Anyone ever use bulkheads with their inlet/outlet lines on pre-formed ponds? Thinking about putting in a small 125 gallon pond with two smaller ones on either side. I would place the pump in the large pond, connect the line to a bulkhead, then out to a pressurized filter's inlet. I would then have the outlets go to each smaller pond and another bulkhead. The two smaller ponds would spill into the larger one. This way all the lines would be buried.
Bulkheads on Pre-formed Ponds?
- Thread starter mikecoscia
- Start date
Yes it can be done. Just be careful you don't have a pump that pushes even close to the size of the bulked if it does when the plants mature they may clog the bulked and eventually overflow
I have one in the side of my preform, it feeds my drum filter that is above my upper pond. I then have 2 larger bulkheads that currently feed 2 pipes that dump down a slope in the lower pond, eventually it will be a rock water fall. I actually made mine out of the gray electric conduit fittings, male and female, the white fittings are tapered and won't tighten down enough to make a good seal. I have all my piping buried under ground also.
The biggest hurdle I have fought with this setup, is the outlet pipes from the upper pond to the lower. They got clogged with the floating plants/algae and also if I didn't turn pumps off during feeding, all the fish food would get sucked down into the lower pond. When it got clogged, the water overflowed the pond and then I almost emptied my lower pond, it's been a balancing act. I ended up getting a solid plastic box which I attached to the outlets, drilled/cut holes and slots in which prevents food and clogging, but does not look the best. It has been the best solution I have manage to come up with. no pictures at the moment, but I could get some if you want. I still have not finished any landscaping around it.
The biggest hurdle I have fought with this setup, is the outlet pipes from the upper pond to the lower. They got clogged with the floating plants/algae and also if I didn't turn pumps off during feeding, all the fish food would get sucked down into the lower pond. When it got clogged, the water overflowed the pond and then I almost emptied my lower pond, it's been a balancing act. I ended up getting a solid plastic box which I attached to the outlets, drilled/cut holes and slots in which prevents food and clogging, but does not look the best. It has been the best solution I have manage to come up with. no pictures at the moment, but I could get some if you want. I still have not finished any landscaping around it.
That is one thing I missed. If the pump stops, all the water from the upper ponds will backflow through the pipes into the larger pond and cause it to overflow. I'll have to use check valves.
I do get some backflow from my drum filter but since it isnt directly connected, it does not siphon back.
I have double the size outlets as inlets, this helps prevent overflow and I made a box around the outlets which helps prevent plants and food going down the outlets.
Yes, I've done it and agree with the above lessons learned. Use a check valve. Use one of the 'ball' type of check valves rather than a 'swing' valve if you can find one. They work great.