Above ground plant pond

Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
65
Reaction score
32
Country
United States
so Ive made an above ground water garden to cultivate plants for my pond. Should I put heavy soil in the bottom? Rocks? Anything? Does anyone have any ideas? I plan to order some parrot feather, anacharis, mosaic, iris water lettuce, hyacinth, etc type plants and as they over grow the small water garden seperate them and put some in the bigger pond. That way my fish don’t kill all my plants all at once but still get to nibble on stuff from time to time and it will hopefully work as a secondary water clearing filter system. I’ve attatched some pics. It’s about three feet wide and two and a half feet deep and I buried it in the ground about 8 inches to help insulate it a bit and is being fed by my slimmer pump. Anyone have any advice?
 

Attachments

  • 9B2316FB-9457-42B4-A6F5-88954C85F792.jpeg
    9B2316FB-9457-42B4-A6F5-88954C85F792.jpeg
    422.4 KB · Views: 243
  • 2B6187F6-6694-4492-8848-A5E6B8031DF2.jpeg
    2B6187F6-6694-4492-8848-A5E6B8031DF2.jpeg
    328.1 KB · Views: 217
  • D47FD458-9734-4331-9A78-025B3358BF64.jpeg
    D47FD458-9734-4331-9A78-025B3358BF64.jpeg
    279.4 KB · Views: 211
  • FBE8B6E1-66C4-4543-B4A9-79816656FDB9.jpeg
    FBE8B6E1-66C4-4543-B4A9-79816656FDB9.jpeg
    217.6 KB · Views: 213
  • 6478CD77-0E72-4ADD-904E-1B304B6D7C5F.jpeg
    6478CD77-0E72-4ADD-904E-1B304B6D7C5F.jpeg
    380.8 KB · Views: 237
  • 88C2AB23-C720-4DD9-8529-E330E1CE1730.jpeg
    88C2AB23-C720-4DD9-8529-E330E1CE1730.jpeg
    284.7 KB · Views: 208
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
4,684
Reaction score
3,759
Hardiness Zone
5b
Country
United States
great idea! I'd put pea gravel or bio balls--something to give you more biofiltration. If you can, route the water so it comes UP through and then spills over into your bog. Not necessary but more beneficial. These pond plants don't really need soil if you're going to feed them with pond water. I do something similar in that I grow my parrot's feather in my stream (where the fish AREN'T) and let it grow into the pond proper.
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
65
Reaction score
32
Country
United States
Up through and spills over into my big? I’m confused? Lol how I have it now is my skimmer pump has a line that is fed into the galvanized water barrel from the top and the tube is about an inch into the water so that it’s not causing a ton of turbulence. And then the outlet is a waterfall back into my pond.
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
4,684
Reaction score
3,759
Hardiness Zone
5b
Country
United States
sorry, thought where the galvanized barrel is was a bog; sort of looked like it but now I realize you're outletting the water directly into the pond. The idea is that IF your barrel overflows, it won't empty your pond. Either have a float switch on the pump (pump cuts off if level drops to a desired point) or some under-liner to route any spillage back toward the pond.

I see too that as the level in the galv barrel rises, it then outlets through your trough and back into the pond (didn't see this the first look hence why I thought it was designed to 'spill over'). And if that WAS a bog, it would be a great idea#2. I once planned on putting my mech filter (similar idea to what you're doing) ON my bog and indeed, let it spill up and over. But changed my design and now the water outlets at the bottom of my filter.

Sorry for the confusion.


Michael
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
65
Reaction score
32
Country
United States
Oh yeah I have it rigged up so that if for some reason my pump fails it won’t overflow the pond. Definitely thought that one through!
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
4,684
Reaction score
3,759
Hardiness Zone
5b
Country
United States
it's not overflowing the pond that is the worry here, it's if there's a leak/overflow in the barrel that will begin emptying your pond. A float switch would stop the pump from pumping water to the barrel, should something like this occur.
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
65
Reaction score
32
Country
United States
Oh I see what you mean. Unfortunately I have no idea how I would be able to rig something like that up other than just keep it well maintained and keep my eye on it I guess. :/
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Messages
4,684
Reaction score
3,759
Hardiness Zone
5b
Country
United States
the float switch attaches prior to your pump cord. That is, you plug your pump INTO the float switch. The float switch then 'floats' on your pond. You secure the switch cord (one is the float, the other a cord) to something solid on the bank. As the float drops (because the water is getting out and your pond water level is going down), inside the float is a contact which causes the electricity to stop flowing TO your pump. Once you fill the pond back up and reset this switch (laying the float again on the top of your pond), electricity flows again then to your pump and you're back in business. This float switch is for all sorts of potential leak problems. It's just designed so you don't pump the water out of your pond and you're not around to stop it. An overflow protection is different, though just as important. For that one, I have my water supply on a timer, so eventually, it'll stop should I begin filling and forget about it.

Btw, you can google 'sump pump float switch' and see what I mean. They're not expensive; think the last one I got was like $25, but it's great insurance. Will keep the fish alive and the pump too.
(I added a youtube link about sump float switches; at the 1 min mark is the type I'm using)



link;
https://www.amazon.com/Piggyback-Sw...ons&keywords=float+switch+for+sump+pump&psc=1

81LxWCK+brL._SL1500_.jpg
 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
65
Reaction score
32
Country
United States
Oh man that is GREAT info! I’m getting one for sure!!!! I never would have thought of that! At one point I had a line leak from my other waterfalls and woke up to a half empty pond one morning! Thank god I discovered it in time! I’ll definitly be ordering one!
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
30,782
Messages
508,590
Members
13,043
Latest member
cisifom

Latest Threads

Top