Pond Renovation...Bog Plumbing ?

[Gordo33]

After much back and forth I decided my best option with the space available is to expand the current pond and add a bog. Behind the waterfall there is a 13 x13 area. This picture is from March last year. Right now the pond is snow and ice covered.

This is how I want to renovate the pond.

Can skimmer one be used to feed the bog by gravity flow? If I have a 3" hole in the bottom of the skimmer I'm assuming the water flow would be equivalent to approx 2500gph. I am basing this on the flow of a 3" bottom drain. I would use a pipe boot to connect the pvc from the skimmer into the bog liner. The water would flow from the bog into the pond by creating a low spot were the pond and bog connect. Large stone will be placed as a permeable barrier to keep the pea gravel out of the pond and allow water to move from the bog to the pond. My thought is the skimmer box will have Matala pads to mechanically filter the larger particles from the water before it goes to the bog.

Skimmer box 2 will have Matala pads and a submersible pump plumbed to the waterfall.

The pond will be 20x9x3 ft. The bog will be 10x6x1.5 ft. The stream will be multi tiered 10x5x0.5 ft.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Sounds doable.

 

[addy1]

Looks like a nice plan! go for it!

 

[Nepen]

you mean, no pump ? (or did i read it wrong?) will the water has enough force to come up thouhg the pea gravel (then all the roots?)

 

[Gordo33]

Sounds doable.

Are there any negative aspects to using GRAVITY and not having the water pumped into the bog? Am I correct the water flow will be in the 2500 gph range based on the 3" HOLE and pipe?

 

[Gordo33]

you mean, no pump ? (or did i read it wrong?) will the water has enough force to come up thouhg the pea gravel (then all the roots?)

Saw this after I responded to Meyer. Yes I mean no pump just using gravity. Don't know the answer to will there be enough force . I was hoping to get confirmation from members with more knowledge than I have about water flow.

 

[DeepWater]

Looks like skimmer to 3" pipe to bog to pond and back to skimmer is all a loop at the same height. There would be no gravity induced flow.

 

[addy1]

Looks like skimmer to 3" pipe to bog to pond and back to skimmer is all a loop at the same height. There would be no gravity induced flow.

Missed the no pump.
I tried a gravity flow in Arizona never worked quite right, went back to pumping.
I would think to have it work right the skimmer would need to be higher than the bog which would need to have the flow back into the pond higher than the pond to make a gravity loop.
But having never been successful at gravity flow, just guessing here.

 

[Gordo33]

Looks like skimmer to 3" pipe to bog to pond and back to skimmer is all a loop at the same height. There would be no gravity induced flow.

The surface height for the pond and bog is the same level just like a settlement chamber that is fed from a bottom drain is the same height as the pond.
I thought if there is a 3" hole in the bottom of the skimmer box , the skimmer box depth will be a minimum 14", the water would flow into the skimmer box from the pond. The water would exit the skimmer box via the 3" HOLE and travel in 3" diameter pvc to the bog.

 

[Nepen]

i think without the pump, eventhough the gravity works, your bog will have a very snow water flow... i dont think water like to move up through those pea gravel without help.

 

[Gordo33]

Missed the no pump.
I tried a gravity flow in Arizona never worked quite right, went back to pumping.
I would think to have it work right the skimmer would need to be higher than the bog which would need to have the flow back into the pond higher than the pond to make a gravity loop.
But having never been successful at gravity flow, just guessing here.

I do have a pump I can use for the bog circuit. I don't know enough about water flow to say if the gravity flow idea would work or fail. My intention was to use the forces of nature if possible and not waste electricity

 

[RobAmy]

You will want a pump, it the gravity works, it would be a trickle. Sounds like a fun renovation

 

[DeepWater]

If you put the pump in skimmer #1, pushing water into the 3" pipe, then the bog water surface will be an inch or two higher than the pond, and the bog water will flow back to the pond.

If you put the pump in the bog, then the bog water surface will be an inch or two lower than the pond, and the 3" pipe will allow gravity flow back to the bog. The lower the bog level gets, the greater the flow rate towards the box, until it gets to equilibrium. In this situation you'd probably not want to directly connect the bog with the pond, otherwise pond water would flow into the bog from the top too.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Are there any negative aspects to using GRAVITY and not having the water pumped into the bog? Am I correct the water flow will be in the 2500 gph range based on the 3" HOLE and pipe?

The actual gravity fed outflow rate for a 3" pipe is about 3000 gph providing that the inflow (or head) is at least 1" higher than the outflow.

 

[RobAmy]

The actual gravity fed outflow rate for a 3" pipe is about 3000 gph providing that the inflow (or head) is at least 1" higher than the outflow.

True but wouldn't the resistance of the gravel, roots, debris cut down on that considerably. Maybe I am missing something using only a gravity system with no pump. Sounds like it will be divided to the stream and the bog, not sure on the rate of each from the drawing. I am still of the thought that this would not work ( as least not work as it would need to ) as a gravity flow only system. Am I wrong with this thinking.