***The Pond Discussion Thread****

[easyrider]

This is my first pond so go easy on me

I have posted pics in the main thread but this is really advice on the step by step process facing me next with my pond. TBH Now I have this massive hole in my garden I feel slightly overwhelmed

I finished the dig yesterday and will be lining it tomorrow. I'm just a bit unsure on what pump and filter to get. Its 7.8m x 6m measure straight and 9m x 7m when measure with a flexible table down the side and bottom.

Its 1M deep in the middle and from the pictures it has a number of shelves.

I also created a waterfall. I have been looking at the PondXpert EasyFilter 30000 + Pondpush 15000 Pump https://www.pondkeeper.co.uk/pondxpert-easyfilter-30000-pondpush-15000-pump/p1304

Do you think this is suitable? Thanks

EDIT: I now have been looking at the Oase Aquamax ECO Premium due to its variable speed and incredible power usage. And the option to add another placement filter somewhere else.





















I was speaking to pondguru on YouTube and he said go big if you can and there is space...so I did

I hopefully want:

Fish- Roach
Plants- yes I'll be having some plants...Lily's...bull rushes...etc...I want to attract wildlife and other recommendations?

I would like cleanish water but not koi carp clear...I want a natural pond.if I can make it look natural with rocks and things I'll be happy.

It's In the Sun part of the day but there is some shading from nearby trees etc. See in the picture the shadow at around 2pm

Cheers

 

[easyrider]

If your going for a natural pond why are you using a filter. Get the correct amount of plants in the pond before adding fish get it setup and it will take care of its self.

Yeah I think I'm going to scrap the filter for the time being. Buy the Oase Pump. And the waterfall will aerate the water. Fingers crossed.

 

[easyrider]

if you want to attract wildlife you need to make sure you keep the area 'low traffic'. It's a slow process building a new ecosystem, so don't expect overnight success (ie it could take years).

What do you mean by low traffic?

Yeah I understand that getting a decent natural pond is not an overnight thing

 

[easyrider]

No pets, people, sudden loud noises etc

Yeah I hear you.

The pond is at the back out the way. Iv'e just completing training of my collie to make sure he goes nowhere near the pond.

Currently I'm getting very off looks from him

 

[easyrider]

More depth

+1
In my last house i had a pond about the same size as in your pics. The center depth though was about 6ft. Fish need a nice safe deep safe hiddy hole in winter. There may well be no fish in it at the moment, but if you intend to have some once the pond is established then give them a nice depth to go to in the winter.

They depth in the middle is around 1.2m I feel this is adequate for 5 roach and a few Rudd. TBH the picture is deceiving, All the people that have seen it say its deeper than they expected.

The pond is huge in my book!

The guy who dug it has dug ponds 500 times as big on farms. Once I decide the shape I pretty much left him to it. I told him I was going naturl and might have a few fish in. As soon as I said Roach he said 1.2m was more than enough. That bottom bit is about 2.5m x 4m bigger than some actual ponds keeping many more fish!

 

[easyrider]

I have a 1.2m depth pond. In full sun in summer it needs plants to remove nitrates and blanketweed if the plants don't hover it up fast enough.

Don't forget there will be an organic layer at the bottom which will eat into the depth.

Before I line it I'll take it down another spade depth

Thanks

 

[easyrider]

Got me this to measure the exact litre-age of my pond!

 

[easyrider]

Tonight when I got in from work I decided to create more of an edge. I packed the sides with clay so raise the edges as one side was to just to low for my liking even though the first shelf is level using a laser.

 

[easyrider]

I've decided to fit a stop valve and drain pipe in the blue reservoir so I can control the level of the pond manually. I was going to put a overflow pipe in the side of the liner but figured I don't need to if I use the stop valve method.

 

[easyrider]

Proposed Reservoir flow at top of waterfall mound.



Can anyone see any issues with this? Advice on improvements etc...?

Cheers

 

[easyrider]

How are you going to get the crap that will collect at the bottom out? If left there without oxygen flow through it (the bottom layer) it will be anerobic and take oxygen from the water (plus be stinky rotten eggs).

I think you need to rethink the design.


The elevated sides are a good idea as it prevents the soil being eroded and then filling the pond, clogging the pump and filling the barrel with soil.

Do you know what plants you will put in?

Water lilys
Water hawthorn fine on 60cm shelf
Nymphoides peltata - very pretty and natural looking, 60cm shelf
Amphibious bistort - homes for dragonflies - 90cm shelf
white zantedeschia (arum lily) mine overwinter in the pond and come up every spring You would need to raise up the pot though it does not want to be in the 30cm deep zone
iris, iris iris!
Barred horsetail 30cm shelf
Bog bean 60cm shelf
Aponogeton desertorum 30 cm shelf
Marsilea mutica 30cm or 60cm shelf

Also how will you tackle a deluge of rain?

Would a rainfall in England really raise a pond like mine 5 inches? Couldn't I just open the outlet valve and drain the pond to the desired level?

Just thinking - better to have a automatic level/overflow. Given the surface area, the pond will collect rain fast, if there's large amount of rain then it will likely do that faster than you think. Just create a drainaway (long tube with rocks in) and put a grill in front of it to stop the tube from getting blocked.

I suppose I could have the outlet pipe right right at the bottom instead to flush the crap out?

 

[easyrider]

 

[easyrider]

Tweaks made:

2 x 2" waterfall outlkests to prevent overflowing if blanket weed surfaces.

90 degree Ubend to suck all the sedimant off the bottom when the Overflow valve is opened.

 

[easyrider]

So the overflow outlet is at what level in the water column?

Not sure what you mean...Is the pic not clear enough? people over at the Pond forum have helped with this and seem to think its a goer...

 

[easyrider]

 

[easyrider]

 

[easyrider]

Put a plan of wood I. As a ramp.. anything that falls in needs to have a exit point. I didn't and had a dead rat floating in the top

The beach area is the ramp...it's not clear from the pictures but the left side of the pic is about 3cm deep...once the cobbles and pebbles are in it will be easy access for hedgehogs etc...

 

[easyrider]

Looking good and starting to take shape!

Will be better once I get some plants in!

Already two frogs and a newt have taken up resistance in my blue Waterfall reservoir. Have no idea how they managed to squeeze through the metal grate.

 

[easyrider]

Pump ordered
AquaForte DM-Vario

 

[easyrider]

Edging and grass seed