Plans and pictures for new pond - need input, please!
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nice clean water
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
biofilters, along with any and all solid surfaces in a ponds eco system become colonized with aerobic bacteria. these bacteria break down ammonias to nitrites, then nitrites to nitrates. nitrates feed your plants. a filter in no way competes for nutrients with plants... it supplies them!! without some mechanical filtration to remove organics from the closed system eventually they can build up to a point that your ponds available surface area will not be able to keep up with its bioload. because of this you will have to do more pond cleaning to aleviate the load. you can be greatly restricted in your stocking abilities by not using a biofilter. most of us like a well stocked pond. backflushing a biofilter takes biomatter out of the equation. lessening the burden on all aerobic bacteria. as far as O2 consumption ...bacteria uses a minimal amount and gives off carbon dioxide, which also feeds your plants that in return give O2 back into the eco system. theres no such thing as too much filtration...just not enough.
this is even more of an issue if you plan on koi..they produce waste at a greater rate than goldies.
this is even more of an issue if you plan on koi..they produce waste at a greater rate than goldies.
sissy
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but what I understand plants give off oxygen during the day but use it up at night
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
submerged plants, yes.. but thats true wether or not you have a filter! an external filter usually spills water back into the pond wether it be via waterfall or pipe. this is a good source of oxygenation.
sissy
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Thats why i have 2 waterfalls and hope this summer to have plants my koi don't destroy, 2 dead frogs this morning already ,killer koi
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View attachment 5077
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OK, I've made some revisions, and laid it out once again, but this time I did some monkeying around with the blocks and 4x4's to get an idea of height of the waterfall, and location of it to the deck railing.
I will be putting in a DIY filter, will review the ones on here and decide from there. No need to pay $400 or more for something you all have taught me to build myself! So, my thought is to place the filter system behind the waterfall, and have it overflow into the waterfall. I was at a local large gardening center this afternoon, and checked out their pond, and they had a skimmer on the far end, said that it kept maintenance down on the pump, and was easier to clean than the filter matter. It pulled through the skimmer, pumped it around the edge to the waterfall, where it first went through filter tray of bio matter. Would I have to worry about pipes freezing and breaking in the winter, assuming they won't be 3' deep? Is there a way to clear out the lines before shutting the pump, etc. down for the winter? I'm assuming you DO shut everything down for the winter, except I plan to have a floating heater. Right?
They had an interesting set up! They had a fairly large mostly circular pond, but the deepest part was about 1/3 of the area, and then the end of the deep part had a huge flat rock across the ledges. She said that the fish can hide under there if predators come looking! I'm sure this is not new to any of you, but seems like a good idea. And, as the lady told me, even though I live far from the woods, and raccoons, etc. are not likely, herons could get brave and stop by for lunch, if my dogs are snoozing the afternoon away!
I do intend to have plants and start with them and goldfish this year. Then, add Koi probably next summer, although I will be hard pressed to wait that long!
Now, everyone has to wish me luck that I don't dig down and hit footing from old house that was in the same area I'm going to put the pond! But, from what I was told about the footing, it may be some really nice rocks that I will dig up if I do hit them!
Patti
View attachment 5078
View attachment 5079
View attachment 5080
OK, I've made some revisions, and laid it out once again, but this time I did some monkeying around with the blocks and 4x4's to get an idea of height of the waterfall, and location of it to the deck railing.
I will be putting in a DIY filter, will review the ones on here and decide from there. No need to pay $400 or more for something you all have taught me to build myself! So, my thought is to place the filter system behind the waterfall, and have it overflow into the waterfall. I was at a local large gardening center this afternoon, and checked out their pond, and they had a skimmer on the far end, said that it kept maintenance down on the pump, and was easier to clean than the filter matter. It pulled through the skimmer, pumped it around the edge to the waterfall, where it first went through filter tray of bio matter. Would I have to worry about pipes freezing and breaking in the winter, assuming they won't be 3' deep? Is there a way to clear out the lines before shutting the pump, etc. down for the winter? I'm assuming you DO shut everything down for the winter, except I plan to have a floating heater. Right?
