I might be able to help address a couple of your questions; others will jump in here soon too. I like the size you are planning - 3,600 gallons per your measurements. I have a Cyprio pump & filter and they work great, but my pond is not nearly as big as yours will be. (Mine is 1,400 gallons). Can you list the pump and filter models? The pump might work okay in this application. The usual recommendation is that your pump should turn over your pond's water volume every 1 to 2 hours. This pump will juuust do that, unless you are planning a waterfall which will lower your pump's flow. The filter may be underpowered for a 3,600 gallon pond...I would like to know more about that filter's capacity. By Aquamats, are you talking about Matala or Japanese Mat style filter media? I use Matala mats in my Cyprio box filter. They work great and last forever. Sounds like you have an exciting project for this spring!

Jane, your enthusiasm is overwhelming. LOL! I hope that our discussions help. You can slow down a bit without getting stalled. Most of us have taken it in small steps.
You can get burned out by running into problems you didn't anticipate. For example, I don't know how the cement planter was constructed but you are likely to run into some rubble or some badly done bits and you will have to think of a way to deal with them. Work out some ideas ahead of time for a liner and how to deal with the edges, then consider how you want to construct the waterfall. I don't know what is current in the Gallery but there have been some very nice formal ponds in there. You might take a look to see if there are any good ideas. If not, there is always the library.
If you are installing electric, make sure it is Ground Fault Protected. That is essential for safety. That is referred to as GFCI, or Ground Fault Circuit Interupt. If there is a short, the electric circuit turns itself off.
I don't know if the seals on the pump are damaged by being in storage. Usually a magnetic pump is stored in water to prevent the seals from shrinking. Maybe you have lucked out. Horton or one of the others here would be better for talking about that than I am.
Really consider a bottom drain if there is a way to put one in.
I think you are going to be a real spark on this forum. Welcome. Sandy

Thank You for such a warm Welcome!!! I am installing a GFCI, and am totally overwhelmed with the bottom drain problem already!!! I want one, am willing to figure it out, but at this moment don't "see" how it operates!!! What is it sitting with on the outside of the pond? And aerator? Pumps? I thought it was just gonna be a pipe to the outside of the pond that I can attach a hose to and water my flower beds!!! But I am getting the idea that it is to be housed with a pump and an aerator(aerator sounds good) The walls of my cement planter are only about 14"high, and I will be only using them as a base/form for wire mesh and concrete as they are pretty decrepid! Even this will take some time to do as I work 4 days/week. Plus since I work at a recycling depot, I'm already got plans to scrounge pcs of old colored toilets to mosaic the sides with...I do outdoor garden art mosaics for a hobby. So will be using all that lovely old porceline so it doesn't end up in the landfill or used as aggregate for paving. Plus will scrounge some styrofoam to line underneath my pond liner as it is non recyclable and ends up in the landfill. Sooo, I have lots to do just to get it ready to add water!!! I know a waterfall would look nice but I want as much air as possible so am debating just adding a multi holed spitter? (pipe with holes?) So I am planning on getting a 20x30 liner...already have a 14x20pc if I want to add a waterfall...being 4ft deep I think I really should have a drainpipe? I'm just tightly budgeted right now and so am not thinking clearly...wanna be cheap...wrong!!! The fence guy and his wife have a pond and she said she just lost 2 koi(8lbs) cuz their pond froze(theirs is 4ftdeep too) over when they were away on vacation, so she said she would stick to goldfish for now... She also said she will be dividing plants up this year sooooo...YES!!!! They live in the same neck of the woods I do so the plants will be climatized!!! So they may be able to survive me!lol! She said start with small quantities as EVERYthing..plants/fish multiply!!! I may be able to ask the fence guy or the guy who gave me the pond pump for help also with setting it up. I'll look into that. Here is some stuff I make for outdoor art...I use recycled material to save it frome the land fill.


Visit My Photos - 13 Pics

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Stuff

The bottom drain is the outlet from the pond as the water circulates from bottom drain to the pump to the filter to the UV light to the waterfall (or inflow) to the pond and then out the bottom drain on bottom of the pond. Yes, put in a bottom drain. It is very important to prevent sludge buildup on bottom of the pond.

