new natural bottom pond

12 years ago

Hello,

I set out to make a rain garden...but...with the clay soil here it did not drain at all. I made it deeper and now have a pretty cool natural bottom pond. Downspouts from the house are directed underground to the bottom of the pond. It is only about one month old.

{{gwi:213641}}

It is not a neat "clean" pond. We plan to let it do its thing with as little intervention from us as possible.

We planted arrowhead (it is spreading like crazy), some pickrel weed, sedges around the edges, and some cardinal flower.

All the following animals have found the pond on their own and appear to have made it their home: one small painted turtle, one bull frog, and one green frog. There are lots of dragon flies, all types of water bugs, and some snails.

I have a cash reward for the kid who finds the first salamander! We really want (and need) some tadpoles to help with the algae. It is amazing the amont of wilflife that will find and use small ponds like this!

Anyone else like or have a natural bottom wildlife pond?

Thanks.

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Comments (5)

terrestrial_man
12 years ago
Nice. How deep is it?
If you spray down the surface of the pond adding cooler tap water it might help clear it up some. Reminds me of a pond that would hold some catfish if it is large enough and you have alot of plants in it. Of course catfish can be fed regular dry dog food.
what is the shape of the hole underwater? just a gradual slope to the center or tiered with a shallow water platform by the shore and a drop off into a deeper central area?
garyfla_gw
12 years ago
Hi
I use a system like that for an above ground pool. Original purpose was to collect rainwater lol. i find it keeps the water very clean. Of course it has to rain for that to happen .lol The water will clear up as it starts growing and the clay settles down How did you plan for overflow??? gary
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I also remember you mammabird. I usually don't use the forum much in the winter but come back on in the spring just to catch up on what's new etc. I have a retrofit bd as well mine is some modifications on the Tetra through the liner drain (which froze) but I used the cap from it for my drain. I am replacing that this year with the Aqua Art Drain as it sits flatter than mine. Not sure if I understand your "hump" but you usually put the bd in the deepest part of the pond. Avid koi-keepers like to do TPR's--but that also means cutting a hole in the liner. With your pond dimensions you might want two bottom drains one for each deep section. That would mean two bulk heads (I did pipe boot connections) through the liner on the side of the pond wall nearest your settling chamber. My drain has a 4" line reduced to 3" just before it enters the sc followed by a 3" knife valve (there much cheaper!). I take my drain out for winter because of my climate. Water inside pipes in my climate not a good idea. My settling chamber is a liner chamber (kinda like a pond beside the pond)350 gals-my pond is 2500 gals. They say sc should hold at least 10% of your pond volume. I really like this system as use sc for water changes. I have 3-4 ft square matala mats in my chamber which is also my mechanical filitration. Good luck with your new pond and move. Patti
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Hi Gary, yes, it's freshwater. We're at about 1500 feet elevation, so cooler than sea level; historic highs and lows are about 88 and 48 degrees F. According to our neighbor, the pond may go dry during prolonged drought. The pond kind of looks like a crater, sort of a pool in the top of a raised area, so it shouldn't flood. My goal is a tropical look, pretty low maintainance. I would love koi, but think we should start with mosquito fish and see how that goes. The pond is several hundred feet from the house (and water and power sources), so we're planning on a solar-powered pump. We have the book "Water Gardening" from the American Horticultural Society, so we're learning about what kind of plants go where, but they assume you're starting with a fake pond. I'm hoping to attend our local water garden club, but it's the same day the bulldozer is coming to make us some planting areas, so I may not make it this month. Thanks for any advice! Lee
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Hi again, just another thought about the frogs and tadpoles. Given your pond is very new, there might not be much for you little tadpoles to eat when they hatch. Algae and decaying plant matter after they finish with the spawn jelly, and after they get legs they get look for meat, and your bug and microorganism population won't be that terrific yet so it is more likely they would look to one another for breakfast. (They do that anyway, but less if there is a variety of options). So two options--give the spawn back to your sister for this year, or take it indoors to rear until they get legs and hope the pond has matured enough by then. Boiled iceberg lettuce works to keep them going as food source indoors when they are big and active, and keeps in the freezer. The wildlife will come and thrive when the conditions are right and that won't take long, and you are on the road to have the most fantastic wildlife site. I dug my pond the same time of year as you, and as a frog fantatic, was desperate for frogs. The day after fillling, there was a pondskater already trying it out from somewhere. By spring after the planting had taken off, the bug population took off, and so did the blanket weed. Stuck a few stickelback in (4) and they provided some wildlife interest for the first summer, and by June there were visiting frogs and toads. In fact, I am sure I saw a newt by the end of the first summer, but convinced myself it was a big stickelback. When spawning season came a year later, there were 30 out there and 6 clumps of spawn--and we have not looked back. Put a birdfeeder up and the variety of birds that come to the pond is incredible. And of course there are the dragonflies which will find your pond this summer, and you will gradually see the results of that next spring for the damselflies, and over the next 3 years for the big guys. And by that time, the newts, frogs and toads have shown they are here to stay. Must admit, I am a stickelback fan as they are a native species, too small to attract heron, but provide fry for everyone else and only eat a few of the tadpoles. They also provide food for a kingfisher who comes from the river a mile away (see thread of unexpected visitor). I think having a branch or something to perch on helps. Stickelback are also fun to watch during breeding season, as the males do all the work making nests, attracting females, guarding the eggs--dab hand at multi-tasking! The plant pots and marginals in your sisters pond provide that shallow area and help with with food chain. Clever little guys to find eeny weeny ladders too! Have fun--
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buyorsell888
12 years ago
You need more plants and some Mosquito Dunks. :)

I have dirt on top of liner in three small ponds it the dirt did settle and they are now clear but I have many more plants for cover and beauty. Waterlilies will grow very happily in clay bottomed ponds. :)
innernr
Original Author
12 years ago
The pond (which started as a rain garden!) is only about eight inches deep average. Both ends have large shelves about three or four inches deep. When I decided to turn it into a pond I dug a trench in the middle about 2' - 2.5' deep and 2' wide and 4' long.

Overflow is through a 4" black landscaping pipe under the berm. It empties into the natural drainage that was in place before the pond was there.

I may make it bigger (extend the trench)...it is still a work in progress. I am a little concerned about the pond filling in over time.

A few questions:

1. How do you muck out a pond like this without destroying plants and animals which have made the mud bottom their home?

2. What would be a good source for lilies that would overwinter in the pond without having to remove and store them over them winter.

Thanks.
serenae
12 years ago
I love it! I wish I could do that for my pond, but although the soil is heavy clay, I'm on a slope.

When you're cleaning out a natural bottomed pond, there isn't one good time of year to do it, and you'll always end up disturbing the wildlife in the muck. Just try to do it as infrequently as possible. Also, when you scoop out the muck, have a surface you can leave it on for a couple of days. This will allow anything with legs to escape (hopefully, back into the pond). You should also sift through the debris and place any life back into the bottom of the pond - as much as possible.

If you want any hardy water lilies to survive over the winter in your pond, you'll have to dig the pond deeper in one area - say, to 20"-24" inches, to ensure they make it. The lilies should be planted or moved to that area in fall.
As well, frogs won't be able to overwinter in a pond that shallow.

Good luck!

new natural bottom pond

Comments (5)

terrestrial_man

garyfla_gw

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new natural bottom pond

Comments (5)

terrestrial_man

garyfla_gw

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buyorsell888

innernrOriginal Author

serenae

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innernr
Original Author