Bog building, also called upflow filter, eco filter, wetland filter

[Lisak1]

@LuapYllier - you can also build your bog with a "snorkel" unit that allows you to drop a pump down to the bottom to clean it out if need be. We built ours with one of these - a clean out pipe wasn't practical in our particular situation. (Having said that, we never need to pump it out as there's really nothing TO pump out - it has stayed very clean.)

 

[Rashad]

I realize this is a very old post but I was recently pointed here and this statement is something that precisely addresses a question I have. If one end of your bog piping is connected to your pump and the other end has a cleanout that you are sticking a hose down into...where exactly are you flushing a blockage TO? Where does it go?

For my bog, there is enough water pressure that if I open up the cleanout cap water comes flowing out. If there was gunk down there right now it would just come to the surface of the bog and get worked on by the same bacteria and plants filtering the pond, now it just won't be stuck in the bottom of my pipes. I could also screw on a discharge hose if I wanted to since it is a threaded connection. Would be one way to partially drain the bog.

 

[GBBUDD]

The idea behind the clean out is to disconnect the pump or have a diverter valve . So on the end you have a ball valve or a cap that you remove and place the hose there. Open the pump end and back flush the system. I have not heard of to many who said wow you won't believe all the sludge that came out . It's more it was murky for few seconds then ran clear. I'm indifferent to the clean outs.

 

[mrsclem]

I realize this is a very old post but I was recently pointed here and this statement is something that precisely addresses a question I have. If one end of your bog piping is connected to your pump and the other end has a clean out that you are sticking a hose down into...where exactly are you flushing a blockage TO? Where does it go?

.With my setup, I leave my pump running and just open the caps on the end of the clean outs. The pump flushes out any debris in the piping.

 

[poconojoe]

.With my setup, I leave my pump running and just open the caps on the end of the clean outs. The pump flushes out any debris in the piping.

This is pretty much what I do. Use my pump to flush out the pipes. It's not a back flush. I guess it's a forward flush.

I have two clean-out stacks at the end of my (two) manifold legs. They are each about 10 feet long and are made of 2 inch PVC.

I turn off the pump, open one clean-out stack, jamb an extra piece of hose in it aiming at my garden, turn the pump back on and watch the water shoot out black until it clears after about 3 seconds, turn off the pump, screw the cap back on and repeat with the second stack.

I'll do this when my spillway returning to the pond slows down a bit, maybe every 3-4 weeks. After the flush, the spillway volume increases to normal.

If I didn't have the clean-out stacks, I'm thinking it would still be OK. The flow of return water never gets close to stopping, it just slows down a bit. Maybe that slowed down flow is actually the correct flow and flushing is unnecessary, I really don't know. I do think the water should travel through the bog slowly, not too fast.
So, is my flushing actually counterproductive? I really don't know... But, I'd rather install the clean-outs and have them just in case.

 

[Evguy1]

What type of water do you use in your pond, T? The reason I ask this, is in my two indoor aquariums, one (brackish) was getting well water, the other (tropical) bottled water because I had too high of something or other in my well water. LOL Turns out the brackish water was getting lots of algae, and the pet store guy told me it was because of the well water, having excess nutrients in it that were encouraging the algae. Does that sound possible, Meyer?

This has given a boost to a new therory about the excessive algae in my 1st pond. I clean the 2' X 2' pre filter 1-2 times a day and scrape off the thick algae goo. We had a longer than normal power outage a few months ago and the pond went down about 6". I think I have a leak in the liner and when we have power my float switch just keeps the pond topped up with WELL WATER! Last week I turned the auto fill off and have been watching the water level drop to see where it settles at so I can look for the leak. There has been very little algae growth and clear water even though we have had lots of hot sunny days. I cant wait to find and fix the leak to see if that cures my algae growth problem. We just had the well water tested last year and it was OK but I don't know what specifically to look for in the test.

