Streams

[Busy B]

How much do you think a stream factors in to filtering the water? I have a management waste water friend that is way qualified, and he tells me that's what I need to come to a better balance on my pond.

What do you think?

[Terri]

I think he has a point... The surface area a stream can provide for benefical bacteria (and algea) is quite good - and would be diverse, depending on the size... not to mention the O2 factor. TT's do almost the same job.

[Jackie Ramo]

A stream can often work like a TT and certainly can look more attractive.

I hope to put a stream in this summer so will be looking for the 'right' way to do it

[Busy B]

I hate it when he's right! :wink:

The company he works for just came up with a new system that will filter out the water down to the nano :shock: I got the blueprints for it but can't afford the few million it would take to do it :P

[Jackie Ramo]

A town in southern Ontario has its drinking water filter by bull rushes and other swamp plants. Takes the toxins, heavy metals etc right out. Our city is doing this in the humber river to stop so much rain pollution reaching the lake.

[Ron C]

How much do you think a stream factors in to filtering the water? I have a management waste water friend that is way qualified, and he tells me that's what I need to come to a better balance on my pond.

What do you think?

Busy,
I have to say that the stream is very useful in my pond. I only have a pond sweep system, and the stream really helps with biological filtration as it has rocks in it for the bacteria to live in. I haven't ever had any ammonia or nitrite readings since the pond cycled. My oxygen levels have always been good too.

[Jackie Ramo]

Ron, hows your green water with the stream?

[Ron C]

Ron, hows your green water with the stream?

When the system was cycling I had green water, but none since. I still get some string algae, but not bad.

[Jackie Ramo]

OK I was wondering if like the TT it helps reduce green water and I'll take your answer as a yes.

[Ron C]

Jackie,
I can't say that the stream is as good as a TT, because I don't know that. All I know is that last year I didn't have any pea soup water. We shall see if I have any this year, but I kinda doubt it. I put the stream in because I really wanted one plus I knew I would eventually have problems with not having enough biological filtration. I will attach a pic of the pond for you. It isn't much, but I did it myself and I love it.

OK I was wondering if like the TT it helps reduce green water and I'll take your answer as a yes.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v410/PondGuy/My%20Pond/StreamFiberoptic.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v410/PondGuy/My%20Pond/wholepond.jpg[/img]

[Jackie Ramo]

What size pump are you running Ron? looks good but I wonder if more flow would increase the benefits. I was thinking of having a more babbling brook type of stream for myself. Mind I do have a hill (from the big pond dirt) to work with so it will have a different look.

[ozzyrockman]

Busy B, I would say that a stream would be very benefical in a water feature to give surface area for good bacteria and algea to grow. I grew up in Minnesota and the rivers back home always look muddy and do not have much rock surface along the banks. I now live in Washington State and the smaller rivers are clear to the bottom and are full of native river rock both in and along the river banks. Allen

[Busy B]

Ron...our ponds look alike :wink: The waterfal is low and stretched out on mine, and I'm leary of putting rocks or such in it but maybe it would help in the long run. :?

Still plans to expand but time still a factor if I get it done. Maybe could incorporate a stream into that some how...

I know...I'll take pictures! :D

Ozzy...grew up in NoDak :lol: ...not many rivers but there are here and normally they change either with spring and thawing, or rain and overflow... there are lots of native rock and gravel tho.

[Ron C]

What size pump are you running Ron?

Jackie the pump specs say 4,300 gallons per hour. I have about 2 foot of head in the plumbing.

[Ron C]

Ron...our ponds look alike and I'm leary of putting rocks or such in it but maybe it would help in the long run. :?

Busy,

I would like to see pics of your pond. I do have rocks in the stream, but when I built the pond I put a shelf 1 foot done all the way around and I don't have any rocks below the shelf.

[Jackie Ramo]

What size pump are you running Ron?

Jackie the pump specs say 4,300 gallons per hour. I have about 2 foot of head in the plumbing.

Thanks Ron. I may have to buy a bigger pump for the watergarden then... Maybe I should buy a bigger pump for the mainpond and use that pump for the watergarden. Old pump is going on 5 years.... but it fails in the watergarden there won't be the problem that it would cause in the main pond.

[Busy B]

!dude OK...here's my pond in almost all of it's glory...the pile of rocks at the side was to tie in with the gravel pad of the greenhouse. I put typar around the back side of the house and next to the pond and covered it with gravel. Someday stepping stones/ brick tied in..Also have a dry creek back there..

Where the pile is will be where I add on to the pond...haven't decided if I'm going to attach or make a seperate section and tie it in with a bridge/walkway..If a walkway, could set up the filtration there. Behind the back end of the waterfall is where I'd like a gazebo. I found a trellis and put it behind the waterfall end and hope to have vines (that will live!) grow up it.

My yard is so flat, it's hard to make a waterfall fit in. And then when all the construction is done, topsoil brought in, and fill the rest in with lawns and more flower beds:-) more trees and shrubs.

Like my green water?:unsure:

[GregBickal]

No, we should promote "real koi ponds" because that is the proper environment for the koi. :-? 10% water changes a week, so we can put even more stress on the environment and the city water supply. !strut

Yeah. I like streams...

[Busy B]

Just had to show me up didn't you? :smile:

I'm almost embarrassed to show mine..it's OK but no where near 'showable' if that makes sense...When it was first done, I thought it was the most beautiful thing *grin* and then I started to see more pictures of more mature ponds...and I guess there lays the key...time. It takes time for the landscaping to grow, time for the water to mature...all of those elements that I have to battle because my season is so short and weather extremes.

If I just listened to the 'elite' of the hobby, I wouldn't even have one. But know I'll work with what I have, try to find ways to improve it, and still enjoy it.

Now if I lived in a different climate...who knows what direction I would take..

[Jackie Ramo]

Greg since I use the water changes to water the garden, which I would do anyway, I don't contribute to the environmental stress, if anything using pond water instead of fertilizers helps the environment - well the plants like it anyway :grin:

Are your steams part of you whole system and run from the same pump. That must be some pump!!

Yeah, busy instead of us working with the environment you and I should be working towards global warming :smile: