"zookeeper" wrote in message
...
BenignVanilla wrote:
My main pond is nearly 2500 gallons or so...rough estimate. My VF is
about
500 or so, or at least it will be when I am done with it. I need to
redig a
few areas. I tossed together a quick diagram and posted it,
http://www.darofamily.com/jeff/links...pond_diag.gif. My apologies
for
the kindergarten look...I am at work and have only MS Paint to work
with, so
the graphic is lame. I think it explains my setup though.

I went with this plan because I wanted a bottom drain. I don't want to
have
to clean a 4' deep pond every year. I am hoping the muck gets pulled
into
the VF. I don't mind cleaning that out. Right now I am getting a lot of
sediment in the VF. I have no idea how the main pond is because I have a
clay problem that prevents me from seeing more then a foot down.

BV, is the pump in the VF higher than the intake in that pond? (Your VF
is 8-14" deep - is the filter at the deep or shallow end?) Inquiring
minds! ;-)

Currently my VF does not have a shallow end or deep. It is just a mottled
mass of different depths. I had hoped the differing depths would cause fall
out, but I won't know until I drain it this weekend. I plan to dig a few
areas deeper. Right now the fill line, and the pump sit in nearly the same
depth, although the pump might be slightly lower, not sure. The key thing,
is that the VF is gravity fed because the feed line is below the surface
level of the main pond. So my VF always has water.

BV.