First attempt at a large pond

[addy1]

I am not sure how far down water will freeze yet here.

We are 6b, the deepest ice we have had, with a real cold winter, was 18 inches.

 

[Telion]

Looking good my man. wont be long until you have water running. What's the expected head pressure gph at the top of the falls ?

Thank you. Great question, In part because I don't yet know the end height or rise over run from the pump location and because I am contemplating a one way check valve. It has a 1/2 lb. Spring on it and I have no idea how much need pressure that equals.

Yesterday we added a couple weeping cherries to reek havoc on the skimmer. I have developed an addiction to buying clearance trees...i bought 6 profusion crabapples and two more Yoshino weeping Cheney's today.

 

[j.w]

@Telion You can always do like @callingcolleen1 does when her crab-apples etc. start falling into the pond and use a net till they get done dropping. Might give your skimmer a bit of a break!

 

[Telion]

@Telion You can always do like @callingcolleen1 does when her crab-apples etc. start falling into the pond and use a net till they get done dropping. Might give your skimmer a bit of a break!

That's actually a great idea and I am definitely going to do it

 

[Telion]

Another great idea this is another one that I have to set up a sprinkler off the pond with a T and two ball valves so I can direct excess rain/sprinkler run off and redirect it to the garden or the lawn. I want to see if I can tie back into the fill valve and run it through the sprinker system since it fills off my line 6 sprinkler valve.

Also worked on the waterfall where the bog will spill into the pond. It's pumping way to much water because it is a temp setup.

 

[Telion]

The first flower to bloom in my bog.

 

[Telion]

Still a ways away from putting water in the pond, but I am getting closer. Today I framed out a walkout deck type area where we will be able to sit at the end of the pond. It will also sit over the skimmer with a couple of the boards being easy and hassle free access to the skimmer.

Next steps will be to strengthen it a bit cement it into place, close off the front and sides so it has a finished look, then stain it to match the pergola. The whole yard is a construction site right now. It will be so nice when it is time to sit around and watch it mature.

 

[Jhn]

Nice look and pond is coming along.

My only suggestion is the 2”x4” stringers supporting the decking boards should be crowned and turned up on edge. Otherwise, overtime they will sag on you.

Would be a cool look if you could extend the deck out further into the pond, like a pier. Enabling the fish to swim around and under it.

 

[Telion]

Nice look and pond is coming along.

My only suggestion is the 2”x4” stringers supporting the decking boards should be crowned and turned up on edge. Otherwise, overtime they will sag on you.

Would be a cool look if you could extend the deck out further into the pond, like a pier. Enabling the fish to swim around and under it.

TIhank you, i had considered going further out but decided not to because I don't want to detract from the feel of the pond. Can you illustrate what you mean with the 2x4 stringers? I can run a board under the center and have it end where I will I will access the skimmer.

 

[addy1]

When we build our bee stands, which support a lot of weight, each hive with supers are around 200-300 lbs, we put the 2x6 on edge. That is the strength. The wood under the decking is called the stringers (per my bit of knowledge, lol)

You could put a 2x4 on edge on the outside edge of the current 2x4 rather than take it apart.

 

[Jhn]

What addy said, on edge means putting a board so the weight is bearing down on the thickest part of the board. On a 2”x4” it means the weight is bearing on the 4” part of the board. You currently have the weight bearing on the 2” part.

Crowning a board means looking down the edge of the board to see how straight it is. Most have a hump in them ie not perfectly straight. You want to put the hump up, this way as it sags abit over time it won’t affect the look of the deck.

I can sketch something later if you don’t quite understand it.

 

[addy1]

^^ I know what to do, just not how to explain well good job!

 

[Telion]

Okay yes I understand now. And I am either going to frame it with 2x4's or possibly 2x6's s trending on their long side. I will also do a coupe runners in the same fashion under the middle a little wider than the required opening to access the catch basket.

Lol forgot to hit post reply. But since then I had to remove the skimmer to clean it out and it didn't fit between the 2x4's so I ended up redoing them as suggested being that I needed the extra inches to get the skimmer out. Also finished plumbing the skimmer to the bog. And created a Hose tie-in for if I decide to water the lawn with pond water. Hoping to be at the point of cleaning it out and filling it tomorrow. Oh I spent money on rocks for the first time. I needed 1-2" and 2-4" rounded river rock to fill the bottom so I picked up a ton of that for 100.00

 

[GBBUDD]

Tillion I have a question did you use pvc cleaner before you glued everything together. I don't see one spot of purple any where.

 

[Telion]

Tillion I have a question did you use pvc cleaner before you glued everything together. I don't see one spot of purple any where.

You mean primer? No I have actually never owed the primer but I don't think I posted to many post glue pics either way but in all my pvc dealing sprinklers and misc. Projects I have never used it and had success.