Quick easy question .....

Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
Doing an approximately 6-800 gallon pond with 55 gallon drum filter. Filter will be fed from bottom homemade style and located at ground level about 6' away from the pond, overflow will be routed to waterfall at some point. Nothing too elaborate, will be well stocked with native plants and some minners, etc. Can someone assist with pump size ? I've seen the calculators but see varying opinions and assuming hose to drum inlet at a few inches above ground level there's little head calculation, guess I'm being lazy but like to research before "diving in" to my pond ! Thanks.
 

Mmathis

TurtleMommy
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Messages
13,893
Reaction score
8,087
Location
NW Louisiana -- zone 8b
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
Welcome! I have to ask where you're from -- I call them minnows, but most folks around here call them minners...... :)
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
Welcome! I have to ask where you're from -- I call them minnows, but most folks around here call them minners...... :)

Just a lame attempt at humor. I'm in St. Augustine , FL. Which actually brings up a second question regarding depth. Pretty warm here most of the year and I'm at about 18" deep, really easy digging with the sandy soil , should I go a little deeper ? Hole is Kidney shaped with plant steps, approx 9 X 6 or thereabouts. Local "minners" are mosquito fish (gambusia), sailfin mollies, golden-eared killifish and more .... and endless plants available. So 2 questions are pump size and depth considerations ... thanks.
 
Joined
May 15, 2014
Messages
839
Reaction score
436
I would go another foot but I'm from Michigan soo..but it could help them for predator protection and water temperatures in FL. Hopefully other Floridians will chime in on what is normal for your area. Bigger is better for your pump. My pond is 1000 gallons and my pump turns 2100 gph
 
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
Not too worried about predators as it's close to the house in a fenced community .... dog will be my issue as she loves the water ! I'm thinking (which can be dangerous) that depth may not be an issue since I would basically be replicating any shallow Florida "ditch" and using native plants and fish, so they are adapted to the temps ? I'm already deeper than most all pre-formed jobs but wouldn't take much to tweak. Wife is all about bigger size (no jokes, please) and I'd rather not get too extravagant here, K.I.S.S. principle.
 

tbendl

T
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Messages
4,393
Reaction score
4,220
Location
Gulf Coast-Mississippi 8b
Showcase(s):
1
Welcome rebeldart~ I would go as deep as you can. I am in South MS and it isn't the cold I have to deal with, it's the heat. The depth allows the water to stay cooler at the bottom and if you're going to have fish, that might be an issue, (although I don't have fish so I don't know). I do have algae which seems to thrive on warm water so the deeper the easier to regulate in my opinion. And everyone here will tell you to go bigger. Once you have it in, you'll wish you'd gone bigger. If you have the depth, you will always have the ability to add different fish if you want but if you don't have the depth, you will never have the option. Good luck and can't wait to see pictures.
 
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Messages
6,275
Reaction score
2,817
Location
Plymouth
Hardiness Zone
7a
Country
United Kingdom
I would go another foot but I'm from Michigan soo..but it could help them for predator protection and water temperatures in FL. Hopefully other Floridians will chime in on what is normal for your area. Bigger is better for your pump. My pond is 1000 gallons and my pump turns 2100 gph

Lisa ours is 1,000 gallons imperial and our pump is an Oase its turn over is 3500 gph .

Doing an approximately 6-800 gallon pond with 55 gallon drum filter. Filter will be fed from bottom homemade style and located at ground level about 6' away from the pond, overflow will be routed to waterfall at some point. Nothing too elaborate, will be well stocked with native plants and some minners, etc. Can someone assist with pump size ? I've seen the calculators but see varying opinions and assuming hose to drum inlet at a few inches above ground level there's little head calculation, guess I'm being lazy but like to research before "diving in" to my pond ! Thanks.

