Retro Bottom Drains?

[Dzway]

I am in the planning stages of building a pond (liner). It will be roughly 9' wide 25' long with the deepest point at 4' deep.
I understand how a BD built into the bottom of a pond works and understand how benificial they are. If I am unable to put a BD in the bottom, is the "Retro" style BD something I could get away with using? Can someone explain how it works for me?

Thank you!
Dee

 

[ComputerGuy]

It works just like a regular bottom drain. Has a "bowl" over the top with a hose coming out going to the pump. PM me if you are needing one. I bought one last year and never used it.

 

[Waterbug]

Same as a regular BD except upside down. Will seem more like a stationary vacuum cleaner hose attachment.

People who sell these kind of leave out that in order to be effective you also need to install TPRs (Tangential Pond Returns). Just as if you laid a vacuum cleaner hose down in the middle of your living room and turned it on it would only clean a very small area around the vac head. TPRs are needed to move debris to the BD.

They also require a filter to remove the debris. A complete system is needed.

Retro fit BD are no fun to install.

 

[addy1]

I used a retro fit aqua art bottom drain in my arizona pond, it worked decently, kept part of the pond clean, I would sweep debris from the other end of the pond towards it. It was hooked to my external pump with a leaf basket.

 

[don't ask]

i like the concept and actually use a bottom drain but wish i had gotten one with air, the added circulation is imo needed to really get more debris off the bottom. i am know contemplating adding aeration to the drain or tpr's for more current. most likely i will go with adding aeration as tpr's would most likely require another pump

 

[Dzway]

Thank you everyone for your help. I think I will just go with a built in bottom drain to a settling chamber. Again, thank you!