i have no clue what I'm doing

[RedneckCowgirl]

I am redoing a pond that is in our front yard. I will get the dimensions tomorrow. Its approx 7ft by 10ft by 2.5 deep. There is an upper portion that I want to make into a bog filter/waterfall. Its just the holes right now, but I already bought the plastic, sand and carpet, it just needs to be put down. We plan on mortaring round, smallish (3-4 inches diameter) river rocks to the bottom and some larger, flatter rocks to the sides. This is what we are shooting for with the upper bog filter/waterfall:

Suggestions? I honestly have no clue what I'm doing, just have some big ideas

 

[koidaddy]

Welcome to GPF!:regular_waving_emot

 

[taherrmann4]

Welcome aboard!!!

 

[j.w]

RedneckCowgirl
What part of Washington are you from? Thinking by your forum name you are prolly on the east side of the mountains :regular_waving_emot
Very pretty pond...........love your waterfall

 

[RedneckCowgirl]

RedneckCowgirl
What part of Washington are you from? Thinking by your forum name you are prolly on the east side of the mountains :regular_waving_emot
Very pretty pond...........love your waterfall

I'm from Tenino, its just south of Olympia. :bouncycig:

Thanks for all the welcomes everyone!

 

[UT_Bruce]

Sounds like a fun starter project, with most of the work already done for you (like my flowerbeds in the front yard.... thank goodness).

Looks like you have a 1,300 gallon pond (give or take). Let me know if you have trouble getting a good biological balance. The waterfall is an excellent idea.The fishies love it.

I was just watching a special about a 'bog filter' for a sustainable garden. I might try doing that next spring. Just no time right now with a 9 month old crawling around :regular_waving_emot

 

[UT_Bruce]

I used the formula for a square pond FYI. If it's round, use this formula:

(Diameter x diameter x average depth x 5.9 = gallons of capacity to treat)

Π r2 h1 = m3/ft3 (Π=3.14)(r = radius in m/ft) (h = height is m/ft)

 

[addy1]

The rocks you are mortaring, will be out of the water? or in?

That will look nice btw and welcome

 

[Ermasdaughter]

Welcome! I'm a new and clueless member too - so you are not alone! LOL!

 

[RedneckCowgirl]

The rocks you are mortaring, will be out of the water? or in?

Both, if everything goes as planned.

 

[addy1]

The rocks will collect a lot of debris, I love the look of rocks, but after a while you can't even see them unless you clean them weekly. Make sure you cure the mortar well before you put any fish in. The mortar will mess with the ph of the pond. You need to treat it.

 

[fishin4cars]

Rocks on the bottom can be trouble, Mortar can raise the PH in water to very high dangerous levels, be sure and do your homework and research your plan out before hand and know what your going to have to do if the Mortar does react with the water and the PH starts climbing.

 

[lenny jewell]

mortar is highly acidic , i would not put it into the water , i even removed old concrete from my makeshift waterfall as this was raising the ph ... believe me for a living i am a brick mason . nothing more i'd rather do than use this skill in pond design , but unfortunately , it has to all be done on exterior of pond and no contact with water ....

 

[DrDave]

Welcome to the Forum!