Water Gardening: How do we make a filter system?, 1 by BogweedBuck

BogweedBuck wrote:
I'm not sure how your pond is set up ... my aunt has a cement pond that is rather "formal" in its appearance and really is unable to accomodate a waterfall. That said, a waterfall feature is (potentially) a great way to disguise a filtration device. In fact, a waterfall can easily BECOME your filtration system with a little ingenuity and a touch of trial and error.

In my case, I "neeeeeded" a larger pond. Pond number prior was a 110 gallon solid PVC-type liner. I exhumed that puppy from the ground this spring, back-filled the hole from whence it came, used some concrete to hold six 4x4 posts to support said solid liner, and VOILA! I now have a kickass waterfall AND filtration system all in one:

A 5,300gph pump pushes unfiltered water through 2" tubing from the new pond, up and around to the "old pond" (aka: the heretofore referenced "raised waterfall basin") in which there lies a large Rubbermaid storage bin.

Yes ... there's a large Rubbermaid (or some other garden variety knock-off brand) sitting inside of my old pond/waterfall basin.

Within this Rubbermain bin I have layered several types of filter media that cleans up the water quite nicely before allowing it to escape the closed Rubbermain bin and ultimately allowing it to cascade over the waterfall proper. This bin also helps "baffle" the flow of water and allows me to jam pack the --- uh, hem -- "raised waterfall basin" with quite the profusion of aquatic plants without them feeling like they're in a river or some other sort of torrential deluge. The plants as of today consist of Thalia, "Lizard Tail" plant, a couple alocasia species (taro/elephant ear plants) and all sorts of other nifty little leafed (and non-leafed) buggers. There is also a large population (if you will) of anacharis, hornworts, and other submerged "oxygenators" in this basin as well (helps protect them from koi, if nothing else). I also hang my UV filter on the back of this basin, which will ultimately help in providing the overall pond area with a cleaner, less mechanically cluttered appearance ... or so I hope.

Sad to say, I have very few pics of this year's project. Here's one of the Frankenstein Filter in question:

(bear in mind that this is a work in project and the final project won't have hoses and whatnot hanging all over the place as was the case this morning when I took this picture)