Creating a "garden pot" bog filter for your small pond

[Backyard Getaway (Lisa Burns)]

Simple & easy natural bog filter for your water garden using an ordinary garden pot & these simple steps!

 

1.  Choose a pot: Glazed terra cotta works well
2.  Drill a hole & pipe it: some pots have holes if not drill one to fit the tubing you are using either 1/2" or 3/4" works well. Length of tubing depends on the distance to the pump.
3.  Place it in your pond: easier to do this step before filling with gravel
4.  Fill with gravel: fill 3/4 of the way full with pea gravel
5.  Plant with bog plants: You can use a variety of aquatic bog plants. I like to use something tall in the center like Mini Papyrus or Golden spears with low spreading plants like mint or creeping jenny
6. Connect to your pump: a small 250gph submersible pump works well with a pot 12"-16" diameter.  

       

It’s important for a balanced pond to have  both biological & mechanical filtration. The gravel in the pot is the perfect medium for beneficial bacteria to grow, the pump creates oxygen that is needed for the bacteria growth & the plants help filter out ammonia, nitrites & nitrates.