My new pond projects

[John O]

I have not visited this forum for a while but since I have taken on new projects, I thought I might add some pictures.
The original pond dates to 2002, with the skippy filter off to the left which put water back into the pond, via a short water fall. This year I got inspired to move the skippy filter and water fall back beyond a short fence and then dig a new pond, raised above ground to feed into the original pond. This is still a work in progress, but alas, I am not 35 anymore so I have to rest a couple days.(I will be 70 next year) This is a work in progress, and I need to get some more flat rock to finish. I think I will raise the new filter water path to get a better flow into the new pond.
Thanks for reading and I appreciate any constructive suggestions
John

 

[dieselplower]

Very nice. How did you make that discharge waterfall on your stock tank?

 

[John O]

Hello! I constructed the spillway out of aluminum myself. A friend of mine in the HVAC business bent the piece on his bending brake. I bought 6" x " 8" x 16" block to form the water fall and short stream. I placed them where I wanted the stream to run and then drove 3' rebar through the holes and into the ground. I put concrete into the block and then I built up the height with a couple more block and some 4 x 6 timber. I used dirt from the new pond hole to fill the stream pathway bed. Then I laid the rubber over the structure and began to cover it with rock. I used a flat piece of rock for in front for the water to spill over.

I am going to construct something to hide the stock tank next.

 

[j.w]

You are more energetic than I am John! Congrats on all that you have done to keep your pond so nice and clean looking. Do you have fish?
Love the plants and nice bridge

 

[John O]

Thank you JW. Yes lots of fish including 3 koi that are about 13 years old. Dozens of goldfish and I haven't bought any in about 7 years, so they have done well. I have never been good at keeping water lilies so any help would be nice. I think the koi may have knocked over the pots on the bottom. I have developed a floating bog that works well. I made a frame from 1 1/2 " PVC glued together to make a square and then used plastic wire tie wraps to hold a plastic pot in the center. (you an use what ever size PVC you want) then it will float with the plant in the center. Black PVC is not so noticeable in the water. It is getting too late to add new plants to the new pond but I did transplant some bottom leafy plants to It.

After adding the new pond the water is now very clean. I try not to use chemicals. The big issues here in Oregon where I am are the critters - heron, nutria and opossums.

 

[John O]

J.W., people like you inspire me to do my pond work better. I looked at your pond pictures and I got an idea or two already. I never had a bottom drain vale in the ponds. I guess I was too lazy to consider it. The first pond was dug by a guy with a small back hoe and that was the best $75 I ever spent on the yard
Every so often I check the pond with a test kit and it always looks alright.

 

[j.w]

Thanks for the compliment John. Sounds like all is going well w/ your fish in your setup. No bottom drain for me either. I just use a fine net to scoop off the bottom gunk and also use a fines filter sometimes to get the water a bit clearer. Just a pot w/ some quilt batting w/a hose running over it all. My pond was easy to dig w/shovel as we have sandy soil. Also just a big pre-filter deal on the bottom running the water to the falls is all I use but then I only have goldfish, no koi so they make less mess. So far so good. I hear koi are hard on lilies and plants so that could be some of your problem w/ lilies. Some here w/koi tried floating rings to put their lilies in to protect them from the fish. This year I tried soil-less pots for my water lilies w/ just rocks holding them down. Not too successful tho. I'll give them one more year like that and if no blooms then back to the pots w/kitty litter(100% clay w/ no additives) in them and fertilizer. Now and then I do a partial water change w/our well water. Garden hose slowly running water in and pump running out at same capacity. Fish love it and freshens it up nicely. Winter is coming soon and not looking forward to all our rain here. I will miss sitting out by the pond in the wonderful summer weather we had this year.

 

[haver79]

Nice job on the pond John. Looking good. I love the idea of an upper pond flowing into a lower pond. And I like the bridge too. I worked hard building my pond last summer so took it a little easier this summer and enjoyed the pond.
Sometimes it is good to sit back and enjoy all your hard work. There is always next summer and our ponds are never complete are they?

 

[John O]

There is another pond, my first. It is completely above ground built on three layers of cinderblock. It just wasn't what I wanted, but it is still nice and full of goldfish. Thanks for the kind words, Haver

 

[RobAmy]

Nice work

 

[addy1]

Very nice job! I have a two stock tanks in my pond loop, both flow into the big pond. With our sloped yard the tanks are mostly buried on the uphill side, slightly exposed on the down hill side. My outflows are just pvc stuck in the sides, much prefer the look of your chute, but I have mine covered up by rocks, so it looks like a natural waterfall.

 

[John O]

When I am finished, the liner should be all covered with rock...I can hope

 

[CometKeith]

John, It looks really nice what you are doing. I like the way you are using rebar, cement, blocks, and timber. It sounds really solid! Thanks for sharing

 

[John O]

Keith, you might be surprised to see how 800 gallons of water can push 4 or 5 cinder blocks a bit that aren't held in place with rebar in the ground and some concrete. (sand works, too but a 6o pound sack of concrete weighs the same as a 60 pound sack of sand) groan...

 

[CometKeith]

Hey, John, I know that's always heavy lifting. I'm in construction and even though I sit at a desk doing spreadsheets most the day I can appreciate it when something is well built!