Idea for a veggie filter

[WVNebJockey]

OK, I have a question.

I have 3 small preformed ponds. Yes preformed. I'm in the middle of moving
them and reconfiguring them to out of sight/touch of the grandkids.

Anyway... I have a 90, 125 and 250 gal ponds. I have 3 bioforce 250/UV
filters and adequat pumpage (I've got pumps out the wazoo..) Here is my
idea. I have 3 55gal plastic drums. I'm thinking of cutting them in half
and doing a modified "skippy" filter approach. I was wondering if I could
use a layer of lava rock instead of the scotchbright pads.

I have a link to the photo here
http://www.ccems.org/images/veggie_filter.jpg

What do I plant in the top? What do I plant the plants in?

I'm a veggie newbie.

[[email protected]]

Watercress works well in a veggie filter. You will have a job of
getting it out of the lava rock. Last year I put it in the top of my
Skippy and they sent roots all thru my media to get to the goop at the
bottom. Good luck.

[Ron Lawrence KC4YOY]

Water hyacinth works great in the top of a veggie filter.
You don't have to "put" them in anything,
thay just float and send down long masses
of roots.
You can see photos of my 100gallon rubbermaid
stock tank veggie filter here,
http://www.radioheaven.homestead.com/Cement_Pond1.html

Ron


--
Ron Lawrence, kc4yoy
(Curmudgeon in training)

POBox 3015
Matthews, NC 28106-3015
704-289-1166 (home)
kc4yoy(at)carolina.rr.com

Radio Collection Web Page,
http://www.radioheaven.homestead.com

[WVNebJockey]

My ponds are in full sun. Will water hyacinth be OK in full sun.


--
WVNebJockey



" Ron Lawrence KC4YOY" > wrote in message
. com...
> Water hyacinth works great in the top of a veggie filter.
> You don't have to "put" them in anything,
> thay just float and send down long masses
> of roots.
> You can see photos of my 100gallon rubbermaid
> stock tank veggie filter here,
> http://www.radioheaven.homestead.com/Cement_Pond1.html
>
> Ron
>
>
> --
> Ron Lawrence, kc4yoy
> (Curmudgeon in training)
>
> POBox 3015
> Matthews, NC 28106-3015
> 704-289-1166 (home)
> kc4yoy(at)carolina.rr.com
>
> Radio Collection Web Page,
> http://www.radioheaven.homestead.com
>
>
>
>
>

[Ron Lawrence KC4YOY]

> My ponds are in full sun. Will water hyacinth be OK in full sun.

YES, the more the better.

Ron

[Phyllis and Jim Hurley]

Our setup has 3 full 55 gal barrels (upflow) in the berm, four ponds for
sedimentation and two waterfalls for the returns. We have run water
hyacinth, water celery, mint, parrotts feather and anacharis in various
combinations to grab nutrients. The hyacinth and celery seem to grow
the best and to send great root systems. The watercress is best in the
cold and gets wiped out in the summer. Our pondsite (below) shows you
the layout. Slow flow through the veggie filter with roots drops out
the muck. Rocks and lava rock did not help and became a huge pain to clean.

If you can daisy chain the ponds and barrels, you won't nee much
pumping. Our setup has a total of 4,000 gals and runs on a pump that
pushes 2,000per hour.

Jim

See our pond at: home.bellsouth.net\p\pwp-jameshurley


Ask me about Jog-A-Thon fundraiser (clears $120+ per child) at:
jogathon.net

WVNebJockey wrote:
> OK, I have a question.
>
> I have 3 small preformed ponds. Yes preformed. I'm in the middle of moving
> them and reconfiguring them to out of sight/touch of the grandkids.
>
> Anyway... I have a 90, 125 and 250 gal ponds. I have 3 bioforce 250/UV
> filters and adequat pumpage (I've got pumps out the wazoo..) Here is my
> idea. I have 3 55gal plastic drums. I'm thinking of cutting them in half
> and doing a modified "skippy" filter approach. I was wondering if I could
> use a layer of lava rock instead of the scotchbright pads.
>
> I have a link to the photo here
> http://www.ccems.org/images/veggie_filter.jpg
>
> What do I plant in the top? What do I plant the plants in?
>
> I'm a veggie newbie.
>
>
>

[kathy]

The problem with lava rock is that it is hard to clean.
It is heavy and the muck gets in all those little holes.

When I ran a mechanical/bio filter I used black vinyl
screening, very easy to hose off, light to lift.

Sinc then I have gone to plants only as filters,
water hyaninth in an upflow stock tanks, over
the waterfall planted with watercress. Watercress does
okay here year round in SE WA.

kathy :-)

www.blogfromthebog.com

[Gareee©]

No friggin watercress at any of the local grocery store at all. I'll try a
health food store next.

Or does lowe's or walmart carry it for gardens, perhaps?


--
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http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/ellison/86/mainframe.htm

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[kathy]

Not sure about lowes or walmart but one thing you
can do is ask the produce manager of the store to
order it for you. I once ordered 10 bunches for 10
dollars. It works if it comes with roots or without
roots.

kathy :-)


www.blogfromthebog.com

[Gareee©]

Might end up having to try that. There are a few health food stores I still
need to check.. and my local Wal-Mart didn't get their pond plants yet.

