Dug pond wall steep on one side

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Can I back fill pond with the excavated dirt to make a slope? I’ve dug to steep trying to make one deeper than the other. Can I fix? Can I back fill? It’s the area right next to patio. I didn’t leave any space between patio and pond. I brought the pond right up to the patio.

Also can I change shape of pond it’s square would like it more rounder.
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addy1

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You can back fill, if it stays where you want depends on you soil type.

The shape can be anything you want round, square, triangle, only limiter is your liner. Make the hole you want, buy a liner to fit it.

Welcome to the forum!
 
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Backfilling is possible but you want the rocks to hold back the soil not the liner being stretched to do so.

not sure why you have the corner of the pond coming into the corner canopy it wouls seem to me your fighting looking through the corner to see the pond.

Nothing wrong with coming right to the patio you just want to make sure the soil can wash away over the years and cause the concrete to settle and crack. Pour a little wall of concrete like 2 inches shy of ground level soo you have room to fold the liner and cover it with soil to finish
 
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It's dirt. Anything is fixable. Just as long as you consider how compact the soil needs to be that you replace. Backfill is more than just "fill the void". It's fill, tamp, fill, tamp some more. We have heavy clay soil and we still had to tamp, wet, fill, tamp, wet, fill until it was like concrete (again - haha!)
 
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You can back fill, if it stays where you want depends on you soil type.

The shape can be anything you want round, square, triangle, only limiter is your liner. Make the hole you want, buy a liner to fit it.

Welcome to the forum!
Thank you! Glad to be here. I already bought the liner ugh it’s 15x20 and underlayment 15x20.
 
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It's dirt. Anything is fixable. Just as long as you consider how compact the soil needs to be that you replace. Backfill is more than just "fill the void". It's fill, tamp, fill, tamp some more. We have heavy clay soil and we still had to tamp, wet, fill, tamp, wet, fill until it was like concrete (again - haha!)
Yrs I have clay soil too. Okay I’m thinking to fill alone the edges. Appreciate your input!
 
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Backfilling is possible but you want the rocks to hold back the soil not the liner being stretched to do so.

not sure why you have the corner of the pond coming into the corner canopy it wouls seem to me your fighting looking through the corner to see the pond.

Nothing wrong with coming right to the patio you just want to make sure the soil can wash away over the years and cause the concrete to settle and crack. Pour a little wall of concrete like 2 inches shy of ground level soo you have room to fold the liner and cover it with soil to finish
I’m going to remove the canopy across the yard. Okay will do that thank you so much for your input!
 
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15x20 doesn't have to mean square - every pond you see here started with a rectangular liner. Now you are limited by how BIG you can make it based on your liner size, but that doesn't dictate the shape. That's probably roughly 9x14 or so - soften the edges, round things up - just don't exceed liner size and you'll be fine. Remember - nature never works in straight lines.
 
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You are so right. Nature never does work in straight lines. I will curve the edges by adding dirt in the corners. Thank you so much!
 

j.w

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You are so right. Nature never does work in straight lines. I will curve the edges by adding dirt in the corners. Thank you so much!
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@newponddiyer

Do you plan on putting big rocks on that top shelf down in the water. If you use big enough rocks then when you put the water in you won't see the top edge of the liner which looks more natural. If your ledge is too deep for your rocks you can add more dirt to that ledge.
I love not seeing my liner.

This is when I first started w/the rocks on the step down ledge. Then I added more rocks around the top edge on top of those. You can use driftwood or whatever.

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Then the plants all filled in nicely and can't hardly see the rock anymore.

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A built up berm around the top will keep dirt etc. from washing into your pond also.

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View attachment 157550@newponddiyer

Do you plan on putting big rocks on that top shelf down in the water. If you use big enough rocks then when you put the water in you won't see the top edge of the liner which looks more natural. If your ledge is too deep for your rocks you can add more dirt to that ledge.
I love not seeing my liner.

This is when I first started w/the rocks on the step down ledge. Then I added more rocks around the top edge on top of those. You can use driftwood or whatever.

View attachment 157552

Then the plants all filled in nicely and can't hardly see the rock anymore.

View attachment 157551

A built up berm around the top will keep dirt etc. from washing into your pond also.

View attachment 157553
Wow that’s beautiful!! What an awesome idea. Yes I will add Rick to the top shelf. The shelf was deeper so I’m backfilling to bring it up higher . The gazebo will be moved by the way.
 

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There are so many tricks to building a pond for a more natural look. below this post is a link to my show case that has lessons learned and tricks n techniques in the lower pages.
 
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Thanks @Lisak1 , I'll cut your commission check later.

John j from Modern design aquascaping when he sizes his bogs in particular. He way over sizes it with probably 4 feet on all sides. That way the area that is doing the work is clear of having boulders over it thus cutting down the effectiveness of the bog. But it allows for a huge shelf for extra pockets for planting rock work and creativity.

I started with a simi circular design but the extra fabric in areas I kept hearing over and over don't cut someday you'll wish you had it. Well I turned that someday into while I was building and one of the results from this was the pitcher plant bog. Absolutely one of the most favored parts of my pond when people see it for the first time.

Brian helfrige aquascapes pond designer says over and over he will give a consult to the owner get a feel for what they want. But as far as this is exactly this or exactly that is never the case. You need to listen to your rocks. They will design the over all shape. They do talk to a builder. There's qusually one side that has the most character. But it may not look the best compared to others around it.

In my show case I put someone else's drawings showing some edge detailing to make a natural looking pond . Trust me even though there are like a dozen there that's hardly all there can be as most of mine differed from those.

When building you need to think like water. But in ponding there is also a usual traight. That being that without a pump or a sponge that water can actually lift upwards of 2 inches creating a leak. The absolute worst in ponding.
Folds in the EPDM can act like a straw and suck water up. No rubber does not absorb water but it happens . The other way is some plants are hollow and can do the same or they can act like a sponge and draw the water out.

Keep this in mind as you build and the rest is left to your imagination.

I will add all you boulders for shelves should come up higher than the shelf by at least 2 inches above or below the water line so these can hold back soil, The whicking we just talked about and underwater holding back gravel that you may place for the natural look.
 

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