Intake bay and pebble "beach" as a skimmer for larger debris

[RobAmy]

Ask me that again - do you mean how did we decide how many blocks to use? Or how much water each block will hold?

Sorry that was not clear, I meant the amount of blocks. You said yours was a 1000 gallons, how did you come to that. Pump size, pond size etc. My pond is roughly 3500 gallons and my pump is 5000gph. I am not sure if I need 500 gallons, 1000 gallons etc

Thanks for the info you provided.

 

[Lisak1]

Long story short - our original intent was to build underground water storage to have a source for water in an emergency. Period. That's how we came across AquaBlox. Then we learned you need to keep the water circulating somehow - some people use a fountain or a bubbling boulder. Next thing I knew we were building a pond. haha! Most expensive water storage idea EVER.

There was no real math built into the decision as to how big the underground storage would be. We basically built the biggest vault we could afford/have room for. AquaBlox are not cheap, so it was a bit of an investment. We have 32 large AquaBlox in our basin - each one holds 32 gallons of water, so roughly 1000 gallons. We added the 1000 gallons to our pond volume of 2500 gallons plus our bog volume (which also has aquaBlox in it - I think we have another 8 or 10 in there) of 600 gallons when we sized our pump. Obviously you want to consider all the water volume, not just the pond.

 

[bagsmom]

I went through and watched some more videos from Mark The Pond Advisor. I found one where he talked about the difference between using a pump vault and using a pump underneath the intake bay and inside an aqua block. The main difference is in the power of the pump. He said when using a pump that is stronger than 800-ish GPH, you need a pump vault. Otherwise, the big suction can deform the aqua block. Below that GPH, it's fine to use a pump within the block. I will see how all the math works once I decide size, distance, depth, height, etc. But it seems like for my purposes, that should work fine!

 

[Blueeyes]

Hi I'm thinking about doing this as well in my 800 gallon pond. The first 10 inch shelf is a bog it is fed by a pump that sits on the second shelf 18 in deep. Pond is 3 ft deep. I also have two aerators across from the bog as well as a thousand gallon an hour pump at the bottom of the pot pond going to a waterfall at the opposite end of the bog. thinking about putting and intake Bay at the other end of my bog Shelf I'm taking the pump currently on the 18 in deep second shelf and putting it in there to act as a skimmer and bring the water into the bog. It would be much easier for me to maintain and clean. Do you think this could work?

 

[Blueeyes]

 

[bagsmom]

Since I've never done one before, I'll let the experts answer! I do know that Mark The Pond Advisor said he is doing an intake bay video coming out on YouTube - maybe next week? I can't wait to see it! I have so much to learn! Your pond is very pretty! That is a giant fish!

 

[Blueeyes]

Thanks he was in a hundred gallon preformed Pond 2 years ago he's the reason I went to an 800 gallon pond LOL

 

[paul5555]

I wonder if something like this can be made a little simpler and done DIY - kind of like the PVC bog manifold vs. a repurchased centipede - maybe? I was watching the Pond Advisor (I will see if I can figure out how to attach a link to the video) and the one he did for this small pond looked simple. But he didn't get into a lot of the mechanics. If I had a wall separating the main pond from the intake bay "chamber," could I just put my submersible pump below a unit of aqua blocks, then cover the block unit with screen and then marble sized gravel? Cord could sneak out somewhere and same with the piping? Possible? I'm trying to keep the cost as low as possible and avoid buying all the specialized equipment this go round. But that may not be doable. I need to do some more research.
One thing I do wonder -- is it easier to NOT notice when the pond level drops too low? It's very obvious with the skimmer unit, but seems harder to see with the intake bay.

Hello Here are a few videos I have made regarding my pond build take a look and let me know what you think. It would be nice if you can advise me on the intake bay idea I am playing with thanks.

 

[TimsPond]

New member, following along with this thread, as I am interested in an intake bay over a skimmer.

 

[GBBUDD]

I did not read every thread here but the first mentions of the intake bay are incorrect here. An intake bay is within the pond it is not separated from the pond it is just a narrow area where the water is pulled into. it and at which point if the power should go out the debris that was sucked in can and will be released and it can migrate back into the pond and when trying to clean out all that is sucked in it to can and will be in the pond.
A negative edge has a divider and once the debris / and or water is pulled in it can not get back into the pond. It can drop into an area that is dry and cobbles where you can pull out the leaves and plant matter . or it can fall into an other small pond and you can shut he water off stir up the rocks and net out what was pulled in .

 

[GBBUDD]

Here are a few videos

they did not work for me Add them to youtube and once your done copy the web address and copy it to the post

 

[GBBUDD]

IN MY TREAD BELOW I JUST ADDED SOME VERY GOOD AND YET CRITICAL VIDEOS ANYONE CAN PICK UP A TIP FROM . it's in regards to intake bays negative edge and advanced wetland filters

 

[TimL94]

I had a similar post on this subject and it was explained to me that it was more effort than it was worth. And cleaning the rocks was a lot harder than you'd expect and gets clogged up.

 

[GBBUDD]

a negative edge or an intake bay have there advantage over a skimmer. the skimmer has an advantage of being able to have a basket lifted out and have the larger debris removed. I do not have that ability to do that often. But at the end of the day i would strongly disagree . there is a reason skimmers are more popular and are so expensive . they know the alternative is even more money and more work But my negative edge gave me another waterfall. SCORE

 

[Lisak1]

it was explained to me that it was more effort than it was worth.

I think you misunderstood that conversation. If I remember correctly, you were describing a plan that combined a bog and a skimmer, with water being fed over a negative edge into the top of the bog. That idea was discouraged as it's not how a constructed wetland filter works. Correct me if I'm wrong about that.