Bog Questions

[hotspurdotus]

A recent thread got me thinking about adding a bog to my pond setup.

My setup is roughly 800 gallon, and is run by a Lifeguard Aquatics All In One Pond Filter System. I clean the filter pretty frequently; it's manageable but it can be a pain dragging the pump out of the pond all the time.

I realize I could use some more filtration, but I'm not interested in adding any external filtration; everything needs to be contained within the current pond setup.

Adding a bog area to the upper pool appears to be an effective and attractive method to add filtration to my pond. I have a few questions that I hope the board can help me out with; the answers will have a lot do to with my decision on whether to go forward or not.

1. Could I install a bog using only part of the upper pool? I don't want to add more blockwork; I was hoping I could transform part of the area and contain it using fine netting or some other material.

2. Assuming the answer to #1 is yes, where would be the best place to place the bog? I initially thought about placing it right in front of the waterfall, but after some reading it seems that the water flow might be too quick there to make it useful.

3. Will the bog create an insect problem? The pond is very near my house, and less than 10 feet from my back door.

4. How will my bog fare throughout the year? I'm in Hardiness Zone 6A; will the bog be active long enough to provide a useful amount of filtration.

Let me know if you need more information, and thanks for any help!

 

[addy1]

You can make a pass through wall, stacked stones, with landscape fabric on the pea gravel side. Have the water come up through the pea gravel from the bottom, Have your pipe as far from the pass through rock wall as possible so the water has to work to get through the gravel. Plant the gravel. I am in zone 6b my bog is growing beautifully and has been growing since early march.

There is no insect problem, have the gravel slightly higher than the highest level of gravel so there is no standing water.

Or you could just add a solid wall, let the water work up through the gravel, with the wall low enough the water flows over it into the pond area. Just slightly higher than the pond water level, but of course lower than the pond wall.

 

[27goldfish]

That is cool, I remember asking you about that. I also think addy has the right idea on that!!

 

[addy1]

lol typo have the gravel slightly higher than the highest level of the water, too late to edit

 

[koidaddy]

I would be best if you could filter some of the solids out first so it doesn't become filled with pond pudding(fish waste). At least that was my experience. I know you want to use it as part of the filter system but unless you have a way to flush/clean, it will be just like a filter that isn't cleaned after a while. :beerchug:

 

[adavisus]

In Winter, when the plants are dormant, they won't be filtering anything other than roots collecting particulates carried by water current.

You might containerise in a large submerged tub, hardy aquatic plants growing bare root to cut out taking up pond volume with dirt... Why have dirt in a pond anyways, when bare root plants cope fine without it. The tub can allow them to mesh solid with roots which filter the water more efficient than dirt bound roots

When the aquatic plants mass up within the container, once in a while they would need harsh division so they don't become too large a mass that cannot be lifted out of the pond

Over time the 'plant filter island' will gobble fertility at such a rate, halving the nitrates every few weeks, you may find you need to add fertility when the island has hogged all the nitrates...

Regards, andy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21940871@N06/
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[addy1]

I would be best if you could filter some of the solids out first so it doesn't become filled with pond pudding(fish waste). At least that was my experience. I know you want to use it as part of the filter system but unless you have a way to flush/clean, it will be just like a filter that isn't cleaned after a while.

I can back flush the bog, open the pipe out runs the water and what ever. Hotspurdotus, you can also put a divider on the bottom, the light covers, webbing on a pvc stand so there is a only water area at the bottom/ 2-3 inch high/ gravel on top of that. When you need to clean open the pipe and the dirt collected there flushes out.

 

[hotspurdotus]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm definitely warming to the idea of the bog, but there are a lot of details I want to research before going forward.

I'm still finishing the construction on the pond so I have plenty to keep me busy for now. The pond is healthy, so there's no rush. The bog might be my project for next Spring