First pond, (temporary)

[Paul W. Foster]

hello everyone. I need to get some advice. I am planning on a nice large pond in my back yard, Approx. 5,000 gal. However money is keeping that from happening this year. However, I will be getting several fish and plants this summer and need to get something in place so I am going with a temporary pond to get something in and started so I can work next year on the main pond.

What I have in mind is an 8' x 7' pond 5' deep. it will have a water depth of approx 4'6" at its deepest and a shelf 1'6" wide along two sides. I plan on having a 6' x 7' bog 1'6" deep, with a water level of 1'3" . if i did my calculations correct it should be a pond volume of approx 1500 gal and a bog volume of 392 gal. that would be a bog of 26% of total volume and 75% of surface area. The bog will return to the bond by way of a spillway approx 3' wide, approx 1'3" above the surface of the pond

my questions are:
1. what additional filtration should I use (diy please)
2. what size pump should I have? (and brand recommended)

I would like a pump that can supply the bog and whatever additional filter I need.

Remember I am on a budget, tight tight budget.

The liner is a re-purposed billboard sign, $70.00 (water proof, tear resistant, uv resistant) it will only be in use for at most 2 years.

bog gravel i can get cheap from a friend, $30.00 (3 tons)

i need a pump and additional filter materials if necessary.So can I get some suggestions so I can begin the dig?

 

[Aaron S]

Welcome to the forum Paul!
A temporary pond is a great way to get your feet wet. I'm not an expert on pumps, so hopefully wiser minds than mine will step in here.
I don't think that you will need a filter in addition to your bog. Now please keep in mind with new pond construction, the bog will not be completely effective until it becomes established. Until then you can expect algae to come and go. Personally I would prefer to have a skimmer. I installed one this past spring on my pond and the difference is truly amazing.
The folks that hang out on this forum and nothing less than solid gold. They love to learn and share their experiences. Take the time and look around on different threads, a lot of the ponds that they have built are works of art.

 

[Lisak1]

Our bog is our only filtration. But there will be people who will tell you that a bog is not an effective filter, so you'll need to make your own decision on which way to go with that.

 

[Tula]

Laguna pumps are energy efficient

 

[Paul W. Foster]

Welcome to the forum Paul!
A temporary pond is a great way to get your feet wet. I'm not an expert on pumps, so hopefully wiser minds than mine will step in here.
I don't think that you will need a filter in addition to your bog. Now please keep in mind with new pond construction, the bog will not be completely effective until it becomes established. Until then you can expect algae to come and go. Personally I would prefer to have a skimmer. I installed one this past spring on my pond and the difference is truly amazing.
The folks that hang out on this forum and nothing less than solid gold. They love to learn and share their experiences. Take the time and look around on different threads, a lot of the ponds that they have built are works of art.

I figure that even with heavy planting, this late in the summer I probably won't get much filtration from the bog untill late next spring. I figure I will need something, I'm just not sure what, will a 50 gal S&G be enough? Will i need some type of mechanical and then maybe a trickle back to the pond. just looking for some ideas that would help till the bog takes over and maybe work with the bog later.

 

[Paul W. Foster]

Pondmaster Magnetic Drive 3000 GPH Garden Pond Waterfall Pump w/ Filter - 02660

this is on ebay now for $130.00, is this something that would provide enough to the bog and other filters?

 

[Fishylove]

Welcome to our forum
Your bog will create a nitrate cycle even without plants. And the surfaces of your pond will have bio conversion also. The problem being it can take up to (and some times longer in cooler temps) 4-6 weeks for a pond to cycle, and people dont realize putting too many fish in a new pond will be devastating. Please start slow with one or two fish. Good luck

 

[sissy]

If you can find some one with a healthy pond you can get some of there water and it will help them with there water change .As long as you know the pond is healthy

 

[sissy]

I would look at the energy use on that pump and the warranty on it

Pondmaster Magnetic Drive 3000 GPH Garden Pond Waterfall Pump w/ Filter - 02660

this is on ebay now for $130.00, is this something that would provide enough to the bog and other filters?

It may cost you a lot to run .

 

[Paul W. Foster]

I would look at the energy use on that pump and the warranty on it

It may cost you a lot to run .

$18.50 per month

 

[j.w]

Paul
I have had a 2400 mag drive pondmaster pump for 13yrs running 24/7 in my 2400 gal pond. I like how it performs but I do know it is not as energy efficient as the Laguna pumps. If mine ever kicks the bucket I will get a Laguna and it will be a higher gph then the one I purchased. I just want more force from my waterfall. This is how my falls look now w/ my pump. I'd say my falls are about 3ft high.

 

[Big Lou]

Welcome Paul!

 

[Paul W. Foster]

ok, here is the current situation. I am getting ready to start collecting material for the pond described at the top of this post.

The liner is on its way. like I said it is a re-purposed billboard sign 19' x 48' more than enough for what i am doing with enough to spare for my friend to install a bog on his pond.

I just got a great price on a Evolution ES5500 pump. way big for this pond but great for the final pond I have planned. It is on it's way.

The barrels are waiting to be picked up.

I know I need the pea gravel for the bog and I need pvc pipe for the plumbing.

here is my plan and I need some diy suggestions.

I want to draw from the pond bottom and also from the diy skimmer I am planning. this pump should be plenty big enough for that. (shouldn't it?) so I am thinking a 1 1/2" line from the pond bottom and a 1" line from the skimmer, "y" them into a 2" line into the pump and then a 2" line out that "y's" one into a 55 gal sand gravel filter and one to the bog. the bog will consist of 2 - 1 1/2" manifolds. (anyone see a problem so far?)

the sand gravel filter will flow into a 55 gal bio filter that will discharge back to the pond.

the bog will flow back to the pond by way of a waterfall/spillway.

I need some kind of intake filter on the 1 1/2" line from the pond bottom? any suggestions? I realize this filter will need to be change regularly but I plan on creating 2 or 3 of them and just swap them out when necessary. That way the filtration will not be interupted too much by that change out.

The skimmer will have a removable basket for leaves and floaters and a couple layers of filter material for smaller material. again I will have two or three filter changes prepared so that the cleaning can be a minimum interputation to the system.

so what do you think?

 

[addy1]

I have a 2 inch pvc line coming from the skimmer and the bottom of the pond going into a Y that then goes into a leaf basket then to the pump. I did put a ball valve on the skimmer line so I could make the draw less or more as needed. Sometimes I have it shut to lower draw.