Thinking about installing my first pond

12 years ago

Hello pond folks!

I am thinking about installing my first pond. I have done a lot of research online and am thinking about a cross between natural swimming pond and regular pond. It will be about 25 x 25 feet with about 50% of the surface set aside for bog plants. I am hoping the plants take care of the filtration for the pond. I am going to install a waterfall which will require 1 pump. I think this is the only equipment I will use. The deep area (swimming area) wont be large, maybe 8 x 8 feet. More of a place for me to just get wet and cool off rather than swim. We have no small kids or friends LOL so there wont be many people in the pond ever.

I can't decide on fish or not. Will fish help keep it clean or help make it dirty?

The pond will be in full sun until my timber bamboo grove to the SW of the pond location and my weeping willow to the SE of the pond location grow full size.

I plan on digging the hole by hand with the help of my trusty husband :) We have a very sandy loam soil with no rocks. But I am still planning on putting old carpet under the liner and smooth river rocks on top.

The depth will be about 6 feet in the deepest part, but quickly taper up to 6 inch.

Question about the bog plants... What do you do with them in the winter?

What do you think of my plan? Is it a sound plan or do I really have not clue?

I'd appreciate any tips you can provide.

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Comments (29)

buyorsell888
12 years ago
I do not think that you can filter a pond that big safe for human swimming with just plants. You will have a green cesspool without filtration.

Fish would make it worse. Much worse.

There are people with swim/ponds, it is a valid concept for sure but more research is needed.
pcan
Original Author
12 years ago
How big would you go to still be able to filter with plants? 10x10?
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pondmaninal
12 years ago
Pcan, build your swimming pond. It's a new fad coming out of Germany of using plants to filter pools. Check out the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Natural Swimming Pools
pcan
Original Author
12 years ago
Well got a wild hair and started digging last night after work. I first marked the area off with spray paint and then pulled up all the lawn. Now it is just a dirt pad about 16x20 feet. Calling and electrician friend today to talk about running power out there. And still debating on getting the full pond kit or going al natural with just one pump for the water fall.
bagsmom
12 years ago
Hey pcan!

I am not-so-patiently awaiting the day when I can dig my own pond. I love reading about everyone's adventures in pond-keeping.

I have been thinking about it a lot. I wonder if you could make accommodations for pumps, filtration, etc. as you build your pond. If you choose to try the more natural route in the beginning -- but later decide you want more filtration -- you could have it set up so that stuff is easy to add.

Does that make sense? Perhaps your electrician could have everything ready to add more equipment, should you decide you need it. Maybe you could make a rock enclosure in which to hide pump apparatus. You wouldn't need to use it unless you decided you wanted to. But then it would be ready. In this way, you wouldn't have to do tons of retro-fitting.

You will have to send photos!

:)
pcan
Original Author
12 years ago
Things are coming along and I have a much better idea of what we are doing. We have started digging and the pond is about 16 X 20 feet, 3 feet deep, with a 3 foot high water fall. I spent some time this morning in a local pond shop talking to the pond guru. I have decided to go with a large pump for the waterfall and a smaller pump with a skimmer. No filters, instead I will have a lot of water plants to filter the water. Now I just need to figure out what to do with the dirt. lol

We also have an electrician coming out tomorrow to take a look.
contraryjim
12 years ago
I built my 2nd pond in part of an old swimming pool, deep with bogs at both ends. fabric & rocks, plants & pond features, under gravel filter. Never a problem with algae, chemical balance etc Added feeder gold fish and how they grew. I enjoyed my pond when I worked on it - didn't find a reason sit and look at it. THEN it was discovered by raccoons - electrical fences stopped 'em for a while, sharp sticks for a shot time, wire fences they learned to climb. They loved to eat iris, and destroy everything in the bogs - well it was deep enough so transferred plants to the middle - they learned to swim. And the local socialists have animal laws to protect them. IT WAS a GOOD idea at the time. Bottom line, what to do with it when the shine is gone?
bagsmom
12 years ago
Jim -- maybe add an alligator?

:)
pcan
Original Author
12 years ago
What about traps? We have a lot of racoons (I think it's due to the irrigation ditch that runs along the back of our property) and the neighbors have caught them and turned them in to animal control. I think animal control will give us the cages to use.
pcan
Original Author
12 years ago
Hello again folks!

