Freak Leak Caused by Something Digging in my Bog Filter (?)

[Julles]

Sunday I went out to do my usual Sunday yard chores, and, before turning the corner into the yard, I heard that ominous sound of the waterfall splashing from too high a distance.

Yup, the water level was way low - about 15%.


What happened was, something (or was it just freak motion of the water itself??) had dug an indentation in the gravel in my bog filter, near the edge.  Since there wasn't much gravel covering the incoming water, in this spot, the water was gushing up like a mini-fountain.  It was enough that it was splashing over the side - not much, but enough that overnight, it had drained the pond quite a bit. 

I had no idea water would come gushing up like that.  I thought it would just simply flow downhill toward the waterfall. 

Whatever did that, I hope it never comes back!

[Julles]

I dug it all out yesterday - 650lbs of gravel out and back in during 100 degree heat.  I never figured out exactly what was the problem, but I think mud had settled under the PVC pipes, and was blocking the flow of water out of the pipes.  I cleared all that away, and now it works great.

But it's something that could happen again, and I sure hope this new bog filter isn't going to be a maintenance headache!

[Jonna]

I'm really interested Jules since we are in the process of building a small pond with bog filter next door.  How high off the bottom is the pvc with the holes in it?  Ours is set in at about 2" or 3" above the bottom and I'm now worrying that enough muck will build up under it to cause what happened to yours.  What do you think?  Would you make it higher now if you could?