I have no problem buying a liner and going that route, I actually prefer that way..
Cool. Although I'm kind of bummed you'd make the pond larger...180 gal pond with a bottom drain, skimmer and 100' long bog...boggles the mind.
The bottom drain sounds like a good idea, but is it that much better? From my quick googling, I guess, I will have something like:
http://www.lagunakoi...ins-sc-226.html or a Rhino bottom drain that is also listed on that page?
I was just thinking a simple 4" ABS pipe since originally this was a 180 gal pond. No fish to protect so I saw no reason to buy a drain. I just like easy.
Does a pump go inside that drain?
Nope.
Then a PVC pipe will connect the drain to an above ground bio filter?
Other way around. Drain and skimmer drain by gravity to a lower level pond, or as I suggested, a bog (pond filled with gravel). Pump is placed in the bog and pumps water up to the pond. By "lower" I'm talking about water levels. The lower level only has to be an inch lower, but more is fine.
I really dont want to build a bog, was hoping to buy/make some kind of filter
A bog is a filter. And it's the proper filter imo for this set up. Basically you'd be running a fully functioning sewage treatment plant. A
constructed wetland system would fit the bill. Well, not so much the bill as the other end.
But, if you're jonesing for some hardware I suggest a
bead filter. Back years ago these where the hottest thing in Koi ponds. Were thought to be the first perfect combo filter, mechanical and bio. Like all combo filters it just isn't possible. But these have still found service in some ponds as pre-filters...filtering crap, just what you need. You'd still need to backwash often, which would probably use 50-100 gals, so I'm not sure of the benefit other than having a really cool looking machine.
I like simple myself and sieve filters have blown bead filters away. But lots of people still love to have a lot of really complicated looking machinery. Filter collecting is the hobby. For more than a few people a pond is only needed to legitimize the real hobby...buying filters. I'm not throwing stones. Nothing sensible about any of my hobbies.
Why is the Laguna Pressure-Flo Filter 1400 such a bad filter?
Pressurized for no apparent reason, so it just costs more to push less water through it. Fix submerged media is 10-30 less efficient at ammonia and nitrite conversion than a media that is kept clean like moving bed, trickle tower, etc. Fix submerged media has to be cleaned vs self cleaning filters. Initial costs. They split open sometimes. And that's just why its a poor filter for a fish pond. Duck ponds have other issues.
One more thing to add.. Tangential Pond Return. Normally there would be 2, but 1 is fine for a pond this small. Without a TPR the drain is just a pipe.
Basically this baby would be a toilet flushing 24/7. Cool as hell.
You can still have the 10-20 gal waterfall thing. You would need a catch basin to direct water flow into a TPR, but doable. Or add a second pump which is easier if paying for electric is easier than some DIY.
