Howdy from Oregon!

[RoyalFeather]

I live on the oregon coast where ponds flourish and you can grow almost anything!

My current water feature is under construction. It is a rebuild from the one destroyed when a tree fell on my aviary.

My rebuild will be a small pondless waterfall about 3 feet long and 1.5 feet wide that ends in a puddle at the end. The puddle will be 2'x2' and about 2" deep. The waterfall will be about 1" deep. It is the center feature for my new aviary and will be a bath and drinking water for the pigeans, quail, and chukar. I have a 120gph pump and filter for it so that the water stays good and clean for the birds.

My next endeavor is a fish pond, about 50 gallons at the smallest and mill be a waterfall that ends in a pond. It will be about 15" deep at it's deepest point which is just fine for around here. The lowest temperature is 15*F in the Winter and it very rarely even gets below 25*F. We get a slight frost on the water, never more than 1/2" of ice.

I have high hopes for both water features and I can't wait to get started on them. Just waiting for my pond liner to arrive.

 

[sissy]

welcome but are you sure that pump is going to be strong enough .I have a 210 gph one for my 150 gallon stock tank and it has a filter but still have to keep an out of water filter to keep water clear .There are no fish just plants

 

[RoyalFeather]

By my calculation it will only be about 15 gallons total, so the filter will be more than adequate. I'm talking for the smaller avariary water feature.

My other will be about 50-60 gallons and the water needs to circulate at least once per hour, so a 120gph pump and filter will circulate it 2 times per hour. It would even be adequate for that pond if I don't overstock the fish. the plants also work wonders for the water quality. At least that's what I've been told.

 

[sissy]

What I am thinking about is the bird waste and fine feathers from grooming themselves .Bird waste can be smelly and those fine feathers and even th bigger feathers may become a problem for the pump .My friend has geese ,i know much larger bird ,he had too get a large pump for the pond he made by a natural spring on the property and those feathers clog even this pump he got and even the waste clog it .He has only geese in there and the spring runs through it and out th other end and he has a bottom drain to flush it ,hoping that will work .

They were in a pen when he first moved there last year as they kept wondering off .

 

[RoyalFeather]

[sub]i like the goose pic![/sub]

[sub]Pigeons and quail are much cleaner birds than geese. They rarely poop in their water and the feathers are all small ones. Pigeons bathe int he water, but only for a few minutes each day and quail don't bathe in water at all. The perches will all be far away from the ater, so they don't poop in it while they roost. They are all no bigger than 9oz. birds and are so very pretty.[/sub]

[sub]I will be putting mesh over the intake for the filter at the bottom of the waterfall. This will catch all the feathers before they even reach the filter. I thought of the feathers clogging stuff, too.[/sub]

[sub]The filter is a 120gph and the water feature is 15 gallons, so that's a turnover of about 10 times per hour. Hopefully it's plenty for them. Faster water also stays clearer with birds.[/sub]

 

[sissy]

Oh ok that should work then and at least you were thinking far enough ahead and even if the smaller pump does not work out you can always get another one .I get pigeons and doves here all the time since I feed and make sure they have fresh water 2 or 3 times a day .I have 5 bird baths and then I have what I call water bowls set in the earth and all they are are reused satelite dishes

 

[RoyalFeather]

The satelite dish idea is pretty cool.

 

[sissy]

Just took the mounting bracket off save the screws and put a rubber washer on each side of the screw and a little silicon and screw them together tight and spray paint and find how you want to mount them .I had some trees cut down and the stump made a great place for it .I also put 4 of them together on different levels for a water feature .They are just shallow enough for birdies to frolic in .I see them at the dump all the time here and collect them all .

 

[callingcolleen1]

What??? You live on the coast and can "grow" the most and your only going to have a water feature???? WeLcOmE!!!! Maybe we can change your mind, WARNING water features start out small and then your hooked...... ha ha ha

 

[j.w]

RoyalFeather
Looks like you meant to put Coos Bay and we travel thru there when we go to visit the coast down there. Love the beauty of the Oregon coast

 

[RoyalFeather]

What??? You live on the coast and can "grow" the most and your only going to have a water feature???? WeLcOmE!!!! Maybe we can change your mind, WARNING water features start out small and then your hooked...... ha ha ha

50 gallon+ pond with double waterfall and all the natural plants, fish, and landscaping I can afford!

Also the water feature for my Aviary.

And my huge gard, orchard, and tons of flowers!

 

[RoyalFeather]

RoyalFeather
Looks like you meant to put Coos Bay and we travel thru there when we go to visit the coast down there. Love the beauty of the Oregon coast

Yep, Coos Bay! Glad somebody knows where it is.

 

[HARO]

Welcome to the forum, RF. Nice to hear they named the area for the sounds of your pigeons!! I used to breed chuckars, as well as pheasants, but only have pigeons now. Too much work in the winter, since OUR water freezes solid in a few hours.
John