input needed before we break out the excavator

15 years ago

I have a large bed on the south side of my decorative hen house that is just itching for a little pond and some landscaping. I got a 165 gallon "Grand Cayman" pre formed pond because last time we used the excavator and dug a pond in this bed we flipped out when we saw what the liner was going to cost. So, we went for smaller this time and are about to break out the mini excavator again. Now, we have the 165 gallon Grand Cayman as well as about a 90 gallon pre formed with no shelves, just an irregular shaped pond.

There are photos of the bare bed and pond shells below. What I am wanting to have is a bog filter inside that smaller pond that feeds a waterfall and a small stream that empties into the main pond. There is water and electricity already plumbed to the coop, so I'm good there. This is a flat bed, so I realize I am going to have to build up and I have LOTS of that white limestone for retaining walls, etc. My question is how do I get that pre formed pond to function as a bog - or is it even possible with that design? How would I create a waterfall to feed the stream that I want to come out of that pre formed pond to the right of the photos? Also, what sized pump will I need to feed my bog which in turn will feed the falls and the stream? I want a decent flow over the falls and some actual flow in the stream, but will a pump big enough to create that be detrimental to my little tiny pond?

Any comments are welcomed. If I am totally on the wrong track with this, I would rather know now than later.

Cheers

M
[IMG]http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee228/aladatrot/IMAG0255.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee228/aladatrot/IMAG0258.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee228/aladatrot/IMAG0256.jpg[/IMG]

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Comments (3)

aladatrot
Original Author
15 years ago
hmm... photobucket not cooperating...

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sleeplessinftwayne
15 years ago
Those horses are going to get awfully thirsty.
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serenae
15 years ago
You would need to get a long and narrow piece of liner to function as the underlay for your stream. I would bury the pond form, but keep the one that's going to be the bog at ground level, or maybe dug in just a bit to keep it stable.

To pump that far and high, since there will be a height difference, you'll need a stronger pump than you would for just the 165g preform. You'll have to measure the horizontal and vertical distance it will need to pump the water, and factor that in to the approx. 100 gph pump you'd already need for just the preform. It can get complicated. This website gives more details:

http://www.gardendecor-and-decorativeaccessories.com/the-correct-sizing-of-pond-pumps-is-never-an-easy-task/

Are you wanting a very natural bog, which filters the water mechanically and biologically, before it sends it down the stream, or do you just want a waterfall weir with some plants in it? I ask because natural bogs are often recreated using peat moss and sand, with plants growing in that, but peat moss is very acidic and can be detrimental to a fish pond (cause a pH crash) if not done carefully.