bog filter with waterfall construction questions

[allif]

mine is just pea gravel, others have used different sized stones, other have added aqua blocks, snorkels etc. Mine is simple, liner, pvc, gravel , plants oh and water.........................

sounds like the way to go - especially since i'm expecting a big load of pea gravel this weekend!
thanks for the feedback...

 

[addy1]

@addy1 ,nice views. I'm not sure I've ever seen the dimensions of your big pond; would you fill in the blanks? Including any various depths.

Approximately, 26 feet long, biggest width is about 20, angles down to around 12-15 feet wide, depth from 5.5 feet going up to 2 feet, right at the crawl out is about a foot. Notice all the approximates. I bought a 26x30 foot net to cover the pond, hung high dropping down 3ish feet and it just covered it.

I was bound (up slope side) by our septic tank found while digging, the septic line found while digging up slope side and west end. A wall of solid rock on the west end, east end the interior fence line, shale, our slope, dug down the uphill side by 4ish feet build up the down slope side by 7ish feet to make a flat spot.

Some liner shows here and there, not perfect, but I love it.

 

[brokensword]

Approximately, 26 feet long, biggest width is about 20, angles down to around 12-15 feet wide, depth from 5.5 feet going up to 2 feet, right at the crawl out is about a foot. Notice all the approximates. I bought a 26x30 foot net to cover the pond, hung high dropping down 3ish feet and it just covered it.

I was bound (up slope side) by our septic tank found while digging, the septic line found while digging up slope side and west end. A wall of solid rock on the west end, east end the interior fence line, shale, our slope, dug down the uphill side by 4ish feet build up the down slope side by 7ish feet to make a flat spot.

Some liner shows here and there, not perfect, but I love it.

Thanks! I knew it was larger, just didn't hit me from any earlier pics until I saw those you just posted! Guess when you dug, you didn't really have a plan, hey? Just sort of dug until you hit something? ha!

Did you also dig steps to make it easier to get in and out? I never did, not even with the expansion as I never figured I'd need them.

 

[addy1]

Just sort of dug until you hit something? ha!

Sort of, put also sort of had a plan. Laid a garden hose down there sort of drew it out. Dug the stream first, went from a straight down to a swtichback stream, slope too steep for straight down. About a 25 degree slope near the house.

Then dug the pond. The septic tank for sure was a blockage, the line was a stop point that wall of solid rock was a stop point The fence and huge maple was a stop point

Did you also dig steps to make it easier to get in and out? I

No I just have the low spot, it drops down sort of fast but sloped enough you can get out. I sloped it for me and for the critters ie deer , that seem to fall in. The liner was huge, don't recall the size exactly, something like 50 x 45 the stream was 85 x 10

 

[Lisak1]

Did you also dig steps to make it easier to get in and out?

"Steps" don't need to be STEPS exactly, but every pond should have a way for any creature that needs a way out to get out. A low end like @addy1 built is one way, especially if you have a big pond and don't mind losing the depth. We built ours with a "steps" that are actually big boulders - the first "step" is 12 inches down, the second another 12 and then step down to pond depth. From the outside it appears to drop straight down at that point. It's also our feeding spot for the fish where they can come right up to the edge.

One other thing I've noticed - early on those boulders were rather slippery with algae and biofilm and I had to take my time getting in and out. Now, ten years later, they're covered with carpet algae which gives you great traction. Much easier to navigate!

 

[addy1]

I forgot I have a big rock about a foot plus in, it is my don't slip rock. The slope makes it a bit hard to keep your footing so the rock gives me a place to brace myself as I walk in.

 

[gimpy]

Wow! Is all that netting to keep herons out?

 

[addy1]

Wow! Is all that netting to keep herons out?

Yes They came and fished for 4 years straight, I have a lot of videos of them walking up to the pond. They would land in the back field and spend 30 plus minutes walking up then stalk around the pond. I watched them snag a few fish. Tried alligator heads, fishing line, sprinklers, fencing, nothing worked until the wide weave net hung about 3 feet over the surface. The cams are under it. When you look at the pond it is not real noticeable.

They fly over our house every day, we have rookery just west of us.

 

[gimpy]

Wow, glad I don’t have that problem.

 

[brokensword]

Wow, glad I don’t have that problem.

wait till LPS kicks in; you will!

 

[brokensword]

"Steps" don't need to be STEPS exactly, but every pond should have a way for any creature that needs a way out to get out. A low end like @addy1 built is one way, especially if you have a big pond and don't mind losing the depth. We built ours with a "steps" that are actually big boulders - the first "step" is 12 inches down, the second another 12 and then step down to pond depth. From the outside it appears to drop straight down at that point. It's also our feeding spot for the fish where they can come right up to the edge.

One other thing I've noticed - early on those boulders were rather slippery with algae and biofilm and I had to take my time getting in and out. Now, ten years later, they're covered with carpet algae which gives you great traction. Much easier to navigate!

hmm, well, I never intended to get in so other than plant shelves a foot down, that's it! You fall in, you better know how to swim! (not actually; the original portion is 40-46" deep, so you can just stand up but the couple of times I did fall in, I had my winter boards stretched across and just hauled myself out with those.)