We just finished the digging part of it. Now for the hard part... Figuring out where to put the pumps, how to shape the waterfall and installing everything :( I want to use a submersible pump to pump the water for the waterfall and put a small skimmer with a smaller pump to cycle water from the top to the bottom. Any tips you could provide would be excellent.

The electrician will be out on the 3rd to run all the power.

Thanks!

{{gwi:200112}}
pcan
Original Author
12 years ago
Hello Again!

Wanted to give an update on our progress. Here are some photo's. BTW, we are LOVING IT so far!!! I am finishing up the edge this week and adding plants. We will wait a couple weeks and add some fishies :)

Our yard exactly 3 years ago on June 29th:
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This was taken last Friday evening, we put the liner in Saturday:
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Underlayment, we used carpet squares and #15 roofing felt on top of that.
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The liner was hot and heavy, it tested my patience :)
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DH proud of his work:
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And Saturday evening, I built the small deck to lay on top of the liner providing a small sitting area.
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Close up of the falls:

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I will post more once I get the edge done and the plants in.
ibheri
12 years ago
Ah! Its so beautiful. Loved the deck. Great idea!
Pcan, where is the pump? This is the part that I am getting confused about. I also saw some grey blocks near the waterfall under the liner. May I ask what they are? Did you buy all that beautiful rocks? How do u choose what rocks to buy? Oh! Questions, questions and more questions. But I am so happy to see your progress. Awesome job...
pcan
Original Author
12 years ago
All good questions ibheri :) and thanks!

Look at the second picture, on the left you'll see a little notch dug out in the shelf. That is where the pump is. I took the pondlady's recommendation on putting it there in a plastic black pot. I put quilt batting over the pump (in the pot) and some small rocks in nilons to hold the batting down. The hose runs along the lower shelf and up the left side of the falls. It splits into two pools at the top. I also added a connecter to where the hose meets the pump that I can unscrew easily to remove the pump without messing with the entire hose.

The grey blocks are cinder block. I needed something to help form the waterfall and shore up the sides. I used a hammer to round out the pointy edges, then my DH covered the edges of the cinderblock with duct tape before we put the underlayment down.

No we did not buy any rocks. We are in Salt Lake Valley UT and the desert is only 45 minutes away. We have done 5 trips out there to collect them and the 6th and last trip will be today finishing up the edges.
robin1916
12 years ago
Ok, I'm TOTALLY impressed! From your first post on May 11, 2011 around 1 pm (if I'm reading the timeline correctly) when you posted that you were THINKING about installing a pond to today, June 15, you have done ALL this work!?!? Amazing. It would have taken me a year just to do the thinking part. I call it "considering whether I want to consider" such an undertaking.

I bow to your decisiveness and fortitude to jump in and take on such an undertaking so fast! And from what I see it is going to look amazing!

Kudos to you!
pcan
Original Author
12 years ago
Robin, that is funny, I was just reading back at my first post (seems like an eternity ago lol) and how different it ended up than what I initially thought. It is not a swimming pond like I initially wanted. But I am sure I will spend my share of time in it at least with my feet dangling off the patio. ;)

I added water lettuce, hyacinths, water cilantro, some long water grass and papyrus last night. It is really coming along. Patiently waiting two weeks to add fishies ;)

I had finished up about 90% of the edge with rocks when I talked to the pondlady who recommended I do the edge differently, LOL. So last night I moved the rocks and started over. :) Instead of laying the liner flat like it is in the pics above I pulled the edge straight up at a slight angle. Put rocks on the pond side and dirt on the outside folded the liner between the two. Then I stacked rocks on top of that so you couldn't see it sticking out. This way I have an extra lip around the pond protecting it from run off and allowing me to add more water. One side is done, I will start the other side when I get home tonight.
ibheri
12 years ago
Lol! Robin you cracked me up. "Considering whether I want to consider" cool phrase! That wud be me too :) what an amzing job pcan did! Thank you for answering all my questions pcan.
I plan to go to a pond shop and talk to some people. Also when I was googling, I found that Houston actually has a pond society. They meet once a month in member's homes. I requested if I can go as a guest. They also do a ponds tour anually which I missed by just a couple of weeks :( In my backyard there is depression from the back of the fence to mid way, maybe for all the rain water to flow. Not sure if there is a french drain, but I need to take that into consideration as well. Thnx again pcan, looking fwd to hear about your progress.
annedickinson
12 years ago
WOW.. .what a phenomenal job. DH and you should be very proud of the outcome. I know you will enjoy it so much!!!

