Hey guys! I’m working on a new build (first timer) and I’m trying to do everything as budget friendly as possible without skimping on the quality. I’m specifically working on my shower filter right now, and I’m torn when it comes to my “high quality media” box. Pumice and biohome are both CRAZY expensive when it comes to trying to fill a shower filter bin everywhere I’m looking. I know they’re going to be expensive no matter what, but where do you guys purchase your media from? I live in a fairly rural area, so we have a Lowe’s, PetsMart, and Walmart locally, and I’m about 1hr from the nearest city, 1.5-2hr from the nearest BIG city.
Sourcing questions? (Where to buy filter media, fish supplies, equipment, etc.)
- Thread starter eroyal93
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mrsclem
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Webbs Water gardens- online, great prices. I use Savio filters in addition to bogs so love their Springflo bio filter media. Its pricey but lasts forever and really easy to clean.
Hm, do you know if it works for nitrates as well, or just ammonia and nitrites? I’ll get plenty of the latter from the bioballs and lava rock I plan to use, so I’m really looking for anaerobic friendly media.
mrsclem
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As far as I know, the best media for reducing nitrates is plants!
Mmathis
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Yep, plants and water changes. Not sure (but I might be wrong) that nitrates don’t go anywhere, so if you don’t have plants, the only other way to eliminate them is through water changes.
Second, mrsclems recommendation of Webb’s for a lot of dry goods. Justliners.com for liner and underlay...
Agree with What has already been said about reducing nitrates. The only other way as you were hinting at is creating an anaerobic layer where denitrifying bacteria reside. Problem is if you disturb this layer it can release some nasty stuff into water column. Best in a pond to use plants to reduce nitrates as was mentioned.
Agree with What has already been said about reducing nitrates. The only other way as you were hinting at is creating an anaerobic layer where denitrifying bacteria reside. Problem is if you disturb this layer it can release some nasty stuff into water column. Best in a pond to use plants to reduce nitrates as was mentioned.
Good to note, thanks everyone! I’ll be adding a small bog filter as well, so hopefully those can catch some of the nitrates, then. I plan to be diverting the waste water from changes to a holding tank and using it for my garden, so hopefully I can find a nice rhythm of filters vs water changes.
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Check out addy's bog showcase:
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/bog-building.6894/
And my add-on bog build:
My add-on bog build
I finally did it! I joined the bog club! The bog is approximately 14 feet by 5 feet and about 12 inches deep. I know my 1600+ gallon pond has been overpopulated due to my fish reproductive rates! Last year the water never cleared up to my liking. I figured my two pressure filters and my...
A lot of us here filter strictly with a bog. No other filters or UV lights.
Check out addy's bog showcase:
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/bog-building.6894/
And my add-on bog build:
My add-on bog build
I finally did it! I joined the bog club! The bog is approximately 14 feet by 5 feet and about 12 inches deep. I know my 1600+ gallon pond has been overpopulated due to my fish reproductive rates! Last year the water never cleared up to my liking. I figured my two pressure filters and my...www.gardenpondforum.com
A lot of us here filter strictly with a bog. No other filters or UV lights.
Thanks for the link! Tons of great info. I may be able to skip the shower filter, or at least make it much smaller and place it after the bog. That’ll save me tons in materials.
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I filter with only a big bog. Never have any pond issues, green water excess algae or bad water tests. Bogs rule!
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Yep, don't waste your time and money. Build a bog and never look back.
Suggested sizing of your bog is determined by your pond's surface area. The bogs surface area should be at least 30% of your pond's surface area.
Mine is a little larger and the filtering is phenomenal, even with my overpopulated pond. My fish keep reproducing. At 30%, my bog's surface area should be about 60 square feet. When finished it came out to about 70.
The water is amazingly clear. All last summer it was green like pea soup. It never cleared up, and that was with two pressure filters and one UV light.
DenniMac
Dogs, Cattle, Horses, Cats, & Fish? (Oh My)!
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Well I finally got my stock trough pond up & running, & the huge goldfish transferred! Sadly, the 100* plus weather we’ve had killed 3 of the 5 old fish before we could move them.
(Of course our Border Collies were disappointed that it wasn’t a swimming pool), so the picket fence surround was a good afterthought!
(Of course our Border Collies were disappointed that it wasn’t a swimming pool), so the picket fence surround was a good afterthought!
DenniMac
Dogs, Cattle, Horses, Cats, & Fish? (Oh My)!
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Does anyone use a UV light as an algea deterrent? I bought one, but it looks larger & more complicated than the one I’d looked at. Do the do the job? We’ve already got string algea forming in this Ca. heat.
Thanks,
Denni
Thanks,
Denni
Denise T
In ground pool converted to fish pond
I second this! When we added our big we eliminated all algae and clarity issues.
Denise T
In ground pool converted to fish pond
*big bog