Converting Small Pond to Bog Filter?

[ElBlanco]

Hello. This is my first pond and I apologize in advance if I don't have the correct terminology or am not clear in my description. I built a small pond (about 200 gallons) that overflows into a stream that runs into a bigger pond (a little shy of 600 gallons). I have 6 goldfish/shubunkins in the big pond and no fish in the small one. I have 3 pumps in the big pond. 1 runs to a filter into a waterfall into the small pond. One runs into a filter with a 9v UV light into a waterfall in the big pond and the other runs into a filter with a 13v UV light then into a waterfall in the big pond. I also have an aerator with 2 air stones in the big pond. I'm finishing the landscaping now and have been reading about bog filters and would like to add one. Here is my plan and I'd like advice on if it would work. If not, I may add one in a barrel where there are currently no stones in the landscaping.

My thought is taking the waterfall out of the small pond. I'd take the existing flexible pvc and add holes to it and place it in the bottom of the small pond. Then layer it with gravel and then get plants for on top of the gravel. The water, in theory, would come up through the gravel and plants flow out of the low end into the stream that has pea gravel and into the bigger pond. Would this be ok? All bog filters I've seen/read about are built where the water rises to the top then flows into a PVC pipe then down through a hole in the barrel. In my thinking, my design is the same concept except it's not going down the PVC but instead flowing out at the top. The only issue I can think of is that there is no drainage tube. Is that 100% a necessity and if my design would work in every way except for the drainage, is there any advice on how to solve that problem?

I'm adding more plants to the main pond next season. I finished the pond after the season here and everywhere that sold aquatic plants were out. I was advised by multiple places to come back between April and July for more selection. I was lucky to get three plants and one had parrots feather in them. Those and my lillies have duplicated in the month and a half since getting them. I also have been buying anacharis for submerged plants here and there. I'm also trying the sweet potato thing since I've read so many good things on it. That's what is floating in the Styrofoam. Once they have enough roots, I'm going to find a better way to anchor them instead of the styrofoam. I'm also going to plant the slips in the bog and maybe in the stream.

Thanks for anyone that can help. Sorry for the length but wanted to be as specific as possible. If I missed anything, please let me know and I'll respond.

 

[Hound Heaven]

Yep, sure looks like you've got the pond bug too. Sweet potatoes huh? I guess any plant with roots will help. Your climate will help you decide what works best and there are lots of plants to try.

As for your pond conversion into a bog, the only thing that comes to mind is that the water flow should be reduced to a slow trickle. And you mentioned a drainage tube, I imagine that would be as a cleanout that some folks have. In a bog that small, I wouldn't bother with a cleanout, you can always dig it out easily.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Laaf]

I think you have a great idea to use your small pond as a bog.

I would make a PVC pipe system to place in the bottom of your little pond and then take the flexible PVC that runs to the little pond waterfall and connect it to the rigid bog piping. Yes keep the overflow and stream to the little pond. You still have time to make a cleanouts in the new piping.

Here are pics of the most recent container bog I made for my little pond. The flexible piping runs from the pump to the rigid PVC pipe.

I know my outflow from the bog is not the most attractive, yours will be better. I figure plants will cover it eventually. This was just after I planted plants. These exit baskets are at an angle because I made the holes higher than I should have and needed to tilt them for more shallow water.

 

[j.w]

and welcome @ElBlanco

 

[ElBlanco]

Yep, sure looks like you've got the pond bug too. Sweet potatoes huh? I guess any plant with roots will help. Your climate will help you decide what works best and there are lots of plants to try.

As for your pond conversion into a bog, the only thing that comes to mind is that the water flow should be reduced to a slow trickle. And you mentioned a drainage tube, I imagine that would be as a cleanout that some folks have. In a bog that small, I wouldn't bother with a cleanout, you can always dig it out easily.

Good luck and have fun.

Thanks. Yeah, I definitely have the bug. This started out as just a little backyard pond for some frogs we have hanging around and now I'm thinking of ways to expand this one in the future. That's good that I may be able to get away without a cleanout. That was something that I don't think I could add to the existing pond.

Edit: I forgot to add about the sweet potatoes. I've heard these work wonders for water clarity and keeping the pond healthy. It's also a good place for the fish to hide/hang out. Since I don't have enough plants in there, I thought I'd try it. The pond is in full sun for a big part of the day because that was the only viable place to have one. They grow like crazy and the roots help with the water and the leaves help with shade. Once I have everything completed with the bog, the sweet potato plants should be full grown. I'll post a follow up and let everyone know how the bog and sweet potatoes worked out.

 

[ElBlanco]

I think you have a great idea to use your small pond as a bog.

I would make a PVC pipe system to place in the bottom of your little pond and then take the flexible PVC that runs to the little pond waterfall and connect it to the rigid bog piping. Yes keep the overflow and stream to the little pond. You still have time to make a cleanouts in the new piping.

Here are pics of the most recent container bog I made for my little pond. The flexible piping runs from the pump to the rigid PVC pipe.

I know my outflow from the bog is not the most attractive, yours will be better. I figure plants will cover it eventually. This was just after I planted plants. These exit baskets are at an angle because I made the holes higher than I should have and needed to tilt them for more shallow water.

Thank you. So, I was going to just use one flexible PVC in the small pond but looking at your pictures, your build is definitely the way to go. That would help with the amount of water coming up and through the gravel and spread it more evenly. Also, now that I'm converting it to a bog, I'm removing the rocks around the landscaping and will use plants for edging. This is a project I'm starting now but won't be able to finish until Spring due to the availability of aquatic plants. What plants do you have in yours or are planning to add to it?

 

[Laaf]

The bog starts working even without plants. Your water will be clearer in 48 hours just from sediment sticking to the bog rocks. And bacteria will start to colonize. And you can try sweet potato in your bog. You can see one in mine I got at a hardware store as a plant. I'm not sure if it will survive the winter. In the pic there is rainbow celery, yerba mansa, sweet flag grass, and aquatic clover of some kind. And 2 cardinal plants that have yet to bloom. My first bog became mostly aquatic mint as it outgrew everything. My big bog has become mostly pennywort since it has overgrown everything else. I can always yank some out if I want to give other plants a chance. I would go ahead and do your bog as soon as you can. Add some plants as soon as you can and some in the spring. But just a gravel bog is helpful.