filter for 250 gal outdoor pond - how to make?

[Lyn]

How do I build a small
flowerpot filter or waterfall filter?? I have been told that with my
250 gal. outdoor water garden (lots of plants and mosquito fish) that
is all the filtration I need. I plan to use either a pondmaster or Mag 3 or
5 pump.

Thanks

[~ jan JJsPond.us]

On Sat, 6 Aug 2005 22:59:21 -0400, "Lyn" > wrote:

>How do I build a small
>flowerpot filter or waterfall filter?? I have been told that with my
>250 gal. outdoor water garden (lots of plants and mosquito fish) that
>is all the filtration I need. I plan to use either a pondmaster or Mag 3 or
>5 pump.
>
>Thanks
>
Hi Lyn,

There are 3 pictured on my webpage, click on *My filter* and scroll to the
bottom.

They're really easy to make.

1 Large Plastic Planter, remove drip tray, turn upside down and drill a
bunch of holes in the drip tray. Set tray in bottom of planter as a grid to
hold up media. Put an outlet thru the bottom of the planter and hang over
edge of pond, or use an elbow to feed into a waterfall, whatever.

Take your pump hose and feed it in 3" from the top of planter. Buy another
heavy duty plant tray that will sit inside the planter with it's lip on the
outside.

Inside the planter you can use bagged activated carbon, vinyl screening,
fiber pads, fish safe open cell foam, bug screening, etc. You can also buy
filter pads pre-cut for other types of commercial filters and cut them to
the size you need.

You can even reverse it so the water goes in the bottom and comes out the
top, this upflow type filter is actually better and less likely to clog and
drain your pond by overflowing. ~ jan


See my ponds and filter design:
www.jjspond.us

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

[Richard Tanzer]

~ jan JJsPond.us > wrote in
:

> www.jjspond.us
>

I use a similar system. I have a set of four ponds, the water flowing from
the small top one (about 25 gal.) down a small waterfall into the next one
(about 100 gal.) down another small waterfall into my approx. 200 gal.
pond, and finaly into the main pond which is about 300 gal.

The upper 3 ponds have mostly irises and waterlilies. The bottom pond has
goldfish and koi.

Now the filter system: where the water cascades from the 2nd pond into the
3rd pond it flows into a large (about 2 gal.) flower pot - the kind used
for water plants, actually more of a basket. The basket is filled with
gravel.

I find that by washing the gravel about 4 times each year, the water stays
clean and the fish are health. Also, sediment collects in the upper ponds,
which I clean out whenever I wash the gravel.

[Lyn]

How about if I make a container filled with gravel or whatever
and push the water via the output of the pump into the bottom
of it and then have the overflow cascade down a falls into the
pond? The design of the pond is such that this idea comes to
mind. the top of the falls is about 2 feet above the surface of the
pond.

The problem that I have this concept is that I know pine
needles will be falling into the pond. I don't mind netting them
out each day but if there were a way to automate their removal,
that would of course be better.

Thanks!!!
Lyn


"Richard Tanzer" > wrote in message
.. .
> ~ jan JJsPond.us > wrote in
> :
>
> > www.jjspond.us
> >
>
> I use a similar system. I have a set of four ponds, the water flowing
from
> the small top one (about 25 gal.) down a small waterfall into the next one
> (about 100 gal.) down another small waterfall into my approx. 200 gal.
> pond, and finaly into the main pond which is about 300 gal.
>
> The upper 3 ponds have mostly irises and waterlilies. The bottom pond has
> goldfish and koi.
>
> Now the filter system: where the water cascades from the 2nd pond into the
> 3rd pond it flows into a large (about 2 gal.) flower pot - the kind used
> for water plants, actually more of a basket. The basket is filled with
> gravel.
>
> I find that by washing the gravel about 4 times each year, the water stays
> clean and the fish are health. Also, sediment collects in the upper
ponds,
> which I clean out whenever I wash the gravel.

[Richard Tanzer]

Lyn -

That sounds like an excellent idea. As I see it, the key to a bio filter
is simply to provide a lot of surface area for bacteria to live. Think
of how a stream naturally keeps clean - lots of water constantly flowing
over gravel.

It sounds like the container will be easily seen in your set up. You
might want to use attractive stones or even marbles.

- Rich

"Lyn" > wrote in
:

> How about if I make a container filled with gravel or whatever
> and push the water via the output of the pump into the bottom
> of it and then have the overflow cascade down a falls into the
> pond? The design of the pond is such that this idea comes to
> mind. the top of the falls is about 2 feet above the surface of the
> pond.
>
> The problem that I have this concept is that I know pine
> needles will be falling into the pond. I don't mind netting them
> out each day but if there were a way to automate their removal,
> that would of course be better.
>
> Thanks!!!
> Lyn
>
>
> "Richard Tanzer" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> ~ jan JJsPond.us > wrote in
>> :
>>
>> > www.jjspond.us
>> >
[... snip ...]
>>
>> Now the filter system: where the water cascades from the 2nd pond
>> into the 3rd pond it flows into a large (about 2 gal.) flower pot -
>> the kind used for water plants, actually more of a basket. The basket
>> is filled with gravel.
>>
>> I find that by washing the gravel about 4 times each year, the water
>> stays clean and the fish are health. Also, sediment collects in the
>> upper
> ponds,
>> which I clean out whenever I wash the gravel.
>
>
>

[Lyn]

The filter would be behind a fake falls that I made by putting
concrete on wire screen and shaping the way that I wanted it to
look.

I want to circulate the water around also and so I think I will
use a smaller second pump to just circulate with only a prescreen
filter on it.

The shape is like a hand with three fingers (sorta).

Thanks for any ideas.
Lyn

"Richard Tanzer" > wrote in message
. ..
> Lyn -
>
> That sounds like an excellent idea. As I see it, the key to a bio filter
> is simply to provide a lot of surface area for bacteria to live. Think
> of how a stream naturally keeps clean - lots of water constantly flowing
> over gravel.
>
> It sounds like the container will be easily seen in your set up. You
> might want to use attractive stones or even marbles.
>
> - Rich
>
> "Lyn" > wrote in
> :
>
> > How about if I make a container filled with gravel or whatever
> > and push the water via the output of the pump into the bottom
> > of it and then have the overflow cascade down a falls into the
> > pond? The design of the pond is such that this idea comes to
> > mind. the top of the falls is about 2 feet above the surface of the
> > pond.
> >
> > The problem that I have this concept is that I know pine
> > needles will be falling into the pond. I don't mind netting them
> > out each day but if there were a way to automate their removal,
> > that would of course be better.
> >
> > Thanks!!!
> > Lyn
> >
> >