stephen44
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Jun 18, 2007, 12:19 AM
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Newbie to Veggie filters for new pond - not so new to Koi
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Hi All,
Been browsing here for a while and what a great site !!!.
Please Let me introduce myself as it will explain the reasons behind some of the questions I
need help with. I'm Stephen - from the UK where I had my 15000G Koi pond - now in VA, USA where I
want to build a new pond and return to the hobby I loved so much.
I need all your help as I have found many differences since I have owned a Koi pond
a) because it was 8 years ago and
b) UK-USA differences.
Let me explain why I have decided to build a partially above ground Pond: I live in the woods near a
large river and am surrounded by raccoons and Heron - we have to "raccoon-proof" everything !!!!.
So my pond is going to be "formal" 10' x 12' raised 30 inches above the ground with a water
depth 0f 3' min going to 5' max sloped to a bottom drain. It will have 3' vertical walls (raccoons) and is about 3500G My frost line is only 18".
The house is built in the middle of the woods so underground excavation is hard due to tree roots etc.
Having said that the pool area is ok - but I do not have room for large below ground settlement tanks.
My pond is going to be totally Koi, no rocks stone pipes etc ... - just gin clear water and my mates
!!!!. My budget doesn't stretch to Nexus etc so this is what i proposed
So onto the design: see image below:
I am thinking of creating a large settlement and veggie filter combination. The whole
structure will be the length of the (10' side) x 3' wide x 4' deep.
My thoughts are to push the water through a matrix of 3" drilled and capped PVC pipes at the bottom.
These pipes are covered by large river rocks - the center of the chamber slope to its own bottom
drain for flushing.
Next a section of K1 - for bacteria - then a layer of gravel where the plants are. I might need some drilled
small pipes for gassing from the K1 layer to the outside air ?????
The sump pump pipe is for power "flushing" either out or in.
The water will return/fall over a plate glass lip to sheet into the pond 1' below.
So
1) will the pump macerate the solids too much to filter out?
2) is the surface area enough - I calculate this as 25% of the pond ?
3) Will this give me "gin" clear water ?
Rip the design apart - don't be gentle - but be constructive please -
thanks
Stephen
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