It has begun

[MTguy]

Just checking in... on myself? I've worked on the pond the last two weekends. The bog is 90% done, just needs a bit more rock work around the edges. The upper waterfall is built, but not foamed yet. I've expanded the main pond area because I had enough liner, so why wouldn't I? The overflow area is rebuilt after fixing the leak. I've got my distribution manifold built and if I really wanted I could hook up the upper bio filter/falls and the bog; but the stream isn't done yet so I would lose all the water.

A couple of questions for the hive mind.
1) Is lava rock sufficient for my bio-filter/waterfalls or do I need to spring for plastic bio-balls? I have two of the Aquascape waterfall filters (the cheap ones... if I was rich enough to afford the nice ones I wouldn't be digging a pond with a shovel).
2) I'm a little worried I won't have enough water flow in my waterfall to make it look "right." Has anyone added a hidden pvc pipe mid-waterfall to plus up the waterflow when you want the extra oomph? I'm looking for a picture for inspiration. I'll try to get some pictures up soon.

 

[combatwombat]

Pics or it didn't happen!

Is lava rock sufficient for my bio-filter/waterfalls or do I need to spring for plastic bio-balls?

It's worked for many ponders for many decades. Maybe more like millennia. I think the bio balls will give you a lot more surface area in the same volume of space and be easier to remove if ever necessary.

Has anyone added a hidden pvc pipe mid-waterfall to plus up the waterflow when you want the extra oomph?

Not sure I follow. The look of the stream/waterfall will be determined by the flow rate of your pump at the head pressure you're working with and the width of the spillways you have built into the falls.

If you're talking about sticking a pvc pipe higher up in your stream to funnel water off to somewhere lower, I think you would only do that if you were trying to get another falls some place where the natural fall of the waterfall would not bring the water to. Taking water from higher up the falls and inserting it somewhere below—where it would naturally end up anyway—wouldn't do much.

If you're talking about running a separate pump that outputs halfway up the falls just to get a better visual appearance from more flow, then yeah, that would totally work.

 

[Jhn]

Will just add, personally, with a properly sized and constructed bog I wouldn’t bother putting any bio media in the waterfall box/filter, they end up just catching crap and clogging up ime. Besides between the bog an pond itself there should be plenty of ssa for the bacteria to colonize.

 

[MTguy]

Will just add, personally, with a properly sized and constructed bog I wouldn’t bother putting any bio media in the waterfall box/filter, they end up just catching crap and clogging up ime. Besides between the bog an pond itself there should be plenty of ssa for the bacteria to colonize.

Thanks for this. I was kind of thinking along these lines too, but it seemed like a waste to not use the space provided. I’m already pushing water through it, have the media bag, etc.

 

[MTguy]

If you're talking about running a separate pump that outputs halfway up the falls just to get a better visual appearance from more flow, then yeah, that would totally work.

This is what I was thinking, but can’t picture how I’ll hide the pipe without “breaking the seal” of the waterfall. I could probably push more water to this falls and reduce to my other one too, but the idea of a party pump setup piqued my interest.

 

[Jhn]

Thanks for this. I was kind of thinking along these lines too, but it seemed like a waste to not use the space provided. I’m already pushing water through it, have the media bag, etc.

I took mine out and threw it away, currently my water fall filter is overflowing with forget me nots, cant even see it. So my suggestion is use it as another place to put plants.

 

[combatwombat]

This is what I was thinking, but can’t picture how I’ll hide the pipe without “breaking the seal” of the waterfall. I could probably push more water to this falls and reduce to my other one too, but the idea of a party pump setup piqued my interest.

Got it. Plants would probably work best. Squeeze the pipe between two boulders and then plant some sort of spreading, ground cover plant next to it.

Another option is to go through the liner with a bulkhead so the pipe stays below grade the whole time.

 

[MTguy]

I took mine out and threw it away, currently my water fall filter is overflowing with forget me nots, cant even see it. So my suggestion is use it as another place to put plants.

View attachment 139038

My waterfall filter starts underneath my covered deck, so it’s really shaded and there isn’t much vertical room for plants. Still good to know that I don’t “need” it most likely.

 

[Tula]

Well, you sure have a good sense of humor and a good outlook. Looking forward to following along !

 

[MTguy]

From the upper deck looking down. Waterfall from under foot, bubbling rock across the way. The bog filter is underneath, it has a septic chamber for settling, about 11” of 3/8 pea gravel and another inch of river rock on top. It should have about 2” of water on top, then exit over a negative edge to a stream. Obviously it still needs edging treatment and finishing touches.

 

[MTguy]

From the lower deck looking over the bog. Waterfall, bog and lower waterfall (not visible) are fed by a 5200gph pump which should push roughly 3800-4000gph after the reduction for head pressure. Water exits to the right over the negative edge at the right. The rock bubbler doesn’t have a pump yet, but I’m thinking I’ll use a 4000gph pump to push the rock bubbler, a jet next to it to push current towards the stream, another mini-bog, a couple small hidden waterfalls and another jet in the pond.

ETA: I plan to put a stump next to the stairs in the corner area. Plantings when it’s all said and done as well.

 

[MTguy]

From the bottom of the stream looking toward the bog. Planning the mini-bog and a hidden falls on the right side of the stream. Stream is approximately 20’ long. From under the deck is another stream that goes directly to the main pond. Still need to clean up the berm behind the upper waterfall.

 

[MTguy]

Not much to look at, but looking at the pond (3’ deep, 8’ wide, by approximately 12’ long. Over the hump is my negative edge chamber (that would still function as an intake bay if the water level got high enough) made of 2 septic chambers, some perforated pipe and 2 butt-loads of rock. That is the technical term…

I’m planning to finish the area between the two with a very large log. There are two pump vaults. Out of site to the right is the fire pit area.

 

[MTguy]

Made enough progress to hook up the pumps. Now I need to do a better job of foaming my mini bog, my lower tier on my top waterfall, then start prettying up the thing. I need to find a good way to gauge how much water is going through my main bog. I might be under pumped, as I’m using a 5400 gph to run both waterfalls and the bog. I’m also running a 4500 gph accessory pump to push my bubblers, mini bog, and soon to be a bubbling pot on the lower area.

My goal is to have this buttoned up and my fire pit area landscaped with some rock berms and plantings.

Enjoy, and sorry about the wind. It’s North Dakota though, so it’s fitting.

 

[Jhn]

Coming along nicely, good job. Like all the wood you are incorporating into the streams .