Raised Duck Pond and Pond Filter Thoughts

[BReeder!]

You dont need gravity to create suction you can use a pump.

In trying to place the pump at the end of the filtration system. This way the pump is not breaking up poop and getting clogged with feathers. A pre-filter could be used of course, but that just keeps bio mass in the pond rather than filtering it out.

 

[casportpony]

there's the issue of all the muck the ducks drag into the pond and create around it. If I put straw, mulch, sand or any other matter around the pond, it's going to raise the surrounding grade and end up right in the pond thanks to the ducks

Would it be possible to remove some of the dirt and put in some pavers or rock?

 

[BReeder!]

Would it be possible to remove some of the dirt and put in some pavers or rock?

I actually have river rock around the pond. Not good for ducks. The rock is a mess and impossible to clean without pulling it out. It leads to pools of water and muck every time it rains.

 

[BReeder!]

I was thinking something like this:
View attachment 2490541

Looks like large river rock. Eventually even it will sink into mud and fill in with duck poop. With bedding, I can rake it up and put it into the compost or even deep litter in place right in the duck run.

 

[Ratchnick]

I would put a swirl filter as the first stage of your filter, and enough flow to turn over you volume 10 times an hour is standard. Might be able to get away with less if you only have a few ducks.

 

[BReeder!]

I would put a swirl filter as the first stage of your filter, and enough flow to turn over you volume 10 times an hour is standard. Might be able to get away with less if you only have a few ducks.

10 times an hour? That would be 15,000-20,000 gph... That's not feasible. It's also too much flow for most filtration systems. As for the swirl filter, I'm not against that idea if I can find a way to DIY one that will work well. A plastic drum and some pvc should do the trick.

 

[Pekin duck mom]

I actually have river rock around the pond. Not good for ducks. The rock is a mess and impossible to clean without pulling it out. It leads to pools of water and muck every time it rains.

I just thought of this and Idk if it would work but you might could drain it with a fish tank gravel vacuum! It sounds silly but drains my tank fairly quickly! I may try it!

 

[Suprasoup]

Any updates? With a pond of this size I would seriously consider adding a proper bottom drain like what koi ponds use. They are waaaay less hassle than the siphon method.

I have a raised pond roughly 2000ish gallons and I use a 3” bottom drain. It has worked well for me. My filter system is probably double if not triple your volume however. Pump is 3000gph but derated to 2000ish due to head pressure. I have 7 ducks for reference.

 

[rjmyooper]

Then I want to run PVC from the bond of the pond into the trough. The PVC will allow water to siphon from the bottom of the pond into the trough. I'll place my 1600 GPH submersible pump into the trough and pump water back into the pond. I could pump to a waterfall feature or some other spillway/fountain setup, but that's getting fancy and can wait for another future project. Within the trough I plan to use lava rock and open-cell foam as filter media to filter the water before it gets to the pump.

This is almost exactly what I'm planning for my pond. I've bought the pump and filter already. Recently I started thinking about using galvanized stock tanks from TSC. They're expensive as hell, but I can build the drainage pit (septic drain) with the pump, then buy one tank at a time at a time.
I expect this plan to change as I go along.