New Pond - Water Clarity

[Hunters]

Hi guys,

I know you get a million posts similar to this one...

I have recently built a pond with a small waterfall in a clients garden.

The pond has been built as more of a water feature than a fish pond.

Whilst I do have experience of building this type of water feature on a much larger scale, I was just interested to see what other people's opinions were on my method of construction.

The pond was firstly dug out and the I built a brick/block framework to create the small upper holding pool.

All of the areas that could be lined with sand, were lined with sand.

I then laid the underlay, and then the firestone liner.

Within the liner I built a dry stone effect wall backed with concrete up to the level of the waterfall. I then folded the liner over the most of the stonework in the main pool to create a bridge that was the filled and surround with slate to create a waterfall with no visible liner, or concrete/mortar.

The liner has been encased in concrete to the top of all the stone.

I built everything with the idea that nothing should hold any water other than the liner, as I know from experiencing other people's mistakes in using waterproofing agents etc... in concrete can cause pooling within walls that can subsequently fail due to freezing in winter.

I have also seen waterfalls leak and fail when things have been joined and so have purposefully avoided this. The pond is showing no signs of leaking and I'm confident that this will remain the case.

The problem is that there is a lot of sediment washing out from the wall. I have seen this before and have advised the only way to get rid of this is by flushing it through and manually cleaning it out, clearly I've offered to help with this (help was refused which seems a bit strange...) but to my understanding this is something that will only happen until the sediment is gone, its minerals washing out from the concrete and stone isn't it?

Please see attached pictures... If it's something I've done wrong I would happily admit it. There is no filtration system, and they decided to reuse an old pump, which powers the waterfall perfectly to be honest, I will probably suggest they get a pump/filter unit to install, which could be done with too much trouble, but my understanding is that this won't do anything to clear the sediment that is there at the moment.

Any thoughts massively appreciated! Thanks everyone in advance

 

[Hunters]

I am actually pretty happy with how it's turned out, it's exactly how I had imagined it would be and the waterfall is perfect in terms of sound, I could stand and just stare at it for hours!

 

[Lisak1]

Welcome @Hunters ! Very pretty pond you've built. Is your question specifically about the sediment? If so, yes it's most likely from the stone and what looks to be gravel in the bottom. It will most likely settle on it's own, given time, as long as there isn't anything stirring it up. A fines filter would pull it out of the water if your client wants to get rid of it. That can be as simple as a crate lined with quilt batting that you pump the water through.

Do they intend to put fish or plants in this pond?

 

[Doghouse Riley]

Hi and welcome.

Nice looking pool.

The problem with sediment in a contained pool is that there's nowhere for it to go. It'll keep running round and round as the pump will just push some of the finer particles that cause the cloudiness up to the waterfall tank, it won't all settle at the bottom. A pool that size would need a good filter and a UV to keep it clear at the best of times and It's difficult to see from the photos but unless the gaps between the perimeter rocks have been cemented and the surrounding garden lower than all the rocks, you'll get run off from the garden too.

Just from the photo, it would appear that there's a fair amount of water entering the pool from the waterfall, this could also churn up some of the sedement if the pool isn't very deep.

You could try turning off the waterfall for a few days to see if the sediment will settle. Over time, if there's a filter that will trap the fine particles it should clear, but the element would need changing frequently until it does.

Ideally there should be an overflow connected to a household drain, then you could trickle water in 24/7 for a while which will help achieve the clarity.

 

[Hunters]

Thanks Yeah it does settle when the waterfall isn't on, I may suggest trying that to filter out the fines, either that or would a vacuum work?

I did ask if they were going to plant it up, it's not a fish pond though, I wouldn't have taken it on if it was going to be used for koi or anything like that. I can build water features, but koi ponds are definitely best left to the specialists!! Could do with having some plants in it at some point, they've had lights installed which I can imagine look good as well although I haven't seen them yet...

Thanks for the response Personally, water in a garden, makes a garden! Love it!

 

[Lisak1]

but koi ponds are definitely best left to the specialists!!

Nah... we have lots of DIY ponders here that have GORGEOUS ponds full of koi. Like me! haha! And I've seen lots of so called "pro ponds" that are a disaster, so no guarantees there!

 

[j.w]

@Hunters

 

[Hunters]

Cheers guys I'll let you know what happens, it's only been fully filled and running for a week so hopefully they'll start listening to what I'm saying and it'll get sorted!

 

[Doghouse Riley]

Thanks Yeah it does settle when the waterfall isn't on, I may suggest trying that to filter out the fines, either that or would a vacuum work?

I did ask if they were going to plant it up, it's not a fish pond though, I wouldn't have taken it on if it was going to be used for koi or anything like that. I can build water features, but koi ponds are definitely best left to the specialists!! Could do with having some plants in it at some point, they've had lights installed which I can imagine look good as well although I haven't seen them yet...

Thanks for the response Personally, water in a garden, makes a garden! Love it!

You're certainly right there!
Apart from the plants, which have changed and grown over the years, (we change or move them around like you would furniture.
I built or made everything in this garden 32 years ago, when I was working "and had more time."

Do it once and get it right!

Our garden is very relaxing.

 

[addy1]

Welcome!

Very nice pond you have built. Like said above running the water through some quilt batting will help remove the fine debris.

 

[Tara]

For what it's worth I think you build a fine looking pond.

 

[Doghouse Riley]

There are some pretty elaborate, expensive and complicated filters requiring a lot of maintenance around for those of us who keep koi.
Mine of course pre-date those. It's pretty basic. It is four forty gallon water tanks stacked in pairs where the water passes through spray bars onto a total of 12sq feet of open cell 3" foam in the top of the top tanks. Then through Flowcore filter medium, (short lengths of corrugated plastic pipe), then via more spray bars in the bottom tanks through more Flowcore, before returning to the pool. I have a purgeable 30 gall pump sump, which I activate once a week to clear the coarse solids which don't reach the filter. The only other maintenance is a scrape of the foam every couple of years with a wet n' dry vac. The "science" is that the more the foam gets blocked by fine debris, the better it works.

 

[Somethin' Fishy]

You've built a lovely water feature for your client.

Any plans for (or do you already have) your own pond/water feature where you live?

 

[sissy]

great pond but where we have predators it is not so great .But looks like your work and love will be a pleasure for years to come .

 

[sissy]

I am actually pretty happy with how it's turned out, it's exactly how I had imagined it would be and the waterfall is perfect in terms of sound, I could stand and just stare at it for hours!

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