Pezzep's First Pond Journal, 2000g

[Pezzep]

Hello everyone, I've always wanted a pond but was a little intimidated by starting one since I live in Ontario and I wasn't sure how to go about it in the winter. I've finally decided to go for it and I'm going big. I decided on roughly 2000g for my first pond because I didn't want to go too small then get the urge to upgrade later down the road like I've done with my aquariums so I thought 2000g would be about right. The pond will be roughly 10' long by 8' wide and 4' deep in some what of a circular shape I'm going to dig about two feet into the ground then build two feet of rock around to make up the four feet, i plan on putting a viewing window in the rock wall part and having a waterfall at one end of the pond.

This will most likely be a slow process since I'll be learning all along the way so any and all advice is accepted. This is mainly a journal for myself to view my progress over time take photos and write down problems and what I'm doing so when I have my own place someday I can look back on this thread and learn from it.

Pictures will be posted in the next couple of weeks of my progress hopefully I'll have the hole dug up and the rock wall made by then. If you guys can give me ideas of good brands for basics needed in a pond like pumps and such that would be great, this pond will have fish, probably koi fish or native fish so I'm going to need equipment that can work through the winter to keep the water aerated, is a filtration device needed when there is fish in the water if so could I set up sponges of some sort or a tub under the waterfall structure so when the water is pumped to the waterfall it will hit the drum first and filter through media then pump out the waterfall?

Thank you everyone in advance, should be a fun build!

 

[cfosgate]

Looking forward to pics. I would like to do something similar.

 

[henningc]

Great project, keep the thread going.

 

[Pezzep]

First Update!
Thanks for the encouraging words, so first update is kind of a downer, started doing some digging today got about a foot deep and hit bedrock, so basically I can't go any deeper and the rest of the pond will have to be constructed out of rock. So currently searching for quarry's and such that are giving away free rock going to construct the main part of the retaining wall out of cinder block or something sturdy cement it all together lay my underlay and lining all the way up the wall then dress that with some more natural looking rock that I get from the quarry's

Here's a picture of the hole, still need to figure out where to dig for the pump and plumbing thinking of setting up a DIY skimmer at the opposite end of the waterfall it will suck in the water catching the large debris pump that water into a big tub hidden under the waterfall area with filter media in it then that tub will fill up with water and spill out the waterfall. These are all just ideas, need to research research research and make sure it will all work and plan it good.

 

[Roz]

I love the shape of your pond

Your soil looks lovely and rich.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[cfosgate]

Darn bedrock. Strange that it's so close to the surface in that spot. I hope that you can get the rock that you need.

 

[Pezzep]

Thanks hopefully I can keep the shape when I do the rock wall

Yeah we had a small tornado hit our village a few years ago we had a giant pine tree where the ponds going now I know why it fell over lol had nothing to root too.

 

[AnthonyDuong]

Good luck with this project, I'm very curious as to how your pond will end up. I want to do something similar in the future. Post lots of pictures!


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[Pezzep]

I'll definitely post pictures once we get things going ponds sorta been on hold since I've been trying to find rock still to build the wall, don't really want to spend money if I don't have too. The liner has been purchased same with the pump I have a 55g drum at my cottage I can use for the filter/water fall and I'm going to just use some sort of tub or bucket in the pond for a skimmer. Once I get rock things will move very fast and I'll have pictures of the process. Going to the cottage on August 8th I think there's a large sort of cliff or mound I guess of dirt coming down from the forest if I remember correctly there should be lots of rock there that I can load the truck and trailer with to use, hopefully there is enough.