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

[rrasco]

Thanks addy. Is that the only form of aeration you have, the waterfall?

 

[addy1]

I have many waterfalls, one from the stock tank, around 3-4 feet high, three from the small loop ponds around 5 inches tall (small water falls lol) one from the stream, 4 feet, one from the deck pond (runs on a timer) 6 feet tall.

Every now and then I run the aerator, mainly in the spring when the pond is just starting up.

 

[rrasco]

That's part of the reason I want a raised bog too, don't really want to run an aerator and hoping I have enough surface agitation from the waterfall. Worst case I'll add an aerator.

 

[addy1]

My surface moves all the time, even if just the bog water fall is running. I have not run the aerator in quite a while now. Usually don't even plug it in.

 

[rrasco]

I'm not sure surface movement provides much aeration. Not as much as surface agitation anyways.

 

[michey1st]

Pretty sure I read here, maybe from Waterbug? that the way skimmers work (always pulling in surface water and creating "new" surface water) serves to aerate the water, even better than an aerator or waterfall. Aeration occurs right where the water molecules meet the air molecules, and since skimmers are constantly creating new water surface by pulling in the "old" water surface, it aides in aeration. I wish I could find that post where he explained it....

 

[addy1]

I have a skimmer too which runs 24/7

 

[rrasco]

That makes sense. Any time surface tension is broken (assuming oxygen is present) there will be a gas exchange, thus oxygenating the water. The water crashing into the skimmer's pump chamber would certainly create some of that exchange. I would be curious if since the skimmer has a lid (not sure how sealed they are) the gas exchange would be limited by the oxygen present. That might not affect it at all though.

 

[snoozer]

The skimmers aren't really sealed, or at least mine isn't, so lack of oxygen isn't probable. There is a cover that pretty much just sits on top too keep debris (and me) from falling into the skimmer.

 

[addy1]

My skimmer is open, just has a lid to keep me from falling in. External pool skimmer, lots of flow. I have a window screen across the opening to keep the fry , tads, out of the skimmer.

 

[CountryEscape]

Rrasco, I think your main concern is hiding the middle wall. I failed to "get that right" on my koi pond, but did better on my goldfish pond, which has a much larger bog. Here are pics of the wall between pond and bog. I used "free" ceramic blocks from neighbor's old garage that got knocked over in a storm (conveniently) the same year I built the goldfish pond. They are stacked on top of the dirt wall, for extra height between the two water areas.

I used one continuous liner for the pond and bog.

Here are a couple of pics of the PVC line run before adding the pea gravel. I use sump pump black flexible water line everywhere in my ponds, except for the PVC in the bogs.

Then added pea gravel, and water. To flush the water out, instead of into the pond, I lowered the outside edge of the bog until the water ran clear, stirring it up some as I rinsed it. Then I raised the outer edge, and watched the clear water flow into the pond. The blocks on the middle wall are laying on the "shelf" of dirt, that's where the rocks will go to hide that part of the liner visible from the pond side.

This morning, I took a couple of pics of the inner wall edge. I'm not good at "drawing" to show how this is done, but from the pond side, I left a ledge about 8" wide to stack rocks on in the water's edge, and then made sure they came up to the top of the wall, where I stacked another rock. This hid the liner from the pond side very well. In this pic, also notice the edge of the liner on the far wall. Do NOT do this! LOL I goofed up and dug too far out, and did not leave enough extra liner. Actually, I think I DID leave enough, but the area has settled, pulling the liner down. That's my story, anyhow.
Addy, see the bog bean plants at the top of this pic? Those are some of them, and part of the reason I had to pull so much penny wart.

Then, once the plants grow, some of them will spill over the edge, like this penny wart. BTW, I pulled about a 55 gal garbage can of this stuff the other day. LOL It sure loves to grow, and is an excellent filtration system for the water, but I did want other plants to survive, too.

 

[Timothy]

Beautiful! I love your "Oasis" feel with the old barn and fields behind. I also noticed the plants in pots sitting on your bog gravel. We seem to do the same thing as a sort of nursery. Works great!
Does the penny wart live only in the bog or would it grow in a shallow (10" deep) trough filled with soil?

 

[addy1]

Does the penny wart live only in the bog or would it grow in a shallow (10" deep) trough filled with soil?

seems to live everywhere, but died in my ponds................shallow, floating, bog, dirt

 

[CountryEscape]

OMG, Addy, I think I got my Penny Wart from you! Do you want some? I could literally fill a huge box of it. LOL
Timothy, it grows in shallow or deeper. Your 10" deep container with dirt in the bottom would work, I think. Maybe try it in shallower water, like up to 5" deep and experiment. It will also jump out of the bog and grow in the dirt, and you do NOT want that to happen. It's very easy to pull in pea gravel or shallow dirt, but VERY hard to pull if it gets in the ground. Beware. Keep in mind I pulled about a 55 gallon garbage container of this plant in the last few days. I have lots if you would like me to send you some, too. I only ask for postage to be paid. I got most of my bog plants from Addy 4 years ago, and have shared plants with others on this site, too.
I have plants that like water, but not necessarily submerged, in my bog. The elephant ear thrives in the wet environment. I also put the bog bean plants in pots so I can keep track of them, but they are growing so well, they jumped out of the pot and are rooting in the pea gravel.
I live in the country, on 6 acres, nothing but farmed fields around me for a mile in every direction, very flat. But, I love my property, so peaceful out here even if no trees except the few on my property. I loved the old barns here, it's what drew me to the property. That old one needs to come down, the concrete footing is shot, but I hate to remove it. I love it as a back drop to so many pictures.

 

[addy1]

No don't need it, I have so many plants growing in each pond all is balanced out well now.
I need to build a lily pond or delete a few.