Greetings all

[kelpie]

Hi,
After 3 years of procrastination, SWMBO has graciously agreed to a pond! In the process of finding out what I dont know I dont know I found this forum and have been reading the combined knowledge with interest.

This will hopefully be a log of the journey and of assistance to others following this well worn path.

The plan is for a wildlife pond... for want of a better description.. Not really interested in fish, but would not kick out the odd stickleback, but thats about the extent of my ambitions into the ectothermic clade.

The site I have been "allocated" is er, "challenging" its between the side of the house and an adjoining garage, 8m long, 5m wide narrowing to about 3m, with sewers, rising main, gutter runoffs and cable runs spread liberally across the site. If I was looking for an ideal site for a pond, I wouldn't look here. Oh and there's a 2m slope from rear to front so that makes the waterfall a necessity by definition.

I'm not precious about the plan I have and would welcome any help and advice as I dont have the budget to get it wrong and then fix it. Pond will be in the UK, specifically in the county shire of my Lord Bedford.

Let the journey begin

 

[addy1]

Welcome to the forum!

That will be a challenge.

Here are my thoughts, look into bog making, will keep your water clean. You won't need any filters except a bog and grow some nice plants in it. Make the bog at the high end of the lot, let it water fall back into the pond. All you need is some pvc pipes, pea gravel and plants. Well liner also lol

Make sure you stay away from the walls enough to walk around the pond.

When you dig, make a shallow shelf about 3-5 inches below the edge, Stack up rocks on that ledge coming up and out of the pond. Hides the liner well.

Do you have mosquitoes? You might want some fish to eat them. You could have some minnows, gold fish etc.

 

[kelpie]

thanks addy, dont know if I'll have enough room for a bog... Although I havn't got my head around the concept yet but I did read hereabouts that 30% of the pond size was required?? I'm looking at a 9 square metre pond, so 3 square metre bog? does that sound right?

Might have to go with a raised bog to miss the services?

no mossies.. well not many, as I understand it the larvae require still water not moving water... could be wrong about that though

 

[addy1]

They do not like running water for sure, never see them around the ponds.

The bog, any size helps, you don't need to stick with the rules, makes what size you can. Make it a deep vs shallow that adds pea gravel surface area. I have a small planter bog on my hot tub pond, it keeps the water in great shape. The tub is around 300 gallons.

Raised bogs are great, then you will have a waterfall back into your pond. Put the pump at the far end of the pond from the bog, get good circulation that way. I use external pumps a lot of others use submersible pumps. I prefer external.

 

[mrsclem]

The site I have been "allocated" is er, "challenging" its between the side of the house and an adjoining garage, 8m long, 5m wide narrowing to about 3m, with sewers, rising main, gutter runoffs and cable runs spread liberally across the site. If I was looking for an ideal site for a pond, I wouldn't look here. Oh and there's a 2m slope from rear to front so that makes the waterfall a necessity by definition.

Make sure you do not put the pond over cables or anything you may need to access in the future.

 

[addy1]

Make sure you do not put the pond over cables or anything you may need to access in the future.

Or run big pvc pipes under the pond and feed the cables through them. Then you could pull out and fix down the road. We did that with a parking space we had paved, big pvc pipe with our internet cable running through it, easy to pull and fix if need be.

 

[kelpie]

yea, saw that one coming and rerouted rising main and 4"sewer down the right side of the pic while i had the excavator here. left side has 4"conduit used for cable runs. you can just see a bit of it. the area in the centre is now clear, limited but clear.

 

[kelpie]

addy: whats the correct forum to post the plan/ build / progress?? seems to fit in a few, but not introductions

 

[addy1]

addy: whats the correct forum to post the plan/ build / progress?? seems to fit in a few, but not introductions

This is a good place to have your build.

Pond Construction & Equipment

Specific discussions on pond construction and garden pond equipment from liner to water pumps. Which are the best, what they do, and what you might need for your garden pond.

www.gardenpondforum.com

 

[Lisak1]

My one suggestion is to make sure you have A. room to maneuver around all sides of the pond and B. a good viewing spot. Having a pond is no fun if you don't have a comfy place to sit and enjoy it. The spot you've chosen - can you view it from anywhere other than just standing staring down that "alleyway"? Can you see it from the house? Personally I'd push for a more appropriate spot... but that's just me!

 

[poconojoe]

Welcome!
You came to the right place!
Read as much as you can through the many threads here.
Ask any questions you have.
You will benefit from our experiences.
We are a friendly bunch.

 

[kelpie]

thanks lisa, yep, its tight but I have access around all sides... just

"The spot you've chosen"... lol... I refer you to my earlier post, specifically ..."allocated"

I'll post further info where addy suggested

 

[j.w]

@kelpie

 

[JRS]

Welcome!

 

[JamieB]

Your SWMBO, she who must be obeyed, will hopefully discover that she likes the pond, wants more/ better, and then dedicate a better area for you. Add a few hardy water lillies, then take a flower or two into her for her to smell. Amazing scent, I liked the smell of the yellow and white, but the look of Colorado and Suix.