Is there an ideal depth for fish caves?

[Laaf]

I am building a newer bigger pond that has steps at 1 and 2 feet all the way around, with a depth of 3 feet in the deeper area.

I am building in fish caves by not having part of the step, that I will cover with a flagstone.

Would you put the fish caves in the 1 foot step, so they are at the 1-2 foot depth of water?

Or would you put them in the bottom step at 2-3 foot depth of water?

Or...........would you put them at both depths and let the fish decide what they prefer?

 

[BKHpondcritters]

I would put them at the bottom, in the deepest part of the pond. I find that my fish use them most during the cold winter months when they naturally hang out down low. Also, for hiding from predators, I'd think deeper would be more effective.

 

[GBBUDD]

I am building in fish caves by not having part of the step, that I will cover with a flagstone.

Or would you put them in the bottom step at 2-3 foot depth of water?

i'd go for the 2 to 3 foot depth as ice can take the upper foot

 

[Laaf]

Thanks for the feedback. We don't tend to get super hard freezes. My current pond is under 2 feet deep and the goldfish all survived the winter. But I have to keep it covered with fencing material to keep raccoons from walking in and grabbing all the fish.

I ended up doing a combo of high and low fish caves. And I will also put a big flagstone across a skinnier section to have a bigger deeper cave area in the middle too. I am debating whether to add another low in step cave.

I am having this built. My arm could not handle a dig of this scale. The best pond builder who was also reliable only does concrete ponds with a skimmer so that is what it is. I really hoped for an aquascape style pond with an intake bay. But those contractors were too flaky to use them from my experiences trying to get bids and follow up.

This company is making a bog for me which is their first ever. I will post more pics when done. The pond area is 26 feet long not including bog, and 8 feet at the widest. I was limited by an existing landscaping area between paved paths in my yard. It is 3 feet at its deepest.

It is much bigger than my current little pond.

The bog will waterfall back to the pond, and there will also be a stone tower waterfall with more fish cave space under it in the bigger deep area. He is going to try to do a 360 degree waterfall!

I will post more pics when done.

 

[GBBUDD]

Going to be pretty sweet . is this concrete or a spray gunnite?
i'm looking at the edging/ coping that stops away from the walkway and the battle in my mind is like you have it leaving room for non aquatic plants. or if id bring it right to the walk bringing the water right up to the walk and placing aquatic plants come right to the walk and have rocks sitting on the shelf a mixture of the three rocks water and plants right to the walk . Or do you plan to widen the walk?

 

[Laaf]

Some of the narrow areas will just be gravel, and the wider areas will have plants. Brick topped paths will stay as is. I will find a before pic. I'm in the southwest and the area was xeriscaped with mostly gravel before and a handful of plants.

 

[addy1]

I'm in the southwest and the area was xeriscaped with mostly gravel before and a handful of plants.

My entire back yard and front yard in AZ was crushed granite with plants and trees here and there. OF course a pond and stream were added by me. The plants had to live without added water, like the plants here need to live through the winter without help.

 

[Lisak1]

Watering is my hobby @addy1 - you should try it!

My in ground plants are on their own but I do water my potted plants and hanging baskets. They would bake to a crisp otherwise.

 

[Rashad]

Thanks for the feedback. We don't tend to get super hard freezes. My current pond is under 2 feet deep and the goldfish all survived the winter. But I have to keep it covered with fencing material to keep raccoons from walking in and grabbing all the fish.

I ended up doing a combo of high and low fish caves. And I will also put a big flagstone across a skinnier section to have a bigger deeper cave area in the middle too. I am debating whether to add another low in step cave.

I am having this built. My arm could not handle a dig of this scale. The best pond builder who was also reliable only does concrete ponds with a skimmer so that is what it is. I really hoped for an aquascape style pond with an intake bay. But those contractors were too flaky to use them from my experiences trying to get bids and follow up.

This company is making a bog for me which is their first ever. I will post more pics when done. The pond area is 26 feet long not including bog, and 8 feet at the widest. I was limited by an existing landscaping area between paved paths in my yard. It is 3 feet at its deepest.

It is much bigger than my current little pond.

The bog will waterfall back to the pond, and there will also be a stone tower waterfall with more fish cave space under it in the bigger deep area. He is going to try to do a 360 degree waterfall!

I will post more pics when done.

This is looking amazing! So happy for you to finally build the pond of your dreams. I'll have to come check it out sometime. I would put the fish cave in the deepest part. That's where mine is and they hung out down there all winter.

 

[Laaf]

Pond area before pics.

The skinny side is becoming a big bog that waterfalls back into the pond.

The tree is a volunteer from a few years back that we are saving.

The bog plus pond plants will be more vegetation than was in the area before. We will be adding some plants in the area around the pond.

((I still have a big area of yard if I need an even bigger pond in the future.................this one is right off the covered front patio so great to sit and stare at fish))

My current little pond is just left of the top let corner of these pics. We joked about making a tunnel to connect them.