Aquascape biofalls into a small bog filter

[Jhn]

Sorry if this was already spoke about but i thought i saw you say you have a bio falls dumping into a bog . A bog as we describe here is where the water is pumped to the bottom of the bog and is forced up through the gravel and plant roots can you have water run over a marshy area/ bog sure but it's not doing the max as it could i too have an area thats more a natural bog there is now water forced through the area but it seeps its way through just on it's own.

Think OP means converting the biofalls into a mini bog filter.

Mine pretty much is a plant filter at this point, it’s empty other than having parrots feather and water forgetmenot growing out of it. Just pinned them down with rocks and let them grow.

 

[Gemma]

I think I remember (vaguely) what your pond looks like, but how about creating an 'overhanging' bog? It would shade part of the pond's perimeter but might provide more value than not? Maybe on one side, something like that? Otherwise, others will have to chime in as I'm truly a bog convert (the little maintenance part sucked me in).

I apologize @brokensword , I don't know how I missed this post
At this point I'm not even sure I need to add more filtration, but better safe than sorry right?

Here's why I'm exploring the possibility of adding more filtration....my 3,800 gl pond has 2 bio-falls that are equal (if not grater) than the single bio-fall in the 5,400 (or 5,391.5), it has 11 fish, two of which are Shubunkins, and one is a dwarf. The 5,400gls pond has 12 fish, all koi.
So once I realized that the filtration system in both ponds is pretty much the same size, other than the pomp size, I started thinking I should add some more to the larger pond...a bog would be ideal, but I don't know how I could build one in my setting, so that's why I wondered if filling up the waterfall tub with gravel and putting plants on top would work better than having pads or bio-balls in there?

Here is a pic of the pond.
The UV light is attached to the deck railing, and the return hose you can see it over the plant pool wall, next to the waterfall. I could direct the return of the UV light into a bio-chamber of some sort, before dumping back into the pond, but I don't know what kind to add. All I know for sure is that I only have the room along the concrete wall behind the waterfall to work with...what would you do if it was your pond?
Anyone else has any ideas?

 

[Gemma]

Think OP means converting the biofalls into a mini bog filter.

That's what I thought too, and that's why I posted here

 

[GBBUDD]

Looking good Gemma

 

[Gemma]

Looking good Gemma

Thanks @GBBUDD

 

[Gemma]

I wondered if filling up the waterfall tub with gravel and putting plants on top would work better than having pads or bio-balls in there?

Anyone?

 

[mrsclem]

Not sure if it would be better but as it will function as a mini-bog, it should work well. I have put planter baskets of water celery in the tops of my barrel filters. The roots filled half the barrels!

 

[brokensword]

Gemma; I'd do as MrsC suggests--I'd add planters along your left side on the stone perimeter (as per your last picture) and make that your bog. Even if I had to build them myselves, something 12" deep, as wide as possible. I'd build an over flow from these planter(s) so you create another waterfall sheet into your upper pond. The water mixes, top to bottom pond, right? So I'd send a feed into such a flower box planter from the lower pond. Not sure the dimensions, but I bet you could get a lot of surface area from such a system.

 

[Gemma]

Gemma; I'd do as MrsC suggests--I'd add planters along your left side on the stone perimeter (as per your last picture) and make that your bog. Even if I had to build them myselves, something 12" deep, as wide as possible. I'd build an over flow from these planter(s) so you create another waterfall sheet into your upper pond. The water mixes, top to bottom pond, right? So I'd send a feed into such a flower box planter from the lower pond. Not sure the dimensions, but I bet you could get a lot of surface area from such a system.

We figured this would be by far the easiest, and cheapest way to go, to add filtration, but first we wanted to be sure that we cannot build a bog in any other way....and that's too bad cause we'd have the room, we just can't figure out the water return to the pond part

Yes, the UV pump is in the lower section, by the steps (see pic) would I need to get a larger pump if I add a tub?

 

[Gemma]

Not sure if it would be better but as it will function as a mini-bog, it should work well. I have put planter baskets of water celery in the tops of my barrel filters. The roots filled half the barrels!

What media did you have in your planters? Do you have pics?

 

[brokensword]

We figured this would be by far the easiest, and cheapest way to go, to add filtration, but first we wanted to be sure that we cannot build a bog in any other way....and that's too bad cause we'd have the room, we just can't figure out the water return to the pond part

Yes, the UV pump is in the lower section, by the steps (see pic) would I need to get a larger pump if I add a tub?

View attachment 134819

Gemma;

I'd add another pump just because redundancy will protect your pond. If one goes out, you still have flow and circulation and it'll sustain the pond until you replace the broken one. Re another pump, I'd have the flow go through at a moderate to slow pace. I believe it was Meyer that came up with studies that showed a slower speed allows the plants and bacteria to do their thing more efficiently. Also, depending on what size/how many planter boxes you have, it may involve multiple inlets and valves, etc. I'd probably do whatever is managaebale re 'can I lift if off if I have to to do maintenance?' When you have a build in version, you're not worried about that but putting something up on the stone perimeter--just so you HAVE that return flow--means you have to think of portability, imo.

Re your question to MrsC; if you're going to make this a bog planter situation, you can use pea gravel. It's what you want so as to give the bacteria a lot of surface area in which to populate. That's the main function of a biofilter. The plants that are put on top are only doing 1/3 of the excess nutrient uptake (the nitrates). That's another reason to have a thin layer of gravel on the pond bottom, imo.

 

[Gemma]

Gemma;
I'd add another pump just because redundancy will protect your pond. If one goes out, you still have flow and circulation and it'll sustain the pond until you replace the broken one.

I have the second pump in the skimmer.
I meant if I go with a large tub-bog, using the return from the UV, do I need to get a larger pump than what I have now?

 

[Gemma]

Gemma;
I believe it was Meyer that came up with studies that showed a slower speed allows the plants and bacteria to do their thing more efficiently.

Yes slower is better even for the UV filtration. I have a 55w UV light and whatever size pump came in the kit, IYO would it be able to push the water throw the gravel?

 

[brokensword]

Yes slower is better even for the UV filtration. I have a 55w UV light and whatever size pump came in the kit, IYO would it be able to push the water throw the gravel?

I think I'd just try the output from your UV and see what flow you get. You may find flow restricted due to head height, tubing angles, etc. If you can't get enough pressure from your UV, I'd see about teeing off your main pump and putting a couple of valves there. From the look of your pic, the height doesn't seem prohibitive. If I was in doubt, I'd just get a dedicated pump for your new bog system but I'd certainly see if my main pump could handle it. Right now, I have 2 pumps; each is teed off and provide flow to a wfall and to a bog pipe. One of the pumps even has a third outlet that goes directly back onto the pond as additional aeration. And my wfalls are probably 30" higher than the pond.

 

[Gemma]

I think I'd just try the output from your UV and see what flow you get. You may find flow restricted due to head height, tubing angles, etc. If you can't get enough pressure from your UV, I'd see about teeing off your main pump and putting a couple of valves there. From the look of your pic, the height doesn't seem prohibitive. If I was in doubt, I'd just get a dedicated pump for your new bog system but I'd certainly see if my main pump could handle it. Right now, I have 2 pumps; each is teed off and provide flow to a wfall and to a bog pipe. One of the pumps even has a third outlet that goes directly back onto the pond as additional aeration. And my wfalls are probably 30" higher than the pond.

Thank you so much!