How do you get rid of pea gravel silt in a new bog?

[taherrmann4]

I used a bucket with lots of holes in it and washed 2 scoops of gravel doing it this way. Took a very very long time but when I turned on my pump to the bog it was still cloudy however it did clear up within a day if I remember correctly. I would try some of the suggestions as the others have said like using quilt batting to filter it out and see if this does not improve your water clarity.

 

[addy1]

@addy1 how long would you expect before my water clarity improves? I would've expected to see some sort of improvement by now but its just as bad as when I put the pea gravel in.

Can't recall syndrome, I filled the pond in 2010, it was a mess it cleared, don't recall the time line, that was with unwashed gravel. I know now when I muck up the pond it is just hours to at the most a day to clear.

Make a fines filter, water running though batting, slow flow pond to bucket back to pond that will help. Good suggestions above.

We had 32000 pounds of unwashed pea gravel .................in our bog (just found the paperwork)

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I did see a small improvement today. I can make out a pot that is about 4 inches down, where yesterday I could see it at all.

 

[koshki]

Argh, what a couple of days. After trying (and not succeeding) to use my tiny shop/vac, I went off to my local pond store to buy a muck/vac. Boy, handling all those handles and hoses while in a wheelchair and maintaining suction is a real challenge! Anyway, I got most of the yucky water out, with only a small amount of silt/gravel left on the bottom.

I then refilled the pond and let it sit for a while to see if the leak was from the pond (it wasn't.) So, next step, turn on the pump to the waterfall to check that, right?

Well, not so fast. My darling DH, after being asked THREE times if we should turn off the pump lest we pump the skimmer dry (to which he answered, "Naw, it will be ok,") failed to tell me that yesterday morning he found it making a lot of noise before he turned it off.

The same noise it made when I turned it back on. Until it didn't make any noise again at all. So, instead of telling me and/or checking to see if the pump had fried the night before, he let me drive all the way up to the pond store and not get the pump we needed to replace our new boat anchor.

So, today I trekked back up there and bought a new pump. After he returned home from work, he installed it, with much @!@#@# and %^%&&^&.

Ladies, you will be very proud of me...I didn't say, "I told you so!" But my tongue is shorter tonight!

Anyway, I ran the waterfall for an hour with no loss of water. Then we turned on the bog. Because he had to change the pump and power cord, while he was in the area, I had him shore up the area I suspect was where the bog was leaking. I am happy to report that after 1 1/2 hours of operation, the water levels are still the same!

Still, just to be safe, DH has agreed to turn off the pump tonight and back on tomorrow, so I can observe it throughout the day. But fingers crossed, I hope we have this now running properly!

Here's a photo of the new water!

 

[koshki]

Oh, now for the question I came here to ask. When can I introduce my goldfish to their new home? Any special way I should do that? They're in a Rubbermaid tub in the garage...I'd guess the temps are roughly equivalent.

I put some of the beneficial bacteria in today. Will add some stress coat when the fish go in.

 

[falconut]

If the leak is fixed and the water has been dechlorinated, you should be able to add a few to get a cycle started. I added 3 at first, then 3 about a month later and my pond is about 400-500 gallon.