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

[addy1]

What do you mean @carolinaguy ? My bog is gravel filled - is that what you consider hydroponic?

Mine is gravel and plant filled also. Works wonderfully.

 

[carolinaguy]

What do you mean @carolinaguy ? My bog is gravel filled - is that what you consider hydroponic?

Hydroponic means that the plant is grown in water that is nutrient rich without soil. We have four plant sumps with water plants mounted in a small amount of starter soil in hydroponic compatible baskets. The roots grow out into the water and filter out nutrients and detritus. The sump catches negatively buoyant particles. The sump is filled with roots to the point that it provides solid waste removal . Happy plant. Happy pond. No anaerobic environment to promote anaerobic bacterial growth.

 

[addy1]

There have been others around that went the hydroponic route.

Even with mine and pea gravel I don't get a anaerobic environment. I dug down to the bottom a few years ago when someone suggested it would stink horribly since it was anaerobic. But nope normal pond water smell.
The lilies............they do stink when I dig into that clay to groom them!

I have my bog non running all winter, around 5 months. When I turn it one there is no horrible smell when it starts up, just normal pond water smell, within a day or so the pond water is back to crystal clear. No damage to the bog or fish.

 

[carolinaguy]

There have been others around that went the hydroponic route.

Even with mine and pea gravel I don't get a anaerobic environment. I dug down to the bottom a few years ago when someone suggested it would stink horribly since it was anaerobic. But nope normal pond water smell.
The lilies............they do stink when I dig into that clay to groom them!

I have my bog non running all winter, around 5 months. When I turn it one there is no horrible smell when it starts up, just normal pond water smell, within a day or so the pond water is back to crystal clear. No damage to the bog or fish.

You will not necessarily get a hydrogen sulfide smell in the bog. The key to creating an aenerobic space is blocking contact with the surface and having space where aireated filter water does not flow due to detritus buildup. An aenerobic space can occur with a quarter inch layer of soil. Bog soil tends to create channels as water flows through a path of least resistance. Swimming pool sand filters do the same thing if they are not cleaned regularly. That doesn’t mean a bog filter is a bad thing. It just means that requires periodic cleaning to eliminate channeling. We use a hydroponic method because it’s easier to clean and has less chance of creating anaerobic support. And I’m lazy.

 

[Telion]

I filled up the bog tank last week with pea gravel but no noticed that there is significant bulging on the one free side. Don't feel it will hold out well for the long run much less a full season. Ideas on how to prevent the tank from bursting? Don't have a new picture, but the long side looks really stressed

You could also frame it in with some wood.

 

[addy1]

It just means that requires periodic cleaning to eliminate channeling.

So far no channeling, that I can see, when I turn it off I can watch the water come up from all areas of the bog. I am a casual pond keeper. I set it up to clean, never have yet. It is still running great after 8 years.

I do pump a lot of water through it, my pump is 6800 gph without discounting head pressure from pipes a bit sent to another pond etc.

 

[carolinaguy]

So far no channeling, that I can see, when I turn it off I can watch the water come up from all areas of the bog. I am a casual pond keeper. I set it up to clean, never have yet. It is still running great after 8 years.

I do pump a lot of water through it, my pump is 6800 gph without discounting head pressure from pipes a bit sent to another pond etc.

sounds like an excellent setup. if you havent cleaned it for 8 years, then if you decide to do it, for safety, take your fish out and put them back when you are done. there have been situations where koi are poisoned by a sudden hydrogen sulfide release. there is a great article from south africa, they have a powerful koi club and farming system there, where they documented this release and used a lab to quantify the presence of hydrogen sulfide in the water. its really hard to quantify.

 

[Jack B. Nimble]

A bog is an integral part of 'filtration for a pond and is by definition hydroponic. I have no soil only gravel in my bog as well. In most of it I did place a galv screen over the feeder pipes which does create that open area in the bottom. Which is by design hydroponic. I have read articles of bog builders with over 40 years experiance and if you provide a depth of approx 12 inches of gravel with enough pipes for adequate water distribution from bottom and a clean out on the end of each pipe you will not get dead areas. The issue I think some are referring too is bogs that are very deep which is not nessesary and at 4 to 6 feet down create a dangerous load. I believe for a recreation pond keeping the above parameters in check you would not see a catatstrophic impact as mentioned or even possible. I had also considered a true hydroponic area in my other bog that would have a bell syphon which would fill the area then drain about every 10 minutes . This is also a true hydroponic system and with the draining opens up to all plants and not just those that can tolerate wet roots. I still may the future only knows. In the end a bog is hydroponic as plants are growing in liquid and held by a substrate other than soil.

 

[addy1]

My fish are safe, doubt I will ever clean it.

 

[Lisak1]

It just means that requires periodic cleaning to eliminate channeling

It would be more accurate to say "MAY require periodic cleaning". 7 years in and we've never had to clean our GRAVEL ONLY bog either. (Again - I've never heard of a gravel and soil bog. Not sure where this idea is coming from.) We only pump "clean" water to the bog - no organic debris gets to the bog so there's nothing to create any clogging.

 

[Ronfire]

I am still planning on major upgrades to the pond and will definitely now go with the bogs. Waiting for some free liners that are promised later this year. I want a fish pond as well as areas for plants so this is the pest solution to what I am looking for.
Now I will have to decide what to plant that will work in zone 5A. Would love to plant Sarracenia Purpurea as well
as Lotus but not sure if they will winter without digging them up and bring them in. I have some ponds and lakes in the area I can raid for Bullrush, Reed type grass and try for some Lillys if I can dive down and get them.

 

[Lisak1]

@Ronfire I'm in 5A too and haven't had any luck with pitcher plants in my bog filter. I think they prefer a "true" bog - a certain type of soil, damp but not sitting in water, etc.

And I would advise you choose carefully before bringing home bullrush or cattails from the wild - we met a ponder who had brought home some native plants and soon found that, not only will they penetrate EPDM liner but they also invaded his cement pool... right through the cement sides.

There are lots of great bog plants that work in 5A - when you're ready come back and start a thread!

 

[addy1]

We only pump "clean" water to the bog - no organic debris gets to the bog so there's nothing to create any clogging.

I draw my bog water from mid pond level, have a 5 gallon bucket around the intake to reduce draw. I also have a leaf basket before the external pump, which I never need to clean out. I know no large organic debris gets into the bog. But it sure does take care of my pond. No green water, no string algae, crystal clear water and I quit testing the water because it was always good.

 

[Ronfire]

Found a small lake out back with lots of hardy Lilly so I pulled up a couple and potted then into the small pond. I was wondering how well Lilly do in a gravel bog. I understand they do not like much movement in the water.

 

[addy1]

Lilies like at least 8 inches of water over their tubers, they will grow in six, but 12 is the better. So if your bog has a lot of water over the gravel it would work.