Pond Newbie

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Hi Everyone!!

I have been a Saltwater Reef aquarium hobbyist for 25+ years. I never once thought of starting a freshwater tank let alone a pond. But here i am.... hooked and super excited. I am also very into Tropical plants/gardening. The bigger the leaf the better :)

We recently had a pool constructed in my backyard and in the process my sideyard was cleared. My side yard is not very big and my neighbors wall sits in my side yard. I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what to do with it and then 1 day it hit me. I want to build a 6x2x2 all above ground pond. The focal point of the pond will be a waterfall and the plants. I want to include really big leafy Elephant Ears, Grasses & Canna's in the main pond and creeping jenny and moss on the waterfall.

Here comes the issue. I have zero skills with tools lol. The good lord blessed me with many talents but handy work was not one of them. I was thinking of building the frame of the pool out of concrete blocks then covering the outside frame with either a faux finish or wood frame. Pond Liner inside obviously with some type of pre liner to protect the liner.

I plan to add either some goldfish or other small fish like minnows to the pond as well.

So here is my 1st question of what i assume will be many to come.. If i use concrete blocks do i need to cement them together? Or is the framing strong enough to withstand the water pressure pushing out?
 
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Welcome to GPF!

Is this going to be all above ground? Below ground? Half & half? In any case, mortaring your blocks and solid grouting with rebar will get you the most bombproof results, but many have gotten away with a lot less, circumstances depending.
 
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All above ground. Digging here in SoFlo is not fun.. Any links to a how to on how to mortar for ponds?
 

addy1

water gardener / gold fish and shubunkins
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Welcome to the forum!

We have a good bunch that have built above ground ponds. They will help you out.
Search through the construction thread for some of the info.

Mine are in ground.
 
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Same here, inground...but if I were to build an above ground I would definitely mortar and rebar...I do everything with the "what if" question in mind so yes, I tend to overbuild but I sleep well:)
 

j.w

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@Chubby8055
 
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With a pond that size this is what i would do if i had limited skills in building.
CALL YOUR LOCAL MISS UTILITY OR DIG SAFE..... THEY LOCATE ANY UNDERGROUND UTILITIES .... ITS THE LAW
1. SCRAPE AWAY THE TOP SOIL AND COMPACT THE REMAING THE BEST YOU CAN
2.. USE 8X8X16" CINDERBLOCKS
3. STACK THEM THREE HIGH WITH STAGGERING THE SEEMS SO THE SECOND ROW STARTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LOWER BLOCK. AND SO ON.. YES JUST DRY STACK THEM
4. IN EVERY OTHER SPACE PLACE A 3 TO 4 FOOT LONG PIECE OF REBAR AND DRIVE IT INTO THE GROUND A FOOT OR KMORE UNTILL ITS 3 INCHES LOWER THAN THE TOP BLOCK, IF YOU HAVE A SOLID SOIL 3 FOOTERS SHOULD BE FINE.
AFTER THIS IS COMPLE POUR CONRETE CAREFULY INTO THE SPACES ALL WHILE KEEPING EVERY THING LINED UP. THIS WILL HOLD A 24 INCH DEEP POND OF THAT SIZE
 
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In addition to what @GBBUDD said, make sure you interlock your corners so that you have a staggered joint, not one straight joint, going up each corner.
 
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It's there in number three
 

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