Auto-top off ideas?

[Jagsfan]

From my days keeping aquariums, i always had auto top off for my tanks. Im hoping to do something similar with my pond. My initial thought is to have a large container, probably like a rain collecting barrel or something along those lines. I'll fill it with water from my hose and have a small tube run to my pond with a drip controller attached. I would need to play around a little with the drip frequency to see the best drip rate, but if the container is 50+ gallons im hoping to only need to fill it once a week to maintain the pond level. Does anybody else use this method or use another form of auto-top off?

 

[combatwombat]

Are you unable to run a hose directly to the pond? Do you have a pump vault or skimmer box? There are ready-made autofill kits you can use.

 

[EricV]

I have used two methods. Both rely on water source at the pond. Initially I used the drip irrigation method https://drjohnson.com/waterchanges-in-koi-ponds-changing-water-in-watergardens/

I found a regulator would only last about a year or so before it started leaking. So the last couple of years I have used a hose timer connected to spout. It comes on twice a day for a few minutes and makes a bit of a fountain.

I have a 2500 gallon pond and add about 75 gallons a day. That's enough for evaporation and a little bit for overfill which ends up in my rain garden.

 

[Jagsfan]

Are you unable to run a hose directly to the pond? Do you have a pump vault or skimmer box? There are ready-made autofill kits you can use.

I do have hose that reaches the pond, but i wont have a skimmer box or pump vault. Im trying to avoid having to manually filling it every day or every couple days.

 

[Jagsfan]

I have used two methods. Both rely on water source at the pond. Initially I used the drip irrigation method https://drjohnson.com/waterchanges-in-koi-ponds-changing-water-in-watergardens/

I found a regulator would only last about a year or so before it started leaking. So the last couple of years I have used a hose timer connected to spout. It comes on twice a day for a few minutes and makes a bit of a fountain.

I have a 2500 gallon pond and add about 75 gallons a day. That's enough for evaporation and a little bit for overfill which ends up in my rain garden.

When you used the drip method, you just used one emitter at the pond right? Was it hooked to your hose bid or on a gravity fed system?

 

[mrsclem]

How much water do you anticipate losing every day?

 

[Jagsfan]

How much water do you anticipate losing every day?

I dont know yet. The pond will be 9x5x3 and wont be in direct sun all day. The entire pond will be in direct sun for only about 1-2 hours a day, with half the pond getting an additional 3-4 hours of sun. I really have no idea how to estimate how much water i'll lose.

 

[brokensword]

I've used an auto fill float with success. Works like the float in old style toilet tanks. Link below.
Float vavle

 

[mrsclem]

I have had 2 ponds- 9000gallons total. During the hottest days we might lose an inch a day but the rain usually tops it off. No auto fills- no overflows.

 

[EricV]

sounds like your surface area is about 1/3 of mine. If you add water at a similar rate (assuming you use 25 instead of my 75) you’ll get two days out of your barrel.

yes, my drip was hooked into the hose spigot, not gravity fed. I used a couple of emitters in parallel since I wanted 3 gph in flow.

 

[Jagsfan]

sounds like your surface area is about 1/3 of mine. If you add water at a similar rate (assuming you use 25 instead of my 75) you’ll get two days out of your barrel.

yes, my drip was hooked into the hose spigot, not gravity fed. I used a couple of emitters in parallel since I wanted 3 gph in flow.

ok, 2 days isnt what i was looking for haha. but thats good to know. I checked my water quality report earlier today and my water doesnt have chloramines, so using an emitter from my hose spigot may work. Or i could get a timer that was suggested by another member and have it run for a set time each day.

 

[secuono]

Livestock water trough float valve will work.

 

[Jagsfan]

Livestock water trough float valve will work.

Yeah, ive looked at that, the only issue i have is hiding the float in the pond. I dont have a skimmer to put it in.

 

[poconojoe]

I dont worry about it.
Nature takes care of that for me when it rains.
If I lived in an area where we didn't get much rain, then I might be concerned.

I would guess the size of the pond might matter. With a small pond, evaporation might be more noticable or even detrimental.

 

[addy1]

I have so many plants and so much surface in the bog I have to add water every day, unless it rains. I set up a sprinkler system auto water controller, a buried hose, I set it for how long it takes to bring the pond back to level. Varies from 15 minutes or so up to 30-45 dead of summer, a day.