My add-on bog build

[ruthanneschulte]

Thanks everyone!
The important thing is the water is now flowing through the bog. Now I can take my time adding rocks to hide the liner.
Tomorrow we're heading over to one of our favorite nurseries for more plants. That nursery is big on ponding too. He has some amazing fish in his ponds. He gives free seminars every year for fall closing and spring opening of ponds.

Hi. Now that it has been 2 years, were you able to clean the pipes? Did your rocks clog up? Are you able to pump stuff out of your PVC?

 

[Mmathis]

Hi, @ruthanneschulte! We love new faces! Why not go over to our “introductions” topic and tell us a little about yourself!

 

[poconojoe]

Hi. Now that it has been 2 years, were you able to clean the pipes? Did your rocks clog up? Are you able to pump stuff out of your PVC?

It's all running great.
Water is amazingly clear even with way too many fish, including a handful of large koi.
No backups, no clogs, all flowing nicely.
It has been running constantly since startup. I never shut it off, even in the dead of winter. I'm in zone 6b, so it gets pretty cold.

In the beginning I would do a flush through the clean-out stacks every couple of months, but I haven't done that in quite a while now. I don't think it's necessary to do it so often. I'll probably do it come Springtime and then maybe come Fall.

The bog has made my pond pretty much maintenance free. Less work means more enjoyment.
I highly recommend it.

 

[ruthanneschulte]

It's all running great.
Water is amazingly clear even with way too many fish, including a handful of large koi.
No backups, no clogs, all flowing nicely.
It has been running constantly since startup. I never shut it off, even in the dead of winter. I'm in zone 6b, so it gets pretty cold.

In the beginning I would do a flush through the clean-out stacks every couple of months, but I haven't done that in quite a while now. I don't think it's necessary to do it so often. I'll probably do it come Springtime and then maybe come Fall.

The bog has made my pond pretty much maintenance free. Less work means more enjoyment.
I highly recommend it.

How do you flush it? Would prefer not to have to pay for a snorkel, etc if your pipes are working! Do you just unscrew the cap endings? Are you able to direct the flow outside the bog? If so, how do you do that? I would love to see an updated picture.

 

[poconojoe]

How do you flush it? Would prefer not to have to pay for a snorkel, etc if your pipes are working! Do you just unscrew the cap endings? Are you able to direct the flow outside the bog? If so, how do you do that? I would love to see an updated picture.

From post #48 in this thread:

Every once in a while, maybe every two months, I see a slow down in the water returning to the pond. Here's where the clean-out stacks come into play. I just turn off the pump, unscrew one of the caps and turn the pump back on. The water shoots out black for a few seconds, then clears. I shut off the pump, cap it back up, then do my second one. I direct the water with an 1-1/2" hose into a nearby flower bed. Good fertilizer!

 

[ATP]

Hey @poconojoe, i am writing up my parts list of my bog. Its similar sized to yours (11'x6'). Trying to decided if I need just two diffuser pipes like you have or three. Have you been happy with the two or would you add a 3rd if you could do it again?

 

[poconojoe]

Hey @poconojoe, i am writing up my parts list of my bog. Its similar sized to yours (11'x6'). Trying to decided if I need just two diffuser pipes like you have or three. Have you been happy with the two or would you add a 3rd if you could do it again?

I see the water percolating all over the surface, even where there's no diffuser below. So it seems the water gets well distributed.
So, if I were to do it all over, I would do it the same, 2 diffusers.

 

[GBBUDD]

The more diffusers there are the more it's like a matrix / aquablock bog getting water perking up through all of the stone . of course there's water every where but its will delay more water throughout the BOTTOM of the bog.

 

[ATP]

The more diffusers there are the more it's like a matrix / aquablock bog getting water perking up through all of the stone . of course there's water every where but its will delay more water throughout the BOTTOM of the bog.

So 6’ wide bog, was going to add 2, should I add a third?

 

[exeter]

Just wondering if there are good tutorials/diagrams out there for how to build the PVC structure that goes under the gravel?

 

[poconojoe]

Just wondering if there are good tutorials/diagrams out there for how to build the PVC structure that goes under the gravel?

If you have experience with PVC pipe, it's not difficult.
If you don't have experience with PVC pipe, it's still easy. We can help you with the basics if needed.

