POND SHAPES

[Mmathis]

OK, got another question, this time regarding pond shape and return flow [for want of another way to say it...] Is it possible to have a pond that "loops," from the main pool, returning to same, say via the waterfall? Then if you could do a loop, what about adding a bog into that loop?

By a "loop," I'm picturing something like the things they have at water parks where you ride around on a rubber float -- it's one body of water, but in a circular, loop. But read the next paragraph to get the big picture.....

I have a feeling this is something too complicated for me to do, but the idea came up after we got a really big rain dump the other day. Hubby mentioned something about "our pond in the back yard" -- we don't have one. He was referring to standing water. All of a sudden I had a vision of turning that area into a bog, and letting it connect in line with the turtle pond, but it's all in a straight line, so wouldn't have a clue how to make it work. The loop was just something I thought of at the time.

IDEAS, THOUGHTS, OR SUGGESTIONS?

 

[sissy]

if you look at the post for mi pond rebuild he has a looping stream from one pond to the other

 

[fishin4cars]

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/topic/5511-mi-pawnd-rebild-tew/page__fromsearch__1

Although not exactly what you have in mind, I think this thread is probably one of the best detailed builds to get some ideas from. They have a stream between the two ponds, you would need to go deeper to make the whole thing flowing but a bog in the circuit of water is very do-able.

 

[Mmathis]

SISSY & FISHIN -- that's the same thing, LOL! Got started reading & looking, but will have to get back to it later. Pretty impressive work, probably outside my scope at this point (wouldn't have a CLUE), but worth keeping in mind. Now, my BIL (brother-in-law) has a little bit of pond as well as some construction-type experience. He's offered to help with my pond project so I might be able to let him help me figure out how do accomplish some things.

But the flooded back yard was just so inspiring On other threads, we've (all of you guys) talked about bogs and wouldn't it be nice if I could do that, and have one of a size to make a difference with turtle waste as well as fish waste. Would still have my bio filter, too. Actually, the way it would work wouldn't give the turts access to the bog area, though it might be possible to have part of the stream or "river" run through their enclosures, along with their individual little ponds. I don't know -- just dreaming...

 

[sissy]

dreaming means you are going to try it lol.

 

[Waterbug]

My previous pond was a loop. H was a bog.

A thru M were one body of water, one pump.

Getting elevations right is the key. Your pump will go into the lowest pool. And also if you add an automatic float for filling the pond it would also go in the lowest pool. Water doesn't care at all about straight lines so don't worry about that. You can even have 2 streams, right next to each other, running parallel, just a thin separator, and have them running in opposite directions. I call it an Escher stream. Its freaky.

 

[addy1]

Turtle mom, keep in mind where your yard was flooded, if your pond or anything ends up there, make sure you won't get run off into the structure. A bog could handle run off, but you would not want yard fertilizer etc to end up in the water if it heads to your pond and turtles.

I bet you could create what you are thinking of ...........you have all winter to plan!

 

[sissy]

Addy LOL Turtle mom doesn't get much of what we call winter .

 

[Mmathis]

ADDY -- Thanks for bringing that up! The thought had already crossed my mind. The reason that area floods, well, may or may not be an issue. It's a spot we excavated a few years back, intending to back-fill with gravel and cover with pavers. Never got around to it, though, so now it's just a mini-ditch. I think it would be doable to fill it back in with dirt level with the rest of the ground, and/or elevate the edges. It looks pretty bad as it sits, so ANYTHING would be an improvement!

 

[Shdwdrgn]

Hey no wonder my ears were burning... someone's talking about me! Don't let the scope of my pond scare you away. I've been thinking about it for several years, but the actual construction was fairly straightforward. I think it took me a month and a half (mostly working alone) from the point of breaking ground to filling it all up and adding plants. It actually goes a lot faster if you have someone helping out, especially when you get to laying down the sheet(s) of rubber liner.

If your pond will be composed of multiple sections, then pay attention to the elevation as Waterbug described. My own pond was designed to be completely level, so when the pumps are shut off, the water level barely changes from one end to the other. You can also consider having the bulk of the pond at one level, and having your bog raised a little higher so it can run off back into the main pond. There is no end to the possibilities! The best bet to get you started is draw out a diagram of your yard, then use this as a starting point to try different ideas on paper. Keep in mind where you might run into power or telephone wires, underground pipes, sprinklers, and tree roots. Think about any particular features you want to include... I had to have a waterfall, a cave, and a stream to put a small bridge over... and see what works to give you the look you want. It's a lot easier to try ideas on paper and figure out what is easy to walk around, mow around, and finally add plants.

 

[addy1]

ADDY -- Thanks for bringing that up! The thought had already crossed my mind. The reason that area floods, well, may or may not be an issue. It's a spot we excavated a few years back, intending to back-fill with gravel and cover with pavers. Never got around to it, though, so now it's just a mini-ditch. I think it would be doable to fill it back in with dirt level with the rest of the ground, and/or elevate the edges. It looks pretty bad as it sits, so ANYTHING would be an improvement!

My house in arizona, we dug out trenches around our 3000 sq ft (sure wish I could move that shop here) shop we built, in the back yard, (the yard sloped to the back) We made it 4 foot x 3 foot filled with gravel covered with fabric, then dirt then crushed granite. Also dug a deep pit at the end of the back yard drive (gravel) going to the shop, filled it with gravel then covered with fabric. Even though arizona is a desert we would get torrential rains. Those pits absorbed any massive rains we got. Before we did that the very back of the yard ( 1 acre) would be 3-4 inches deep in water. These pits kept run off out of the pond and from going into the shop.

 

[Mmathis]

ADDY -- great idea! I might look into something like that for this spot. We have a lot of clay here. Our yard is strange: some places (not necessarily low areas) stay squishy & some areas drain too well. Very much a lawn-care challenge

I was born in AZ (Air Force). Of course I was too young to remember, but my parents told me stories about the flash floods!

 

[addy1]

ADDY -- great idea! I might look into something like that for this spot. We have a lot of clay here. Our yard is strange: some places (not necessarily low areas) stay squishy & some areas drain too well. Very much a lawn-care challenge

I was born in AZ (Air Force). Of course I was too young to remember, but my parents told me stories about the flash floods!

When it decides to rain there it rains! half an inch can close down roads. The ground does not absorb water, unless it is a nice gentle days long rain.
When we moved to that house, we watched the way the water would collect when it did rain, then knew what we needed to address to keep the rains from causing issues ie flooding the pond or shop.

 

[sissy]

Your pond is the only one I could think that was like what turtle mom was talking about shdwdrgn and addy has the bog experience .But you have the long windind stream .

 

[Waterbug]

Addy, I saw your AZ shop...it was no shop...it was a cathedral. Do you know the Dbacks are playing there now?