New guy!

[j.w]

I just rounded it off to 5ft deep and came up w/

15' x 6' x 5' x 7.5 = 3,375 gals so I think you were right at over 3,000 gals

 

[pecan]

I just tried to calculate mine and got 273 gallons I hate math + mine is kind of an oval.


Welcome Tim! Ponding is the greatest thing since sliced bread I am on my second year and love it. Go bigger if you can possibly manage it because once you do all the hard work you will want it bigger. As Sissy mentioned the more water the better temperature regulation, plus the easier it is to keep a balanced pond. I went 40" deep and want it 6' deep now .

Keep us posted on your work, we love pictures. Do you have any from before you started your work?

 

[Tim Vader]

oh yeah, I have pictures!

This was the yard at day 1 of the rebuild. You can see how wet everything looks. Drainage was an issue for sure. I had to cut down 16 trees ain this yard after katrina, so it slowly started sinking

This shows the form I used to extend and raise my existing patio. I busted all of the tile up and sand rebar in the slab 2" and added cross sections and a chain wall before poring the concrete

both forms

One of my sons learning to drive a bobcat (not really(

dirt spread out

smoothing the pergola slab

patio slab

building the cover

cover "finished" till I start on the kitchen

pergola design

posts sunk in. MISERABLE job!

Done till I can stain it!

spot for the pond build

 

[sissy]

You need to keep that little boy he is a hard worker :razz: Remember to have electric done and plenty of outlets and close to water source also important .That looks like a good spot to sit and rest and view the pond .You will need places to hide filters and a raised spot if you are doing a waterfall .Access to everything for work around the pond after .Do you have city water as that will be a factor also .Because before you add the water you will need an area to keep a barrel or something to treat it first.oh by the way you did a great job also :razz: :razz: :razz:

 

[Tim Vader]

I plan on keeping all of the pumps and everything else behind the house. I have a small alley that runs to my AC unit. I'm running electric this week to the back corner of the house, and there is a hose on the same wall. I do have city water, but I planned on running the pond for a few weeks before adding koi. I can also "borrow" RO water from work since we make it their for the plant. It takes an hour to fill a 55g drum and I've got 9 places that I can hook up to

I do want a waterfall, so some design changes may be on the way. I am even thinking of doing an L shape along the side of the house also. I'm building the patio into an outdoor kitchen, so that entire area is going to need something so it's not dead space. Kids don't play there, that's where the morning sun hits, and it's shaded after 4 pm

It's coming along for sure, I can't wait to see it all finished!

 

[sissy]

yep waterfalls are made to be seen and heard from more than one place .You said something about water sitting in your yard ,you nay have to consider where you live you may have a high water table and you may have to address that as you don't want water getting between your liner and the dirt .You don't need a floating liner .Best test is when you dig the hole and see water coming up from the ground will tell you that .Remember also heavy rains could mean a wash out for your fish and chemicals from lawn products getting in your pond .

 

[Tim Vader]

My biggest problem with the drainage was the low spots in the yard. I added all the river sand and dug trenches along the fence to the front yard. Water hasn't been an issue lately. I plan on using a thick PVC liner for the pond to avoid any chemicals getting in. I am considering lining the pond with cinder blocks and a concrete base with dirt or clay to avoid any possible tears and I definitely don't want to risk roots. They are all over the yard

 

[sissy]

I used a 45 mil and believe me they are heavy ,I have a big piece of 60 mil I will be using to rebuild my waterfall and for a piece that is only 12x12 it is way heavier than the 45 mil that was 18x20 .You will need to take plenty of pics as you work on it as it will be interesting to see .Start a thread on here to show all your hard work from beginning to never ending :razz:

 

[taherrmann4]

Welcome to the forum. Nice setup you have there!

 

[Tim Vader]

Thanks!

I'm going to start another thread and see if I can get some input on my design ideas. Been brainstorming all day!

 

[thematt311]

i say only do koi by the looks of tht sweet jap wood deal and slab I'm sure u will build a filter that can handle ur koi they do get dirty but enough furnace filters in a big enough trash can will do u right make tht po d as big as u can the more water the the better your fish will do good luck and welcome I'll have to come see it one day u should think about putting some sweet red japaneese maple trees and some junipers go all Asian u got such a clean blank slate all that yard u have and a bobcat shoot I'd dig to china with that thing I didn't enuf space but I made do.

 

[Tim Vader]

The bobcat actually belongs to my lawn guy. Wish I owned one!

I am thinking of doing the Japanese theme, I just don't know where to go from here. You are more than welcome to come out any time and give me some pointers. I want to do this one time and do it right

 

[addy1]

Nice yard to have a nice pond!

 

[Tim Vader]

Thanks!

Well, plans have changed quite a bit. My wife saw this one and she loves it, so I think I need to rent an excavator!

I have to say, I like it a lot. Its not what I thought I originally wanted, but I think it would look amazing in the yard, and its not THAT difficult vs digging holes, pouring concrete, rebar, cinder blocks, etc

 

[addy1]

laughing get diggin!