First pond build help appreciated

[Hoebob69]

Hello all,

New member hoping to take full advantage of the know how of this forum. I have always wanted to build a pond but always talked myself out of it for whatever reason. But I now have decided it's time to pull the trigger and make it happen. I'm still in the planning stage hoping to get it done right. I'm basically hoping to get clarification on how to make a bog filter fit in my design and look natural. More specifically,the one question I can't get a definitive answer on is should there be any type of separation between bog and besides rocks? And I know that probably sounds like a crazy question. I understand how the setup works and that the water is supposed to go through the bog and into the pond. Basically I'm wanting to know if it's possible to make the bog part of the pond in one uniformed design as the shallow end and if there are any drawbacks to doing it this way?

 

[Hoebob69]

Update.....

I left out some key details that will probably make it easier to help out. Right now I'm pretty much at a size of 16ftx16ft but I know I will end up much bigger simply because I have alot of free space and a active imagination. I also have a high school baseball team I coach at my disposal and what's a better conditioning program than digging? I live in northwest florida and I live on a 40 acre farm so space isn't a issue. The spot I have chosen for the pond has a natural slope in certain areas that would be perfect for the flow of water through a bog. I fully intend to have fish and maybe a few other critters but right now I'm just trying to get it built and make sure it's going to workout as planned! I'm not trying to win pond of the year by any means but I want a natural looking pond that isn't going to be an eye sore or burden.

 

[bagsmom]

You will get some great advice on here! I have many of the same considerations as I plan my pond - also with a bog. I have been trying to watch a lot of YouTube videos of pond builders - Team Aquascape; Nick the Pond King; Greg Wittstock, The Pond Guy. Most all of them are working on a scale I will never achieve, but I think many of the basic design principles are the same, whether using giant rocks or medium rocks -- heavy equipment or no equipment.
I'm looking forward to seeing your pond build progress!

 

[brokensword]

Update.....

I left out some key details that will probably make it easier to help out. Right now I'm pretty much at a size of 16ftx16ft but I know I will end up much bigger simply because I have alot of free space and a active imagination. I also have a high school baseball team I coach at my disposal and what's a better conditioning program than digging? I live in northwest florida and I live on a 40 acre farm so space isn't a issue. The spot I have chosen for the pond has a natural slope in certain areas that would be perfect for the flow of water through a bog. I fully intend to have fish and maybe a few other critters but right now I'm just trying to get it built and make sure it's going to workout as planned! I'm not trying to win pond of the year by any means but I want a natural looking pond that isn't going to be an eye sore or burden.

this is how I would do it (and did); configure on paper the shape you want. Then work the bog seperate but attached to the shape. For instance, if you chose a figure 8; you'd make 3/4 of the shape be the pond and the top '1/4 arc' of the figure 8 would be the bog. Now, you won't dig the full figure 8 all the way down. That's why you think of them as separates. Dig down to the depths (including any shelves you want) and then, you'll dig the bog, keeping 2' (1" minimum, depending on your final vision) of earth between. THEN, when you put in your liner, you can fill the pond up, continue over your soil barrier, and then down into the bog. There's less digging this way as opposed to a retrofit mentality of placing your bog IN the pond.

The part I haven't outlined yet is that your bog front/facia wall can then be placed on your soil barrier with your whole pond+bog liner in place.

In my case, I made my bog 'box' from 4x4s (ground contact variety) on 3 sides and the back is a dirt berm. I tied my three sides to my pondhouse structure. In your case, you can make it a true box. And you don't have to make it box shaped per se, but you get the idea. The figure 8 was just an example.

Keep in mind you want at least 6" of bog wall above your final bog water height to compensate for any water rise as timely clogging occurs (roots, debris, etc). Having the separation also gives you options for bog return water, as in waterfall, mini-stream, etc. In my case, I have my bog facia wall right on the pond edge and the water pours back over sandstone stacked as facia. Many ideas you could employ here. Addy has her bog flow back over a cutout in her wood 'box', similarly.

Now, you can also do as Keith did and make a part of your pond your bog, but imo, it's better to keep separate. You MAY need someday to do some bog cleaning/fixing and you don't want to mess with the pond while this happens, esp if you don't have to, as you'll be having to work IN the pond with that design.

Hope this helps.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to the forum!

WE love to help, post some pictures of the area you are going to build in.

