Installing a ponds (Part 4)
Now pumps: you need one to help circulate the water. The best choice is to get a pump that is capable of “turning the water over” once an hour. If your pond is 400 or so gallons, buy a 400 gallon per hour pump. Pumps are frequently used to pump the water through a waterfall, fountain, filter or some their combinations. Note that the waterfall or fountains are very important as it injects more oxygen into your pond.
Filters are also involved in the pond treatment. You can buy an expensive sealed biological filter from the store or one for about almost 10 times cheaper. It’s easy. You will need some 1/2″ PVC piping, the necessary solvents to weld it, some hose clamps, silicone sealant, lava rocks, garden hose and some tub.
Cut a notch in the container and using some dirt, build a ramp from the pond to the lip of the container. Using silicone sealant, attach a leftover piece of pond liner to the lip of the container. Let the pond liner run down the ramp and overhang the edge of the pond. Let the silicone cure.
Then build a “filter element”. Its shape doesn’t matter, you can make a horseshoe or square shape. It just has to fit inside of the bottom of the tub. Leave the tube sticking above the top level of the tub so you can hook the hose up to it. Then get some lava rocks like you use in gas grill, wash them thoroughly and fill the container at least half full with them. Hook the pump up to the filter element, turn it on and check for any leaks.