DIY quick plant filter

IPA

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It's getting late in the year and I am uncertain when the new pond construction will begin. Inspired by all the amazing people and ideas here at Garden Pond Forum I came up with this filter to stop just getting by, feeling like my tiny little pond was on life support, to actually improving the quality of the water from the knowledge I've gained from all of you.

Drum roll please, and the anticlimactic part begins. :)
IMG_0561.JPG IMG_0563.JPG IMG_0565.JPG IMG_0567.JPG IMG_0568.JPG IMG_0581.JPG IMG_0583.JPG

Did this yesterday and today the Water has never been so clear. I didn't want to put a big container full of gravel on 6 year old little liner for fear of cracking it. I had the plants in pond but water wasn't getting pushed through the roots. I used a sheet of air filter material, thanks @sissy , by the way that's getting harder to find, double layered because I still wanted it to also trap nutrients and serve as the biological filter. The holes in the pipes are pointed towards the center and up to prevent flow only around the sides. (Edit: it's not cemented together) That's it, I'll see how it hold up; if the roots grow into the filter material I'll just cut it out and replace as it's so inexpensive. Oh yeah, the container was on clearance at HD for under $4. The plants are Iris, cattails, and rush.
 
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Jhn

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Nice diy plant filter. I am constantly diy things and sometimes use my ponds to test ideas out on.
 

sissy

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I did that but doubled up the tote because they start to bulge out on the sides once water gets in them
 

Meyer Jordan

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The plants are Iris, cattails, and rush.

Wrong choice of plants for a phyto-filter this small. All three plants are vigorous growers and cattail and rush have typical rooting depths of 18". These plants will quickly become root-bound.
 

IPA

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Wrong choice of plants for a phyto-filter this small. All three plants are vigorous growers and cattail and rush have typical rooting depths of 18". These plants will quickly become root-bound.
I agree 100%. They were taken from an abandoned pond; the owner cut liner out of frustration. I've had them almost a year in 5 gallon buckets, the cattail, a shadow of what it once was and was root bound with the horsetail thrush, pew hew! The iris has done much better and had been in the pond about 3 months but I wouldn't say it is thriving.
 

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