Strawberry Pot Trickle Tower Filter or Other Options

[pecan]

I am looking for an easy filter addition for my pond. I have a roughly 5000 gallon pond with 1, 100 gallon skippy and 1, 70 gallons skippy both flowing into a very small bog than back to the pond.

I don't want to do anything expensive or real labor intensive at this time as eventually I will do a complete pond re-build.

I have roughly 6000-7000 gallon per hour flow between 2 pumps. So much flow that I have to bi-pass the skippies with one of the pump hose straight to the bog.

With the extra hose running straight to the bog I could easily hook that up to a DIY filter.

I want something decorative and easy that I can sit near the bog and have it flow into the bog and back to the pond.

I was thinking a Strawberry pot trickle tower maybe but can't find any information on how to build one.

I am not having any water issues, steady readings, low fish load and clear water. But I just figure with the extra hose why not.

Any ideas?

You can see the extra hose in the very bottom center of this picture. I can move the rocks around right where that goes into the bog to fit a filter there. It would be placed just in front of the skippy on the left.

 

[Sunshine]

When I made mine, I took a black rubber tubing and ran it from the pump up through the bottom of the pot to the top of the pot. Than filled it with lave rock. Pulled the tubing up about an inch above the lava rock.

 

[pecan]

Easy Peasy the way I like it

I could probably fit a strawberry pot in hte middle of the bog between the plants Did you silicone where the tubing enters the bottom so no water escapes through the bottom?

Is lava rock the preferred media for something like this or are there better options?

 

[Sunshine]

Yes, I used fish safe (100% silicone) to seal the bottom. I've heard of some people using the scrubby pads. I just liked the look of lava rock. But I guess you could use your imagination on the media.

 

[pecan]

I like it and do like the look of the lava rock. I am thinking black lava rock would accent the terra cotta (sp?) pot really well.

I wonder if there is too much flow coming from that hose to where I would be shooting water 6' high out of the top of the pot LOL. My guess is about 2000-3000 GPH coming out of that hose.

 

[Sunshine]

The black would look awesome. I used a small pump and ran the trickle tower and a frog spitter off of it. Easier to unhook in the winter. But you wouldn't have that problem where you live. Could you put a flow regulator on the line to the trickle tower so you could adjust it?

 

[pecan]

I could add a flow regulator or just a splitter on the hose to allow for about half that flow to go to strawberry pot and the other half directly into the bog.

It is doable for sure.

 

[taherrmann4]

Pecan I built one last year that feeds my small creek. I just ran the tube up through the bottom of the pot then it is connected to a piece of 1/2 copper tubing that runs through the middle of the pot to the top, filled it with black lava rock and even put some sedum in it to have something growing out of a few of the holes. Very easy project. The brown stuff coming out of the holes is my dead sedum from last year.

 

[Nepen]

wow, I always thought these things can be made into something to wht pond, thanks for the idea!!

I actually have this garden hose pot (look like this http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/c0/f6/21/c0f6218436b8e674d54ddf17a4cc1016.jpg) and wondering if I could use it similar to the stawberry pot.. but will it rust and harm my fish? Will rust harm fish? Can I seal it with something so it wont rust?

 

[pecan]

Pecan I built one last year that feeds my small creek. I just ran the tube up through the bottom of the pot then it is connected to a piece of 1/2 copper tubing that runs through the middle of the pot to the top, filled it with black lava rock and even put some sedum in it to have something growing out of a few of the holes. Very easy project. The brown stuff coming out of the holes is my dead sedum from last year.

View attachment 68137
View attachment 68138

Not to change the subject but can you tell me about the grave marker? WWII vet?

 

[morewater]

Just change the diameter of the strawberry pot outflow pipe. Marry the inflow hose to a PVC hose-barb connection, and use the diameter outflow pipe that best suits your outflow requirements.

A 4" diameter outflow PVC pipe will deliver roughly half that of a 2" diameter outflow PVC pipe.

 

[morewater]

Also, you'll find that with the PVC hose-barb connection cap, that the hole in the bottom of the clay strawberry pot will be the right size.

 

[taherrmann4]

Not to change the subject but can you tell me about the grave marker? WWII vet?

That was my grandfathers. It was located on my aunts property in NC, my brother had gotten years ago from her and I got it from him a few years ago. He had a grave marker already that is why this one isn't on his burial site. He is not buried in my backyard. Yes he was a WWII vet and passed away about 20 years ago.

 

[HARO]

Easy Peasy the way I like it

I could probably fit a strawberry pot in hte middle of the bog between the plants Did you silicone where the tubing enters the bottom so no water escapes through the bottom?

Is lava rock the preferred media for something like this or are there better options?

Shouldn't the bottom hole be left open so that water can drain? I thought the whole point of this type of filter was to have a thin sheet of water flowing over the media.
John

 

[pecan]

Shouldn't the bottom hole be left open so that water can drain? I thought the whole point of this type of filter was to have a thin sheet of water flowing over the media.
John

Great question, I don't know???