It ain't easy being green....


--
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http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/ellison/86/mainframe.htm

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[ROSS]

Here is some pictures of our preformed pond with the upper smaller one for
the filter
http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?&collid=42040483407&page=1&sort_order=0
"WVNebJockey" > wrote in message
news:GsW5e.8875$ox3.1018@trnddc03...
> OK, I have a question.
>
> I have 3 small preformed ponds. Yes preformed. I'm in the middle of
> moving them and reconfiguring them to out of sight/touch of the grandkids.
>
> Anyway... I have a 90, 125 and 250 gal ponds. I have 3 bioforce 250/UV
> filters and adequat pumpage (I've got pumps out the wazoo..) Here is my
> idea. I have 3 55gal plastic drums. I'm thinking of cutting them in half
> and doing a modified "skippy" filter approach. I was wondering if I could
> use a layer of lava rock instead of the scotchbright pads.
>
> I have a link to the photo here
> http://www.ccems.org/images/veggie_filter.jpg
>
> What do I plant in the top? What do I plant the plants in?
>
> I'm a veggie newbie.
>
>
>

[Crashj]

On or about Sat, 09 Apr 2005 19:57:26 GMT, "WVNebJockey"
> wrote something like:
<>
>I was wondering if I could
>use a layer of lava rock instead of the scotchbright pads.

Lava rocks are cheap. Do it. Just throw out the whole mess at the end
of the season. I mean, it's not like watercress was people?
--
Crashj

[Snooze]

" Ron Lawrence KC4YOY" > wrote in message
. com...
>> My ponds are in full sun. Will water hyacinth be OK in full sun.
>
> YES, the more the better.
>
> Ron
>

I think you mean, plant a few, and wait a few weeks for the WH to double in
size. Remove half, and toss them in the compost pile or the garbage, repeat.

-S

[Ron Lawrence KC4YOY]

> >> My ponds are in full sun. Will water hyacinth be OK in full sun.
> >
>
> I think you mean, plant a few, and wait a few weeks for the WH to double
in
> size. Remove half, and toss them in the compost pile or the garbage,
repeat.
>

NO, his question was "Will water hyacinth be OK in full sun".

My response was YES, the more (SUN) the better.

Ron

[WVNebJockey]

well my next problem.... I can't find any water hyacinth here.... Not many
pond friendly places here in WV. You say pond and they think you're talking
about a BIG pond in the middle of a pasture.






"Snooze" > wrote in message
m...
>
> " Ron Lawrence KC4YOY" > wrote in message
> . com...
>>> My ponds are in full sun. Will water hyacinth be OK in full sun.
>>
>> YES, the more the better.
>>
>> Ron
>>
>
> I think you mean, plant a few, and wait a few weeks for the WH to double
> in size. Remove half, and toss them in the compost pile or the garbage,
> repeat.
>
> -S
>

[WVNebJockey]

Oh...if I can find it. It will get tons of sunlight.


" Ron Lawrence KC4YOY" > wrote in message
. com...
>> >> My ponds are in full sun. Will water hyacinth be OK in full sun.
>> >
>>
>> I think you mean, plant a few, and wait a few weeks for the WH to double
> in
>> size. Remove half, and toss them in the compost pile or the garbage,
> repeat.
>>
>
> NO, his question was "Will water hyacinth be OK in full sun".
>
> My response was YES, the more (SUN) the better.
>
> Ron
>
>
>

[Gareee©]

FINALLY my lowe's got in some of the fantastic plants you guys have been
talking about!

For only $5, I got some, and the largest is almost 2-3 foot tall! (Purple
flowering somethingorother)

I also bought minature cat tails, and also an "oxygenating" fill type plant
of some kind. (i'll check the names and repost)

Question.. will any of these survive winter? (Looks like the peace lillies
died off.)

Also, my local grocery store ordered my watercress, and it'll be in
tomorrow!

I'm hoping to put enough green in the pond to counteract the algea... my
ponds very green already.

BTW, about the watercress..assuming we decide we like the taste, is
harvesting it from the pond a good idea, even if the water is green?

--
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http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/ellison/86/mainframe.htm

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[kathy]

Yup, I've used watercress from my pond in salads
and on sandwiches. Really is rather tasty ;-)

kathy :-)

[Rick]

"kathy" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Yup, I've used watercress from my pond in salads
> and on sandwiches. Really is rather tasty ;-)
>
> kathy :-)


I'm in Missouri will watercress live thru the winter or will it die.

>

[Greg Cooper]

Rick wrote:

>
> I'm in Missouri will watercress live thru the winter or will it die.
Well my pond is in Coastal British Columbia where the the winters are
not truly harsh but we do get multiple frosts and some periods of snow.
The Crest dies back in the winter but has come back just fine in the
spring. I remember it grew wild in some streams in Southern Ontario
where the winters are very cold, long and snowy. You should have NO
trouble inn Mmissouri.

Cheers.