Wow! You are quite an artist. I love so many of your pieces. I wish I could see them close up. I expect you spend a lot of time on the arts and crafts forums. DH would have a hissy if I started working that form. A new application for the Dremel? Old toilets? What a great source of material! Lots of color from the fifties and sixties. And there are lots of flat areas.
I did a quick search for bottom drains and there were over 5,000 entries. Didn't limit it to the pond forum which would reduce it but it still is a huge number. It would be worth your while to skim for a time. At the least it would show you the basic theory and how differently each person does it. Some are fairly simple and others are very complex. I am not the one to advise you on this but lots of other posters would be happy to show you what they have done.
A multi holed spitter sounds good but I can see lots of problems with clogs. Think that one through. It won't be any where near adequate for a pond the size you will have. A pump the size of the one you have now would blow it apart in short order.
It is not necessary to have the whole pond 4 feet deep. You may want to have several levels to make shallow areas for plant containers.
I like the idea of a trellis. The raccoons and herons may still come but it can solve a lot of other problems. I have the frame of a six sided gazebo over my pond and I really like it. I have used only the top with the stubs that usually go into the legs inserted into PVC pipes so it is very short, easily removable and looks more interesting than just four sides. I can attach netting to it or hang wind chimes or let vining plants climb on it. I never keep the same ideas for long. Everything changes.
The ornamental part can be added anytime, so for now, concentrate on the basic pond structure, but keep the ornament part in mind. You know how that can change. Sandy

Jane. Check the link. It is pretty good. Sandy

Here is a link that might be useful: curb1's bottom drain link

Here is a pic of the pond bed. It is 4 ft deep for 10ft then the guy said I would probably want some shallow area for plantsso left the rest for me to fugure out what to do about the other 20ft...or do I want to have larger? which I was only going to use 20ft of this bed for a pond. I want to see what is here info wise about bog? My pump is a cyprio bioforce 2000+UV, and the pond pump is a submersible cal pump PW2000. Sheesh, all this is not as easysmeasy as I thought it was!!! I still don't get what is at the other end of the drain pipe, outside of the pond? I was just thinking I could drain it with my pond pump, but I am sure you tried and trues have a reason for the pond drain. Like maybe it is more efficient?!YUP, I am already trying to cut corners....lol!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:187324}}

Wow - you are going to have a pond the size that most of us can only dream about. The several posters who have recommended installing a bottom drain are absolutely right. The main reason is that in a pond of this size and depth, it is not practical, and maybe not even possible, to keep the pond floor clean by vacuuming or using a net-skimmer to remove whatever leaves, debris, etc you can reach. The only way to keep the pond bottom clean is via constant circulation of water drawn from the bottom drain and into your filtration system. For this, you will need an external (not submersible) pump. Unfortunately this means you would not be able to use your CalPump. Also, I am afraid that the Cyprio BioForce is just not going to be enough filter for what you are designing.

I have included a link which includes many articles on pond construction, filtration, plumbing schematics, etc. I thought the article about "Pond Doc's" personal pond project was most informative. You are light years ahead of where most folks are in starting a pond project. The concrete walls and the excavation that has already been done -- to a very suitable depth of 4 feet -- are the foundations of a very well-designed koi or water garden pond.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pond Construction & Design

Upon research about my cyprio filter, they don't sell them in canada anymore?!! And like what has been said, a external pump is needed. I have looked at Curbs pond and am now starting to understand what a drain is and how it works!!! Back to the ol' drawing board!!! So far I have just wanted to jump the gun with this project, but the link that you have given me to Pond Docs page is letting me know...this will take some time!!! PLUS money!!lol! PLUS now I have a HUGE pile of dirt to move all the way across(by wheelbarrow...and me)a 1/4 acre(did I mention that it is terraced???)Is it really 480sqft of Dirt?!!! Ohhh HUBBY!!! Where are you?!!!heh heh! Well, I shall have to keep enthused by seeing all the lovely pics(EyeCandy) of all Your Ponds!!!!

I am about to embark on my first pond as well. Can anyone recommend a good installer in Austin texas??? I just need the basics done, and then I can make it pretty from there! Thanks!

Jane, all I can do is say yes you can! I dug up my 1000 gallon pond all by my lonesome. Sometimes I had to use the pointy end of a trowel to get through the compacted clay. A small chain saw took care of the larger roots. That was about 6 years ago. I was 59 years old with fibromyalgia. Now, at 65, I am still contemplating a larger pond but it may take a while. I managed to break my back, damage nerves so I am considerably less physically able, but I will get there if I have to use a teaspoon. Funny how easy it is to lose 5 or 6 hundred cubic feet of dirt in the flower beds if you scatter it. Sandy

Oh Sandy!!! Way to Go!!! I am not humbled and inspired at the same time!!!lol! I just found out today, that a good friend of mine that I had lost touch with, has turned a "pond hobby" into a full time huge pond supply business!!! I just got help with a pond layout and bought a liner the size my pump will handle...my pond will be 10l x 6w x4d!!! AND I have a big pc of extra pond liner that I'm thinking of making a bog garden to go with this!!! YeeHaw!!! He said the idea I had of recycling styrofoam was gonna be bad so on my way home from his pond place I stopped and got this big pc of newer carpet that someone had dumped on us where I work(Recycling Depot & Thrift Store), so I have to get that yard cleaned up and get the cement repaired, and make this pond happen!!! Will put the drain in but won't use it this year, have to get a different pump, but tapped out financially, with fencing my 1/2acre! Now I have to get some special pressurized drain pipe????

Sheesh, I don't know where that "not" came from!!! Typo!

LOL!