i wonder if you really want rocks if you set up some air hoses under the rock layer for cleaning... would need to be a good air pump... wonder if that would work
Rocks in the bottom of a pond
- Thread starter BennyLava
- Start date
that's an interesting idea. It would force the poop to rise up. This idea would be good with a skimmer, not so good with a submersible I would think. Ultimately the submersible does need to suck the poop into to send it to the filter.
I guess to counteract this, you could turn on this air hosing a couple of times per week just to lift the junk out of it.
I guess to counteract this, you could turn on this air hosing a couple of times per week just to lift the junk out of it.
Or, like BennyL suggested, a under gravel system, but do it reverse under gravel where the pump blows water under the grate and up through the rocks. You would have to eventually take up the rocks and clean the grate. UGF's have become unpopular because of that reason. After a few years too much anerobic bacteria grows under there along with other toxic crud. Good ideas. Getting creative and never saying never is what keeps the technology of this type of hobby going strong.
Yeah, I used to have a UGF on a home tank millions of years ago. I remember looking underneath the cabinet and seeing all the poop caught under the UGF that I couldn't clean. Made me crazy and got rid of it.
After convincing my husband to take out the rocks after we had painstakingly put them in, he finally realizes why the need not to have rock in the bottom. We started at the end of the season last year removing them. We finished up a week ago. After just 1 year of them you would not believe the poop and crud under and around them. We are slowly getting the water back to clear. He also says the algae covered rock looks the same as an algae covered liner and I ehave to agree. He now loves how long it takes for maintainance and the extra time we have to sit and enjoy our fish and pond. So... rocks in rocks out!!!
Id be interested in seeing someone that's dead set on putting rocks put the air hoses under the rocks, if done regularly I think this would be the way to have rocks and none of the crud.... Any takers???
c'mon cauze--I double dare ya! LOL!
Don't forget air hoses clog too! All the little pinholes in them eventually have to be scrubbed as they get stuffed with crud. I think it's more interesting in fantasy then reality. Sooner or later, you're going in there to haul out buckets of rock.
Don't forget air hoses clog too! All the little pinholes in them eventually have to be scrubbed as they get stuffed with crud. I think it's more interesting in fantasy then reality. Sooner or later, you're going in there to haul out buckets of rock.
Not if you do it with PVC pipes and drill holes 
holes are holes---triple dare ya! LOL!
I can test it in an aquarium
not the same as an outdoor pond--leaves, outdoor debris flying around....and it has to be with koi. monster, dirty poopers! LOL!
koikeepr said:
Yeah but you wouldn't have dirt that blows in on the wind, leaves, pollen, insects, many things that would end up in the bottom of the pond would never get a chance to be there.
I think we're agreeing, Benny. LOL!
I had my preformed pond inside my house with aquarium gravel in it and it looked great. When I finally decided to take it outside i didnt remove the gravel and it was horrible mistake. Also i put bigger rocks and they were covered with algea. Im new at this, but figured out that it is better to not have rocks in the pond.
The algae part would be normal. Everything in a pond will be covered with algae sooner or later, and that is a natural and positive thing to be happening. But, yes, your rocks would get a green coating.
You are right Oranda, rocks are big PITA in the pond.
You are right Oranda, rocks are big PITA in the pond.