Hello - Pond under construction

[addy1]

It would actually be a better idea to start a new topic in the DIY section or even start a Showcase - that way, when people are looking for advice and ideas they can find your posts as a resource (people wouldn't think to look in the Introductions section for stuff like that). Hope that's ok!

We could move some of his post to his new thread if he wants to start it. Save some typing!

 

[Rex]

I started a showcase to move this to.

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/showcase/3-500-gal-water-garden-with-bog-filter.97/

 

[addy1]

I started a showcase to move this to.

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/showcase/3-500-gal-water-garden-with-bog-filter.97/

I copied your postings over to the showcase. Start posting your updates there.

If I missed any you want moved over let me know

 

[JamieB]

Wow, just wow. I was digging my own pond, so I see you are great at getting bottoms nice and level, sides even, and a lot done in a short time, all by hand!!! My pond is on hold pending if the neighbors field will have cotton from now on, cause it’s a chemical spray heavy crop, the location I started on faces it, and is too close. So now I’m working on my land for a smaller one I can build on the porch, that I can cover.

 

[Becky]

Thanks @addy1!

 

[Rex]

Wow, just wow. I was digging my own pond, so I see you are great at getting bottoms nice and level, sides even, and a lot done in a short time, all by hand!!! My pond is on hold pending if the neighbors field will have cotton from now on, cause it’s a chemical spray heavy crop, the location I started on faces it, and is too close. So now I’m working on my land for a smaller one I can build on the porch, that I can cover.

Thanks. I'm a little bit of a perfectionist. We had a lot of rain right before I started this project. The soil was perfect for digging down to about 18". As the days went by, the walls started drying out and getting dry and hard. I would either spray them down with a water hose or put a sprinkler on the area for a while. The next day, I could easily sculpt the walls and get them just like I wanted them. I used a plain old shovel along with a flat shovel. Good luck on getting your project done.

I live in cotton country in the panhandle of Texas, but the closest cotton field is about 1/4 of a mile away. If you are worried about runoff, you could create some berms and divert the water along with raising the liner at the edge of the pond. If you are worried about spray from either a crop duster a tractor, well that is valid concern, but unless the location is just a few feet from the cotton field, I wouldn't think you would be affected by it. The fertilizer or pesticide/herbicide is expensive and the farmers don't make a habit of wasting that stuff. Make sure you pick a spot though that is large enough. I'm already wishing, I made this pond bigger

 

[JamieB]

Thanks. I'm a little bit of a perfectionist. We had a lot of rain right before I started this project. The soil was perfect for digging down to about 18". As the days went by, the walls started drying out and getting dry and hard. I would either spray them down with a water hose or put a sprinkler on the area for a while. The next day, I could easily sculpt the walls and get them just like I wanted them. I used a plain old shovel along with a flat shovel. Good luck on getting your project done.

I live in cotton country in the panhandle of Texas, but the closest cotton field is about 1/4 of a mile away. If you are worried about runoff, you could create some berms and divert the water along with raising the liner at the edge of the pond. If you are worried about spray from either a crop duster a tractor, well that is valid concern, but unless the location is just a few feet from the cotton field, I wouldn't think you would be affected by it. The fertilizer or pesticide/herbicide is expensive and the farmers don't make a habit of wasting that stuff. Make sure you pick a spot though that is large enough. I'm already wishing, I made this pond bigger

I’m north of you in Oklahoma, and I’m thinking the crop spray from the plane is what cause a die off in my pond that’s a bit further back. The circle of my drive, should I ever get to use it for pond stuff, is plenty big. I already had plans for a berm due to flood risk, the west side property line is the river, and it’s been known to jump the banks and flood the yard. Our soil is a lovely rich loam down to about 3’ deep, where it starts showing the Oklahoma red clay, but I’m pausing that till I know for sure about if drift from the spray is a hazard or not. I’ve lost about half my barn cats, I lost over half my pond, so now I’m trying to reconfigure the pond ideas. Best case, I’ll have a good breeding pond to work on crossing shubinkin and butterfly koi, the worst case will be I’m stuck with a porch pond, 7x7x3.

 

[sissy]

most people put the underliner under rocks to protect the liner