Hi - old garden - new pond adventure

[stevekind]

Hi

My name's Steve and I have just embarked on a project to upgrade, enlarge and enhance a garden wild life pond that I dug over 30 years ago and is well past it's sell by date!

The main improvement I want to make is to add moving water in the form of either a cascade or a (very) short stream and waterfall. I here confess that I have absolutely no idea how to do this. I know I need a pump! I have somewhere gathered the idea that the best way to have a pump is in a "sump" or tank separate from the main pond. How big a pump I need, and how to make the separate sump or tank , are beyond me. Articles I have read all seem to assume that I already know stuff that I don't know. Any advice gratefully received.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome! Why don’t you post some pictures of your pond — and maybe include a diagram to give us an idea what you are thinking about. Yes, I know what you mean about the articles “that assume you already know.” So frustrating!

 

[gregbgn]

welcome to the group there is a bunch of post on the forum that have lots of info on how too.

 

[Becky]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

 

[Lisak1]

Welcome welcome welcome! I'll second @Mmathis in the request for a picture of your current set up and your future plans. There are as many ways to build a pond as there are pond owners, but we can surely get you started with some ideas!

 

[j.w]

@stevekind

 

[stevekind]

Thanks for the replies and welcomes. Unfortunately I'm unable to upload photos - the board just reports an error every time I try. In the absence of images I won't bore you with verbiage for now!

 

[stevekind]

Oh - now I see a little "image" icon with a red cross on it just below my post - does that mean I'm not allowed to post photos?

 

[JamieB]

Describe for us what you have; sizes, gallons, pumps, filtration, plants and fish, then do tell us how you want to modify it. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but in absence of pictures, words will have to do!

 

[MitchM]

Welcome!
You shouldn't be having any problems posting pictures - how large are the files?

 

[stevekind]

Hi - I did try to post a description last night - but by then I couldn't upload anything. Trying again now What I have at the moment is a hole in the ground! - here's a couple of photos (I hope)

 

[stevekind]

No - I just got "problem uploading file error."

 

[MitchM]

If you right click on the picture while it's still on your computer desktop, and choose "properties", what does it say?
(Size and type)

 

[stevekind]

Anyway - This is to be a largish (compared to our old pond) garden wildlife/ornamental pond. I want there to be a short (very short) stream and a small waterfall back into the pond. No fish - so I'm wondering if I need to bother with a sump / filter box or if I can just have a submersible pump that lifts water to the top of the stream and let it run down back into the pond? If I do need a reservoir/ tank at the top of the stream. do I have to have an expensive filter, or could I just have a plastic tank with a layer of gravel for the water to pass through?

 

[stevekind]

If you right click on the picture while it's still on your computer desktop, and choose "properties", what does it say?
(Size and type)

JPG, 400K