and than weighted line over to the edge of the pond and up under the bridge. I had picked up a 35w 60l no name air pump for cheap, and also a 50w 50L Hako from ebay. They both actually draw 50w and the Hakko puts out much more air and is built twice as heavy.
Without the air the waterfall pushed everything right to the skimmer, now the air is making a circular current from wall to wall. Time will tell if this is a problem or leaves will still get to the skimmer. After adding tap water after a filter flush there was quite a bit of foam and it took a while to make it to the skimmer. I hadn't noticed since I was inside and Kate came in laughing.
Here is a shot of the upper pond, mostly just cat tails right now.
One of the fish
And one of the yard. Once I get the drain line buried along the fence a 2'x16' pond will be going there for the turtles. The three legged princess is still healing up and I have two other YBS that need to come home from school later this month.
My Jack Russell also pulled the flex hose out of the upper pond one day from under the deck and drained the pond below the skimmer. The pumps ran dry all day but didn't seem to hurt them. Luckily once the water dropped below the gravity lines between filters the pond stopped draining. I decided to leave the flow in that pond off for now.
First couple are of a new filter I added. Its a sand/gravel fines polishing filter. There are quite a few people that swear by them and I am really impressed so far. If I could only have one filter this would be it. It has decent bio capabilities and catches very fine debris like dust and algae. Basically it works by pumping water in to the bottom of the barrell and spreading it out. The water goes up through a layer of course rock, then gravel, then pea gravel, and finally sand. All of the poop and algae gets caught in the sand and gravel and very little can make it through to the top. To clean it you plug the line to the pond and open a second line to waste. Then turn on a blower (my shopvac on reverse) and all of the air fluidizes the sand and gravel blowing the gunk up and out the drain. Hard to believe, but it works.
Prts for dispersing the water running and air for cleaning
Water input. The legs are drilled to disperse the water.
Top of the barrell drilled to help disperse the water. Water input below it and air manifold on top. The air manifold is drilled all over on the bottom for the air to flush out.
I added some large rocks I had to help keep it flowing.
Then about 5" of smaller rocks
Then came about 8" of pea gravel and 6" of sand.
Filter running. Plug is in drain line, clear is the input line and cap is over the air manifold.
Plug switched for cleaning.
Air blower turned on and blowing out all the crud. Takes about 5 minutes.
Air turned off to show all the crud it catches.
After about 5 minutes the water flows clean again and you just switch the drain plug.
I had to run about 25' of 3" line under the deck to make a separate return for the filter since it is gravity returns. Not fun if you are claustrophobic.
I also decided to add air to the bottom drain. I had collected the parts but had put it off until recently because it involved a snorkel trip to the bottom. I just attached the 9" diffuser the the top of the BD and than weighted line over to the edge of the pond and up under the bridge. I had picked up a 35w 60l no name air pump for cheap, and also a 50w 50L Hako from ebay. They both actually draw 50w and the Hakko puts out much more air and is built twice as heavy.
Without the air the waterfall pushed everything right to the skimmer, now the air is making a circular current from wall to wall. Time will tell if this is a problem or leaves will still get to the skimmer. After adding tap water after a filter flush there was quite a bit of foam and it took a while to make it to the skimmer. I hadn't noticed since I was inside and Kate came in laughing.
Here is a shot of the upper pond, mostly just cat tails right now.
One of the fish
And one of the yard. Once I get the drain line buried along the fence a 2'x16' pond will be going there for the turtles. The three legged princess is still healing up and I have two other YBS that need to come home from school later this month.
very very pristine thread
thanks for sharing it I just found this thread today and it has indeed given ideas. we have a vacant lot beside our house 25'x75' that we own. I love visionary threads like this where people just go for it.
kudo's
thanks for sharing it I just found this thread today and it has indeed given ideas. we have a vacant lot beside our house 25'x75' that we own. I love visionary threads like this where people just go for it.
kudo's
That is a heck of a space, you could really make something huge there.
Thanks. Its an easy filter to build. Since its a pressurized filter with the water pumped in the bottom and out the top you can put it about anywhere and not have to worry about running a gravity line to it, but you need a gravity return. It works the same way as a pool sand filter, but doesn't clog as easily or require a high hp pump since a blower is used for cleaning. Most people use them as a waterfall to return the water to the pond. Since I have the trickle filter as my current return I had to run a separate gravity return line back to the pond.
I wanted to put it on the deck inside a table/storage box and function as a waterfall to the upper pond. However, Kate had already compromised in allowing me to build the turtle pond (took 11 months of convincing and side projects
) and wouldn't give up any more deck space. For now I am running a spare laguna 1700 gph pump to it that is in the bottom of another chamber and through the clear hose to the filter input. I am running 3 submersible pumps right now and plan on replacing all 3 with two externals at some point.i just love that youve turned a somewhat vacant, not pretty space into a beautiful pond with a deck.
I have been working the last couple days, but not too much to show for it. I have been digging the drainage ditch for the filters, about 20', but the whole way was all roots. It also had to be fairly deep so that it would gravity drain below the bottom of the SC. I finally got through all of them and started filling it in today. Depressing to spend a week digging, then fill it right back in so it looks the same. It was also a bit tricky running all of the lines together before going underground. I had a 2" and 3" line from the bottoms of 2 chambers, and three 3" lines from the other filters all running to one drain line. I put it off from last summer so its good to be almost done with it.
Soon as the drainage is done I will start the turtle pond. I picked up most of the timbers today and hope to have it done this weekend. It is running the length of the fence from the deck to the hole where the drainpipe comes out.
Soon as the drainage is done I will start the turtle pond. I picked up most of the timbers today and hope to have it done this weekend. It is running the length of the fence from the deck to the hole where the drainpipe comes out.
