DIY duck pond - stage 1

[BornToQuack]

@CrystaBub I just called the feed store where we got our Blue Indian Runner Ducks. They said Metzer Farms in California is their main supplier: http://www.metzerfarms.com.

 

[CrystaBub]

@CrystaBub I just called the feed store where we got our Blue Indian Runner Ducks. They said Metzer Farms in California is their main supplier: http://www.metzerfarms.com.

thank you!!!

 

[Leonardo da Quacko]

A quick update for anyone following along. The pond is running great and we are quickly learning why late winter is a terrible time to build a pond. The temperature here isn't really that cold, rarely even freezes, but it does a good job of keeping water temps in the low 40s and my hands have taken the brunt of this exposure having to reach into the water in the filter. In my line of work, we always have multiple plans being developed and ready to use. This filter is pushing my limit on plans as the ducks are incredibly filthy water guests. Ideally I would use something like a cetus sieve, but I can't afford to use one and I don't have the vertical height to gravity feed one unless I dig a 3' deep hole. So plan A was a microscreen. I tried several different angle so that the water would run through it and have the debris push to the side, but the water flow is too much, and the screen is too fine. My original screen was 150 micron, and it worked great for about 5 minutes before clogging. The picture below is after those 5 minutes but before it clogged and washed all that detritus back into the sump.

My second attempt came about because I noticed while I was doing all this work that everything I am using is some form of a plastic product. I wanted to figure out a way to reduce the amount of plastic I was using so I wandered around some hardware and feed stores until I came across burlap sacks for $1. I though even if these had to be replaced weekly, and were never reusable, I'm only out $52 a year and they can be thrown into the compost bin when they are done. This has worked really well and was easy to clean. The installation could use some work as it is difficult to get the sack over the inlet pipe and tied down, but the water is clear and the ducks seem to really appreciate it. The extra pipes you see in the picture lead to a 5 gallon swirl filter that is legacy equipment from the old pond. At this point I don't think it is necessary but I use the swirl filter to bleed off some pressure from the pump or it overwhelms the drain. In hindsight, I would have installed a 3" drain from the pond.

The final filter that I will be installing later this week is a floating microscreen. This idea came from many hours searching through koi pond forums. This page in particular inspired my next design. The blue circle in post #15 of that link shows the concept in action and he further explains some of the logic. The mesh for this screen is about 400 to 450 micron and there will also be a spray bar that sprays from the inside of the microscreen out. In theory, this drum will float and spin and as it spins the spray bar will push debris off the screen to settle in the bottom of the sump. Cleaning the sump will be a manual job but since I don't need water quite as pristine as fish keepers, I figure this will be less than once a month that I clean out the bottom of the sump. Any nutrients from the sump will help to feed my soon to be built grow beds!