New Pond, First Pond

[qclabrat]

Picked up some pea gravel today and will wash it before laying it into the bog. Put the manifold in for a test fit but am thinking I need to dig down a few more inches which I will do tomorrow as it’s pouring rain here. Need to look at how far off the bottom the manifold should be as I have read different things.View attachment 121796

are your holes on the bottom? how much gravel are you putting under and what total depth of gravel in the bog?
Great progress, keep sharing

 

[KDubU]

@qclabrat, yes holes drilled in the underside of pipes. Planning on 14” of pea gravel as that is what seems to be a good depth. Could go deeper but questioning why bother?

 

[addy1]

Need to look at how far off the bottom the manifold should be as I have read different things.

I put a spare peices of liner under our manifold, we cut slits in the pipes, facing down. The spare liner is so the water would not be pounding on the real liner. My manifold is right on the bottom.

 

[Lisak1]

I think it's fine right on the bottom, too. I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time washing the pea gravel. Or, let me put that another way - you could spend the rest of your life washing that pea gravel and it won't ever be totally clean - just the nature of the product. Rinse it a bit if you want, but don't be too worried about some cloudiness when you first start up. It all clears up quickly.

 

[KDubU]

Thanks @addy1 and @Lisak1, that will be the plan then, on the bottom with some leftover liner underneath.

As for washing the pea gravel, yes really only a rinse in the Kubota bucket as it helps a bit.

 

[KDubU]

The bog manifold is in and pea gravel added. Will need to get some more as it will be another 5” higher than it is now.

 

[KDubU]

Got the pump working today but have a concern and perhaps someone on here will allay them. The pic below shows the water coming out of the pipe that should be connected the manifold in the bog. I removed it because my pump was pumping more water and the bog had not filled up enough to replenish the pond thus the pump was at risk of running dry. I made sure this did not occur and my question is, have others that have bogs are you filling up the bog with water prior to activating the pump therefore there will be water ready to replenish the pond right away?

 

[Lisak1]

Ask your question again - are you saying if you pump enough water into the bog to get it flowing, you will drop the pond level below the pump?

 

[addy1]

I removed it because my pump was pumping more water and the bog had not filled up enough to replenish the pond thus the pump was at risk of running dry

Just fill the bog if that is a issue.
When I started mine up it took a lot of water to fill the bog. Mine is huge. I kept the hose running to fill the pond with the pump running to send water into the bog. We are on a well it took around a week to fill the pond and bog. It was really dry that year and we did not want to run our well dry.

 

[mrsclem]

Agree with Addy- fill the bog until it flows into the pond. That way the water level in the pond won't drop when you run the pump.

 

[KDubU]

Thanks everyone, this is what I did late yesterday and it worked. Still have a few adjustments I need to do on the bog.

 

[KDubU]

Got the bog up and running! Finally see the fruits of my labour. Definitely have a lot more to do but am glad I got this far. Tomorrow we go to a water garden center in Rowley MA with the intent to get a bunch of pond and bog plants. Also this Sunday I have some large stones from a local quarry that I sourced to help with the edges and also around the bog. Also have been eyeing some large driftwood that is close to me as I am just down the road for the beach. Luckily these pieces are “junk” as they are sitting back up the river a bit from the beach and they are not on anyone’s land.

 

[addy1]

Don't cut the excess liner, tuck it under you might need it.
Looks great!

 

[KDubU]

Thanks @addy1, yes I plan to tuck in the extra liner and hide it as best I can.

 

[poconojoe]

Looks great! You did an awesome job!