They had an interesting set up! They had a fairly large mostly circular pond, but the deepest part was about 1/3 of the area, and then the end of the deep part had a huge flat rock across the ledges. She said that the fish can hide under there if predators come looking! I'm sure this is not new to any of you, but seems like a good idea. And, as the lady told me, even though I live far from the woods, and raccoons, etc. are not likely, herons could get brave and stop by for lunch, if my dogs are snoozing the afternoon away!
I do intend to have plants and start with them and goldfish this year. Then, add Koi probably next summer, although I will be hard pressed to wait that long!
Now, everyone has to wish me luck that I don't dig down and hit footing from old house that was in the same area I'm going to put the pond! But, from what I was told about the footing, it may be some really nice rocks that I will dig up if I do hit them!
Patti
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fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
Personally I like that a lot better! I think your going to enjoy the view from above a lot more. Wish I could help on the piping and will be following along. I leave my pond running all year long, never shut anything except the UV lights down for winter. But then again, we rarely ever freeze solid and it's almost always melted in just a few days. I do recommend the skimmer placed at the far end, It makes keeping things tidy so much easier. As for the hiding spots, YES! as you may have read I'm having to deal with predators, Lived in the same house with a pond for 10 years, Once they found it they won't leave it alone. Only thing I think I haven't dealt with is the raccoon.....KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK on wood.
j.w
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I like that set up much better. You will enjoy it much better there and will be able to sit and relax w/o having to move to go look at it on the other side. I have mine situated out in front of my covered front porch (similar view as yours will be) and I sit out there often watching the fish and listening to the falls :fish:
Although a bio filter dose all that you mention it dose compete with plants for nutes until the bio conversion takes place. If you remove the filter once the pond becomes establish it will not crash unless you have an overload. A bio filter dose not remove DOC it contributes to them once removed you have less of the load.
Bio filter s are a drag on any well kept system all surfaces of any thing that the water touches will be all the filter the pond needs. How can one say that a man made bio filter be more efficient than a waterfall / riverbed with all the rock surface gas exchange is at an optimal place for said exchange. Inside a box with what ever medium you chose you have less oxygen for an exchange to take place.
So pleas explain how this can possibly be a better method than the one mother nature has been using for millions of years? If you provide good circulation have a balance of aquatic plant life there is no need for a bio filter in a pond with a heavy fish load. I can prove it works and works better than a water feature that is well established with a bio filter big or small.
Like I said before they do have a place to help one get the pond where it needs to be in a short amount of time but once this conversion take place the filter is no longer needed and becomes a drag on a well kept system. Any water feature needs regular cleaning with the method I use I have no pre filters to clean no worries that my pump will fail and said filter will not be working and come home to a horrible sight of all your fish floating belie up.
If you want to use a man made filter on your system go for it we all have different methods to get the results we all want quality water for the fish and us to enjoy. I have manny years experience in the hobby of aquatics, Ponding , reef , coral propagation hard \ soft , fresh water plated tanks and one thing I have learned over the years there are manny way to get the same results. What works for you may not for me and thats cool part of this adventure you never stop learning, Peace.
Bio filter s are a drag on any well kept system all surfaces of any thing that the water touches will be all the filter the pond needs. How can one say that a man made bio filter be more efficient than a waterfall / riverbed with all the rock surface gas exchange is at an optimal place for said exchange. Inside a box with what ever medium you chose you have less oxygen for an exchange to take place.
So pleas explain how this can possibly be a better method than the one mother nature has been using for millions of years? If you provide good circulation have a balance of aquatic plant life there is no need for a bio filter in a pond with a heavy fish load. I can prove it works and works better than a water feature that is well established with a bio filter big or small.
