Bog filter - free water, or stones above water level?

[Pond skipper]

The bigger the waste/ poop GENERATOR they are the more i lean toward no gravel but i have gravel with my 15 or so 15" + koi

Gold fish or cichlids etc i would do rock hands down

Thank you for that, I just have gold fish and it’s a light load at that. About 20 in a 1250 gallon 20x6x1.5-2 feet. When you say rock are you meaning gravel or bigger stuff?

 

[Pond skipper]

The bigger the waste/ poop GENERATOR they are the more i lean toward no gravel but i have gravel with my 15 or so 15" + koi

Gold fish or cichlids etc i would do rock hands down

I should also mention that my pond gets a lot of leaf litter, although I’m going to put a net over it this fall

 

[GBBUDD]

I should also mention that my pond gets a lot of leaf litter, although I’m going to put a net over it this fall

a GOOD filter and or a good design in your pond can take care of those concerns. a well designed pond and skimmer or intake or negative edge can handle leaves with ease.

 

[Pond skipper]

Ya I saw your video of that before.. it’s awesome, unfortunately I don’t have the space for something like that. My skimmer works pretty good for pine needles and a few leaves and such but it’s just an opening of any 8” in the side of a five gallon pail. But like I say, I’ve already ordered the big net that I’ll put over it when the leaves start to jump.

 

[GBBUDD]

helix takes the standard pool skimmer and makes a three basket strainer one stalked on another on a third that can hold a decent amount of leaves. i had / have the helix but it fell short as i was traveling and had to be able to handle far more . like the video