Jeff, Based on what you have said about your piping including fittings the total length of pipe is 34 or 35 ft. This does not include any fittings to connect on to the SC or the valve and tee. So I would guess that your finial plumbing you end up about 45 ft of pipe with all the fittings included. Assuming everything is 3" pipe then at 1500 gph the drop in your first SC will be about 1". The water in the pipe will be moving at a rate of 68 ft per min or .78 mph. This is fast enough to carry lighter debri up the 45 degree incline but the heavier debri will fall out of the water column. When flushing the pipe as above the flow will be at a much higher rate depending on how much below pond level the pipe exits into the SC will determine how fast that water will move. The second question is does the SC have enough volume so that once the water in the pipe is moving quicker can that debri make it out of the pipe before the water slows down again? To determine all this I will need the size and dimensions of the SC, how far below pond level the top of the 3" pipe will go into the SC and how far below the top of the SC the top of the 3" pipe will be? Your second post you talk about emptying the pipe and refilling the pipe to flush the debri. This is probably not going to do more than flushing the pipe I talked about above. Mike

I saw your post yesterday and surprised no one has responded. We live in zone 7 and have no problem with freezing pipes etc. We've had winters where the ice on top of the pond is 8" deep. I believe you'll have to go a little deeper in one section for the fish to overwinter in zone 4. We have a 3 1/2 foot section and our fish overwinter in that part of the pond. We have a bottom drain, and a DIY gravity fed filter system. If you want koi, you should consider putting in a bigger pond, if you just want a few goldfish your size is adequate. This is basically how we did ours (in the beginning) We used three tubs buried in the ground, the water level in the tubs are the same as the pond. The pump(s) are in the last tub. After the water goes through all the tubs it returns to the pond. After that (the next year) we added a biological pond that the water travels to via underground, goes through a biological pond then returns to the main pond. I'm an not suggesting that method for you, only explaining that later on we needed more filtration cause we had a lot of koi. I am providing the link to our pond plans and diagrams for you. Once you get there check out the links on our website and go to Chuck Rush's website for good information. You have this entire winter to think things through and that's a good thing. Starting out knowing you want a bottom drain is a good thing as well, as it is the single most important thing you'll do for your pond. Everything else you can improve upon later. For instance we added our skimmer the second year. Again it was a DIY job, and it's housed under the small dock on back of our pond. We only use the skimmer is spring and fall. If you want shelves all around for a very natural look, here is how we did ours, dig a shelf all around pile flat rock and round rocks too, up to ground level then on the ground as well, in between you can move the rocks and plant hidden pots with plants. When you look into the pond you will not see any liner all around the perimeter of the pond. Welcome to the forum and good luck with your armchair pond planing! In the mean time I hope some zone 4 ponders jump in here. Joann Here is a link that might be useful: Pond plans and diagrams

My belief is that rubble-stone foundations are best left undisturbed, especially below grade. You have your wish list. My recommendation is that you have a certified civil and structural engineer examine both the soil and structural integrity of your home in consideration of your intentions. Much of what you wish to do, if it can be done, will likely need to be accomplished within a very short timeframe - you have to keep the existing foundation stabilized! Qualified contractor, not a DIY project. All I can encourage is get LOCAL EXPERT advise before you begin. I live in N. IL. Our son owns a home the approximate age of yours. Basements then were cellars and weeped in wet season. The advise I share is based on guideance from an architect who evaluated their home for an addition. Hope this rather negative reply is taken as a recommendation to be cautious, not a put down on your desired result. Good luck.

Of course they can be removed from below by an experienced licensed plumber. You may get a bit of damage right at the drain pipe penetration, but a mud set tile job has a lot of inherent strength to it, and it want be damaged much, unless it has underlying issues caused by an existing leak.