Tula's BBB ( baby bog build )

[Tula]

@addy1 , our sand & gravel filter smells when I first turn it on i the Spring. It is drained over the winter and we leave the lines open, but it still has that rotten egg smell. I fill it and run the water through the waste line for a few minutes before letting it return to the pond. I'm thinking we'll turn the bog off over the winter and I'll just have to see how it looks / smells, in the Spring. Since I don't have a waste line, I could always just over flow it a bit, or run a blower through the clean out pipe.

I'm hoping I don't have any problems.....I know what you mean about the koi sites being anti bog I'm just tickled to finally have a bog !!

 

[Lisak1]

The year we shut the bog down it did have that characteristic smell - not egg so much, but a definite "pond mud" smell - but it cleared very quickly and caused no harm. Ours has been running since 2012 and it's still clean and clear. Like @addy1 said, the surface will collect some silt and dirt, but stir it up and it's gone in an instant. What I love is when I dig into the bog and it's nothing but clean gravel - none of the gunk or muck that "they" warn you about.

 

[Tula]

The year we shut the bog down it did have that characteristic smell - not egg so much, but a definite "pond mud" smell - but it cleared very quickly and caused no harm. Ours has been running since 2012 and it's still clean and clear. Like @addy1 said, the surface will collect some silt and dirt, but stir it up and it's gone in an instant. What I love is when I dig into the bog and it's nothing but clean gravel - none of the gunk or muck that "they" warn you about.

So you run your bog over the winter?

I'll let it run as long as I can, but am not yet familiar with it, so am afraid to run it over the winter this first year. I worry about my koi and tend to stick with what works well for them, which is covering the pond, aerating and Pond Breather. Unfortunately, it's an ugly sight

 

[Lisak1]

We do. Believe me I was nervous the first year... and then we had record cold. I could not WAIT for spring that year. But it was all good and we've never looked back.

 

[addy1]

Mine has such a huge surface area it really chills the water. And I enjoy the no running water time. The fish and ponds do fine without running water.

Mine never has a smell in the spring. Just the mild pond water smell, nothing like the lilies clay smells like when I groom them, they stink!

 

[cas]

@Tula the bog turned out great! Going to be so much fun with the extra gardening space! You say you feel your bog is too small, but I think that is the size I would want. Especially with my first one. And any additional plant filtration is good. Can't wait to see the pictures of it in the spring!!

 

[Tula]

@Tula the bog turned out great! Going to be so much fun with the extra gardening space! You say you feel your bog is too small, but I think that is the size I would want. Especially with my first one. And any additional plant filtration is good. Can't wait to see the pictures of it in the spring!!

Thank you @cas Given the space we had to work with the bog is as big as it can be. We both ended up being satisfied with it's size.

 

[Tula]

Question ! I want to turn our the bog off today, but leave it filled with water over the winter. We plumbed a ball valve in the line....if I turn the pump off and turn the ball valve, will water remain in the lie from the ball valve to the bog and will it freeze?

 

[mrsclem]

If it is above the bog level, it could freeze. Is it glued? You could let it backflush a little to drain the supply pipe between the valve and bog. I left mine unglued and just disconnect it so the pipe is open. Less likely to freeze and crack the pipe.

 

[Tula]

If it is above the bog level, it could freeze. Is it glued? You could let it backflush a little to drain the supply pipe between the valve and bog. I left mine unglued and just disconnect it so the pipe is open. Less likely to freeze and crack the pipe.

I retrospect not gluing it would have been a good idea, unfortunately, it's glued. There is a portion of the run which is above bo level, so I guess we'll have to let it back flush a little and hope for the best. We're supposed to get some nasty weather, sleet etc. on Thursday, so want to get it done today.

Thank you

 

[Tula]

Oh some good news! Hubby bought the kid of ball valve ( it was pricey ! ) that also disconnects on both sides, so once we shut off the pump, we can discount the valve, drain the line and leave it open

 

[j.w]

Oh some good news! Hubby bought the kid of ball valve ( it was pricey ! ) that also disconnects on both sides, so once we shut off the pump, we can discount the valve, drain the line and leave it open

In my brain I changed kid to kit and discount to disconnect so think I got it,lol! Anyway yay for the ability to do that to keep from freezing.

 

[Tula]

In my brain I changed kid to kit and discount to disconnect so think I got it,lol! Anyway yay for the ability to do that to keep from freezing.

The letter " n" on my keyboard is hinky! I know Apple has a fix for it, but I've been too lazy to make the appointment !

 

[addy1]

Question ! I want to turn our the bog off today, but leave it filled with water over the winter. We plumbed a ball valve in the line....if I turn the pump off and turn the ball valve, will water remain in the lie from the ball valve to the bog and will it freeze?

I left water in a exposed ball valve one year and yes it did freeze and crack. You need to leave water in the bog ow the plants will dry out and die. Mine stays full of water all winter, well at times it is ice.

 

[Tula]

I left water in a exposed ball valve one year and yes it did freeze and crack. You need to leave water in the bog ow the plants will dry out and die. Mine stays full of water all winter, well at times it is ice.

We decided to wait until Wed. to turn off the bog, as the weather is nice and a flock of birds seems to have found the bog We're planning on turning off the bog pump, then turn the ball valve, let the water level settle, then open the ball valve at the disconnect and leave it open. The water in the bog should remain level at that point. I was sitting by the bog today and am please to see the new plants taking hold