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I am installing an outdoor pond in the yard for the turtles. There is gonna be a fountain filter unit in the pond. I am wondering for added filtration will this work. I dont know how to go about making an filter/waterfall from scratch. Im very very sorry about the extremely raw sketch. Lol thats the best i could do.

Will this help?

http://www.perfectpondkeeping.com/biofi ... filter.htm

I looked at that i want mine to be a waterfall though, i think it would add to the beauty.

An upflow bio filter is really quite easy to build. I have had good success with a "skippy" style filter for my messy turtles and goldfish.
http://www.skippysstuff.com/biofiltr.htm

I would recommend that you may want to try cheap nylon scrubber pads instead of bio balls. Previously, I have used a 5 gallon bucket full of bio balls and I didn't have much luck with that. A larger container with scrubber pads and plants on top has worker the best so far.

you can see pics of my filter here:
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15509

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I dont have the space for something as big as you have in the pics. Im considering a decorative flower pot about 5 gallons, and the scrubber pads ill probably prop one end off to make it a waterfall. So just fill the bucket or pot with the pads thats it?

We are doing something very similar to what I think you are talking about. Once I finish I will post pictures. My husband calls it a wet/dry filter. We have a small rubbermaid tub probably about 30 gallons with a lid. We got some egg crate stuff and cut it to fit in three layers in to the tub. At the bottom of one end we cut a hold for the water to come out of and drop like a waterfall back into the tank. We placed bio balls on the bottom, then a piece of egg crate, then a piece of fine mesh filter, the another piece of egg crate, then two large bags of charcoal that I made by sewing medium mesh filter pads into pillows and filling with charcoal, then another piece of egg crate, then three layers of large mesh filter pads. We have a pump in the stock tank that pushes the water up to the top of the filter and the water streams though and out the hole in the bottom. We intend on covering the filter with leafy plants or something to hide it.

We considered doing the skippy filter, but we emailed the people and they said that it might be a little stinky to have indoors. The stock tank we are setting up is in the basement. We are waiting on the water heater and we have to build the basking platform (I'm still trying to figure out how I want to do this without taking up water space). We have had the water running through the filter in the tank for a little over a week now and so far its worked great. We'll see what happens when the turtle gunk comes into play.

I'll post pictures when we are done.

We had a beautiful pond at a place I used to work and all we did for our waterfall is use large river rocks and stack them around the filter. It ended up being very nice to look at, and you could hear the waterfall but it wasn't loud... if that makes sense.

I could maybe take some pictures if you'd like.

Pics of anybodys waterfall would be great. I have an idea in mind, im going to try to find something like an old fashioned water jug and angle it so it looks like its pouring into the pond ill show you guys some pics when i find what im looking for.

Ok guys i found some pics of what im looking for.

Take a look.

ilcapo21, Check out this website:
http://www.rlights.com/viewproduct.php?id=19724

I'm not trying to advertise, but I work for a company who can get those if you wanted. I'd make sure you got a good deal.

Im seeing a lot of lighting stuff, what category would the items be under?

Oh dear! I'm very sorry, I pasted the wrong link! Try this one:

http://msm4imports.com/hand-painted_pottery.php

Ahh i see now lol. Yah there are a few i like, when i come to do my waterfall i think i might consider. I think i will get to the waterfall in about a week or 2. Thank you for the offer i might take it.

Those pot things would work well as your waterfall but I don't think it filled with scrubber pads will be sufficent. This depends on the size of your pond, how much maintenence you want to do, how much you care about water quality.

If it were me I would buy a pressure filter, basicaly it is that pot but it is filled with several layers of rough and soft matter for filtration/bacterial growth utilizing water pressure to push the water though the pads/balls/nets. Most include a UV light as well. I would buy one of these and then run it through to your pot.

You can use that and include balls in your pot and have great water. The reason I say this is if your only filter is the pot(again depending on pond size) going to end up cleaning it much more than you want and your water quality will never be good anyway.

Here is a picture of my Sisters waterfall. Aquascape came and did her whole pond. It is over 3,000 gal. She said they used a liner for the waterfall lined with small stones in the middle and large ones on the sides. It looks much smaller than it is. It really is big.