rebeldart for a pond your size lets just say your more than alittle under filtered, to tell you the truth I suggest you add another three 55 gallo drums with varying filter medium in each one .
Our own pond has three 32" vortex style filters the first is a vortex the second and third filters with Japp matting brushes, sponges, zeolite and filterwool (quilt batting ) in no 2 filter.
Japp matting , lythaqua, filter wool (quilt batting in no 3 filter.
Our forth is a 55 gallon drum filled with K1 aqua one bio balls, bio balls, and bio chips this barrel has six pond airstones supplying it , the others no2-3 have three airstones in them , this is supplied by an airtex 40e airpuump with another one supplying the pond bottom drain bubbler.
It also has a 36 watt UV-C and that Oase 3500 gph pump.
It started out life as a koi dealership QT pond and was retrofitted into a pond by Jeff our pond builder .
So as you can see going off our filtration you are under filtered


Dave
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 18, 2012
Messages
4,523
Reaction score
3,717
Location
Desoto, Texas (Dallas County) North Texas, Zone 8a
Showcase(s):
1
Are you using a preformed pond? Deeper is better. Direct sunlight keeps the water warm to hot especially in your area.

Consider buying a pump rated to handle the maximum gallon capacity of your pond PLUS the pumping height needed now AND for any potential waterfall. Mate the pump with a ready built filter. You do not have koi or gold fish so your filtering needs can be easily handled by many easy to maintain filter. I have a 2400 < > nature pond with plants and many Gambusia's (type of minnow, true mosquito larvae eaters). My pump is a Tetrapond debris handling pump mated by capacity with Tetrapond Bio-Active Pressure filer.

Good luck and have fun.
 

HARO

Pondcrastinator
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
5,438
Reaction score
6,231
Location
Ontario, Canada
Hardiness Zone
5b
Country
Canada
First of all, Dave, the OP is not building a "koi pond", he is replicating a Florida ditch, with local fish species and plants. A single drum filter would be sufficient for his set-up, maybe even overkill, depending on his fish load. My own pond is twice the size of his, with a two-drum filter flowing around 2400 gph. Personally, I'd recommend a pump in the 1200 to 1600 gph range, to provide the flow needed through the filter. Enjoy your new pond, rebeldart!
John
 
Joined
May 15, 2014
Messages
839
Reaction score
436
Lisa ours is 1,000 gallons imperial and our pump is an Oase its turn over is 3500 gph
I thought I was doing good! I actually have a problem to solve this winter on how to make my water fall and stream slower and relaxing without spending big bucks! I have nice clear water, skimmer workers great and perfect peramiters so far so I will stick with what I have, least my hubby put his foot down and say enough is enough! I do so wish I would have had guts to push his limits when I was digging! I would have gone 1500 as my liner was made for that size!!!! It was all a new frontier for me then and now I know a little more for the next pond. I would make a few minor changes if some natural tree falling disaster where to happen!
 
Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Messages
6,275
Reaction score
2,817
Location
Plymouth
Hardiness Zone
7a
Country
United Kingdom
First of all, Dave, the OP is not building a "koi pond", he is replicating a Florida ditch, with local fish species and plants. A single drum filter would be sufficient for his set-up, maybe even overkill, depending on his fish load. My own pond is twice the size of his, with a two-drum filter flowing around 2400 gph. Personally, I'd recommend a pump in the 1200 to 1600 gph range, to provide the flow needed through the filter. Enjoy your new pond, rebeldart!
John
Just going off my own ponds specs Joun cant say I've done anything wrong with that as its good sound advice .
At the end f his thread the OP definately said pond :confused:

Dave
 

HARO

Pondcrastinator
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
5,438
Reaction score
6,231
Location
Ontario, Canada
Hardiness Zone
5b
Country
Canada
I thought I was doing good! I actually have a problem to solve this winter on how to make my water fall and stream slower and relaxing without spending big bucks! I have nice clear water, skimmer workers great and perfect peramiters so far so I will stick with what I have, least my hubby put his foot down and say enough is enough! I do so wish I would have had guts to push his limits when I was digging! I would have gone 1500 as my liner was made for that size!!!! It was all a new frontier for me then and now I know a little more for the next pond. I would make a few minor changes if some natural tree falling disaster where to happen!
Like, say, SOMEONE running amok with a chainsaw??? ;)
John
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
30,783
Messages
508,595
Members
13,043
Latest member
cisifom

Latest Threads

Top