Pond construction - help :)

[Espiridion]

Hello,

Recently i bought a house with a pond. This pond was not maintained, so i decided to clean it and reactivate/restart this pond.
While cleaning, i came across a construction within the pond. (see pictures below).

Hereby a description of the pond:
The pond is 220 x 120 cm and has a depth of 70 cm.
Within the pond, a second wall was constructed at 20 cm of the outer wall. This inner wall has a width of 14 cm and a height of 40 cm. In other words, it is located 30 cm below the surface:

I would have liked to have a clear pond with non-bottom-rocking fish (eg. golden-orfe if I am not mistaken).

Now, as i don't have any experience activating or maintaining a pond, i have a few questions:

1) Why was this inner wall constructed within the pond?
2) Why is the space between the inner and outer wall also 70 cm deep, equal to the centre of the pond?
3) Why is there a gate/tunnel between both compartiments (see picture)?
4) Is it better to break down this inner wall or is that wall useful?
5) If useful, how do I handle this, like what do I have to fill that slot with (if i have to fill it), how deep etc?
6) What is the best spot to put a filter / pump inside this pond?

As stated, i have no experience, but i really want to start this pond correctly and maintain it well.
In case you have any other tips, i would really like to hear them!

Many thanks!

Sincerely,
Jan

 

[Lisak1]

I think what you have here is more fountain than pond. The inner box may have been designed to hold the pump and sprayer for the fountain - the opening was probably to allow the plumbing and electric connections to pass through.

If you want to use this as a pond with fish, I would say yes, take the center out. If the inner wall is equal in height to the outer, there would be no way for fish to utilize the whole space. Keep in mind that I have no idea how this was constructed - it may not be possible to remove the center portion without destroying the integrity of the whole thing.

Are you confident that it holds water? At full size, this would be a small pond - around 400 gallons - suitable for a few goldfish. I don't know what you mean by "non-bottom-rocking fish" but golden orfes can get a bit large for this size pond - up to 20 inches in length.

This would also make a pretty lily pond, with the lilies growing in the center. You could add some tiny minnow fish to keep the mosquito population down, if that's an issue in your area.

 

[sissy]

I agree a fountain base

 

[Espiridion]

Hello,

Thank you for your reply!
With non-bottom-rocking fish i meant fish that do not stir up the soil.

If i look closely to the construction, i see it is a bricked wall:

I think i can remove the wall, then align the soil and treat it with a coating.
I have looked on the net for a suitable coating. I can find something like Koicoat, Is this a good one or are there better alternatives for a cemented pond?

In the end, it would result in a +/- 480 gallon pond.

Thanks a lot!

Sincerely,
Jan

 

[Telion]

As an alternate option you could use the outer area as a bog container. Since the outer sides are higher it would spill into the inner pond/fountain area. The opening could be used to plum the bottom of the bog.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group!

If you keep the wall you could use the outer rim as a bog/plant filter, it would help keep the pond in great shape.
Removing it would add more water room, you will need to set up some sort of filtering.

 

[GBBUDD]

911 memorial in 1/4 ho scale?

if you remove center walls you more than likely will compromise the overall water proof of the unit but easily fixed. from epdm , paint coatings , and fiberglass.

 

[Jack B. Nimble]

Pretty sure that outer wall was filled with pea gravel and surrounding the pond with plants in the gravel as some others have suggested. The wall is slightly lower as that would be water height a few inches over that wall. First question is does it hold water. If not I would fit a liner in it. Then run a pipe at the bottom of the narrow channel all the way around with slots cut it it. Then cover with gravel to the little wall height and fill over that wall with water to desired height. The pump runs into that pipe you made your bog filter and should do pretty nice.

 

[Espiridion]

Hello,

Thank you all for your useful replies!

Indeed there was gravel and some sort of tube in that channel, but the tube was not connected to anything...

I am considering both options, so in case i use the channel as a bog filter, i place a new perforated tube in it, find an appropriate pump and then fill up the channel on top of that tube with gravel?
==> Is the above correct?
==> Is the choice of gravel important? I mean, can i choose rather big stones or do they have to be small, rounded, sharp?

In case i decide to break down the wall and make it one "big" water pond, how is filtering best set up?

Again, many thanks for your reply, looking forward to it!

Greetings,
Jan

 

[Jack B. Nimble]

Hello,

Thank you all for your useful replies!

Indeed there was gravel and some sort of tube in that channel, but the tube was not connected to anything...

I am considering both options, so in case i use the channel as a bog filter, i place a new perforated tube in it, find an appropriate pump and then fill up the channel on top of that tube with gravel?
==> Is the above correct?yes
==> Is the choice of gravel important? I mean, can i choose rather big stones or do they have to be small, rounded, sharp?small round called pea gravel. You will have variety to choose but use small about quarter inch.

In case i decide to break down the wall and make it one "big" water pond, how is filtering best set up?

The bog is really the lungs and without adding to the pond outside filtration I would stick with how it was intended. If you use low growing plants on the sides they will grow down sides and look great like say penny wort. In the back area a higher plant. In bottom of main pond middle I see a water lilly. The water will be perfectly clear and you will have little maintenance. Other than not having a skimmer for leaves you may or may not clean them out from bottom yearly.

Again, many thanks for your reply, looking forward to it!

Greetings,
Jan

 

[Jack B. Nimble]

My notes are in your question seemed a bit hidden. I would also add a pre filter cage in the middle of the big pond for your intake. Run the hose through the opening up to pump and the out line running from pump into the new bog piping. It will act as a bottom drain. You will need some screen to block the gravel running through that hole into the main pond but pretty easy set up. Again I suggest keep the bog and run plants that will grown down sides it will look awesome. Get some pictures from furthback and the back area to see where they put pump or was it in a box in between what was gravel.

 

[j.w]

@Espiridion

 

[Jack B. Nimble]

Had another thought as well it may have been driven by an air pump as well instead of a typical mechanical pump. The pipe may have been in that tunnel going up into and above the bog slightly. The U shaped pipe has an air hose in it driving the circulation from main pond and pulling from bog. It's a bit of older method and would be effective and very cheap to run as all you need is a air pump. If you google air pumps for swimming ponds you will see.

 

[GBBUDD]

here is a link to a simple to make air bladder and that could pull the water through your channels

 

[Jack B. Nimble]

here is a link to a simple to make air bladder and that could pull the water through your channels

Yes that's the one. Now I would hook that out flow to bog pipe or reverse that and pull water through bog instead of large pond.