ABOVE-ground or IN-ground!!!!

[Bernie]

I know this is our off-season, but actually many folks make plans
and "start thinking" about what next year's pond will be like!

On that note, I always like to throw this subject out for comments
and consideration.

Too often I find that pond owners have routinely followed the "classic"
pattern of "digging" a pond "over in the south 40" or somewhere
where they "have space". Then, finding out that its not where
its convenient or the center of other "family activity"...... hence
not getting the full benefits of daily enjoyment and relaxtion offered
by a pond that would be more "at the focal point" of summer activity.

To this end, I always try to offer the advantages of building an
"above-ground" pond..... either all above ground; or part in, and
part above. Usually you can work your design around an extension
from a porch, deck, or patio!! And thereby making it easily accessible
to daily activity!

For the most part, they are easy to construct using appropriately
sized treated lumber, tied together, installing liner....etc.
For insulation during cold climate off-season...we usually suggest
incorporating planter boxes on any exposed sides (bales of hay can
be used on temporary situations).

An above-ground will also provide a natural way to work-in a waterfall
to the lower (in-ground) level.

Some thoughts and comments???

Bernie

 

[RogerMcAllen]

I think that these work a whole let better in warmer climates. My upper pond is completely above ground, and freezes over almost instantly when it gets colder out.

 

[Bernie]

Do you use "planters" or other ways of "insulating" the sides???

Up there in ILL, I'm sure you would need to.

Also, do you leave the water circulating??

Bernie

 

[AngelFishFan]

Circulating or not, eventually the pond will freeze. Above-ground installations are not practical in zones less than 9 or 8. Aesthetically pleasing, yes. But easy winter care is just not possible. With the water freezing, and the fish going with it, survival in an above-ground is very slim. I have already had 3 of my customers coming in telling me that if they could do it over again, they would save the hassle and put it in-ground. Alot of my customers have lost fish because of the fact that they are above-ground. So in the spring, I end up going back and re-doing the system for them so that next year, not only is it in-ground, but also free of freezing damage.

Just a thought...

 

[Bernie]

Hmmm, I'm sure that in very cold climates and particularly cold winters anyone
would have some tough going.

That said, I'm just wondering if proper insulating (be planter areas or other) precautions were taken in those "problem cases"???

Also, It seems to me that if you keep water moving.... it doesn't freeze.??

Admittedly here in East Tenn, we don't get much below 10 degF or so; but
have a number of pond owners here that do OK!??

Main point was to utilize the "closeness" to a deck, porch, or patio in order to
keep your pond "integrated" into the regular activity of the household!
The option is certainly there to stay "entirely" in-ground if you live in real
"cold country"!!

Bernie

 

[RogerMcAllen]

Moving water will freeze no matter what up here, and yes I do have the pond enclosed in dirt planters, see my gallery. Regardless, it still freezes over very quickly.

On a side note, I have small pond that almost never freezes over because I put 100' coil of flex copper in the ground 4'. This keeps the water temp high enough to prevent freezing for a long time.

 

[Bernie]

Hey, Roger....

Looked at your pond. Only saw the one pix of the upper pond.

Seemed to me you didn't have ALL your sides protected enough, which may be
part of the prob. When I speak of "insulating" planters.......I am referring to any
kind of structures which can encompass ALL sides and are as least as THICK as
the "freeze-line" for your particular zone!

Here in Tenn we use a 20" rule... in your neck of the woods it may be more like
26-30"??? The planters I use here are filled with soil, plants, etc. (plants cut back
during the off-season and covered with hay or other insulator).

On the water moving part..... its always a "sliding-scale" of speed of water movement vs temperature!! In really, really cold weather....you may need more
water flow!

Just trying to help.

Bernie

 

[RogerMcAllen]

You are right, it isn't perfectly enclosed. The front is open due to the waterfall and the back side is only about 2'.

 

[stoneydee]

I have a pre-formed 160 gallon pond that is 24" deep a the deepest end, and is partially "sunk" in the ground, with the top six inches above-ground, backfilled with dirt (not soil, as I live on clay) and bordered with large pieces of quartz. I live in gardening cold zone 7 (central Arkansas) and we had probably less than a dozen sub-freezing days last winter - although they were not all in a row. My pond did not freeze, even on the top.

Having said that, I have to qualify it by saying there is a six foot privacy fence around the yard, the pond has a southeastern exposure, and we rarely get multiple days below freezing here - except for the ice storms of three years ago, and I hope to God we never have those again during my natural life.