Building automatic aeration pond sweep

[sissy]

No I just came up with that idea a couple of years ago to keep water open in the winter and if you buy a pump at lowes you can buy an extended warranty also .I have had only 2 pumps from hb go out and that was because of low water when a dog last year ripped my liner and then my biggest koi knocked the pump side ways and the water was squirting out the fountain head onto the sidewalk .The other pumps were just to small and had to buy bigger gph pumps .My one pump from hb was 22 dollars and that was the one in the pic and it was on sale and was 1250 gph and that is the one in my neighbors pond right now .Still works great .

 

[multifasited]

Well ,I am HAPPY ,left system run now about 5 hrs ,Very very little left on the bottom ,of either pond ,did not go with slots ,but with bored holes ,replacing two outerlong pipes in upper pond with smaller holes closer together ,water now clear enough ,you can read the fish house sign in the reflection in the water backwards of course but before you could only see the out line of the sign ,that plus the waterfall filters have made a dramatic difference ,amazing what they caught today.like Hanable, always said" I love it when a plan come together".I'LL take some pix tomorrow ,and know all the parameters.

 

[sissy]

I may have to try it and see I was checking my inventory of abs and pvc pipes and elbows and stuff left from doing the house and so far think I only need a few things and the will be elbows because I want to make addy's floating lily holder too .I have to measure the area I have .Do you do it all the way across your pond or change it up a little

 

[multifasited]

used electrical plastic conduit ,and thier sweep elbows ,mine is sq. and oblong ,1" inside the parimeter hd has it in ten ft sticks w/a premolded coupling ,lowes has it in 20'sticks if I had a larger round or oval ,with a little heat from a heat gun you could form a ring and heat form just about any variation to fit your out line ,one tee and to the pump.there is just enough movement on the surface so you can see the cross current ,since ,I put it in my fish are more active they seem to like playing in it ,and zipping by the inlet holes ,amazing how well it has removed almost everything to to drains and gone to the filters. Been busy cutting the golf course havent taken time to totally complete this yet!

 

[sissy]

You are talking then the grey plastic .I have that also from the wiring we did out side to the guest house and to a couple of my gardens .It has a flared end that the other end of the pipe fits into and I have lots of that and elbows for it .More of that left than the abs and pvc .I wanted to run more electrical but could not run it to certain spots because of the septic tank .You need the septic tank more than electrical .I was going to return it and said ahhh may use it for something in the future .That stuff is cheaper than abs and pvc .The ahhh has come .Yeh have to finish mowing but we had a light rain so waiting for it to dry again .

 

[addy1]

really interesting , been following along. My hubby has suggested making some sort of sweep for the bottom of our pond to push the muck down to the deep end and out. My problem is a lot of lily pots on the bottom, maybe I need to make floating hangers for them all, no more bottom of the pond plants

 

[multifasited]

You are talking then the grey plastic .I have that also from the wiring we did out side to the guest house and to a couple of my gardens .It has a flared end that the other end of the pipe fits into and I have lots of that and elbows for it .More of that left than the abs and pvc .I wanted to run more electrical but could not run it to certain spots because of the septic tank .You need the septic tank more than electrical .I was going to return it and said ahhh may use it for something in the future .That stuff is cheaper than abs and pvc .The ahhh has come .Yeh have to finish mowing but we had a light rain so waiting for it to dry again .

I like the electical grey better in the pond ,and it is cheaper ,and you can use pvc fittings if needed,just paint grey. On my diy golfcourse ,I cut early when the dew is on ,I keep it cut real short ,with the dew on I can see whats been cut ,and not miss alot ,let it dry and cut up any clumps.

really interesting , been following along. My hubby has suggested making some sort of sweep for the bottom of our pond to push the muck down to the deep end and out. My problem is a lot of lily pots on the bottom, maybe I need to make floating hangers for them all, no more bottom of the pond plants

Your right every thing has to be evevated for flow to get thru,I removed every thing ,got the flow ,and elevated when I could see what I was doing ,,but I'm sure you have a lot more to move than I did ."All the same and totally different"all I can tell you is it was well worth it for me .

 

[addy1]

I can also just do my twice a year clean out, spring and fall. Get maybe a 1/2 home depot bucket of green muck stuff. nothing to worry about during the summer.
That is what I am doing this year, just netting the bottom when I shut the pond for the winter.

 

[sissy]

The thing is since you have snails like I do addy it would be a lot easier with his idea as you always have to sort through to find the snails and with this you would not have that extra work .I am going to make your floating planters and since my lilies on on ledges and not on the bottom no big deal .

 

[multifasited]

They both sounds like a plan to me!

 

[addy1]

The thing is since you have snails like I do addy it would be a lot easier with his idea as you always have to sort through to find the snails and with this you would not have that extra work .I am going to make your floating planters and since my lilies on on ledges and not on the bottom no big deal .

I have a ton of the trap doors, really do like his idea. Got me thinking lol

 

[multifasited]

The thing is since you have snails like I do addy it would be a lot easier with his idea as you always have to sort through to find the snails and with this you would not have that extra work .I am going to make your floating planters and since my lilies on on ledges and not on the bottom no big deal .

I started at 4:30 am just finished closed the loops ,had to take apart fasade to get upper pond to lower pond connection right , and as usual you find yourself doing a lot of things you had't planned on ,but I'ts nice and cool early ,so took advantage of it.Works super ,fish love it ,much more active there are a couple stronger jets ,when the school swims by one by one it changes thier flight path ,blows them side ways ,they love it round and round they go.everything that can goes to drain no pebbles or sand ,kept adjusting till all just off the bottom ,have sand on bottom to reduce solar heating ,this extra flow should help with the heat ,just like a fan air is not any cooler but it sure feels like it.

 

[sissy]

I guess I could attach some end caps to the bottom of it to keep it off the bottom Or drill a hole in bigger pvc pipe and then thread the electrical conduit through and then put end cap on the pvc pipe so it does not cut into my liner from vibration .I could also use the heavy foam type stuff that tv's come with to protect them and drill a hole in that .It is like foam bubbles and not styrofoam .Sure does not break down I have a floating island made of it .

 

[addy1]

I was cleaning my skimmer, had a bunch of tiny 1/4 inch or so trap door snails. They must be doing their baby making now lol I have a lot of work to do if I want all my lilies to be floaters, maybe next year.

 

[crsublette]

Multifasited, I like this implementation. It's the same idea behind GPRs and TPRs creating a current so the fish waste and other sinking particulates, do not have a chance to settle on the ground, get pushed into bottom drains.

I am still trying to understand your diagram. Are your tubing with holes in it just a water jet stream angled toward the floor pushing the stuff to the center of the pond floor?? Are ya using a bottom drain that sucks this stuff up in the center??