Pond on a hill build

[Ronfire]

Well I will be starting to build in the spring. Have the Sequence® 750 Series - Model 4200SEQ12 pump paid for and will get delivered in December. Will also order the 4" bottom drain, leaf basket and the Helix Skimmer weir and basket.I will Build a skimmer with the Helix weir. Should be enough pump with around 4' to 5' head height and 1500 gallon pond. Not sure if I will install TPR
I purchased the center section of 2 grain elevators and had to disassemble them, fortunately they where bolt together.
My plan is to make the sections back into the 7.5 ft round and bury as much as I can in the hillside. Some of it will be exposed so i will line the outside with large rocks. Might have about 2' high and about 1/3 of the circle exposed.
Was thinking of maybe lining the inside with 1/2 inch of rigid foam insulation for a thermal break against the cold of winter or maybe just insulate the exposed side. Would love some advise on this if it is worth it.
Here is a pic of the silo section. I will cut another section in half length wise and bolt on top to get the pond around 4' deep. The top edge will have a irrigation hose cut and placed over the top to protect the liner . Then support the ring of rocks to hide the liner at the water line as well as make a few spots to hold plants. Might use some cement or maybe PL premium to hold the rocks from shifting.
There will be 2 levels above the pond for water gardens. The top for bog filter with maybe 4" of water above the gravel and the center for Lilly plants with 12" of water above the gravel.I will have a slow water feed under the gravel to the center pond and was thinking of not placing the Lillys in pots, just in the pea gravel to help filter as well as grow them. Would like to try and get a Lotus to grow as well but would have to be potted to move deep for the winter.

I wanted this in the front of the house as you drive up but the wife would like it in the back yard.
So I will have to build another in the back yard. Should be easier as there is a flat area for the pond and tiers above for bog filters. I have more of the silo parts so I was thinking of this idea with 2 rows high buried in ground with some shallow section around it.Should be 7.5' x 16' and up to 6' deep. Plan is to have some Koi in this one. Might have a small pond in my Serval enclosure above, feed back to the bog and pond. Cant wait to get started. This last one may have to wait until 2020 as the front gets done first.

 

[Ronfire]

Here is the area that the first set will go . The 2nd on the other side of the house above the rock ledge and will be off the master bedroom deck..

 

[GBBUDD]

That's a quick easy way to make some even curves. Theres a 1/8" roofing sheet that would be ideal to line the coraged steel to keep the liner from following the contours

 

[Ronfire]

I think the liner will be fine with the contours but I might line the first pond with rigid insulation as it will be partly above grade.With the insulation I would not even need the liner underlay on that area.

 

[GBBUDD]

i'd be afraid to not have at least an underlayment wrapping over the top that corrugated can get quite sharp

 

[Ronfire]

The top edge will have a irrigation hose cut and placed over the top to protect the liner

 

[Mmathis]

The top edge will have a irrigation hose cut and placed over the top to protect the liner

I would glue that tubing on, but agree that you’re going to want a sturdy underpayment between the liner and metal.

 

[addy1]

Would like to try and get a Lotus to grow as well but would have to be potted to move deep for the winter.

The lilies also need to be deep enough to not freeze the tuber. Both the lotus tubers and lily tubers need to be kept from freezing.

 

[Lisak1]

I don't think I followed this very well - I guess I'm confused about the metal. Is the pond going to be above ground? And why the bottom drain? Do you plan to have more than one pump? Sorry! I'm better with pictures!

 

[Ronfire]

Hi Lisak1
The metal will be the form and structure for the pond. It will be on a hillside and part will be below grade and part above grade. The metal form was cheaper and easier than building with brick or concrete, also should not crack with the ice. There will be a bottom drain as well as a skimmer feeding 1 external pump. Flow rate from outlets of the pond will be controlled by valves to allow a balance between the skimmer and the bottom drain.
I will post pictures of the build when I get started.

Abby, I hope that the lillys will be around 18" or more below the water line and not freeze. I could throw some plywood over with some hay as insulation to help.
Might do that this year to the small pod and have a pond breather for the feeder fish that have grown well. Usually I give the fish away each year but I think I will try to winter them this time. So far the pond is still running as it has been a mild winter so far. I will have to shut it down when we leave for AZ in a month and hope for the best.

 

[Lisak1]

The metal will be the form and structure for the pond. It will be on a hillside and part will be below grade and part above grade.

Gotcha! Somehow I was picturing it meandering down the hill... so confusing! haha!

 

[Ronfire]

This is the small pond I want to replace. Not very deep so it might not winter well. Most of the plants are now in the bog filter with 3 lillys in the pond. They did ok but I know they can do better when not splashed and not have current from the waterfall. Abby, your long thread on bog filters has made me change my plans on the ponds. This one did well with my small bog this year.

 

[addy1]

Abby, I hope that the lillys will be around 18" or more below the water line and not freeze.

We are warmer than you, my lilies are around 18 inches deep over winter, I have a lily in a shallow pond, which freezes, for some reason that lily is still surviving. That pond is only a little over one foot deep.

The lotus tubers are in a 2.5 deep stock tank. The kitty litter height is around 1 foot below water line. The tubers are in the litter at ?? level they chose anywhere from 12 inches to 2.5 feet below water level.

Abby, your long thread on bog filters has made me change my plans on the ponds. This one did well with my small bog this year.

I love my bog/plant filter. I can totally ignore the pond and it stays perfect. Quit water testing years ago, no reason to test.

 

[Tara]

Sounds like an interesting build, and a great use of materials. I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

 

[Ronfire]

Got home yesterday to find that most of the fish survived even with the leak in the pond that drained it down 1/3 of the way. Have a sequence 750 pump with filter basket, 4" bottom drain, 2" tangent pond return and parts to build a floating weir skimmer, that i purchased while away. Hope to start the rebuild in about a month. Have to fix the car, new turbo for the truck and find out why the side by side atv would not start before I can start it.