Hey there My name is Al and I am from Long Island , New York ( USA) I have a nice oval pond about 1000 gal in my back yard, always looking to improve my pond. My latest project is converting a 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tank into a bog filter with waterfall. I have been racking my brain how to connect a waterfall chute that wont leak as well as putting in a manifold in bottoc of container...driving me nuts but I am committed to finishing this. I saw sone rubber maid containers with the waterfall but cant figure out what they did...Can anyone offer e some ideas, tricks ways to make this bog filter or articles to read??? would appreciate it!
Pond owner from USA- Trying to improve my pond all the time- bog filter help
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Can you post some pictures of your pond and the rubbermaid stock tank? Maybe with a visual, we can better help.
I have seen some similar setups posted here.
Some have cut a notch at one end of the stock tank for the water to return to the pond. Basically the stock tank sits on the ground and is positioned so that it's slightly overhanging the pond. The notch creates a waterfall.
There are some that have a PVC pipe exiting the wall of the stock tank using a bulkhead connector to seal the hole. With this method, the stock tank doesn't have to be right up against the pond.
As far as the manifold pipe, you pump the water from your pond into the manifold pipe which is covered with pea gravel. The pipe has many slits cut in it and it's either capped at the end or turned up vertically and ends just above the level of the gravel. It has a screw cap and is used as a clean-out stack.
Plants are grown directly in the bog gravel.
I have seen some similar setups posted here.
Some have cut a notch at one end of the stock tank for the water to return to the pond. Basically the stock tank sits on the ground and is positioned so that it's slightly overhanging the pond. The notch creates a waterfall.
There are some that have a PVC pipe exiting the wall of the stock tank using a bulkhead connector to seal the hole. With this method, the stock tank doesn't have to be right up against the pond.
As far as the manifold pipe, you pump the water from your pond into the manifold pipe which is covered with pea gravel. The pipe has many slits cut in it and it's either capped at the end or turned up vertically and ends just above the level of the gravel. It has a screw cap and is used as a clean-out stack.
Plants are grown directly in the bog gravel.
j.w
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Mmathis
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Hello and welcome! Agree, need to see pictures.
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I converted a 150 gallon stock tank to a bog. I use a 3" pvc pipe as my return. A lot easier than trying to make a waterfall weir.
I agree with the pipe idea... although a weir is possible, it would be more challenging.
Wow thanks for the quick reply PoconoJoe, So glad I joined this forum.
As requested I took some pics. this morning and I am putting them on here ( I am very green at this never tried something like this) My concern is the inside outlet does NOT have any threads the outside one does 1.5" I also do not want to glue the pipe going into the container or the manifold to the one connecting to the inside outlet just in case I have a problem and have to take the manifold out or work on the container in the future. Any suggestions, hints or words of wisdom is greatly appreciated,
Sorry been trying to upload pictures but it keeps telling me they are too large will figure out how to reduce the size thanks for your patience
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If I'm understanding you correctly, the stock tank has a threaded connection on the outside, but the inside is not threaded. Cap it off. Don't use it. If a cap didn't come with the tank, just buy a PVC threaded cap and plug up that hole from the outside.
Buy a bulkhead fitting that matches the size of your pump's plumbing. Get the double threaded one, the type that has female threads on both sides. You don't want the slip connection type, that will give you exactly what you have right now. They are made of polypropylene and very inexpensive.
Drill the proper size hole in your tank for the bulkhead fitting and now you have threads on the outside and the inside, plus you can place this anywhere on the stock tank you want. On any side or any height. The bulkhead fittings come with a gasket and are water tight.
Depending on the size hole you have to drill, you may need a holesaw for your drill.
Buy a bulkhead fitting that matches the size of your pump's plumbing. Get the double threaded one, the type that has female threads on both sides. You don't want the slip connection type, that will give you exactly what you have right now. They are made of polypropylene and very inexpensive.
Drill the proper size hole in your tank for the bulkhead fitting and now you have threads on the outside and the inside, plus you can place this anywhere on the stock tank you want. On any side or any height. The bulkhead fittings come with a gasket and are water tight.
Depending on the size hole you have to drill, you may need a holesaw for your drill.
Mmathis
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My Skippy filter is a 100 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank. It has a gravity return via a PVC pipe. I don’t recall what size it is (and it’s 9pm, so not gonna check right now). Just be sure that the return pipe size is a larger diameter than the intake pipe/tubing).
I used a toilet flange for my return, bolted and sealed to the Rubbermaid stock tank.
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They work great!
Thanks Joe! Some great advice.. I finally was able to upload pics, tried to give you every angle also tried to show you how inside of container has no threads and outside does ( I bought a plug (white) and put it in.... thanks for all the advice I have to try to figure this whole thing out..... wow I have so many more pond questions I will definitely ask more questions..Have a great 4th!
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Are you wanting to use this port? When I was building my Skippy, I was advised to screw that one on tight and ignore it. The opening is too small to offer any benefit or usefulness in a pond. I’m sorry, I didn’t go back and reread your other posts, so I apologize if I am misinterpreting what you are going to use it for.
I got all my help from this forum. In a way, my Skippy is built just like a stock tank bog filter would be, as far as the plumbing goes. That little drainage port is too small. I have a shower drain thingy (don’t remember what the pieces are all called) on the underside that was drilled out with a hole saw bit. It functions just like a bottom drain. It comes out to a 90 degree pipe and a ball valve. It’s only for draining or clearing out muck from the bottom. My intake pipe goes in directly to piping on the bottom, like a bog would need. The pipe that goes back to the pond is situated a couple of inches from the top side, opposite from the side the drain come out. If you want, I can take pictures. I don’t think I used official bulkhead fittings for any of it, but could have (back then I didn’t have the knowledge I have now, LOL).
I got all my help from this forum. In a way, my Skippy is built just like a stock tank bog filter would be, as far as the plumbing goes. That little drainage port is too small. I have a shower drain thingy (don’t remember what the pieces are all called) on the underside that was drilled out with a hole saw bit. It functions just like a bottom drain. It comes out to a 90 degree pipe and a ball valve. It’s only for draining or clearing out muck from the bottom. My intake pipe goes in directly to piping on the bottom, like a bog would need. The pipe that goes back to the pond is situated a couple of inches from the top side, opposite from the side the drain come out. If you want, I can take pictures. I don’t think I used official bulkhead fittings for any of it, but could have (back then I didn’t have the knowledge I have now, LOL).