Do you like the design of the new pond?

[newpondguy]

This is a small and yes terrible sketch of our new pond...how do you feel about the pond? We will only be having 5 fish in it and it will be built up about 5-6'' above the ground around 35-36'' in total depth. Also how many gallons would you say this pond would be?

 

[davepratt]

prolly round 400 gallons doesnt seem much bigger than your existing pond lets get some size on this bad boy if your gonna take the time to do it or else youll just want to go bigger in another yr

 

[newpondguy]

That's the only area we can put one, our old pond is only 130 gallons (never measured it until the other day and it was a lot smaller then what we thought) and we only have much of an area to work with where we want it. Trust me I want to have a bigger one but space is limited or it will be in full sun and I don't want to have to deal with high water temps and algae.

 

[davepratt]

Well go at least 36 inc deep then no worries bout fish freezin just run an airstone thru cold spells n they will do fine

 

[newpondguy]

Yeah we planned on having it 2 1/2 deep into the ground and then building it 6'' above the ground level. Also putting in a deicer or heater.

 

[davepratt]

Tell u the truth my onds been thru 2 winters now and its never froze down more than 5 to 7 inches been mild winters here lately in cleveland

 

[newpondguy]

Yeah same boat here, we are lucky to get 1-2'' of ice cover on any water surface in northwest Ohio to last more then a week.

 

[sissy]

aerators work also and it will depend on the winter and what mother nature hands us .But that sounds good .I bought the Kh deicer heater because it floats or you can submerge it plus it has the surround as my fish like to hang around it .Now the time to buy one while there still on sale .I would leave off those 1 foot corners and just raise your plants up on the edge .I did those and found out they are more of a pain and should have just raised the pots on a crate .You can cut out a side of the crate and give fish a hiding spot .I used window screening and made hangers to hang my plants over the edge .I saw it at a pond lowes was selling and thought how neat .I can keep the fish out of the plants .
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:51626]

[sharedmedia=core:attachments:51625]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:51624]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:51627]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:45857]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:45699]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:56884]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:56708]

 

[dieselplower]

I agree with leaving out the plant shelves. They cost you much needed gallons and also make the tarp a pain to lay and cause folds and dead spots. I would dig as deep as you can to get more gallons and it will help keep you from needing to run a heater in the Winter at an additional expense. To figure out the gallons in a pond multiply length times width times depth (all in feet, not ininches) times 7.5 and there is your answer

 

[shakaho]

Your pond is 500 gallons plus. That's really nice for your fish (assuming you have 5 goldfish). Your filter is big enough for that many fish, but if (more likely when) they reproduce, you will want something bigger. Do put your filter at one end of the pond so the pump can be as far away as possible to provide good circulation. I third the recommendation to lose the plant shelves.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Looks a little over 400 gallons. Mine is very similar, but has a shallower average depth and is just under 400. It'll be a nice pond!

I know you're working in a small space, so just make sure you give yourself enough room around the edge to lay bricks or rocks around it.

 

[newpondguy]

Thanks everyone right now I am currently digging the pond, I am now inside for a dinner break. Hopefully I will be done by sunset. (9pm)

 

[newpondguy]

The farthest I can get is 28'' and it's built up about 5'' so total 33''. I have the shelves in right now I am probably going to remove them so I have a nice even laying liner.

 

[newpondguy]

Also we stopped at a pond design company near here and they said for our area 24'' is more than enough since the water won't freeze for long and we purchased a nice heater. I will have pictures of the pond and our fish tonight!

 

[dieselplower]

Sounds good man. This may seem obvious but I'm going to say it anyway. When I was digging my pond which ended up being 5' deep all I had was a shovel with a flat edge. I was having a nearly impossible time and was about to give up. Then I had the idea to just ask my neighbor if he had a pointy shovel and guess what, he did. Holy cow did that make digging easier. I busted through the clay much faster and actually hit sand so I went right past my originally planned four foot depth and stopped at five feet because that was as big as my liner could go.