Wetland Bog filter - Inside or Outside Pond

[ATP]

Didnt take long being member here to realize I need a bog filter! Now I am trying to decide if I keep it inside the pond or as a separate connecting body of water. I also plan to use the bog as my only water feature so that needs to be incorporated. The pond I am planning will be about 10' x 15' and the bog around 6' x 8'. As of now the site I have chosen is level.

In my mind the big positive of keeping the bog within the pond is only needing one liner for both the bog and the pond. My concern is how I will make it look completely natural. I envision digging the pond then creating a ledge near the water level, then stacking larger boulders along the ledge. In order to keep water from seeping through from the bog I would use a sealant or foam. The back ledge of the bog will be higher to allow the water to rise. I am ok with the ledge at the pond side to be a little lower and water weeping over the top may be an added bonus. Still want the majority to go over some type of spillway. Is there a way to make the ledge separating the bog and the pond natural without what looks like a stone wall or string of boulders going through a section of the pond? In the pond i am going to do my best to use different size boulders and gravel to hide the liner and really try and break up the "pearl necklace" effect.

The other option would be to make the bog separate and slightly raised and have it connect to the pond on one end. I would plan on using the soil from the excavation to build up the bog area slightly and have it spill into the pond with a small waterfall. Since its separate I could do the edges much like what i am planning in the pond and I am confident I can make it look natural. Downside here would be potentially more digging and a second liner.

I am fine with either approach and want to do whatever will look the best. Any pictures would be appreciated. I have been searching for a design I really like and nothing has really caught my eye.

It seems like a lot of people add the bog on later and use a separate liner. When adding it from the start is their a preference on how to do it?

 

[brokensword]

Didnt take long being member here to realize I need a bog filter! Now I am trying to decide if I keep it inside the pond or as a separate connecting body of water. I also plan to use the bog as my only water feature so that needs to be incorporated. The pond I am planning will be about 10' x 15' and the bog around 6' x 8'. As of now the site I have chosen is level.

In my mind the big positive of keeping the bog within the pond is only needing one liner for both the bog and the pond. My concern is how I will make it look completely natural. I envision digging the pond then creating a ledge near the water level, then stacking larger boulders along the ledge. In order to keep water from seeping through from the bog I would use a sealant or foam. The back ledge of the bog will be higher to allow the water to rise. I am ok with the ledge at the pond side to be a little lower and water weeping over the top may be an added bonus. Still want the majority to go over some type of spillway. Is there a way to make the ledge separating the bog and the pond natural without what looks like a stone wall or string of boulders going through a section of the pond? In the pond i am going to do my best to use different size boulders and gravel to hide the liner and really try and break up the "pearl necklace" effect.

The other option would be to make the bog separate and slightly raised and have it connect to the pond on one end. I would plan on using the soil from the excavation to build up the bog area slightly and have it spill into the pond with a small waterfall. Since its separate I could do the edges much like what i am planning in the pond and I am confident I can make it look natural. Downside here would be potentially more digging and a second liner.

I am fine with either approach and want to do whatever will look the best. Any pictures would be appreciated. I have been searching for a design I really like and nothing has really caught my eye.

It seems like a lot of people add the bog on later and use a separate liner. When adding it from the start is their a preference on how to do it?

you can have a one liner bog+pond; that's what I did. And you're not limited to a specific size/ shape. For instance, you could make a bog that was narrow (or wide; your vision here) that completely circles the pond except for maybe one area where you'd want to 'get close' to the water/fish. Think of a bog like a garden. The only difference is, you would be better off raising this 'garden' so as to have waterfalls wherever you want. In essence, you incorp your bog into your pond landscape setting. Except for the slight lift (6" minimum, imo) this will look like a 'water garden' to anyone approaching your pond, EXCEPT where you have waterfalls. And you can have as many or as few as you want with at least one area for the water to pour back from.

I have pics in my showcase of my bog (which is one liner that goes into the bog, comes up, goes over a wall, then continues down into the pond and away we go). If you follow my links below, I have vids of the pond, including the bog wall in action. What I did was build/left a 'soil shelf' in front of my bog wall, upon which I stacked sandstone (ON TOP of the one-piece liner) to cover it. At the very top of the bog wall, I folded the liner and made a cantilver effect that lays on top of my second to last row of sandstone. This means when the water rises, it moves under the top sandstone row and then over the liner and down the wall, or it sprays out over the wall, depending on where you look. The idea here is I kept the bog water from going BEHIND the sandstone and THEN into the pond. In truth, the water rises faster than this cantilever edge can handle so water rises and also goes OVER the top sandstone layer too as well as between them because I left gaps for strategic falls/sprays.

 

[brokensword]

re your 'inside' or 'outside' the pond; I favor outside as it's easier to build/maintain, more latitude re construction issues, and more importantly, gives max water volume for the fish and that's important! Again, I LIKE gardens, so a bog 'garden' is just more to like, imo!

 

[combatwombat]

What ^^^he^^^ said.

Your imagination is really the limit here. You can do it in the pond on one side. You can do it outside the pond with a waterfall. You can do it outside the pond with no waterfall. You can do it inside the pond around the whole circumference. You can do it outside the pond around the circumference. You can put it in the middle of a stream (stream-->bog-->stream-->pond) You can put it at the very bottom of your pond. You can put it in your neighbor's yard when they're not looking.

Sky's the limit. And every single one of those options can be done with a single liner.