Like I said before they do have a place to help one get the pond where it needs to be in a short amount of time but once this conversion take place the filter is no longer needed and becomes a drag on a well kept system. Any water feature needs regular cleaning with the method I use I have no pre filters to clean no worries that my pump will fail and said filter will not be working and come home to a horrible sight of all your fish floating belie up.
If you want to use a man made filter on your system go for it we all have different methods to get the results we all want quality water for the fish and us to enjoy. I have manny years experience in the hobby of aquatics, Ponding , reef , coral propagation hard \ soft , fresh water plated tanks and one thing I have learned over the years there are manny way to get the same results. What works for you may not for me and thats cool part of this adventure you never stop learning, Peace.
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
just build you falls around it.. heres a pic of mine with the top stone removed to see the weir. (I just happen to make)
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2642&d=1273500188
heres one with it on....fill the top of filter with hyacinths or lettuce and it will disappear.
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/index.php?n=175
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2642&d=1273500188
heres one with it on....fill the top of filter with hyacinths or lettuce and it will disappear.
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/index.php?n=175
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JW, your pond is just what I wanted to see! Wish I could make a copy of the picture and send it to my daughter, so she can see how many rocks she needs to bring back from UT for me this summer. LOL And, by the looks of the pic, it looks like you have a layer of rock on the edge of the pond, and another on the top of the outside edge, which is a great idea, although more rocks will be needed. I love the look.
Now, a question for those of you with "northern" ponds, where your winters freeze: Do you keep the falls flowing and the pump running throughout winter, or do you shut it down? If you shut it down, I assume the pump gets brought in where it won't freeze, correct?
Now, a question for those of you with "northern" ponds, where your winters freeze: Do you keep the falls flowing and the pump running throughout winter, or do you shut it down? If you shut it down, I assume the pump gets brought in where it won't freeze, correct?
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
you can download pics to your computer from this sight and then attach them to an email.
as far as pumps and closing your filter and falls...i close my whole pond and winter my fish in a 800 gallon pond in my basement.i transfer media from filter to filter. to maintain an active bacterial colony. there are people here who run their falls all year, no problems. i store my pumps in a lidded 5 gallon bucket with enough water to cover them. i cut a couple Xs in the lid so the plugs are soaking for months in water. plants i cut them back and sink them to the bottom exepr the irises, they produce an enzyme to prevent root freezing and damage, i let the root ball sit in the ice. they come back early in season i have some up right now with snow on them.
as far as pumps and closing your filter and falls...i close my whole pond and winter my fish in a 800 gallon pond in my basement.i transfer media from filter to filter. to maintain an active bacterial colony. there are people here who run their falls all year, no problems. i store my pumps in a lidded 5 gallon bucket with enough water to cover them. i cut a couple Xs in the lid so the plugs are soaking for months in water. plants i cut them back and sink them to the bottom exepr the irises, they produce an enzyme to prevent root freezing and damage, i let the root ball sit in the ice. they come back early in season i have some up right now with snow on them.
j.w
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Country, yes I dug a short ledge around my pond to put the lower level of rocks and then another higher level for the top edge of rocks. That way it hides your liner and the water covers part of the lower rocks and little fish can hide and nibble on goodies in the crannies.
Feel free to copy the picture and send it on. Wish rocks were lighter as we can get them now for $15. a truck load here (was $5. a load when I got mine) and we were able to hand pick each rock at our concrete company just a couple miles away from here. They gave us hard hats and we climbed the piles of different sized rocks and loaded them one by one. It's all nice river rock :bouncycig:
Feel free to copy the picture and send it on. Wish rocks were lighter as we can get them now for $15. a truck load here (was $5. a load when I got mine) and we were able to hand pick each rock at our concrete company just a couple miles away from here. They gave us hard hats and we climbed the piles of different sized rocks and loaded them one by one. It's all nice river rock :bouncycig: