Filter needed?

[Alex_GA]

Dieselpower, this is great! I'll save your reply, as it is a nice summary of steps ahead. Just to clarify, you'd have the filter in the large container and then the pump on the opposite side, in the pond. Pump all the way at the bottom or does it not matter that much?

 

[dieselplower]

For some reason my phone likes to change "pond" to "kind". But yes, the filter outside of the pond, on the edge. Then the pump near the bottom of the pond, towards the opposite end. The danger with putting the pump all the way at the bottom is that if your filter springs a leak or a hose breaks or gets knocked off or whatever, you do risk pumping all the water out of the pond. Ideally you would set a brick or something like that on the bottom, and the pump on the brick. That way if an accident does happen, you will still have 6" of water to hopefully save the fish.

 

[Alex_GA]

Dieselpower, I just drew a rough plan of what the pond would look like based on your recommendation. In your description, you mentioned having water fall off the container into the pond. So, I need to bring the water up to the container. Can you tell me if it would work, like I designed it, with a "hose" connecting from the pump, pushing the pumped water up to the container? If so, I need to figure out a way to somehow disguise the hose. Thanks!

 

[sissy]

put liner around your tank and if it leaks no big deal goes right back in the pond

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Welcome!!

 

[addy1]

to our group!

Have your hose take the water to the bottom of the container so the water works up through your filter material, then waterfalls back into the pond.

 

[sissy]

you can make it go in the top also if you get a tank adapter and a T fitting .This way if you need to put quilt batting in it is easy .The tank adapter sits out far enough for the pipe to sit over it

 

[Mmathis]

Welcome! You are taking the first steps toward a really fun hobby!

Maybe I missed it, but is this a preformed pond or is it a liner? Either way, kinda small for more than just a few goldfish, so plan accordingly. As others have said, read as much as you can: learn, learn, learn! Never stop learning Also, if you keep fish, get a water test kit -- an absolute essential! The smaller your pond, the harder you'll need to work at keeping the water in good balance.

Yes, you want your pump at the opposite side from when your filter flows back into the pond. That keeps the water moving & circulating throughout the entire pond instead of just in a small spot.

If you put your pump on the bottom of the pond, and something happens that drains your pond (been there--done that), you lose everything (if you have fish). Pond will/can completely empty. There is no "rule" that says how deep to sink the pump, but if you have a small pond, look at it and decide how much water will save your fish.

 

[cr8tivguy]

Hey Alex! Welcome to the Forum. I'm a pretty new ponder myself and have gotten pretty much all the questions I have about ponding answered here (great bunch of pond enthusiasts!).

Your diagram shows rocks on the bottom of the pond. It was strongly suggested that I not put rocks on the bottom of my pond because debris will settle in the nooks and crannies and will make it almost impossible to clean the bottom. I think an occasional rock here and there for interest would be fine.

I'm in year two of my pond and I'm glad I didn't put rocks on the bottom. I have a pond vacuum and sucked up 25 gallons of debris that fell in the pond over the last year. Cleaning up the bottom was a snap since I didn't have to vacuum around the rocks.

Also, the liner gets a really cool slime/algae-type growth on it so it doesn't even look like a rubber liner anymore. This is beneficial for your pond as the slime/algae growth converts fish waste. The same would happen on the rocks up until the rocks start getting covered with debris- then it can become toxic.
(please correct me folks if I'm wrong here.)
Tim