New Pond...idea. (No questions, just sharing.)

[JBtheExplorer]

So, I've been thinking about redoing my pond this Spring. As you know (or are about to find out), I just put it in last year, but since then, the fence has been extended out so there's room to make a slightly larger pond. With the work involved, the chances of redoing it are slim this year, considering I spent all of last year getting it just right, and I would kind of like to simply get it clean and running this year. At the same time, its still something to think about.

The change would make the new pond about 2'-3' wider than my current one (4'), and make the deepest area larger, which off the top of my head would add at least 150 gallons, if not more. It would also allow me to make proper plant shelves compared to the shallow, narrow ones I made when I had no clue what I was doing . The best thing about the design, is that it would be using only what I already have, other than a new liner and a few more flagstone pieces, so it wouldn't be too expensive.

If I eventually do it, I realized I could use my year-old pond liner to make a smaller pond that flows into the new pond in place of the 'stream' I currently have (which is basically a mini pond itself, but too shallow to do anything with). The small pond would be fish-less and with a depth of around 1.5ft, it would be the perfect level for plants and a great breeding habitat for frogs, which is what I'm hoping for. This upgrade would also give more surface water, more total water, and somehow even make the ground area a little wider which could make room for more ground plants.

Here is the design of my current pond area (top), and the design of the possible new pond (bottom). They aren't the same scale as each other but close enough.

Why am I sharing this if I'm not sure I'll be doing it?
Because its winter and I'm insanely bored. Also, I thought it was kind of a cool upgrade to what I have, so I figured I'd share it with you guys. If it doesn't happen this year, I have no doubt that I'll be doing it in the next few years.

 

[Lisak1]

Very cool! Bigger is always better!

 

[addy1]

I like it, that looks like it will be wonderful. Love the shallow fishless plant pond for your frogs idea. My stream ponds are basically like that, fishless frog ponds and they love it.

 

[sissy]

I like the first pic as 2 round ones are what you always see .Can you keep a shape to it .Second 1 reminds me of a snow man .Maybe stretch each end out a little .Plus know how hard it is to hide folds from rebuilding my pond that center may cause you a little headache .I am still fighting with my folds .

 

[Big Lou]

Looks great! Have a good time building your new remodel.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I like the first pic as 2 round ones are what you always see .Can you keep a shape to it

Its always possible. Who knows how many times I'll edit this plan before I actually make the changes. I was going over how big my pond liner is, and I could probably make it 4' longer and skinny it up a bit. It could possibly be the shame shape as my current one, but wider and deeper. Right now, I'm liking the idea of two wide bodies of water, though.

 

[sissy]

I can understand that but how wide are you going as the wider it is the harder it is to net the bottom of stuff .I could have gone wider but decided the extra work was not worth it and decided to build pond sides up .I really wanted to go longer but the digging was so hard .It all comes down to what you have as liner .They sure are not cheap .

 

[j.w]

I like your pond the way it looks now in that first pic also. Like the bog next to it and the shape like sissy said. If you want just make that one bigger or add and extension to it. You could make a whole separate dig right next to it and let them flow together w/o having to mess w/ the old liner except where they flow together but that isn't supposed to be hard to do.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I can understand that but how wide are you going as the wider it is the harder it is to net the bottom of stuff.

My area is very small, so "wide" is about 5', and with it being shallow and open like that, scooping leaves would be very easy.

I like your pond the way it looks now in that first pic also.

Well, the main idea is to benefit the frogs in the best way possible, and giving them more water is more important to me than the design itself. I've also considered connecting the two ponds with a stream but in reality there isn't nearly enough room to justify it. We'd end up with not much more than a 2' stream

Like I was saying to sissy, my plans will likely change at least a little, and it'll be easier for me to picture once the snow melts.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

By the way, how about my graphical skills?
comparison:

 

[brokensword]

jB: why not figure out a way to make your aux pond into a bog and let it help filter your main pond? I'm sure the frogs wouldn't mind and if you designed it like addy's, you'd gain another valuable filtering mechanism. Actually, if you do it right and have it sized appropriately, it could be your ONLY filter, as I did. While others are spending whatever time cleaning filters, I get to sit back in the lounge chair and watch my bog do it all naturally for me. More initial work but well worth it, imo.

To do this, all you'd have to do is elevate the bog portion so it was higher than your pond and provide way for the 'upflow' of bog water to spill into your pond. Find addy's thread re bogs; the whole idea is there and I think you'd gain more this way.

jmho


Michael