 

[GBBUDD]

I have been trying to watch a lot of YouTube videos of pond builders

BUT take with a grain of salt, some Posts can be by less than experts or years of life.

Nick the Pond King;

He's one i had not heard of before GOOD OLD youtube

If you have a slope heading toward the pond location then a couple things to keep in mind. Do not allow run off to run into the pond or streams etc. You do not want fertilizers to get in the pond.

Again you mentioned a slope for the bog. This sounds like your thinking You need a pitch in the bog for water to run across the bog. This is not the idea of the filter Bogs. You basically have a pit . You send the supply pipe from your pump to the bottom of the bog/pit. AS you send more water to the area the water forces the water to rise in the pit/bog And it spills out the lowest part of the containment. No pitch is required.

What i would use the pitch for is some distance from the bog to the pond . But not to far as this creates head pressure for the pump and decreases flow while costing more energy. But having a bog 50 feet from the pond and the water flowing down the stream across boulders Ending in a pond is the best thing i ever did to my home. Even the wife would agree is a close second to her new kitchen

 

[combatwombat]

As others said, you CAN put the bog inside the pond and separate with boulders or blocks (you’d need to seal joints so that big water goes all the way up rather than selling out the side.

But it is a design to be avoided if you can help it. And it sounds like you have all the space and slope necessary to have an ideal design.

 

[bagsmom]

GBBUDD -- good point!
I've just discovered Nick the Pond King. I just watched one pond build video series and I enjoyed it.
One YouTuber to watch for SURE is Ed the Pond Professor. He is part of the Aquascape family and my absolute favorite!!!!! You can learn a LOT from Ed. I love him and wish he was my next door neighbor! Again, many of the projects he does are massive but he really takes time to discuss the different principles of ecosystem ponding. He frequently includes wetland filtration (bogs) and intake bays in his pond designs.
If I could only pick one professional pond builder to watch, it would be Ed.

 

[combatwombat]

GBBUDD -- good point!
I've just discovered Nick the Pond King. I just watched one pond build video series and I enjoyed it.
One YouTuber to watch for SURE is Ed the Pond Professor. He is part of the Aquascape family and my absolute favorite!!!!! You can learn a LOT from Ed. I love him and wish he was my next door neighbor! Again, many of the projects he does are massive but he really takes time to discuss the different principles of ecosystem ponding. He frequently includes wetland filtration (bogs) and intake bays in his pond designs.
If I could only pick one professional pond builder to watch, it would be Ed.

Love Ed. I think he's a marine biologist and really focuses on transferring his knowledge to his audience.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

 

[j.w]

@Hoebob69

 

[loggerhead]

Hello all,

New member hoping to take full advantage of the know how of this forum. I have always wanted to build a pond but always talked myself out of it for whatever reason. But I now have decided it's time to pull the trigger and make it happen. I'm still in the planning stage hoping to get it done right. I'm basically hoping to get clarification on how to make a bog filter fit in my design and look natural. More specifically,the one question I can't get a definitive answer on is should there be any type of separation between bog and besides rocks? And I know that probably sounds like a crazy question. I understand how the setup works and that the water is supposed to go through the bog and into the pond. Basically I'm wanting to know if it's possible to make the bog part of the pond in one uniformed design as the shallow end and if there are any drawbacks to doing it this way?

I designed and built my NSP myself and created 3 nice bogs with-in the regeneration zone. It works really good and plants grow like crazy. I built this last winter and have been using it all summer with no issues. I have attached a picture showing the bogs for your reference.
Hope this helps!

 

[brokensword]

I designed and built my NSP myself and created 3 nice bogs with-in the regeneration zone. It works really good and plants grow like crazy. I built this last winter and have been using it all summer with no issues. I have attached a picture showing the bogs for your reference.
Hope this helps!

just beautiful!

 

[loggerhead]

Thank You.
I built the bog walls with the blocks pictured on top of the gravel then lined it with silt fence fabric and filled it with 80% peat moss and 20% play sand.

 

[Mmathis]

@loggerhead Instead of telling us about your pond in this thread, why not start your own thread so you can just showcase your own nice work? Not to sound rude, but this is @Hoebob69 ‘s thread, to ask for advice. Topics tend to get lost and mixed up when multiple people are sharing their own work and hi-jacking an OP — it’s confusing for the OP, especially if he/she is a beginner.