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Done
ATP's Front Yard Pond!
- Thread starter ATP
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Day 2! Got a late start but made some decent progress. Mainly worked on the coping shelf and determining where the water level would fall and working to make sure all coping rocks will be under the water. Slightly bermed up the low side to ensure no run off from driveway. Started to dig the intake bay. 3/4 of the pond has a sandy loam which makes for easy digging. Bottom 1/4 of pond is broken shale, not easy digging. It does seem to be layered and gets easier 20" down. Does seem like the sand may be short lived and more of the fun stuff is hiding below it.
The water level on the high side of the pond is shown in the below two pics. Might have been a larger gap than I anticipated but it does definately arc up an inch or two from the surrounding edges on this high point. The pond water level is is at the arrow and below the arrow would be the depth. I decided to start with 6-7 inches of water depth on this shelf. Does that sound good? More or less? This might be the new location for the spillway bowl!
The water level on the high side of the pond is shown in the below two pics. Might have been a larger gap than I anticipated but it does definately arc up an inch or two from the surrounding edges on this high point. The pond water level is is at the arrow and below the arrow would be the depth. I decided to start with 6-7 inches of water depth on this shelf. Does that sound good? More or less? This might be the new location for the spillway bowl!
j.w
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You gonna make a short shelf/step to put rocks on all the way around the pond so you can't see the liner above the water?
j.w
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You would like a shelf also for rocks so your liner will not show up towards the top.
Get what I mean? Otherwise if no step/shelf you will see the liner exposed.
Dig a shelf, a step down in the dirt around the edge of the pond. Set rocks on the step down in the water to hide the liner and then set more rocks or whatever on top edge.
I did mine like this below. Hides liner well.
Get what I mean? Otherwise if no step/shelf you will see the liner exposed.
Dig a shelf, a step down in the dirt around the edge of the pond. Set rocks on the step down in the water to hide the liner and then set more rocks or whatever on top edge.
I did mine like this below. Hides liner well.
Its been a long day and I must be tired, apologies if I am not being coherent and clear. We are both saying the same thing. The shelf I am building is to completely hide the liner.
i would yes i did not i thought about fish cave depressions but not plants and wished i had .
Sorry for the delay
the pockets are for the containers for the plants to be in such as lilies as they are very aggressive roots and you want to keep them contained if there roots get into the folds of the liner it can be a bear to pull them out.
i lost this thread ..
The only reason for a deeper shelf is for evaporation that way if you loose 4" your liner is not showing.
Love the helpers make sure to get mom out there to and tell her to video everything those moments building the pond will stick with your kids for life .. relive it in video!!!!!!
@j.w they have large boulders the shelf he is working on is to hide the liner it just happens to be deeper as he has more size to work with.
@ATP WHAT A SCORE with that soil nice!!!! shale not so nice What fabric are you using on shale to protect the liner?
Will a layer of sand on all the shale be the best bet to protect the liner so you have shale/ 2" sand/ fabric/ liner
Not sure what your thinking for the bog but the shelf for the pond as it is in front of the bog should just rise up and continue up the bog wall. At least thats how i would build it . in other words the shelf for the pond as it comes in front of the bog just below the top of that boulder is another shelf for the next boulder to sit on and be held in with the lower boulder on it's shelf . With the size boulder you have that maybe all you need to call that bog wall done.
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Lookin' good ATP!
Is there specific size pot i will want to use for the lilies, just so i know what size pockets to make? Same idea for marginals? I was thinking just make a depression around 6" inches deep and filling with gravel.
Makes sense hadnt thought about that. I think for these taller sections I may choose a few boulders and make it that depth ensuring the bottom of the rock is under the water accounting for evaporation.
Yes, they are going to love the pond! If only they were a bit bigger and could help more with the digging and boulders..lol.
I was going to def. do an underlayment and overlayment. Still trying to source it. Looking for at least 6-8oz non woven. I think i remember reading you found some at Lowes but I havent been able to find a deal. Best price I have found is 7 0z 6'x100' on Amazon for $130. It seemed the shale layer may be just be layer so we will see what is down below 2ft. I could do sand just would want to account for it. I also have some rolls of old carpet in my garage I could use.
Yes, that ledge in front was for a row of boulders and then i was going to put another row behind it, but maybe I dont need to? That would also save some room in the bog. Good point havent quite gotten there. With the slope I should have around 4 inches from the edge to the water level in that section. So if i build up the bog a bit I could end up with a decent drop without having to build up the back too much. I want to leave at least 6-8" in the bog for the water to rise.
j.w
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What about marginal plants? plant in a gravel indentation or same method as lillies just a smaller pot?
Only able to get a half days work in today. Able to the get the intake bay and pump vault dug (hard digging!) I dug the matrix blocks so they are about 1-2" lower than the water level in that section which is about 8-9". I thought that would be a good water level for the intake bay but the back edge is the top of the water level and the the pump vault will be under water slightly. If the pump vault is under water will that be an issue or drive me crazy when I have to access the pump? I could raise it up but right now the base is even with the base of the matrix blocks. I guess I could raise everthing and have less depth in the intake bay too.
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you have been busy.
One note the bog appears to be more toward the intake bay. You have an area up toward the front door with now cross flow of water . a circulation jet or shifting the bog toward the front may be needed your filtered water should travel all along the pond before it reaches the intake or your not getting good circulation
One note the bog appears to be more toward the intake bay. You have an area up toward the front door with now cross flow of water . a circulation jet or shifting the bog toward the front may be needed your filtered water should travel all along the pond before it reaches the intake or your not getting good circulation