I look forward to new pictures as the edging is finished and plants are growing around it.

Anne
pcan
Original Author
12 years ago
We finished all the edging and planting on Friday (except for some underwater plants I ordered online that have yet to arrive). It took 6 trips to the desert to get all the rocks needed (thanks to DH). I look forward to the following years when the perennials and ground cover fill in and break up the rock edging a bit. We also have timber bamboo planted behind the pond to the right (with a bamboo barrier ;))and a weeping willow behind it to the left. When they both grow in they will provide a great backdrop.

We are absolutely loving it! We can see it and hear the waterfall from every room in the back of our house, including the master bedroom. It is great falling asleep listing to the waterfall and crickets.

Well here it is:

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robin1916
12 years ago
I just popped in this morning to see if there was an update on your pond. Oh my goodness, what an update! That is absolutely gorgeous! My dinky little toad pond I am putting will be so pathetic compared to this. I'll just have to remind myself what my purpose is. To get rid of the slugs.

You two have taken what looked like a barren waste land and turned it into a sanctuary. You should be so proud!

Robin in NC
ibheri
12 years ago
Gorgeous! Wow, its just amazing.... I'm really short of words here. Congratulations to both of you on accomplishing so much.. I know I am going to come back to this post several times. One look is not going to be enough....Have a great time.
annedickinson
12 years ago
I love your pond. All the planning and hard work sure paid off. You did yourself proud!!!

Anne
chris_in_ct
12 years ago
Fantastic job! What a change from the barren, empty lot that was there before. Well done!

-Chris
chubbypoptart
12 years ago
Oh my gosh. Breathtaking. Now i want a real pond not a little preform like i have lol. Great job. I may be contacting you in the future to bother you on tons of questions lol
chubbypoptart
12 years ago
Okay i cant help it. Im not patient lol. Can you tell me details like measurements, what size liner, gallons, pump size, and did you do the whole thing with a shovel? How did you get the ground so smooth? And lastly (if you dont mind) how. Uch did it cost you all together. Sorry ijust cant wait to get my own pond going and yours is gorgeous!
sanctified
12 years ago
PCAN-

Lovely post, you have made so much progress from three years ago. Very impressive. I too am in SLC and am trying to find supplies for a pond less water fall. Can you tell me which pond store you got your supplies from and where you were able to find you rocks in the desert? (BTW, I'm in WVC.) I tried to find a way to direct message you but wasn't able to.

Thanks in advance.
pcan
Original Author
12 years ago
Chubbypoptart
The hole originally measured about 16 feet wide and 24 feet long and about 3 feet deep. The legnth shrunk a bit with building the falls and depth is a little more now, I think about 40" since the water is above ground at the surface. I ordered a 30x40 foot firestone pond liner which was an over estimate. We could have got by with a 25x35 foot liner. I think the cost of the liner was close to $900. My guess is 5000 gallons. The pump is 7000 GPH pump, I went bigger since the hose to the fall is over 20 feet long I thought I might loose some pressure. The pump was about $275.00. Everything else I scrownged or had. I probably spent another $600 on plants. So total price I guess would be about $2000.00 with all the odds and ends. As far as getting it smooth it was easy. Our soil is a sandy loam with no rocks so we just used a flat head shovel to flatten the surfaces. Yes, all dug by hand by my dear husband and son in law.

Sanctified,
I used Glover Nursery in West Jordan and Earth Systems on 9th east and about 7300 south and a couple online stores. I could not get the liner locally since it was so large. The rocks were collected from Stansbury Island, Skull Valley, the Delle exit off I-80 and west of Utah Lake. I think they found the red ones west of Utah lake. Don't blame you for not doing a pond in WVC, I hear the ground is rocky and impossible to dig in.
chubbypoptart
12 years ago
Thankyou! I really appreciate it I will be going on this same venture in a couple months:)
sanctified
12 years ago
Thank you very much for the details. I actually don't have the rocks that are typical on the W/S of the valley but just prefer pond less. It looks like I will be making some trips to the desert for rocks.

Thanks again, this has been a GREAT post.
cliff_and_joann
12 years ago
Looks gorgeous, congratulations! enjoy your new pond.

Thinking about installing my first pond

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