I'm just starting to finish up the waterfall from pond to bog in my own build and decided to go for more of a "tumbledown" look than the typical "two frame rocks and spillstone" look. Still a ways to go, but it's getting there:

 

[addy1]

Mine is one liner, goes from pond over a landscape timber wall to the bog. The water weeps over the wall and also has a waterfall to go back into the pond.

I would not want it in the pond, I walk in it to groom the plants, rake it in the fall and spring, would not want to worry about a in pond wall that might shift.

 

[ATP]

What ^^^he^^^ said.

Your imagination is really the limit here. You can do it in the pond on one side. You can do it outside the pond with a waterfall. You can do it outside the pond with no waterfall. You can do it inside the pond around the whole circumference. You can do it outside the pond around the circumference. You can put it in the middle of a stream (stream-->bog-->stream-->pond) You can put it at the very bottom of your pond. You can put it in your neighbor's yard when they're not looking.

Sky's the limit. And every single one of those options can be done with a single liner.

I'm just starting to finish up the waterfall from pond to bog in my own build and decided to go for more of a "tumbledown" look than the typical "two frame rocks and spillstone" look. Still a ways to go, but it's getting there:

Wow, that's quite the project! Waterfall is coming along great and looks very natural!

 

[ATP]

Mine is one liner, goes from pond over a landscape timber wall to the bog. The water weeps over the wall and also has a waterfall to go back into the pond.

I would not want it in the pond, I walk in it to groom the plants, rake it in the fall and spring, would not want to worry about a in pond wall that might shift.

Makes sense, something I hadnt thought about.

 

[ATP]

re your 'inside' or 'outside' the pond; I favor outside as it's easier to build/maintain, more latitude re construction issues, and more importantly, gives max water volume for the fish and that's important! Again, I LIKE gardens, so a bog 'garden' is just more to like, imo!

Amazing pond! I am sure I will be reviewing the builds and showcase threads for everyone that has responded here in depth. I was thinking doing the bog at an angle to the pond and that would mean a lot of wasted liner if I were to just use one piece. Just an initial design and will probably change.

One unrelated question. I see you have your pond screened and in Michigan, so assuming that screen gets removed in winter? I had a tiny quarter sized turtle in my pond as a teenager but he couldnt get out. I think he would have left. I also removed him before winter, thinking there wasnt enough muck on the bottom for hibernation. Do yours try to leave (Looks like they cant but mine wont be enclosed like yours) and what do you do with them in the winter?

 

[Jhn]

Have 2 bogs on my pond, one is a separate liner the other is the same liner but the bog is raised. Not really a big issue going either way.

Also just because you are doing the bog at an angle doesn’t mean you have to waste the liner, I have areas that the liner runs under that is completely filled with pea gravel (water is about 7-8” under the gravel and is just planting beds for ferns, hostas, etc. You pond design is only limited by your creativity…

Turtles, will leave if you don’t contain them with a fence of some sort. Also, it is a misnomer that they need muck to brumate in, they will winter under logs in between rocks, pretty much anywhere they feel safe. Some of mine winter over in the skimmer box, which is a bit sketchy, as I have to pay attention to losing power.

 

[GBBUDD]

While some do prefer the bog in the pond it's not long after they wish that space was all pond . We all wish we made the pond just that much bigger. And usually do end up making a second or third big bigger biggest POND . The energy that is used to pump to the bottom of the bog can be used to feed the highest point and then from there gravity can take over giving you more bang for your buck. In other words the higher the bog is built and the further away WITHIN reason the more you can do with that energy. so pump to the bottom of the bog let the pressure raise the water and DUMP OUT A spill way/ water fall IF ITS a foot or two higher then THE POND it can fall into a stream that can then flow down to a second falls into the pond the choices, designs are endless. It is amazing how captivating a waterfall is or watching bubbles ever slip down stream. the view the sounds the action the sparkle is hypnotic.

 

[GBBUDD]

You pond design is only limited by your creativity…

Two thumbs up, i think thats what i love about the pond the most. being creative and watch it come alive and thrive.

 

[brokensword]

Amazing pond! I am sure I will be reviewing the builds and showcase threads for everyone that has responded here in depth. I was thinking doing the bog at an angle to the pond and that would mean a lot of wasted liner if I were to just use one piece. Just an initial design and will probably change.

One unrelated question. I see you have your pond screened and in Michigan, so assuming that screen gets removed in winter? I had a tiny quarter sized turtle in my pond as a teenager but he couldnt get out. I think he would have left. I also removed him before winter, thinking there wasnt enough muck on the bottom for hibernation. Do yours try to leave (Looks like they cant but mine wont be enclosed like yours) and what do you do with them in the winter?

thanks for the compliment!

No, only the top 'screen' is removable; the sides are all either fiberglas or aluminum, attached, while the 'roof' is agro screening made for bugs and I roll and unroll for the pond season. I screened in everything because of mosquitoes; the fact it keeps turtles in was an unsuspected bonus! Jhn has it right; the turtles would probably leave (there's a large natural pond--where I got my turtles--just down the road!), along with the frogs if I didn't have some sort of 'fencing'. I now take my turtles in as I lost a couple over winter and figured something wasn't right for them with leaving them out. My pond is now larger and I have more things IN the pond for brumation so in the near future, they'll be staying put when winter comes. Now, they share their basement pool with a few koi I picked up late last year.