More water flow + mechanical filtering and possibly UV??

[Conner]

What head height are you pumping too? A 3500gph pump will not be pumping anywhere near that depending on head?

The head height's only about 18", so it should still be pumping over 3,000gph.


I actually think I might keep the 3,500gph pump in the skimmer box running through the bog filter. Then I'll add either another 3,500gph pump or a 5,000gph pump to the bottom of the pond. I was thinking I'd split the flow, with half or so just being used to increase current in the pond, and the other half running to a 55g drum filter or something like that, which would then return to the pond via a second waterfall.

 

[mrunlucky07]

If you just want movement I think back to the earlier idea of an air pump would be the best way. They move a huge widespread volume of water, much more than a pump on the bottom and no clogging/maintenance since its outside the pond and use a fraction of the energy. Something around 50lpm and a 9" disc diffuser. An air disc will make a large volume column of air/water moving up from bottom to top and would agitate almost the whole pond surface.

That being said I doubt a bottom air or water pump will significantly help clear the pond and may lead to other issues. Either will blast around everything that is settled on the bottom and lead to suspended particles rather than them settling on the bottom out of the visible water column.

To just clear the water the easiest way without a drain may be to invest in a good UV (t5 bulb at least 40w) and small low flow pump or just t off what you already have. That will clear the water then use a coagulant (sodium bentonite clay is a natural coagulant - try and stay away from chemicals that will start a never ending cycle of blooms) to get any suspended particles/algae to settle to the bottom then syphon/pump suck the bottom.

 

[Conner]

I was thinking of using a new pump to drain about 75 percent of the pond, and focus it on the bottom so that most of the settled debris would be pumped out with the water. Then fill it back up and add a UV sterilizer to help prevent/attenuate any algae blooms and for continued clarification.

Do I really need to use something like Sodium Bentonite to get particles to settle to the bottom? Will sodium bentonite do any damage or clogging to a pump?

 

[mrunlucky07]

Thats a decent plan. Depending on the quality of your fresh water supply you may not want to change that much water out. My city water is high in ammonia and phosphate and makes an algae bloom if I add too much. Maybe just pump out enough to clean the bottom. If you have a slope you can get a 1.25" sump pump hose (25' is $10 at lowes) and vac it just like an aquarium.

The clay may not be necessary, add the UV and see how it goes. You have little bio load so it may clear up pretty easy.

 

[Conner]

I'm also considering a DIY Bakki shower style filter similar to what Zenzzo did for his pond. That is, if I can build it so that it looks good with the rest of the landscaping.

Either that or the UV, I'm not sure which I'll add. Maybe both, if I have enough money.

 

[Conner]

Thats a decent plan. Depending on the quality of your fresh water supply you may not want to change that much water out. My city water is high in ammonia and phosphate and makes an algae bloom if I add too much. Maybe just pump out enough to clean the bottom. If you have a slope you can get a 1.25" sump pump hose (25' is $10 at lowes) and vac it just like an aquarium.

The clay may not be necessary, add the UV and see how it goes. You have little bio load so it may clear up pretty easy.

I'll check our water report and see what they say the levels are. Then maybe I'll test out of the tap. But I'd rather deal with an algae bloom than all this mud crap.

 

[mrunlucky07]

I thought you were trying to fight green. If its brown mud flushing it out may be the best. Hard to give advice without seeing it. How much silt is in there? Worth trying to filter out or drain completly and refill?

UV will eliminate all green if its large enough. Shower filter alone without UV may not do much. Will certainly help for bio conversion if its needed.

One of the quickest mech filters is to get a case of floss pillow stuffing at walmart, run the water over some of it, and keep changing it out daily. Tedious but pulls out a lot mechanically if thats your goal. Could go at the top of a shower filter.

 

[Conner]

I thought you were trying to fight green. If its brown mud flushing it out may be the best. Hard to give advice without seeing it. How much silt is in there? Worth trying to filter out or drain completly and refill?

UV will eliminate all green if its large enough. Shower filter alone without UV may not do much. Will certainly help for bio conversion if its needed.

One of the quickest mech filters is to get a case of floss pillow stuffing at walmart, run the water over some of it, and keep changing it out daily. Tedious but pulls out a lot mechanically if thats your goal. Could go at the top of a shower filter.

I'm mostly trying to fight mud/silt right now. I think the water is too muddy to support algae yet .

It's actually looking a lot better these last two days. I built a retaining wall along the low end on either side of the skimmer, and laid extra pond liner down behind the rocks. Then I covered the pond liner in dirt up to a couple inches below the top of the rocks. We've had 2 heavy rains since then, and it looks like it really helped decrease the amount of dirt getting washed into the pond.

I think I'm going to try pumping out the bottom of the pond with a solids handling pump, down to about 50%. Then I'll refill with tap water and see how it looks. If its good, I'll probably invest in a UV and leave everything else as is. If I'm still having issues with clarity (other than green water) I may try building a bakki shower or other DIY mech and bio filter.

I'll take some pics tonight so you guys can see more clearly what I'm talking about. I know its hard to picture just from a description.

 

[Conner]

Here are some pics so you guys can see what I'm talking about a little better. The stone on either side of the skimmer box is what I added 2 days ago. The dirt behind those stones is level with the top of the bottom row of stones, so you can see how much below grade that side ended up. With the pond liner behind the rocks, and under the dirt, its really helping keep the dirt out of the pond. The stone is going to continue all the way around the perimeter of the pond, with dirt and then mulch built up behind it, so that I can plant plants right up to the rock edge.

If I build a bakki shower, it will either be between the bog filter and the air conditioner, against the fence behind the bog filter, or build right on top of the far end of the bog filter.

The pond is clearing up a little. I'm not sure if the mud is just settling finally, or if all the rain recently helped to clear it out a bit.

 

[Muske]

Getting as much of the silt out is going to help the best w/green water. If the silt gets stirred up constantly, it will release nutrients into the water. There is plenty of phos. in native soil to cause a bloom. Rinse the roots of the Hyacinth too. They will have trapped plenty of silt in them. A bucket of clean water works great.

Good job with the wall and silt fence behind it. Keep the wall going, or build up the lip of the liner. Try to build it like a cursive V, (if that makes sence). The liner will get folded/tucked under above the water line and go back into the soil 5-6" away from the water. You can cover the liner w/boulders and gravel.