filter for 250 gal outdoor pond - how to make?

~ 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.

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.

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.

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