Help with Garden Koi pond!

[brokensword]

The cleanup has seemed to have helped with clogging the pump and filling filters with a ton of muck. But now I am really curious about the bog filtration. I think I misspoke about the bog filtration. Im actually not certain if I have that or not. I assumed that having bog plants was the same as having bog filtration. I have two areas of dense bog plants. On one side of pond I have water iris and water plantains. On opposite side I have pickerel plants. Both sides are in the pond just elevated. I did find a green covered container inside my mulch. I took a picture of it. I thought it was for my waterfall at first but maybe its the bog filtration. It looks like a valve with three pipes. Right now it is closed. I will post a picture. Thank you so much for your help!

The pic is a valve for something;what? Hard to say. Would definitely open it and see. Read about bogs here on the forum and see if it truly is what you have. If you don't, consider turning those two bog plant areas into one. You'll thank us later and you won't have pads to ever clean again!

 

[Lynnette murray]

Sounds like you might have a passive bog system vs. active. No problem with that. Active bogs work better, but they're more complicated.

A few folks have asked if your pump is on the bottom of the pond, but since you have a skimmer, I'd imagine the pump is in the skimmer box, correct?

Yes..the pump is in the skimmer box and can't be elevated because its somehow connected to a PVC pipe. Im not sure why we have a PVC pipe connected to it. Thats why it sits on the bottom. But that sucking noise has not happened again since the clean out. I also bought a testing kit. Ph was 6.5, ammonia and nitrates were at 0 and phosphates was .50. I did notice some white foam under the waterfall though...hopefully that clears up within the next couple of days.

 

[Lynnette murray]

The pic is a valve for something;what? Hard to say. Would definitely open it and see. Read about bogs here on the forum and see if it truly is what you have. If you don't, consider turning those two bog plant areas into one. You'll thank us later and you won't have pads to ever clean again!

I turned it on and it seems to feed more water to the waterfall. The waterfall splits into two sides about half way through just above the Japanese maple tree. There are two hoses that feed more water out when I turn the valve on. So that's good to know. So sadly, I probably have passive bogs on both sides of pond.

 

[brokensword]

I turned it on and it seems to feed more water to the waterfall. The waterfall splits into two sides about half way through just above the Japanese maple tree. There are two hoses that feed more water out when I turn the valve on. So that's good to know. So sadly, I probably have passive bogs on both sides of pond.

Wel, they're only bogs if any water is fed in and there's a return to your pond. Easy to probably turn them into real bogs but will involve plant removal,temporarily, and installation of some piping. Again, search bogs to see if it's your cup of tea.

 

[GBBUDD]

The cleanup has seemed to have helped with clogging the pump and filling filters with a ton of muck. But now I am really curious about the bog filtration. I think I misspoke about the bog filtration. Im actually not certain if I have that or not. I assumed that having bog plants was the same as having bog filtration. I have two areas of dense bog plants. On one side of pond I have water iris and water plantains. On opposite side I have pickerel plants. Both sides are in the pond just elevated. I did find a green covered container inside my mulch. I took a picture of it. I thought it was for my waterfall at first but maybe its the bog filtration. It looks like a valve with three pipes. Right now it is closed. I will post a picture. Thank you so much for your help!

it's a directional valve the water comes in one hose hit's the valve where you can turn the valve and sent the water to one pipe or the other. some of the older valves will even allow both pipes to be used at once

 

[Lynnette murray]

it's a directional valve the water comes in one hose hit's the valve where you can turn the valve and sent the water to one pipe or the other. some of the older valves will even allow both pipes to be used at once

Thank you!

 

[Lynnette murray]

Wel, they're only bogs if any water is fed in and there's a return to your pond. Easy to probably turn them into real bogs but will involve plant removal,temporarily, and installation of some piping. Again, search bogs to see if it's your cup of tea.

Will look into it..thanks!