Building a pond - step by step - mostly complete post71

[Kimmlind]

The skippy filter is great! I just built one myself and it really isn't all that difficult. It does absolutely need a clean out drain! Like you say, what's one more! Lol! Good luck!

 

[donnavee]

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Can you explain how you built the skippy filter or refer me to a website? Thanks.

 

[TLWR]

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Can you explain how you built the skippy filter or refer me to a website? Thanks.

How I did mine is explained a bit in this thread with some pics, but not too detailed as we just kind of put it together and went oops, forgot the camera.

But if you google "skippy filter" you'll find lots of info and can create one similar to those. They are pretty easy to put together.

 

[DarkWolf]

http://www.skippysstuff.com/

 

[AngelzFyre]

Bestnest.com has good prices on EDPM liner and underlayment, pumps and anything else you'd need. Free shipping over 100.00 too.
Also 123ponds.com.

I used a 300 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank for my skippy bio filter. Comes with the drain plug and I got the rest of my bio filter media from Skippy website and also planted Louisiana Iris, Lizard's Tail and Pickeral on top of the media. I just dropped most of the plants in around the sides and over the past 4 yrs it's filled in nicely. Winter time I cover the biofilter side where the 3inch flex pipe connects with another preform pond form I had and also have put hay over the netting and then a tarp to keep it insulated in snow and freezing temps. Every spring the tarp and pond form are removed and hay mulched into my garden and the plants start re growing and flowering through the summer. I've not had to drain my filter in over 4 yrs!

 

[tbitt]

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Do you have pictures of yours? I'd love to see it!
I'd love to see it winterized also!

 

[DarkWolf]

Ditto on the above. Would love to see details. Only thing I worry about during winters is bursting plumbing to and from the pond. Granted, down here in Southern KY so it doesn't get TOO cold, but we still have times of freezing and some [more lately] snow.

 

[Frosty]

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As long as the water keeps running, the plumbing shouldn't freeze. I can vouch for the fact that when I have water running through about 125' of hose for two hours to fill up the horse trough when it's in the -20F range, the only problem I have with freezing is sometimes it's difficult to open the faucett outside. After I get that thawed the only thing that freezes is me.

 

[DarkWolf]

That's good.. I always worry about burying 2-3" PVC and having it split out due to freezing.. So, so long as we don't loose power [like during the ice storm a couple year back] it should be fine on a 1500GPH[est] pump.

Still not doing a big pond just yet. But will within the next year or so.

 

[Frosty]

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I don't know how long your line is, but when my parents had a well put in at their place in PA, for some reason my father only buried the line from the well to the house a few inches underground. Needless to say, because the pump doesn't run continuously, it would freeze up in the winter. For several years now my mother has been raking up leaves and packing them loosely in black plastic garbage bags to line up over the water line. In the spring she dumps the leaves into the compost pile. The line hasn't frozen since she started this.