Jeff,

Have you considered screening instead of gravel for your upflow filter? Or
strapping tape. Rock has little surface for bacteria and will be a collosal
pain to clean when it is full of gunk. If you went with screening, it would
catch the junk and be EASY to clean (pull out and flush). That will make a
big difference when you actually clean the filter. Your 55 gal filter for a
150 gal pond is good, although the surface area of the filter is more
important than the depth. Rule of thumb, surface of veggie filter = 10% of
the surface of the pond. Sounds like you will have that.

WH on top will grab nutrients well. If you have WH in the pond as well, you
will have good plant numbers, especially for the 6 fish.

Have you thought about a wider filter format? more surface for plants?

Your pump sounds ample (1400 gph for a 200 gal system). Even with the loss
to lift, you will have a solid flow. You can have a nice return waterfall
into your 150 gal. pond.

On the barrel subject, will it stand by the pond? be hidden? or be burried?
The latter has huge benefits, aesthetically...but does not work well if you
cannot drain it. Our barrels are in the berm at the end of our pond and can
be drained (cf. website below).

Good luck.

Jim

--
____________________________________________
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"Jeff Lowe" wrote in message
...
Intro: I've been lurking for a few weeks and decided it's time to take the
plunge. My son was given permission to catch goldfish (net) at pond and
came
home with 6 very nice comets, ranging from 4 to 9" length. They have been
living in a 37 Gal tank (too small!) while we build a pond for them. We
purchased a 150 gal preform and have put it in the ground. I bought a 1400
gph pump at a fish auction and am starting to build the filter. I have
decided on a 55 gal barrel filter with an up flow gravel bed and plan on
having WH floating in the top as a veggie filter. I know that charcoal
briquettes are only sawdust and glue and some sodium nitrate to speed up
burning, and given this composition, are totally unsuitable for aquatic
use,
however, my local food Coop sells natural chunk hardwood charcoal with no
additives. Would this be effective as a filter material, at least while
cycling, and in the future to clear meds, etc?

Jeff Lowe