Pond Plumbing Design Advice

[drbballwater]

A bit of a dilemma routing my flexible PVC pipe from my skimmer/pump up to an elevated bog filter which then cascades as a waterfall/stream back to the pond...

The bog filter is at an elevation 4 ft above the pond surface. Due to a combination of a sloping yard and massive natural boulders in my landscape the shortest (~25ft) route up to the bog would have the plumbing first have to climb to about 7 ft above the pond surface level before coming back downhill the remaining 3 ft to feed into the bog. The other, longer (~40ft) route to the bog just climbs the 4 ft directly. I am aware both longer and higher plumbing runs necessitate more pump GPH but are there any other inherit pros/cons of doing it one way or the other that you plumbing experts can see? And what type of valve(s) placed where would be advisable in either case? I should note I haven't purchased my pump yet so I have flexibility to buy whatever it is I need in that regard.

 

[Jhn]

The difference in friction loss between a 25 or 40’ run isn’t much in a 2-3” hose, also most pumps the head Loss difference in height from 4-7’ isn’t going to be too bad as well. Most decent 3000gph pumps are losing maybe 900-1000gph In head loss pumping up 10’. You could go the shorter distance, saving you money on an extra 15’ of hose And you could still buy the same pump. I would probably go which ever way you can hide the hose the best. If you need to make sharp turns in the hose that require fittings use 45’s and sweep 90’s to reduce the amount of pressure loss from the pump as well.
I would put some type of check valve/backflow preventer or siphon break in the feed line. If there is a power loss or you shut the bog down for winter you don’t want the feed line back siphoning and Emptying out your bog of water.

 

[Mmathis]

Could you post some pictures?

 

[drbballwater]

The difference in friction loss between a 25 or 40’ run isn’t much in a 2-3” hose, also most pumps the head Loss difference in height from 4-7’ isn’t going to be too bad as well. Most decent 3000gph pumps are losing maybe 900-1000gph In head loss pumping up 10’. You could go the shorter distance, saving you money on an extra 15’ of hose And you could still buy the same pump. I would probably go which ever way you can hide the hose the best. If you need to make sharp turns in the hose that require fittings use 45’s and sweep 90’s to reduce the amount of pressure loss from the pump as well.
I would put some type of check valve/backflow preventer or siphon break in the feed line. If there is a power loss or you shut the bog down for winter you don’t want the feed line back siphoning and Emptying out your bog of water.

Thanks for the advice here. After actually measuring the runs (instead of eyeballing) they’re actually within a couple of feet difference so I’m choosing to go the route that first goes up higher than the bog level - easier to hide pipe and I can add a second mini-waterfall through a natural crevasse if I’m ambitious enough.

When adding the check valve/siphon is it best installed right adjacent to the bog, at the height apex of the pipe run, or does it even matter? My plan for the winter would be to shut down the bog flow via ball valve and have the mini waterfall carry on so I would think it would be best to have the run of pipe from the ball valve to the bog drained, yes/no?

 

[drbballwater]

Could you post some pictures?

Here is what I envisioned...
Green = bog and pond
Blue = waterfalls/stream
Red = proposed pipe runs (the very top run goes around the backside of the big boulder to get to the bog). It can all be hidden quite easily.

 

[Jhn]

Could us something like this (true union ball valve) or just a union in the run from the lower waterfall to the bog. Then you could play with how much flow goes to each area and disconnect it in the winter draining the line. Then just add the check valve in the lower run to the first waterfall.