Share filter between ponds

[edmlau]

Hi everyone,

I only started learning about pond 1 year ago, so I want to get some advice on my filter upgrade plan. So I have 2 ponds, one big and one small, the small one sit about 1 meter above the big one. Both ponds have some small gold fishes in there.

This is what I plan to do. Have a pump sitting at the bottom of the big pond, pumping water to the small pond above. Near the top edge of the small pond, there is a outlet for water to flow into a gravity filter, then from gravity filter flow back into the big pond. Is this plan feasible?
couple of things I am worry about:
1. will dirt built up at the bottom of the top pond? 2. will the gravity filter provide enough aeration? Any input is appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Jack B. Nimble]

The small pond will become somewhat of a settling pond and hold a lot of heavy waste. I have similar in my pond though on purpose to catch solids and help my bog was the theory.

 

[Ronfire]

Found this idea in an article that might work well for you. Was thinking of this myself. Have the top pond with an overflow to a creek as well as the bottom drain into the overflow, the overflow would work as a skimmer for the top pond. Run a pump from the lower pond to the filter(s) and then falls or some sort of return to the top pond.

 

[Jack B. Nimble]

This is my small upper pond with has pump in main pond up to it. The small creek runs back into main pond. I had this dead area in the pond garden and thought I would repurpose the old shell pond. I cut old pond I half and laid piece of liner from it over lapping main pond liner. In the end it's similar to what you are thinking of but on a micro level in size. It's a great way to fill an area and we all probably have our first pond behind a shed or garage as I did. You can see the waste settling on bottom which would be your challenge in say a larger version. I guess I can also just stop pump and shop vac it. I plan to install a bulk head into it for a quick flush once in awhile. In some ways it's much like the first stage tank for the koi keeper.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Two things come to mind. Debris could block the outlet of the upper pond. And a check valve will help prevent back flow from the upper to lower pond if the power goes out.
Stephen

 

[edmlau]

Thanks everyone! Trough drain system is a great idea! Let see if I can create this myself.

This is my small upper pond with has pump in main pond up to it. The small creek runs back into main pond. I had this dead area in the pond garden and thought I would repurpose the old shell pond. I cut old pond I half and laid piece of liner from it over lapping main pond liner. In the end it's similar to what you are thinking of but on a micro level in size. It's a great way to fill an area and we all probably have our first pond behind a shed or garage as I did. You can see the waste settling on bottom which would be your challenge in say a larger version. I guess I can also just stop pump and shop vac it. I plan to install a bulk head into it for a quick flush once in awhile. In some ways it's much like the first stage tank for the koi keeper.

What a beautiful pond!

 

[GBBUDD]

This is my small upper pond with has pump in main pond up to it. The small creek runs back into main pond. I had this dead area in the pond garden and thought I would repurpose the old shell pond. I cut old pond I half and laid piece of liner from it over lapping main pond liner. In the end it's similar to what you are thinking of but on a micro level in size. It's a great way to fill an area and we all probably have our first pond behind a shed or garage as I did. You can see the waste settling on bottom which would be your challenge in say a larger version. I guess I can also just stop pump and shop vac it. I plan to install a bulk head into it for a quick flush once in awhile. In some ways it's much like the first stage tank for the koi keeper.

nice work jack

 

[GBBUDD]

I would think a better approach is to pump up to a bog not a gravity filter. bog empties into a upper pond with say a one foot water fall which will replace stripped o2 then have a two or three foot water fall into the larger pond

 

[j.w]

@edmlau