harryc

Hi all as a compromise to the lack of a bottom drain, I was thinking of installing a retro bottom drain in the spring. Do you think this would work?

Aqua Art Pond Supplies....Bottom Drains, Retro Drains

It is a liner pond and 10'x5' and just over 3' deep, so plan would be to go through the liner and gravity feed to a 55 gallon barrel with a 3" solid pipe running just above the pond surface ( so not as unsightly as the standard retro with flexi pipe) and exiting about a 18" under the water level.
Obviously not as good as a proper bd but would this set up be good enough to give enough flow for a 800-900G pond.

harryc

Obviously not a busy forum hence no replies. Maybe time to move on.

miles41

I would guess no-one has experience of the retro bottom drains. The theory of them looks fine and whilst they won't be as good as the 'real thing'; I can't see them doing any harm.
I'm sure it would perform very well for you - let us know how you get on!

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Miles

Davej

Harry

Any pics of the existing set up?

I’m guessing that you intend to cut the liner slightly below the water level? And the barrel is going to be either a sump pit from which you can supply water to pump fed filters or form the basis of a gravity fed filter?

You would need to excavate and create a pit sufficiently large to get access to drain the barrel to waste. Or I guess you could drain by pumping out to waste. The feed and the 3“ pipe would need to be low enough below the pond water level to cater for the loss of water you get when you drain the barrel.

Not sure what the walls of the pond are made from? or the type of liner - but there are risks in cutting liner below water level.

As to flow, this all depends on how big a pump you use to return the water to the pond, a 3” pipe will happily gravity flow with 2000gph without a great head loss.

Personally I would think about saving some cash and not using the retro drain and simply pump feed instead through 2” pipe, you can then cut through above or below water level if you are confident enough. I’d be using a pump that can handle solids so probably an Oase, for this type of operation I would steer clear of the otherwise excellent Superfish pumps that can struggle in a dirty water situation.

Dave