Noob waterfall with pond.

Joined
Dec 16, 2017
Messages
13,384
Reaction score
10,486
Location
Ct
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
i do jump to schedule 80 3" ball valves myself they are night and day better cheap 3 '' 40 balls can be a nightmare to turn
 
Joined
Apr 17, 2022
Messages
9
Reaction score
4
Country
United Kingdom
Hi, so I am just about ready to start digging. With regards to the build the only thing I am still unsure about is whether to site the submerged pump in a deeper trough, or just leave the bottom level and in both cases raise the pump slightly from the bottom?

Any help again would be much appreciated.
 
Joined
Dec 16, 2017
Messages
13,384
Reaction score
10,486
Location
Ct
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
Are you adding stone in the pond or a bald liner? for cleaning it's always easier to have a depression for debris to settle in
 
Joined
Apr 17, 2022
Messages
9
Reaction score
4
Country
United Kingdom
To be honest I hadn't really thought about that. I was going to do a shallow beach area for wild life access, is there any benefits to having stone in the pond? I am also doing 1 foot shelves for plants and plan to have a few small fish.
 
Joined
Dec 16, 2017
Messages
13,384
Reaction score
10,486
Location
Ct
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
That's the million dollar debate. Dedicated koi keepers would say absolutely not.
Bog folks would say absolutely with a few hold outs.
No rock is easy to clean and more apt to suck in dirt with a drain .
Rock in the pond hands down gives more surface area for biological.and looks way better " guess what side I'm on " it does hold debris more inbetween the rocks but that too can be a bio benefit as well as a hiderance.
 
Joined
Sep 18, 2020
Messages
2,956
Reaction score
3,095
Location
Pacific NW
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
If you’re not doing a skimmer or intake bay, then I would dig a depression where you want the pump to sit that’s 3x the diameter of the pump, and then set the pump on a cinder block or similar in the depression.

But I would not have a pond without some sort of skimmer/intake bay.
 
Joined
Dec 16, 2017
Messages
13,384
Reaction score
10,486
Location
Ct
Showcase(s):
1
Hardiness Zone
6b
Country
United States
I have an extensive pond build in the links below . It maybe worth your time and give you some other ideas to think about before you start digging and causing possibly more work for your self. @addy1 And @pocono also have a little section on peastone bog building
 
Joined
Apr 17, 2022
Messages
9
Reaction score
4
Country
United Kingdom
Well guys thanks to you my idea has finally got off paper and in to the Garden this weekend. I appreciate that it is quite modest compared to some on here (it's all my wife would allow me in our small garden), but I will hope fully maximize the end product.

So another question (still loads more I'm sure)! The first 10 inches was top soil,and came out a dream. Now I have hit the chalk and the pick axe has come out. All my reading suggests that plant shelves should be 1 foot, I am only 10 inches down. Should I bust a gut making the first level 13/14 inches down (taking in to consideration underlay and liner) or will this level suffice and I concentrate getting through another 16 inches of chalk for the deep section?
20220704_185301.jpg
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2021
Messages
578
Reaction score
689
Location
Tampa, FL
Hardiness Zone
9b/10a
Country
United States
Well guys thanks to you my idea has finally got off paper and in to the Garden this weekend. I appreciate that it is quite modest compared to some on here (it's all my wife would allow me in our small garden), but I will hope fully maximize the end product.

So another question (still loads more I'm sure)! The first 10 inches was top soil,and came out a dream. Now I have hit the chalk and the pick axe has come out. All my reading suggests that plant shelves should be 1 foot, I am only 10 inches down. Should I bust a gut making the first level 13/14 inches down (taking in to consideration underlay and liner) or will this level suffice and I concentrate getting through another 16 inches of chalk for the deep section?
View attachment 152320
Excellent start to the pond. I'm the lazy GPF member (and also have small ponds). I'd leave the pond shelves at 10" and manage what pots and plants you put in that will be happy with it, or bust a gut on only section of one shelf. One of the smart GPF members (memory fails me who) gave a tip that having the shelf tilt a little towards the outer edge of the pond helps keeps pots in place. You could always add an inch or two by having the pond perimeter a little higher than the surrounding soil which will also prevent rainfall from adding soil/ mud to the pond.
 
Joined
Sep 18, 2020
Messages
2,956
Reaction score
3,095
Location
Pacific NW
Hardiness Zone
8b
Country
United States
Echoing @SarahT. 10" is fine. If you want deeper, it doesn't have to be the entire shelf. Can just be part of it. Berming up around the outside of the pond is a good way to kill two birds with one stone—get more depth and keep run off out of the pond. Do keep in mind that 10" probably isn't actually 10", though, unless you plan to always have the pond 100% full to the point that it's overflowing. Most ponds have fluctuating water level and will have some freeboard above normal water level. So be careful to account for that.
 
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
3,990
Reaction score
2,682
Location
Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
Hardiness Zone
6a
Your pump should be located at the opposite end of your pond (from the bog or waterfall), not directly under the waterfall.
This way you'll have a good flow and better overall filtration throughout the pond.

Also, the pump should not be laying directly on the bottom. It needs to be suspended or sitting on something to prevent it from sucking up any possible solid debris settled on the bottom.
 
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
3,990
Reaction score
2,682
Location
Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
Hardiness Zone
6a
Here's how I plumbed my bog:
Those 2" pvc pipes have slits cut in them 1/3 through them and spaced 1-1/2" apart.
I connected a black flex PVC to that which goes over the wall and covered with rocks.
20200425_162307.jpg


20200504_161715.jpg


20200620_122432.jpg
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Similar Threads

A noob here with some water questions 4
Total pond noob 15
A few noob questions. 3
Noob need help... 18
Noob Intro 9
Noob filter/pond questions 27
complete noob... 17
another nooby with filter questions 21

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
30,782
Messages
508,588
Members
13,042
Latest member
lucaryan

Latest Threads

Top