Bog building, also called upflow filter, eco filter, wetland filter

[JBtheExplorer]

Well, lilies would probably want more than 6" of water

Six inches wouldn't be deep enough for a waterlily.

tell that to this guy

(as for keeping the pea gravel from sliding down, I could use mini flagstone to hold it up or something.) but its not something I need, I'm more or less just seeing what will work and what wont. Actually with hopes of making a bigger pond, I'd have plenty of room in the pond for multiple waterlilies anyway.

 

[Lisak1]

tell that to this guy

(as for keeping the pea gravel from sliding down, I could use mini flagstone to hold it up or something.) but its not something I need, I'm more or less just seeing what will work and what wont. Actually with hopes of making a bigger pond, I'd have plenty of room in the pond for multiple waterlilies anyway.

Ha! Well, there you go! Nature finds a way!

 

[addy1]

JB you could put a large pot buried in the bog that would keep the gravel out of the area for the lily, if you have any of those black hd plant pots like for a tree. That would look really neat actually and keep a nice open water area in the bog.

The plants do grow and take over, even ones not to be considered invasive. like day lilies, I planted a whole fence line with day lilies and iris I pulled out of the bog. They love the environment. poo and water lol

 

[falconut]

Mine is above the gravel - anywhere from 1-4". I like the look of the bog with water on top - when I can actually see it! - and the frogs, dragonflies and birds love it, too.

OK, then I'll start with less gravel to allow the water to rise up and out. If I find I need more, then I'll add it then. It would be easier to have the water level above the gravel, so long as it doesn't become standing water and give the mosquitoes a place to breed.

 

[Lisak1]

OK, then I'll start with less gravel to allow the water to rise up and out. If I find I need more, then I'll add it then. It would be easier to have the water level above the gravel, so long as it doesn't become standing water and give the mosquitoes a place to breed.

The bog water, although it gives the appearance of being still, is actually constantly in motion. Our unofficial state bird in Illinois is the mosquito, so we did worry about that when we built our bog, but we've never had an issue with our bog (or pond) breeding mosquitoes. At any given time we can find half a dozen frogs hiding in the bog, so that probably helps as well!

 

[CountryEscape]

Agree with Lisa above. Had to laugh at the "unofficial" bird. LOL I have VERY few mosquitos around my ponds, probably because the water everywhere is moving, even in the bogs where it looks deceiving as she said. And, frogs everywhere love the thought of mosquitos trying to hatch in their habitat. I had my kiddie swimming pool sitting out all summer last year, had some muck thrown in there, worried there were plants (at that time I worried about not having enough plants in the bog!!!), and mosquitos did breed. Then a frog found them and moved in. Good bye skeeters!

 

[addy1]

I have no unmoving areas in the bog, so breeding bugs has never been a problem.

 

[taherrmann4]

I have my water level no more than an inch deep if I had to guess and that is only in a stream about 6" wide throughout the bog the rest is gravel above water level. If you wanted to make your Water level deeper in some places on the bog you could line the hole with larger rocks to hold back the pea gravel, I might look into and see what would happen on a small scale.

 

[addy1]

My gravel settled and I have needed to add more for the last few years, well, still have not done it, maybe this year lol

 

[falconut]

Good to know the bugs shouldn't be an issue. My wife wouldn't be very happy if I added a bug factory. haha

 

[addy1]

A shot of how the pond looks under water today, The pond has been running for a week now. Looking towards the bog wall and the water movement is the bog waterfall. Around 15 feet away, lily pots to the left around 25 feet away.
This is the clarity it usually has all summer.

 

[falconut]

That looks awesome. Mine was like that for the 1st month, then I couldn't see deeper than 6". Still can't, so hopefully my bog with work like yours.

I was looking at the HD website at pea gravel and this is what I found: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-0-5-cu-ft-Gray-River-Pebbles-54250V/100558618#specifications Is this stuff what I'm looking for? By the picture it looks like a lot of different sizes, I thought pea gravel was supposed to be around the same size. Maybe it will look different in person.

 

[addy1]

I bought mine by the truck load, this is what it looked like. I did buy a few bags, but the construction stuff, in the second link. At the time it was cheaper now more expensive if you go by the pound.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-0-5-cu-ft-Pea-Pebbles-440773/202292873#specifications

http://www.homedepot.com/p/SAKRETE-60-lb-All-Purpose-Gravel-40200302/100350267#specifications

 

[falconut]

I bought mine by the truck load, this is what it looked like. I did buy a few bags, but the construction stuff, in the second link. At the time it was cheaper now more expensive if you go by the pound.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-0-5-cu-ft-Pea-Pebbles-440773/202292873#specifications

http://www.homedepot.com/p/SAKRETE-60-lb-All-Purpose-Gravel-40200302/100350267#specifications

Thanks. That looks more like what I was expecting to use, more consistent size.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

New question... I was thinking about the bog today, figuring out everything I need and I got stuck on one part. I want the sump pump hose thats coming off of the filter to connect to the pvc pipe that goes under the bog... but I don't know how to connect the hose to pvc. any idea?