If you look through this thread, you will see how the undergravel manifolds look.

If you have specific questions, just ask.

 

[snoozer]

Thought i would ask a couple quick questions. I have a start on a 12x10 bog hoping to dig down 18 inches but i think the tree roots are going to win this battle. How many diffusers i would need? What size pump would you recommend? The bog is an add-on this year and I already have two 4,000GPH pumps feeding the header pond for the waterfall and stream.

 

[poconojoe]

Thought i would ask a couple quick questions. I have a start on a 12x10 bog hoping to dig down 18 inches but i think the tree roots are going to win this battle. How many diffusers i would need? What size pump would you recommend? The bog is an add-on this year and I already have two 4,000GPH pumps feeding the header pond for the waterfall and stream.

I guess it depends on the diameter of the pipes you use. I used 2" pvc and ran two of them 10 feet long. My bog is 14' X 5'.
It certainly can't hurt to have more manifold branches.

I will tell you this:
My water level is above my gravel right now (I'll try and explain that later) and I can literally see water percolating up through the gravel everywhere, even in areas where there is no manifold below.
So, this tells me there is even distribution throughout the bog.

My pump is just over 3600 gph and seems perfect as far as how fast it exists the bog.
You don't want it to run too fast through the bog. I think you mentioned 4,000 gph. I think that will also be perfect.

And a note on the water level:
Let me see if I can explain this.
I was flushing my manifolds via the clean-out stacks. I do one at a time.
I had left one open by accident for about 20-30 seconds after turning the pump back on.
This highered the water level to a couple of inches above the gravel and spillway.
I turned the pump back off to screw the cap back on the stack, then turned it back on.
Now, since the pump is on, the water level has stayed above the gravel. The pump is keeping it at that level even though it's higher than the spillway.
If I keep the pump off while the "extra" water drains, then turn it back on, it will keep at the level just below the gravel.
Does this make sense? Hopefully!

Water level can be a funny thing.
Imagine letting your bog completely drain back to your pond. Your pond will overflow!
If you turn off your pump and not open the pump output pipe to break the vacuum, the water will be siphoned out of the bog.

 

[snoozer]

I guess it depends on the diameter of the pipes you use. I used 2" pvc and ran two of them 10 feet long. My bog is 14' X 5'.
It certainly can't hurt to have more manifold branches.

I will tell you this:
My water level is above my gravel right now (I'll try and explain that later) and I can literally see water percolating up through the gravel everywhere, even in areas where there is no manifold below.
So, this tells me there is even distribution throughout the bog.

My pump is just over 3600 gph and seems perfect as far as how fast it exists the bog.
You don't want it to run too fast through the bog. I think you mentioned 4,000 gph. I think that will also be perfect.

And a note on the water level:
Let me see if I can explain this.
I was flushing my manifolds via the clean-out stacks. I do one at a time.
I had left one open by accident for about 20-30 seconds after turning the pump back on.
This highered the water level to a couple of inches above the gravel and spillway.
I turned the pump back off to screw the cap back on the stack, then turned it back on.
Now, since the pump is on, the water level has stayed above the gravel. The pump is keeping it at that level even though it's higher than the spillway.
If I keep the pump off while the "extra" water drains, then turn it back on, it will keep at the level just below the gravel.
Does this make sense? Hopefully!

Water level can be a funny thing.
Imagine letting your bog completely drain back to your pond. Your pond will overflow!
If you turn off your pump and not open the pump output pipe to break the vacuum, the water will be siphoned out of the bog.

Thanks so much for your response! I won't use one of the 4,000 pumps as both are needed to have a decent amount of water going over the waterfall which is about 4 foot wide and stream that starts with a 2 foot wide waterfall, which go separate directions. I had been looking at purchasing a 2,500gph pump but it sounds like that won't be enough.

You mentioned the pump output pipe. Is this a valve installed where the flex PVC gets connected to the manifold? Or is it the cap on the cleanouts? I am just a bit confused.

 

[poconojoe]

One thing I wish I had done with the two clean-out stacks.
A valve on each one, then connect them together with a wye fitting and have a single pipe running out of the bog into a nearby garden.
It would make flushing easier. I would just uncap the pipe in the garden then open each valve, one at a time.
I wouldn't even need to turn the pump off and on so many times.

I think, when I get a chance, I will do the alteration.