Concrete better, even for a huge pond?

[WaterLilly]

Hey guys,

I read that concrete ponds are better for long term use because easier to fix if leakages occur. But i am planning to build a pond which is 9000 sq ft ( 1/4 acres ) . It is almost a farm pond.

So , if some kind of leakage occurs, it will be impossible to drain this pond and fix it. It will be an excavated pond. So there won't be a drainage area to let the water out.

In other words, with this pond i can't use the advantage of easy fixability of concrete.

So , my question is , is it worth the extra money spent for concrete? Epdm has at least 20-25 years life anyways. What about concrete ponds with high quality sealants?

I am from a real droughty environment. So , i can't afford a leaking pond really.



Thanks guys.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Have you considered earthen-bottom?

 

[j.w]

I thought you were building a pond way back in Aug 2016 and you had to have it dug out the next day? I'm confused on what you are doing? Do you have any ponds now and could you post pictures?

 

[Mmathis]

I thought you were building a pond way back in Aug 2016 and you had to have it dug out the next day? I'm confused on what you are doing? Do you have any ponds now and could you post pictures?

You are right, and I remember, now, as well (went back and read old threads/posts)! That was odd.....

@WaterLilly One thing I never understood.....for the size pond you were/are talking about....if you use a liner, that's an aweful lot of liner! Even for concrete, that's a lot of concrete! It sounds more like you are digging a natural pond, and I reference @Meyer Jordan's question about earthen-bottom.

It would be nice if we could see pictures of the area as well as pictures of your other pond.

 

[WaterLilly]

I don't know why you are questioning me like this guys. I have a pond and i actually did dig that pond out the next day of that topic. So, people can't have more than a pond?

What am i doing here guys? Just asking random questions and having fun? Please.

I can't have a clayed pond because here in my country it's so droughty and all my source is a weak well and also tap water. I can't risk any leakage.

If you want more pictures, feel free to ask. The second picture , the water looks white because that was right after i added white sand.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Lining a pond this size (or larger) is not uncommon. Polyethylene and Polypropylene liners can be ordered in any size required. You are, however, speaking of considerable cost, not necessarily in material but certainly in labor.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Earthen-bottom ponds properly constructed by a professional will not leak.

And you may have excavated the pictured pond in a day's time, but it was definitely not done manually or by one individual.

 

[WaterLilly]

Earthen-bottom ponds properly constructed by a professional will not leak.

And you may have excavated the pictured pond in a day's time, but it was definitely not done manually or by one individual.

Jordan come on man. When did i say i will dug it myself? I just said i was in a hurry and needed it excavated in 1 day and so did i . With operators of course. Wanna see excavation pictures?

 

[WaterLilly]

And Jordan, even if they don't leak , how will you prevent roots or animals penetrating?

 

[DutchMuch]

@waterlily i can tell you my pond will be dug in one day to, not alone . i dont consider it a "huge" task for a 1 to 3 thousand gallon pond.

 

[CometKeith]

Hi Waterlilly. Welcome back to GPF. It sounds like you are very industrious. Is this pond going to be in Azerbaijan the country you listed when you joined GPF? It's very interesting. I don't know a lot about that country but it seems that some of the land there does not not get a lot of rain. If you don't mind me asking a few questions...Where will you be getting the water? Also i was just curious if you are close to the mountains? Also are you from the US originally? It seems like you have an excellent command of English.

 

[j.w]

Thanks for the info and just needed for you to confirm what exactly you were doing. Sure you can have as many ponds as you like. I'd be afraid the concrete would crack w/ that much and you said it would not be feasible to repair. Since you say you cannot do the natural and don't want a liner or too costly then perhaps it is not possible for you to have one that big. Just saying

 

[Meyer Jordan]

And Jordan, even if they don't leak , how will you prevent roots or animals penetrating?

The sealing layer is typically at least one foot thick.

 

[MitchM]

I don't know why you are questioning me like this guys. I have a pond and i actually did dig that pond out the next day of that topic. So, people can't have more than a pond?

...

Hey, everyone here is more than willing to help, but we may need to catch up on what your situation is.

 

[Lisak1]

Have you compared the cost of concrete vs EPDM liner for that size installation? You'll need heavy equipment either way, as that liner will be far too large to move without mechanical help. The labor costs will be extensive on either application, I would guess. And a liner that size would be a special order - I can't even imagine what the cost would be.

 

[Lisak1]

i can tell you my pond will be dug in one day to, not alone . i dont consider it a "huge" task for a 1 to 3 thousand gallon pond.

You need to read his original pond post - he was proposing a pond that was 10 feet deep on one end. Way more than 1-3000 gallons. If I remember he eventually reduced it to 6 or 7 feet, but it was still a big dig. And the whole mystery was the big rush he was in to get it dug and done in one day.

Have you ever dug a pond @DutchMuch ?

 

[DutchMuch]

You need to read his original pond post - he was proposing a pond that was 10 feet deep on one end. Way more than 1-3000 gallons. If I remember he eventually reduced it to 6 or 7 feet, but it was still a big dig. And the whole mystery was the big rush he was in to get it dug and done in one day.

Have you ever dug a pond @DutchMuch ?

I dont think i would of said that if i hadnt @Lisak1
btw im not the Best at math when it comes to converting size to gallons On The Spot sorry

 

[Lisak1]

Gotcha - when you said your pond WILL be dug in one day. I assumed you were referring to a future pond, not one you already had.

 

[DutchMuch]

I assumed you were referring to a future pond, not one you already had.

We Will have another pond, 30+ft long about 5 feet deep. Rainbow trout.
The one i previously had is back in the fayetteville house in GA just a small 10ft x 10ft pond
Who said you are limited to having one pond a lifetime?

 

[WaterLilly]

You need to read his original pond post - he was proposing a pond that was 10 feet deep on one end. Way more than 1-3000 gallons. If I remember he eventually reduced it to 6 or 7 feet, but it was still a big dig. And the whole mystery was the big rush he was in to get it dug and done in one day.

Have you ever dug a pond @DutchMuch ?

That pond i shared pictures of is 8 ft deep at the deepest. When you people said "a 10 ft deep wall without a support will eventually collapse" i considered reducing the depth but when i talked to local diggers , and engineers i was told that the rocks here were so hardy and i wouldn't have any problems. So i decided to make it 10 ft deep but then at the end of the day we could go 8 ft and we stopped. I would pay a lot more if i wanted to keep going the next day.

I don't know why you are acting so offensive and suspicious. I haven't ever offended you, have i? But let me tell you why i was in a hurry. We Middle Eastern's people don't have everything you have. There was another digging near my village. So i wouldn't have to pay extra 500 bucks to bring the excavator to my village. Because it is a long drive. So i wanted to use advantage of it being nearby, and i actually did so.