Pond Liner Questions and Theory

[Sphex]

https://i.gyazo.com/26a9ec3cfbd7c18d46caefd5c299833d.jpg

So that is the sort of general concept I'm working with as far as my pond goes. It is to have 1 step at 1 and 1/2 feet deep, then final depth of about 3ft.

The pond is to be 10ft wide at its widest point, and then 30ft long at its longest point consisting of three sections.

Section one is 10ft x 12 ft at a maximum 3ft deep.
Section Two is 2ft x 11 ft at 1 and 1/2 feet deep.
Section Three is 7ft x 8ft at a maximum 3ft deep.
Then a small stream / waterfall leading up to the top filter box.

Now what I'm trying to sort out is what is the best way to go about this far as the liner is concerned and what is the most cost-effective option.

My first thought was two 25 x 20 ft liners. Or one 20x40, which is well pretty expensive, think I was looking at about 1,200 dollars there about with Firestone 45mil liner.

So, I'm just trying to ponder up perhaps cheaper alternatives. If anyone can help with that, I would greatly appreciate it.


Joe.

 

[Pablo]

Others with a lot more experience than me will probably have a more thorough answer. But I think you want to avoid having two liners that you would have to seam together, not that it cannot be done but you have to be careful with it. I know you mention three sections but does that mean each section is divided by walls of some sort. I am in the middle of building my pond and bog, I have a large liner for my pond 25x35 and then for the bog I have 15x20 which I will overlap with the pond liner to have a small stream from the bog to the pond. I hear you though, the liner is expensive.

 

[Sphex]

Basically, the setup is

Filter output --> a small stream --> waterfall --> smaller pond (7ft x 8ft x 3ft) --> stream (2ft x 11ft x 1 1/2) --> larger pond (10ft x 12ft x 3ft).

But its mostly the small pond, stream and then larger pond I'm pondering, figure the first part won't be that bad, I can likely get away with a 5ft x 10ft section of liner for that.

 

[j.w]

and welcome @Sphex
I'd make a short step above the 1&1/2' step so you can place rocks on it to hide the liner, then stuff on top of the top edge above the short step. You will like not seeing the liner above the water line. My top step down is about 8" but you can make it shorter or a bit deeper depending on the size of rocks you can find.

See ya can't see my liner w/those rocks sitting on the short step down and then I have rocks around the top edge on top of those but the plants have covered up those nicely:

 

[GBBUDD]

So, I'm just trying to ponder up perhaps cheaper alternatives. If anyone can help with that, I would greatly appreciate it.

seaming your rubber liner https://www.gardenpondforum.com/threads/seaming-epdm-liner.26807/

are you going to be adding rock to this project ? that is going to drastically tighten up the width of your narrow areas

 

[GBBUDD]

I'd make a short step above the 1&1/2' step so you can place rocks

Like @j.w mentioned you want a shallow shelf to hide the liner at and above the water line at high water level when you fill and low water level when the water evaporates.Attach files

 

[Sphex]

As far as rock goes, I'll have about 3 tons of river pebbles and another 3 tons of bulk larger rocks to work with. Then the various rocks from the existing pond thats on my wagon. Plenty of rocks and some drift wood. also planning to use forget me nots to help hide the liner as well.

So I did some remeasuring cause I just sort of eyeballed it the first time and I was close, but I can save a bit of money shrinking it down to a 10ft x 10ft main pond thats 3ft deep. Then a 2ft deep stream leading to a 2ft deep waterfall basin thats about a 5ft circle.

That puts me at a 20ft x20ft liner, then 2 10ft x 10ft liners. + a small waterfall line that'll be more like 1ft x 5ft x 4 inches deep or something. (not as worried about that one, I can use a lower mil there for one since there's no tree's or anything there to bother the liner long as I keep it well covered with gravel and use some expanding foam to make sure the water stays down the right path it'll be fine.


So far as liner itself goes. What Mil is the general standard? My first thought was 45 mil Firestone liner. But if there's a cheaper alternative that I'm not really going to have to replace as long as I keep the Sun off it, I'd like to save money where I can.

 

[Sphex]

Anyone used Bentonite? Guess it can only be used with a 18 degree incline, so that won't work in this case.