Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Building a dam Siphon Pipe is IN!

I used my Gast aeration compressor/vacuum pump. First I put a test plug in the outlet of the siphon tube and then I drilled and tapped a PVC cap and installed a tire valve in it and put the cap on the end of the vent tube. I used electrical tape to seal the cap so it could be removed. I then connected a Whole House water filter with a clear base between the pump and the siphon cap so when water started being drawn to the vac. pump, I could close the valve on the filter. It took less than 3 minutes to draw the air out and fill 150 feet of 4" tubing. I then pulled the test plug from the outlet and was drenched by the rush of water being pulled from the pond. Once the pond level was lowered to the desired level, I pulled the cap off the vent tube and stopped the siphon.

I hope this makes some sense.

Rainman,
I think I understand your setup. This sounds like exactly what is needed. Will any Gast pump work? I know they sell a lot of different ones. It might be too much trouble, but could you post a picture sometime, or web links to the filter and pump that you have? If it's too much trouble don't worry about it. How does the tire valve attach to the filter? This sounds very interesting.

Rainman,
Is this the type of whole house filter housing you were talking about?
http://www.filtersfast.com/OmniFilter-OB5-water-filter-housing.asp

As far as the Gast Roc-R pump, this is the spec sheet for their pumps. Which model do you have?
http://www.gastmfg.com/rocr.html

I'm also wondering if the diaphragm pumps would work because there are a lot of models that are DC, and I don't have electricity to the pond dam.
http://www.gastmfg.com/diaphram.html

I'm also curious of the attachments used. I'm assuming that their is some type of connector on the whole house filter that attaches to the tire valve. Then a tube or pipe connects the filter to the pump. Is this correct?

Thanks for the input.

cm, That filter will work fine! Mine happens to have a shut-off valve built in, so you would need a valve to stop the flow.

The reason I used a tire valve was simply because I had one, as well as an old tire pump hose to connect to it. ANY sealed tubing would work as long as you have a valve to stop the air flow.

Any gast pump will produce enough vacuum. Even an air compressor will work if you can isolate the inlet. My pump is the 72R twin vacuum---It produces a max 30psi on the pressure side.

I have even started my siphon by filling the output sipe pipe with water and then sealing all connections before removing the test cap, but hauling 150 gallons of water up the dam was a little more than exhausting and didn't always work when the air form the pond side of the pipe hit the outlet.

Where was this post a couple of weeks ago when I was searching for info on siphon systems. Sometimes I am just blind. Great post, made me feel better about the one I plan to install this summer.

I'm glad you found the information useful. I know I haven't posted in a while. The pond is full now and I will post some pictures soon.

I sure hope so Chad!!!!!

You get all that pretty water and then desert us!

Did you ever figure out if it was seepage or some of your many springs below the dam?

I'm headin' back down to LRAFB soon and wanna do some fishin'!

Rainman,
Look me up when you head this way. I've been really busy out there and the place has changed. The water on the backside of the dam is spring water. There are no leaks in the dam as far as I know.

Hey everyone. I know it's been a while since I posted and I promised I would get some more pictures up. We were out at the pond yesterday enjoying the beach area and letting the kids swim so I took some pictures.

This first one is at the southwest corner looking over the pond. This is the main drainage running into the pond and you can see the tops of the brushpiles we have placed.


This is the emergency spillway. Originally, the spillway was too shallow and I had to bring in some shale to increase the height of the spillway. Up until this point the siphon pipe wasn't being used as the primary spillway because the contractor couldn't understand exactly what I wanted. So I placed the shale with my tractor to the level I wanted.


This is the air vent. As you can see at normal pool I have about 2 inches of the pipe submerged. I've never had a chance to adjust this because this is the first time my pipe has been the primary spillway. If the pond level is correct should I have to adjust this pipe (cut off the 2 inches of pipe in the water)? I assume that when the siphon is activated, it creates a vortex or whirlpool that could let air in the vent to shut the siphon off and this could reach 1-2 inches below the water level. I don't know for sure that is why I'm asking.


The nexts pictures are on the dam looking south at the beach and drainages.
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This picture is looking west to the emergency spillway.


Last night it rained about 3-4 inches so I went out today and took some pictures of the pipe and emergency spillway. This is pipe is full siphon mode.


This is the main drainage with runoff coming from a pond to the south.


This is the emergency spillway. It is being used a little more than I thought it would but is definitely keeping water off the top of the dam.
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You can see erosion of the ridge that was placed to channel the water into the smaller pond below. This dirt was placed over one year ago so I'm not sure how to keep this from happening. The area under this ridge is natural shale and bedrock so I'm not worried about the erosion going down into the earth, I would just like to keep the water moving into the smaller pond below.


You guys can tell me what you think.

Looks good.

For that ridge, get some grass to grow and flatten the slope. The water looks like it is flowing straight into the ridge. Try and smooth out any turns that the water has to make.

That's some kind of beautiful pond! Just my 2c, but be careful that the weeds growing up around the air vent don't stop up the pipe. Does the spillway get used often? If so, try lowering the horizontal part of your air vent pipe. This will allow the siphon to move more water.

Jersey, thanks. This is the first time the emergency spillway has ever been used. I know what you mean about the weeds. I cut them about 2 weeks ago and they are already too high. I'll have to break out the weedeater this weekend. I'm also going to be installing a trash guard around the vent pipe.

The pond really looks good and the spillway held up good.

Not sure what I was looking at conserning the ridge. Was that putting water in another pond or part of the spillway?

Yeah, the water that goes over the emergency spillway funnels into another small shale pit pond. The flowing water cut into a berm that channels that water. I need to do a little tractor work to get the water off of the berm and into the middle of the lane.

How is your siphon system holding up? Looking at all of your pictures, I am curious about the vent pipe. It looks like it as very close to the dirt. Has that been a problem. I am planning my pond right now, and would also like to have a siphon.