In with both feet could use a little help...

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Okay so im building my first pond. I have aquired 2 liners as the only place that carries them around me sells a maximum size of 20'x13'. I have a 3600 gallon submersible and will be getting a filter and uv "thingy" this weekend once im sure i know what size to get. Im not sure the pump is going to be big enough to handle all the filtration and keep it clear but i can always add a second pump if needs be so im not too worried about that atm.I have a few questions i need answered before i can begin on this project.

1. How do I go about joining the 2 liners I have into one big one without it being leaky? Will it be nessessary to build 2 smaller ponds with the 2 seperate liners, with one perhaps emptying into the other and recirculating in that manner? Id really like to make one large one out of the 2 liners.

2. I had thought about using an auto water filler like the ones that attach to a cattle water trough to keep the pond topped off, but im not sure if it would be better to just refill it manually with the hose, that is to say what effect will it have on plants and fish?

3. I have ducks, what would be the best design option to keep them out of the water as much as possible? I had thought of using concrete block to make a raised edge, but im not even sure it would help so....?

4. The liner package says that it will make a pond up to 1600 gallons, which with 2 liners would equal out to about 3000 gallons or so but this really doesnt seem right to me. What type of layout would you guys reccomend to maximize my volume of water and still have a natural look?
 

koiguy1969

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if the liners are 45mil epdm liners use seam tape to join them, and primer them first with the cleaner, primer solution made for the job. you'll want a large clean flat hard surface to accomplish this.
 
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I added an additional liner to my pond redo in the fall and used roofing tar (in a caulk-able gun) to join them to the seam and then used water proof tape to "seal" the edges. I have not had a problem with leaking.

I also manually fill my pond and use a declorinator, although where I live they use very little chlorine. what are you planning on using as a filter??? With the size of the pond, I would probably use the 55 gallon drum filter found on the forums. As for ducks, they will fly in rather than walk in and 2-4 weeks should be enough time to add fish, again you will need to add plants in the pond to balance the nitrogen produced by the fish and a good filtration system.
 
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silicon might work...ive never glued a liner

an auto top off will make filling your pond so much easier on you...make sure that you get something that will dechorlinate the water before it enters the pond

i would keep the ducks out...they make a BIG mess this equals more cleaning...unless you get/make a big filter that can handle the extra bio load...it is in your best interest to keep them out

what are the dimensions on the liner...because my 5'x5'x2.5' high around 400 gallon pond used about a 10'x10' square of a 12'x12' piece of liner...i cut the exess off

i dont know why people think this...its a common misunderstanding...basically wait a couple of days for the water to "mold" the liner and you can toss the fish in...make sure your filter is set up and the water is dechorinated before you do so...you need fish to start the nitrogen cycle so that your bio filter can establish itself...the cycling process should take about a month depending on how big your pond is and what kind of bio load you threw in
 

koiguy1969

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you can put fish in the day after you fill it as long as you dechlorinated, i take it you want a larger shallow pond rather than a smaller, deeper pond, if thats the case you might want to locate a couple of filters,one at opposite ends of the pond since circulation in the larger shallower area is harder to acheive. disquize them as waterfalls. the lower profile of a filter like mine allows easy concealment,as a waterfall. thats why i built mine the way i did.
 
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koiguy1969 said:
use seam tape to join them, and primer them first with the cleaner, primer solution made for the job.

is this a special tape just for ponds, im not sure i can get it here who would have it?


nigil said:
what are you planning on using as a filter??? With the size of the pond, I would probably use the 55 gallon drum filter found on the forums.

Im planning to build a version of the 55 gallon filter based on the 70 gallon skippy filter using a large hard plastic cattle watering trough.

koiguy1969 said:
i take it you want a larger shallow pond rather than a smaller, deeper pond, if thats the case you might want to locate a couple of filters,one at opposite ends of the pond since circulation in the larger shallower area is harder to acheive. disquize them as waterfalls. the lower profile of a filter like mine allows easy concealment,as a waterfall. thats why i built mine the way i did.

i want it to be about 2' with a maximum depth of 3-4' so the fish dont freeze in the winter. im located in north ms. would that be deep enough?
 

koiguy1969

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plenty deep enough...actually the 55gallon filter is based on the one like mine. google skippy filter and you'll see. ive been to skippys store, real nice people he has multiple ponds all crystal clear on filters like mine..minus their mud ponds.
skippystuff......home of the world famous skippy filter. i believe it says
 

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