Planning on making pond/stream/waterfall - have Q's

[tbonem91]

Hello,

we're planning on making a pond in our back yard that would be about in the 200 - 300 gallon range, which will be fed by a stream with 2 or three waterfalls. the head of this stream will be about 50 feet away and about 5 1/2 feet higher than the pond itself. Fish are questionable but I am sure there will be plants in it.

My questions are:

1) Does anybody recommend a certain pump brand/size that would have adequate flow for the stream and be powerful enough for the 5 1/2 foot height the water has to travel?

2) What kind of filtration would I need to have, assuming there will be no fish in the pond as of now? How about if we do add fish later?

3) Does the pump need to be at the top or in the pond?

4) Does the filter need to be at the top or in the pond?


Thanks in advance!

-Tony

 

[SquishyFish]

1) Does anybody recommend a certain pump brand/size that would have adequate flow for the stream and be powerful enough for the 5 1/2 foot height the water has to travel?

There are several ones that you can get that will work. I can give you a few links where you can order them. For the moment I am running mine with a 2800gph aquarium pump. That would be all you need for yours. I bought it on line for about 100.00

2) What kind of filtration would I need to have, assuming there will be no fish in the pond as of now? How about if we do add fish later?

You will definitely need filter floss. This can be something as simple as a rubber maid full of filter floss. We can walk you through the plumbing aspect of it later. Its not hard at all.

Fish...these are what feed the plants. Plants are necessary because they oxygenate the water and keep the algae in check. I would suggest you read the sticky in the forum on plants..its titled something like "a good beginners guide for those who want plants"

It will give you the basics.

3) Does the pump need to be at the top or in the pond?

Depends on what kind you have. I am going to run a pool pump..that is external. But for yours, I would suggest something simple like the large aquarium pump. That is a submerged pump that would go in the pond. Run some soft tubing through conduit (sp?) back up to the top of the stream.

4) Does the filter need to be at the top or in the pond?

the top...the reason is that you can use gravity to pull the water through the filter instead of having to force the water through it and up the hill. You would route the water from the pond, up the plumbing, to the filter, then into a resivoir and down the stream.


That help?

 

[tbonem91]

A TON. Thank you.

I will definitly look more at fish - but here in CO, the weather is soooo unpredictable... this is going to be at my parents house and if I put fish in it more than likely I will have to be the one to take care of them and house them in the winter

 

[SquishyFish]

Yeah, as far as over wintering your fish, you might want to call a local pond shop and ask them what the freeze depth is. If you can get the dept below that, then you should be fine. In TX the freeze depth is 24 inches...just for reference. They may suggest that you bring them inside during the winter months, but I wouldnt think so. That would really require a big commitment...if you have a koi that is 16 inches long, you would need a huge tank to keep him in over the winter. I think you should be able to dig it deep enought to keep them in the pond all winter.

 

[krap101]

i just bought a 50 gallon rubbermaid tub for my goldfish for the winter. i have a 100 gallon with like 4-6 goldfish in there. 3 orandas and a few comets.

for a 300 gallon pond you can just get a pump and a filter box. and put the pump inside and put the floss on top of it.

i dont really see the difference where you put the filter/pump. if its on the bottom it'll push it through and at the top it'll pull it. either way im sure it'll work.

 

[Guest]

it's much easier to go with a pump submerged in the pond, pushing the water up to the filter, wher gravity takes over and runs the water through the filter and back down the falls/stream. I have a submerged pump, and it's my understanding that it is easier to do the plumbing for this type, as opposed to an external pump. Never done an external pump, but mine was a piece of cake to set up and plumb.

I'd highly suggest getting a beginners pond book. You can get one ot your local Home Depot/Lowe's in the landscaping books. A Sunset book or the like will give you a lot of the basics.

The Complete Pond Builder, by Helen Nash, is my personal favorite. Here's my review: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php?product=2&sort=7&cat=24&page=1

One more thing about fish and ponds. If you have no fish, mosquitos will breed by the thousands in your pond. If you have fish, even cheapo feeder goldfish, they will eat all mosquito eggs/larvae in the pond. I have no idea how much of a problem 'skeeters are in CO, but here in MD, fish are an absolute neccesity.

 

[tbonem91]

well the pond project is getting pushed back to next Spring so I will have plenty of time to read read read. And yes, mosquitos are huge problems here - West Nile is raveging the state. The 'pros' say that as long as there is a high enough flow rate, the mosquito larvae wont be a problem but I will most definitly recommend fish in the pond. I can house them over the winter and will take care of the system as I will be living permanently in the same city by then anyway... thanks for the replies and I will be for sure asking more questions when we start digging )

edit: I wish it would have left my smiley face as text.... : o)