Water Gardening: Need to enlarge, add 2nd or do something, 0 by Spitzkopf

Spitzkopf wrote:
Bonnie :-)
I did think of diluting the salt in a bucket and added it slowly. The koi were noisy as usual and swam over to see what was going on and when they entered the brine zone they back peddled out of it until it was completely dispersed. Was too funny.

My DIY vacuum worked pretty well, few minor changes to make but worked better than shop vac, can keep on cleaning without stopping to empty bucket. Not the best suction hose, I need to get a super duty one. The electrical through the barrel was a little challenging but it never kicked the GFI out and there was no vacuum leaks.

OK here's the new plan.
Filter system: 3 white plastic barrels 55 gal each, 1st one "Solids Separator" below water level of pond with screened vortex inside and gravity feed from pond bottom drain (BD) and skimmer. 2nd one gravity fed from 1st barrel and acts as a well for pump which pumps up through bottom of 3rd barrel which is the "Birdman Sand & Gravel Filter" (S/G) placed above water level. Water exits the overflow of the S/G to a 300 gal bio-filter and then out of that to start a 2' drop down the waterfall to the next 70 gal bio-filter. From that filter down the waterfall another 2'-6" to and through a bog till finally dropping the last 6" back into the pond.

All 3 barrels and 300 gal bio-filter will be housed inside a mock stone cave with a top portion open (want to make it look kind of like a volcano and let light into the bio-filter). There will be other things housed inside the cave like air pump, blower, low water shut off float on well/pump tank, bio-filter bypass to Tangential Pond Returns (TPR's) for winter run among various other minor components. I think I found a formula for light concrete (not Hypertufa) using white pumice as an aggregate but won't be cheap, at least it's just a light cover over framework. I will experiment this winter with the mix.
The bog will be where my existing pond is but raised up 18" above current elevation set into a crag. New pond will be as mentioned before 2120 gal.

Pretty much fixed on this plan, now obtaining parts but if anyone can find fault or improvements please let me know.


This is my favorite photo of the existing before it is ripped up.