New Pond Equipment Advice

[Dutchman0222]

Almost have the excavation completed. Small DIY pond in the backyard corner. 8 x 5 and 4 feet deep max. Kidney shaped. Fish pond.

Is having a Skimmer w/ Pump > Mechanical Filter > Waterfall spillway something in the right direction as far as equipment is concerned?

Is the pump housed in the skimmer enough for pulling into skimmer then into filter and into waterfall. Assuming the pump is rated for enough GPH.

 

[Lisak1]

Welcome @Dutchman0222 !

You just described the typical pond set up, so I think you're fine!

However, if you're still open for design ideas, I would consider a bog filter instead of a biofalls filter. And I'd nix the skimmer for a negative edge... but that's just me!

 

[j.w]

@Dutchman0222

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our forum!

I use external pumps, prefer them. Your thoughts are great!

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

 

[Kirk44]

I left the original skimmer with it's own pump feeding a bio fall going into a stream and fall alone. I then added another pump in the deep area to feed a pondmax 7200 pressure filter. That feeds another waterfall I added downstream from the original waterfall. It looks nice having the 2 falls but if I have to shut one down for maintenance I can keep the other running. The pump at the bottom also helps keep the water moving and keeps the bottom cleaner. That leaves the skimmer doing its job of cleaning the surface.

 

[Mayank]

I left the original skimmer with it's own pump feeding a bio fall going into a stream and fall alone. I then added another pump in the deep area to feed a pondmax 7200 pressure filter. That feeds another waterfall I added downstream from the original waterfall. It looks nice having the 2 falls but if I have to shut one down for maintenance I can keep the other running. The pump at the bottom also helps keep the water moving and keeps the bottom cleaner. That leaves the skimmer doing its job of cleaning the surface.

I really like that idea.
[We built a pond (1800 gal) and have had some issues with our skimmer/biofilter falls because we had to use a medication for a fish disease that killed (presumably) the good bacteria and we added bacteria again but then I used my friend's UV light that I borrowed for a week (she runs hers one wk on and one wk off which is weird to me but it works for her) to see if it would help the green pea soup we had (I was worried about it sucking up too much O2). In three days the algae bloom crashed and the water was clear but ammonia went up (from the decaying algae presumably). We added more bacteria, three more plants and stopped feeding the fish. It is slowly coming down but still between 0.25 - 0.5 which I don't like for long term.]
So, we're thinking of getting a Pondmax 3600 or something similar and using a dedicated pump that will be closer to the bottom (because we don't have a bottom drain and I think that is a problem with our current set up (I know you don't have to have a bottom drain but our unique situation would have benefitted from one I think) and also a pond vacuum to help things along. I do want to be able to feed my fish without having to obsess about the chemistry!

 

[poconojoe]

I really like that idea.
[We built a pond (1800 gal) and have had some issues with our skimmer/biofilter falls because we had to use a medication for a fish disease that killed (presumably) the good bacteria and we added bacteria again but then I used my friend's UV light that I borrowed for a week (she runs hers one wk on and one wk off which is weird to me but it works for her) to see if it would help the green pea soup we had (I was worried about it sucking up too much O2). In three days the algae bloom crashed and the water was clear but ammonia went up (from the decaying algae presumably). We added more bacteria, three more plants and stopped feeding the fish. It is slowly coming down but still between 0.25 - 0.5 which I don't like for long term.]
So, we're thinking of getting a Pondmax 3600 or something similar and using a dedicated pump that will be closer to the bottom (because we don't have a bottom drain and I think that is a problem with our current set up (I know you don't have to have a bottom drain but our unique situation would have benefitted from one I think) and also a pond vacuum to help things along. I do want to be able to feed my fish without having to obsess about the chemistry!

I built a bog this Spring and sold my two pressure filters and UV light. My pond has never been this clear, and there is zero maintenance. My water looks like you could drink it. I have never seen the bottom so clearly. I cannot stress enough how awesome bog filtration can be.

 

[Mayank]

I built a bog this Spring and sold my two pressure filters and UV light. My pond has never been this clear, and there is zero maintenance. My water looks like you could drink it. I have never seen the bottom so clearly. I cannot stress enough how awesome bog filtration can be.

Wish we could add a bog. I should've planned a bog to start with. Now, I'd have to rip up my patio to put one in (my son wants us to anyway and we may next year) but I'm hoping that if the additional filter does the trick then we'll look at it next year. I'm mentally exhausted with my pond issues and am done with doing any more construction type stuff for the year.

 

[poconojoe]

Wish we could add a bog. I should've planned a bog to start with. Now, I'd have to rip up my patio to put one in (my son wants us to anyway and we may next year) but I'm hoping that if the additional filter does the trick then we'll look at it next year. I'm mentally exhausted with my pond issues and am done with doing any more construction type stuff for the year.

Then what you actually need is a bog. Once it's built, no more concerns, worries, rinsing filter pads or backwashing. Just sit back and enjoy. No more stress.

 

[Mayank]

What is backwashing?

 

[poconojoe]

Pressure filters usually have a diverter valve that you rotate to send the water sort of backwards (away from the pond) and out of another (third) port. It loosens the caked on debris inside the filter and sends it out that port. Basically a quick rinse of the filter with the pond water, but no dismantling of anything. Most people send that stuff into their garden. It's great fertilizer. You do a backwash when your return water slows down from buildup, clogging. After the backwash your water pressure resumes to normal.

 

[Mayank]

Pressure filters usually have a diverter valve that you rotate to send the water sort of backwards (away from the pond) and out of another (third) port. It loosens the caked on debris inside the filter and sends it out that port. Basically a quick rinse of the filter with the pond water, but no dismantling of anything. Most people send that stuff into their garden. It's great fertilizer. You do a backwash when your return water slows down from buildup, clogging. After the backwash your water pressure resumes to normal.

So should we clean our biofilter? When we stop the falls and inspect it, it is caked with green stuff that smells bacteria laden. I want to clean it but am always afraid of disturbing the colonies that I hope are on the filter media...

 

[poconojoe]

So should we clean our biofilter? When we stop the falls and inspect it, it is caked with green stuff that smells bacteria laden. I want to clean it but am always afraid of disturbing the colonies that I hope are on the filter media...

Bio balls or whatever type of bio materials you have in there should not be cleaned. That is correct, you don't want to disturb the colonies. That would be bad because it may take a while for it to recolonize and that will throw everything off. Only rinse filter pads, if you have any, and only with non chlorinated (preferably) pond water. And the pads are usually only rinsed if there is a severe reduction in the output of the filter. If you falls goes down to a trickle.

 

[Kirk44]

The actual maintenance a pressure filter requires is about 15 minutes every other month. While I back wash the filter I use the water which is a great fertilizer and pump it into the plants around the pond. Our ponds are about the same size so I would suggest if you can get the Pondmax 7200 you can't over filter your water and it can handle a 4000 gph flow which will look nice coming down a water fall and aerating your pond. Canister filters are more than adequate for smaller ponds like ours.