Welcome! I would spend a lot of time watching YouTube videos from Ed the Pond Professor, Team Aquascape, Atlantis Water Gardens, Nick the Pond King, and Oz Ponds. Even if some of them are building very large scale ponds, you can get valuable tips and information from all of them. I can't wait to see the progress on your pond!
Deciding how to build my pond!
- Thread starter Wadep
- Start date
Modern design aquascaping is another biggie and probably the most informative for anyone thinking of building a pond. https://www.youtube.com/c/ModernDesignAquascapingInc/videos
You have a new neighbor just up the road in Heber City - Greg wittstock of Aquascape bought a house and built a glorious pond. Check him out on YouTube.
I also wanted to clarify - a dedicated koi pond and an eco pond are two different animals. You don’t ever need to build a single koi pond (which I’m assuming includes bottom drains and high level filtration, no plants, etc) to be a successful pond builder. Again - check out Aquascape. I’d even recommend you take their CAC course. You may open the door to a whole new career!
I also wanted to clarify - a dedicated koi pond and an eco pond are two different animals. You don’t ever need to build a single koi pond (which I’m assuming includes bottom drains and high level filtration, no plants, etc) to be a successful pond builder. Again - check out Aquascape. I’d even recommend you take their CAC course. You may open the door to a whole new career!
Yes - thanks, GBBUDD! I was trying to think of his company name but I couldn't bring it to mind. All these people are artists and really good teachers!
Agree on the post put the footer over the liner. What type of wood is it? Also, if you waterproof or seal it, male sure it is dry before you place it in the pond. I have a bridge over my pond with the footer in the pond and the pt pine posts just sitting in the water and have no issues with anything from the lumber leaching into the water.
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2009
- Messages
- 3,990
- Reaction score
- 2,683
- Location
- Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
- Hardiness Zone
- 6a
I'D LEAN TOWARD MAKING THE PIER ALL CONCRETE BELOW THE WATER LINE. They have been playing with pressure treated for decades and what they are and are nit using is anyones guess. concrete won't rot like wood . i f wood stays completely under water and the colder the better it will last for ever but as it comes 0ut of the water that's the weak point . i would place a 12 oz non woven layer below the concrete footing. if all you have is 5 oz then i would lay down at least three layers or more.
Like pocono said the a cantilever is your best bet but the wider the footing the less psi is exerted on the liner . and if you round the edges of the concrete footing particularly on the bottom edge it will be hard for it to damage the liner with appropriate precautions taken
Like pocono said the a cantilever is your best bet but the wider the footing the less psi is exerted on the liner . and if you round the edges of the concrete footing particularly on the bottom edge it will be hard for it to damage the liner with appropriate precautions taken
@poconojoe No, not if you spread out for a wider footer it is sitting On as @GBBUDD mentioned. As for the treatment of the wood depends what you can get. The treated lumber I use has been the same for decades, the only treatment that has been switched is in the decking and 2x material. Now my pond is rather large, so any chemicals that did leach into the water are pretty well diluted and once the wood is dried out it really doesn’t leach.
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2009
- Messages
- 3,990
- Reaction score
- 2,683
- Location
- Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
- Hardiness Zone
- 6a
I would cantilever the deck.
I wouldn't chance setting a footer or anything else on top of the liner, but that's me.
Too many things can go wrong.
Too much weight in one spot no matter how wide you spread the footer.
Will that wooden post and or footing somehow shift? Perhaps during winter freeze and spring thaw?
What happens if you ever have to replace the liner? You'll have to somehow temporarily support the deck, remove the post and footer. How will that be done?
You do whatever you believe is best, but in my opinion you can just cantilever the deck and that will be the end of it.
It's not that hard to do and the pond would look much better without a wooden post sticking out of it.
I wouldn't chance setting a footer or anything else on top of the liner, but that's me.
Too many things can go wrong.
Too much weight in one spot no matter how wide you spread the footer.
Will that wooden post and or footing somehow shift? Perhaps during winter freeze and spring thaw?
What happens if you ever have to replace the liner? You'll have to somehow temporarily support the deck, remove the post and footer. How will that be done?
You do whatever you believe is best, but in my opinion you can just cantilever the deck and that will be the end of it.
It's not that hard to do and the pond would look much better without a wooden post sticking out of it.
@poconojoe Wouldn’t be concerned about the weight on the liner, the weight of the deck doesn’t compare to a huge Boulder sitting on the liner. That being said depending on the location, would be more concerned with something shifting or as you mentioned replacing the liner would be a pita with a deck sitting on it.