Bog Filled Up?

[Tula]

What is "channeling "? I'm thinking this is what is happening in our bog when water spurts up in spots?

 

[Nevermore44]

I see that Venus fly trap... nice!
Tula... channeling (which can also happen in a S&G filter) happens when the media becomes clogged to some extent and the water, instead of evenly traveling through all media at the same rate and getting filtered, starts to only go through channels with the least resistance and not getting filtered. At that point, the stagnant areas can become a problem.

Sunshine, adding more gravel just seems like it's putting off the issue at hand. Have you tested your water for nitrate levels?

 

[addy1]

When I first turn my bog on in the spring, I have a bit of channeling, which within a week or so goes away as it runs. Something I have never worried about. As long as the pond water is perfect, clear, plants are growing , fish and other critters healthy I don't worry about that stuff.

 

[Mmathis]

@Sunshine I may see the reason you are having problems. It looks like your bog doesn’t have many plants in it. Is there a reason? The purpose of a bog filter is filtration by plants. There are aquatic/water loving plants that most of us plant in our bogs. These plants put down roots in the gravel and actually grow from the gravel as if they were planted in soil (but not in soil). A potted plant on the surface and a little bit of creeping Jenny aren’t enough. It’s not the gravel that is the filter, it’s the roots of the plants. Go back and look at other bog filters that people have. Look at @addy1, for example. Put some more gravel in there and add plants, plants, plants! You will be amazed at the difference!

 

[addy1]

Look at @addy1, for example

Here is bog as of today, all the plants behind the rocks on the bog wall are in the pea gravel/ bog.

 

[poconojoe]

@Sunshine I may see the reason you are having problems. It looks like your bog doesn’t have many plants in it. Is there a reason? The purpose of a bog filter is filtration by plants. There are aquatic/water loving plants that most of us plant in our bogs. These plants put down roots in the gravel and actually grow from the gravel as if they were planted in soil (but not in soil). A potted plant on the surface and a little bit of creeping Jenny aren’t enough. It’s not the gravel that is the filter, it’s the roots of the plants. Go back and look at other bog filters that people have. Look at @addy1, for example. Put some more gravel in there and add plants, plants, plants! You will be amazed at the difference!

Exactly! You beat me to the punch line!
Those plants need to be taken out of their pots and planted directly into the bog gravel.
Add as many additional plants to the bog as you can possibly fit in there.

 

[poconojoe]

Here's my bog after about two months of constructing it:

My pond water is crystal clear.

 

[Sunshine]

@Sunshine I may see the reason you are having problems. It looks like your bog doesn’t have many plants in it. Is there a reason? The purpose of a bog filter is filtration by plants. There are aquatic/water loving plants that most of us plant in our bogs. These plants put down roots in the gravel and actually grow from the gravel as if they were planted in soil (but not in soil). A potted plant on the surface and a little bit of creeping Jenny aren’t enough. It’s not the gravel that is the filter, it’s the roots of the plants. Go back and look at other bog filters that people have. Look at @addy1, for example. Put some more gravel in there and add plants, plants, plants! You will be amazed at the difference!

YES!! The reason is Corona .. lol When I had my elephant ear in there, it took up the whole bog. When I went to the nursery this year, it was slim pickens. No elephant ears, no bog plants. The only plants they had were the ones that couldn't have roots in the water. Yeah, I know, I should of just ordered some online. I thought what I had would be enough. Guess not. Do you think it's too late in the year to put them in now? And also, @addy1 your bog always looks awesome! Come here and fix mine..lol

 

[poconojoe]

There was a very short period where I had some green growth on top of my bog gravel, but that went away pretty quickly. Like most things concerning pond keeping, patience a lot of times seems to be the key.

 

[Sunshine]

Exactly! You beat me to the punch line!
Those plants need to be taken out of their pots and planted directly into the bog gravel.
Add as many additional plants to the bog as you can possibly fit in there.

The plants I got said shoreline. Is it okay to put the roots in the water?

 

[poconojoe]

The plants I got said shoreline. Is it okay to put the roots in the water?

I'm no expert on that and can't tell you about specific plants, but I can say this...anything and everything I've put in my bog has thrived. Nothing died or regressed.
Take a look at what I have in there...post #52

 

[Tula]

I ordered plants online from https://www.tricker.com. They're in Independence , OH, near Cleveland.

The plants are very reasonably priced, shipping is a bit steep, but to be expected. I believe they only ship at the beginning of the week, so plants aren't stuck over the week end.


I have extra pennywort if you'd like some. As folks here warned me....it's taking over !

 

[poconojoe]

I don't even know what half of those plants in my bog are. Some are just stuff that grows wild around my yard here in Pennsylvania. I just stuck them in there and they are doing great.
I have some that specifically grow in wetland locations and some not.
The point is that there are a lot of every day plants that will grow in there. They don't need to be specific bog or Marsh varieties.

 

[Mmathis]

@Sunshine It’s never too late to add plants! I have to mail order mine, as we don’t have any aquatic centers near — can you believe that, in Louisiana! There are some common garden plants that like wet feet — lots of folks here use some plants that you wouldn’t think would do well. But you might want to add gravel. A lot of plants want their roots in the water, but not the crown. I think I’m going to ask on here for plant suggestions.

 

[Sunshine]

@Sunshine It’s never too late to add plants! I have to mail order mine, as we don’t have any aquatic centers near — can you believe that, in Louisiana! There are some common garden plants that like wet feet — lots of folks here use some plants that you wouldn’t think would do well. But you might want to add gravel. A lot of plants want their roots in the water, but not the crown. I think I’m going to ask on here for plant suggestions.

Yeah, that is strange you don't have any place to buy near you. Usually my place has an abundance of them. Guess they were hard to get this year cause of the virus. But, I have some coming my way now. Hopefully they take off and flourish!