Preventing Siphoning in a Solar Powered Bog Filter

Below is an email I received from Jozef. He wanted to share with others how he prevented the bog filter from siphoning when the pump shuts off.

In all my bog filters I like to add what I call a “breather pipe”. If you pump water straight into the bottom of the filter and the pump shuts off it will pull all the dirty water that is inside the bog filter back into the pond.

Here’s a video that explains how that happens and why I add the “breather”.

The breather hole allows air to be sucked into the pipe that connects the pump with the filter, if the pump shut off (very frequently on a solar only pump). Once the air is sucked into the pipe, the siphon is broken and the dirty water remains trapped in the base of the bog filter, where it should be.

On all my bog filters I like to have an easy way to clean and flush them (I have quite a few different designs for different types and sizes of ponds).

One of the ways I sometimes add a clean-out point is having a larger diameter vertical pipe or barrel with holes or slits cut into the base that provides a portal down into the base of the bog filter.

On really big filters I’ll make it big enough to fit a dirty water “sump” pump (Amazon link).

On smaller filters it can be as simple as placing a hose or tube down the clean-out portal, starting a siphon and draining the filter that way. That was how I designed the filter on my own solar powered pond and stream system.

Sometimes if I can I’ll place a clean-out valve in the base of the filter. Like in the video below.

Anyway, Jozef found that he could simply direct the water from the pump into a larger diameter pipe that went to the base of the filter. This pipe doubles as a clean-out port and because there is an air gap there’s no chance of siphoning.

Here was Jozef’s original message to me (I don’t think english is his first language, but you’ll still get the drift).

Thanks for sharing your insights Jozef.

Original Email from Jozef

Hello, I have been watching you channel and really like it, did a solar bog filter had to challenged backfill once the pump has stopped working. I have deal with it my own way only because I haven’t seen yours before build. I would like to share it with you my method as it may be helpful for you or some one as it less material needed as well as “faster”

So to deal with backfill I have used bigger pipe coming from the top filter straight to the bottom and just easy let sit smaller pump income pipe only on the top of the pipe.

Basically in your filters you use cleaning pipe running from the top to the bottom the same pipe can be use as fill pipe as well cleaning pipe.

Please see pictures for demonstration.

My pond is only a small but same technic can be use on bigger scale. I am fishkeeper/fish breeder/aquascaper for over 30years and this my fist pond ever. Just sad I did get to pond earlier, love it.

Hope this finds you well and you or other people will find it helpful.

Jozef (Pond hobbyist)