Deciding how to build my pond!

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I do landscaping in Utah for a living, and own all the fun equipment to make a fun pond to my backyard that we’re redoing. Long story short, my darling wife has allowed me to do about a 12’x12’ pond between our garden area, and a part way under a wooden deck I’ll be building her. The original plan was to have just a simple water feature, but realizing the possibilities, it quickly escalated into wanting a waterfall, plants, fish, and any other life I can safely put in there.
My biggest priority is doing a pond correctly. I really wanted to do a koi pond, but decided that might be a bit over my head for my first pond. I’ve devolved from that to looking at goldfish and mosquito fish. Just looking for some guidance and advice. Would that be a good place to start for someone just getting into ponds? Should I start with plants only for a bit? I have plenty of time and I’m in no rush at the moment. Thanks in advance! I’ll attach some photos of the hole I’ve dug thus far, and I’m completely open to any advice/criticism.

-I live in Bountiful Utah
-looking to put plants and hardy fish in the pond.
-I have a 45 mil 20’x20’ pond tarp
- I have a filter and submersible pump (I don’t have the models on me, but they were mid-priced off Amazon rated for 4,000 gal.
-the post that’s in the middle of the pond hole will be one of the corners of the aforementioned deck, and I’m thinking of waterproofing the post but I’m open to ideas if anyone has done anything like this before.
 

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addy1

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Welcome to the forum!

I would stick with the beautiful shubunkins etc gold fish. Not as demanding , filter wise, water wise, room wise as koi. And just as beautiful imho
 
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Welcome to the forum!

I would stick with the beautiful shubunkins etc gold fish. Not as demanding , filter wise, water wise, room wise as koi. And just as beautiful imho
Thank you Addy! Do you have shubunkins? How do they deal with mosquitoes? Or mosquito fish being in the same pond?
 

j.w

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@Wadep
Shubunkins, goldfish, most fish will eat up the skeeters all gone!
 
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Welcome. Good advice already - above. How cold does it get in Bountiful in the winter? Shubunkins and regular goldfish are fun, pretty and very hardy for beginning a pond life.
I'd start looking into what plants you like so you can build places in/ around the pond to accomodate them. And oh, yes, many/ most of the members here, including me, will advise you include a "bog"/ upflow wetland filter for filtration.
 
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Welcome and good for you finding this site - lots of experience and pond wisdom to be found here. One tidbit that I was glad to learn, was about Mosquito Dunks. They really work and they're safe for pets ;)
One more vote here for goldfish & a bog -- I'm all about low maintenance and success.
 
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You are starting off great by using an EPDM liner. That is the number one choice, HDRPE being number 2.

I highly reccomend you rethink that post emerging from the middle of the pond.
Assuming the post will be set in concrete underground, there will be no way to seal the cut liner around that post. It might work initially, but eventually it will become a problem and you will have a leak.

Rethink the structure of the deck without that post. Have larger joists or double or triple up the joists so they can handle a longer span in order to cantilever it over the pond.
 

addy1

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Thank you Addy! Do you have shubunkins? How do they deal with mosquitoes? Or mosquito fish being in the same pond?
Yes shubunkins and some sarassa. We have no mosquitoes ever since I built the ponds. The fish, dragon flies, frogs, toads, bats, birds inhale them all. IF they manage to breed.

I love the fact I do not need to fuss with plants to protect from the koi, extra filtration, etc etc that koi need and lots of water room. Yep they are pretty, do I want them nope.
 
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I SAID IT ONCE I'LL SAY IT AGAIN I LOVUM MY KOI . they are incredibly smart. But they do eat and poop a LOT. over sized filters preferred
 

addy1

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My little fan tails eat out of my fingers, just like monster koi do lol. So I call them mini koi...................I love my little fan tails.
 

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