design - where to T lines and add valves for bog and falls

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I'm starting a build for my first pond - a garden/natural pond that will not house Koi (we are aiming for frogs, turtles and either small native fish or goldfish). I'm planning ~1800 gallons with small waterfall and bog. I have a 2500 gph skimmer and a biofalls filter to install and I'm using a Danner HyDrive 4000 gph pump. It will have to move water down about 20 feet of 2" flex tube and up ~3 feet so I should end up with around 2,000-2,400 gph total flow. I have a good understanding of how to plumb pvc for indoor reef tanks. I am trying to figure out the best way to run the plumbing to split some of the flow from the falls to an upflow bog and keep everything as winter proof as possible.

1) How much flow should an upflow bog have? I am planning a 2x4' peagravel bog, elevated about 2" above pond level, that is mostly intended to grow plants. The extra filtration will be appreciated but my filterfalls is supposed to handle way more bioload than I anticipate in the pond.

2) Where is the best place to split the flow from the pump? I think that the ideal plan is to split it in the skimmer box, immediately after the pump, with a T and ball valves on both lines. However, there isn't much room. Alternatively, I could run a single line up to the filter falls, with a T in the falls - an open end of the T would supply the falls and the far end of the T would have a ball valve and pipe feeding down to the bog. If I took this second approach, then I plan to have a check valve immediately on the outer side of the skimmer box. it would be buried, but I could flip it open by reaching through the box.

2) I am unsure about winter. I am zone 5 and I would like run the system all year if possible. I'll be burying the piping a few inches deep. As I understand, with sufficient flow, the main risk is of the falls icing over and spraying water out of the liner, rather than the plumbing freezing. Alternatively, assuming that I pull the pump, I know that I'll have to drain the lines. This is easy to visualize for the line to the filter falls, because I'd just open the check valve at the skimmer and there should be a more or less continuous downhill grade from the falls, but what about the bog? The pvc will angle down into the pea gravel and so won't drain by gravity. It might freeze within the bog. Moreover, I'm especially worried if I have the bog plumbed straight from the skimmer pump that water could slowly run down the line and freeze the check valve.


Please let me know if you have any thoughts. I've just started digging the hole, by hand..., so I've got some time to finalize these details.
 

HARO

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I'm having a tough time visualizing your plans for a check valve. Outside the skimmer box, and buried, but you can flip it open by reaching through the box??? Wouldn't that entail passing your hand through the pipe? Any valve is best placed where it is easy to reach, so that you can actually use it, and valves may need to be replaced from time to time, so they should be accessible. Without seeing your set-up it's hard to say where valves should go.
John
 

addy1

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We are not as cold as you, I pull my pump, the bog freezes, so far it has not hurt the piping, which is under the pea gravel. That piping has water in it year round. The line that goes up the hill drains by gravity, the rest of the pipes keep water in them all of them time.

My bog has 4200 gph flowing into it, which is the size of my pump, it is a large bog.
 

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climbingspider
 
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HARO - yes, the check valve would be just outside the skimmer box. I'd run about 2" of PVC through the uniseal on the skimmer box and then add the valve. On the inside of the skimmer box, I'd have an easily detachable fitting between the pump and that small piece of pipe (maybe a union but probably just a gasket with the metal clamps that seal it - again I don't think I have enough room for a real union fitting). That way I could take the fitting off and reach the 2" through the skimmer box to the check valve.

I guess that the other option is to get a larger skimmer box...
 
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addy1 - what is the size of you bog? I'm looking for some rule of thumb like "X gph flow per square foot". Or, should I be able to see some real flow back into the pond or just a little seeping. I know that the water shouldn't be stagnant.
 

addy1

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addy1 - what is the size of you bog? I'm looking for some rule of thumb like "X gph flow per square foot". Or, should I be able to see some real flow back into the pond or just a little seeping. I know that the water shouldn't be stagnant.

It is about 26 x 5 feet I have a good flow through it, you can see the water running, little rivers and a water fall coming out into the pond. The rock is around 23 inches wide.
The water is a little high in this picture, must have rained before I took it.

IMG_2917.jpg
 

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