My Bog Filter Build

[falconut]

Thanks to Addy1, I've got my plants all planted. She gave me lots of great stuff, just don't really know which is what or really what they'll look like grown out. Now it'll give me something new to watch grow.

It may not look like it from the photo below, but there's a lot in there. I added a couple atrium grates to keep the larger debris from clogging the outlets. I've got the tops just below the container lip, so it just keep rising up the grates, giving me time to clean them.

 

[j.w]

Looking good falcon!

 

[rebelangel_3733]

Wish mine were done but yours looks great!

 

[addy1]

That looks great! Take a look at the post I made for shipping, most are pictured there as what they looked like when I shipped them. But it will be fun to have the surprise of growth. The obedience and marsh betomy have to the back they both get tall.

 

[brandonsdad02]

I had gotten some Marsh betomy from a friend here locally and it was rather invasive.. I ended up getting rid of it because it was forcing water out of the waterfall and into the ground. Your bog will do great the first year. You did a great job with that!!

 

[fishin4cars]

Great build and Thank you for the sequence of photo's to explain each step. I love his DIY project. Has it improved the water clarity any yet? How do you plan on back flushing the lines when needed?

 

[falconut]

Great build and Thank you for the sequence of photo's to explain each step. I love his DIY project. Has it improved the water clarity any yet? How do you plan on back flushing the lines when needed?

Thank you. Haven't had a chance to get any more stone or rocks, so it still looks the same.

No improvement on clarity yet. I imagine I'd have to wait until the plants really start growing. I don't really see much growth yet.

As for flushing, If I unscrew the clean-up the water blows out there. I figure that will help to remove any larger objects. If I do need to flush in the opposite direction, I'll just pull the reducer bushing (didn't glue) off the inlet side and put on the clean out to force it backwards.

 

[falconut]

I had gotten some Marsh betomy from a friend here locally and it was rather invasive.. I ended up getting rid of it because it was forcing water out of the waterfall and into the ground. Your bog will do great the first year. You did a great job with that!!

Thanks. I'm hoping that I'll be able to see the bottom this summer once the plants get a growing.

 

[brandonsdad02]

If you can, try using a basket of some sort with some quilt batting in it. It will help with clearing things up. As for the plants. You may not see too much growth at first. They have to form new roots, but once they do....look out.

 

[falconut]

Update: My pond has gotten pretty green, same as last year. I might be able to see down maybe 6". Good news, several of the bog plants have started to grow. I don't have a full shot of it, but here's how it's looked for several weeks now. This photo is when I first started running water through the bog, without gravel or plants.



We had a lot of rain yesterday and when I went out this morning, I can now see down pretty far. The water looks clearer than it's been in a long time. Maybe the filter's staring to kick in. Here's what it looked like.

 

[MitchM]

I like your project.
How do you protect the bog from freezing damage in the winter?

 

[addy1]

I just let mine freeze, but it is a liner and in the ground. The freezing does not damage the plants, the main issue would be the container.

 

[falconut]

I like your project.
How do you protect the bog from freezing damage in the winter?

I'll have to let you know next year. I'm hoping that opening up both ends of the pipe and that it's only 12" deep keeps it from breaking. I spoke with Rubbermaid and it's supposed to handle the winter weather (of course without gravel). So only time will tell.

 

[herzausstahl]

I like your project.
How do you protect the bog from freezing damage in the winter?

He's using a live stock tank so it should be tough enough to stand up to the cold, plus it's open on top for the freezing water to have a place to expand too. As for the seals he created, no idea on those. Don't know if you will have to recaulk those in the future.

 

[falconut]

All the sudden the pond cleared up and it's been crystal clear for about two weeks now. Not sure where all the gravel on the bottom came from. But, glad I can now see it. I have to assume it was the bog that's making it this clear, it was never like this last year with the submersible filter. Here's some photos of it:
Looking from the side, across the bog:


Looking at the right side, can even see the pump on the bottom, that's about 2 - 2.5' down: