Phoenix means no winter, so you can basically get stuff growing that will do the
actually "slow down" of the flow with roots alone.
There are plants that float in a veggie filter, hyacinths and lettuce. Then there
are plants that stand upright, thereby providing a much greater volume to the actual
surface area. Like cyperus (papyrus) and water celery.
Then there is making a veggie filter that looks more like a really lush planted
garden, nice, neat inside a pretty planter, and all SELF WATERING. For this you mix
water plants with their roots bare in the water and plants in pots.
If you want a nice clear pond you are going to have to do some shading. There is
just too much sun. For that reason, I would suggest the veggie filter be built right
over part of the pond. this gives a bit of elevation to the filter and it can spill
back into the pond with a nice waterfall, not too high (evaporation). the other
benefit is that any overflow problems, any leaking and the water is not pumped OUT of
the pond, it spills back into the pond.
and as a way to break up the edge of the pond (I am assuming it is rectangular) I
have a visual of a series of veggie filters of different lengths, different heights,
different widths, some with floating plants, some with taller ones all spilling back
into the pond.
like this
http://weloveteaching.com/mypond/etc...ggiefilter.jpg
the pump would be attached to PVC in the back that divides the water up into the
boxes, with valves so the water would flow faster in some, slower in others. Ingrid
On Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:14:15 EDT, Chip wrote:
I have a 18500G pool I am converting to a big pond. Want to go as much
natural bio veggie filter as possible to keep the water eco clean and
transparent as in "Green", but not green water. I have enough pump and
mechanical filter to flow about 8000GPH, but veggie filters need it slow
and steady, right. I have enough space to make the veggie filter about
1/3 the surface size of the pool. Since I am in Phoenix the idea of a
large wet garden up behind the pond really appeals to me.
What would the ideal size be, surface and depth, for my veggie filter?
Chip