 

[CountryEscape]

Take a sample to your local pet/aquarium store and have them check it or buy test kits to check nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, etc levels.
Obviously you’re not going to use bottled water for your pond!
How many gallons is your pond? And with the filter not running your water went clear … also because you weren’t adding new water. Do you have koi that are stirring up the bottom, causing all the gunk to circulate to the filter? Assume your filter is maybe on a skimmer or towards the surface? Or are you talking about the cage on a pump that is towards the bottom of your pond? If it’s on a pump cage that is on the bottom, move the pump up off of the bottom, put it in a milk crate. Let the algae settle to the bottom.
Another suggestion if you have koi that are stirring the bottom, add smooth river rocks to the bottom. They will gather the green algae/beneficial bacteria that needs to be on all surfaces to help break down nutrients in the water. The idea is two-fold. The rocks have more surface area than liner, and the koi won’t stir up the rocks on the bottom. I never had rocks in my IL ponds. Koi pond was 95% of the time murky. Goldfish pond was always clear. (Goldfish tend to not root on the bottom.) Now we have rocks and the water has been crystal clear since pond was built last year in July.
Another suggestion is to add beneficial bacteria to your pond to help boost the colony. I found a product that uses only 1/4 cup for 5-10,000 gallon ponds!!! I add it weekly. It’s called Ultra

Clear Clarifier. Besides the natural beneficial bacteria, I don’t add any chemicals to my pond.
Hope these suggestions will help you!

 

[Karl_S]

In the initial write-up the idea seems to be to have the water below the top of the gravel in the bog filter. In later pictures it appears the water is an inch or so deep. Has the idea changed or is this the result of settling without topping off the gravel?

 

[GBBUDD]

I myself am at odds on that topic as to water over the gravel or below as a final height. I have mostly gravel at the surface i look at it this way if the water comes upbthrough the gravel straight from the bottom the filtration is over. If the surface is below the top ofvthe stone its being filtered until it leaves the bog

 

[poconojoe]

In the initial write-up the idea seems to be to have the water below the top of the gravel in the bog filter. In later pictures it appears the water is an inch or so deep. Has the idea changed or is this the result of settling without topping off the gravel?

I think it's a matter of personal preference.

You can get creative with the water level by "sculpting " the gravel.

You can:
Form a stream of your desired size and shape.

Form pockets of water where you can grow floating plants. I stick immature water hyacinths and water lettuce in spots like that. I'll move them to the pond when they mature.
So, in some sense, it might depend on the type of plants you grow.

You might not want any water above the gravel.

You might like a few inches of water above the gravel throughout the whole bog.

You can fine tune the bog's water depth by building up your spillway with large flat stones.
I have experimented with this.

Does any of this affect filtration? Who knows?
I do know one thing....my water is clear.

 

[brokensword]

In the initial write-up the idea seems to be to have the water below the top of the gravel in the bog filter. In later pictures it appears the water is an inch or so deep. Has the idea changed or is this the result of settling without topping off the gravel?

It's more likely caused by some blockage within the gravel or at the overflow such that the water isn't getting out as fast as it once was. As long as your bog liner is high enough to contain the rise, no problem. Water over the gravel will usually allow algae to grow on to, also limiting the rate of egress. The blockage will decay naturally but l'd still watch that the level does' continue to rise. Either unclog or make the egress wider/more voluminous. Plant roots, especially from those that are aggressive, is one cause of blockage.

 

[poconojoe]

I wonder if there's a way to figure out how long the water takes to go through the bog?
I don't think I'd want to use food coloring.
Maybe some of that pond dye? I don't think I'd want to use that either.
Any ideas?

 

[combatwombat]

I wonder if there's a way to figure out how long the water takes to go through the bog?
I don't think I'd want to use food coloring.
Maybe some of that pond dye? I don't think I'd want to use that either.
Any ideas?

Turn your pump off and drain your bog. Turn your pump back on and time how long it takes for water to go over the spillway. If you don't have a way to drain your bog, then a more creative solution will be needed.

 

[poconojoe]

Turn your pump off and drain your bog. Turn your pump back on and time how long it takes for water to go over the spillway. If you don't have a way to drain your bog, then a more creative solution will be needed.

No easy way to drain it. Not really worth the effort it would take to do it, but thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Lisak1]

There are definite formulas they use for figuring the time it takes to get water through a bog. No clue what that might be, but math seems to be involved, so no thank you.

As for gravel above or below water... I say yes. Whichever you prefer. My bog has some of each. I shift gravel around to build up areas where I want to plant certain things which makes other areas a bit lower. We did have to add gravel after the first year - lots of settling. You don't want too much water over the gravel as it makes it hard to grow marginals that want to just have wet feet. I just make sure that the path to the outlet stays clear so we don't back up and overflow.