New pond construction

[addy1]

The slope, I did a 6 foot high dirt berm for the lower edge. Part of it is the bog edge. It has held for 5 years now. No concrete or rebar.

I dropped the up slope edge of the pond 4 feet into the ground, ow the lower edge would have needed a 10 foot high berm, we are so sloped.

 

[Nova]

I don't have enough room to make a berm. I was thinking if I made a two and a half foot wall, it will give me a place to sit and play with the fish.

I will put in a skimmer and a bio/mechanical filter at the falls. It might be nice to add a water jet or two to create a current or an aerator to give the fish a flow to swim against and bubbles to play in. When I add water to my pond with the hose the fish love to swim in the current. They push each other out of the so each gets a turn.

 

[cas]

When I add water to my pond with the hose the fish love to swim in the current. They push each other out of the so each gets a turn.

Hi Nova. I also use to let the fish play in the current of the hose when I added water, but I have read that if you are using chlorinated water that the fish can burn their gills when they do this.

 

[Acorn Ponds & Waterfalls]

Okay, it is getting close to starting our koi new pond. The dimensions will be approximately 8.5' w x 13' l x 4' d with a waterfall. The picture shows the slope of the ground. We want build a curved wall that would be about 2.5' above the ground for the down slope side. What would be the best way to build the wall? I want to use rock we found on our lot for the whole thing but will most likely us cider block help shape the waterfall. Trying to decide to use external or submersible pump. Will have a bottom drain and still trying to figure out filtering. There will be no shelves because of the menagerie of fish loving animals in the area. I may have floating plant baskets but they don't protect the plants from my fish. My koi have figured out how to jump in, eat the plant roots, then jump back out. Please, all suggestions are welcome. Our house will be completed in the middle of September and the septic guys will be there in the next couple weeks or so. We want them to dig the bulk of the pond seeing how the ground is nothing but pit gravel.

Hi Nova, how wonderful you have decided to build a new pond. Sounds like there could be some hard digging but it will be well worth the work once you have completed your piece of paradise. I love the wooded background in your photo. Looks like a beautiful location for a natural looking pond. Reminds me of a similar ecosystem fish pond we installed in Rochester NY 3 years ago. I will attach a photo. Check out our website for more ideas on new pond construction

 

[Nova]

Hi Nova. I also use to let the fish play in the current of the hose when I added water, but I have read that if you are using chlorinated water that the fish can burn their gills when they do this.

Luckily I have great well water and it doesn't hurt the fish.

 

[Nova]

Hi Nova, how wonderful you have decided to build a new pond. Sounds like there could be some hard digging but it will be well worth the work once you have completed your piece of paradise. I love the wooded background in your photo. Looks like a beautiful location for a natural looking pond. Reminds me of a similar ecosystem fish pond we installed in Rochester NY 3 years ago. I will attach a photo. Check out our website for more ideas on new pond construction
View attachment 84340 View attachment 84341

New house, new pond. I do want it to look very natural, like it is coming out of the hillside. Maybe a short steam to look like water coming out from a natural spring.

 

[Acorn Ponds & Waterfalls]

New house, new pond. I do want it to look very natural, like it is coming out of the hillside. Maybe a short steam to look like water coming out from a natural spring.

Love your idea of a short stream Nova, we like to add moss, aquatic plants and sometimes driftwood in the stream as well for a natural looking affect.

 

[mgmine]

It's not a real problem to bury some underground cable and put a receptacle near the pump. However in my situation my pump has a 20 foot cord so I intentionally ran my cable away from the pond. I buried a length of 1 1/4" pvc and run the power cord through that to keep it out of sight. In the winter I take the pump in. To get the power cord through the pvc I tie a piece of string to the cord and all I have to do is pull the string to get the cord in either direction. Another thing to consider is how close your pump will be to your pond. That will determine what kind of pump you can use.
http://www.pondkoi.com/water_pump_selection.htm

 

[Nova]

Last year I kept the ponds running. It was a very cold winter for south carolina but the ponds did fine. We may have to slide the pond over a bit to make sure it is not too far from the power source. I was thinking of putting the power cord in pvc and bury it.

 

[addy1]

I was thinking of putting the power cord in pvc and bury it.

We buried some pvc and ran the power to the pond via it. Works great, keeps you from chopping it with a shovel.

 

[Acorn Ponds & Waterfalls]

We always have an electrician install electric outlets within a few feet of the pond. You might want to get some extra outlets for underwater light, aeration, auto bacteria dosing systems etc. You can cover the outlet with a fake rock or put some plants around it. We have had to repair ponds with bottom drains that were not installed right, be careful. It is easy to pump the water out of a pond without the bottom drain. Definitely go with a pond skimmer and submersible pump to reduce maintenance.

 

[Nova]

The pond is on hold. We had a back hoe dig the hole, which he dug too big, but the area is nothing but sandy soil filled with broken sandstone rocks. LOTS of rocks. We filled the hole back in and will re-dig it after we are moved in little by little to get the rocks out.

 

[Acorn Ponds & Waterfalls]

Rocks can make the digging difficult but sometimes they can be used in the construction of your pond. Be sure to install the biggest pond you can afford because the #1 problem with ponds (if built correctly) is that they are never big enough! I'm sure you have a lot to do if you are just moving in to your house. At least your winters are better than ours here in Rochester, NY. If we don't get it done by winter, we have to wait until spring. Good luck with your backyard pond project!

 

[mgmine]

Use old carpet to cushion the liner when you dig the new hole. Watch Craigs list or advertise for an old swimming pool liner and use both the carpet and the liner under your new liner.

 

[Nova]

We were planning on using carpet and vinyl floor we already have and any left over from out new house. I carpet in our current ponds.