Ready to start planning this pond!

[Mmathis]

It still might be next year before we get anywhere, but the planning bug has hit! If anyone has any advice, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to chime in!

Have included a couple of Google shots of our yard. I don’t have dimensions handy, but (to me), it’s a huge backyard — more than we can handle. Which translates to, I am not a gardener, so expect for the pond, I have no clue what to do with all the space. We are thinking of eventually of doing some landscaping with rocks or paver bricks, just to cut down on the amount of grass.

I have no idea what time of year this Google image was made. The yard is almost a compass rose, with the back being just a bubble off due north. This pic doesn’t show the tree shadows as they are now, in summer, as the sun is east-west, with the trees casting shadows that grow across the yard, there is more shade in the center of the yard than it looks.

Here are the specs and expectations for the pond. Keep in mind that I’m semi-experienced with ponds and have been around GPF since 2011....so I know about the obvious do’s and don’ts (like, avoid the oak trees, nitrogen cycle, water turn-over, water testing....etc.)

• Sort of thinking about placing pond about where the “intex pool” (blue pool, center of yard) is in the pics, but a little closer to the house
• About 1500-2000 gallons (No more than 2 1/2 - 3 feet deep) — previous pond was 3000 gallons and seemed overwhelming. With a professional install, though, maybe we can stay with 3000, but make it look a lot nicer than my DIY pond was.....
• Will have a bog (with centipede and snorkel)
• Either a skimmer or an intake bay
• Eventually, maybe a pergola over part of the pond.....
• edge will be built up at least 12” so that I guess you could say it will be partially above-ground.
• Only goldfish
• there will be a habitat for my box turtles in close proximity, as there will be a smaller bog in their habitat that will be fed from the main pond (some might remember that I had a “turtle bog” connected to the old pond, giving the boxies a source of fresh water)
• Will have at least one shelf
• we are close to a lake, so GBH’s and their relatives will be an issue in the winter
• There is also wildlife in the neighborhood — we suspect that a raccoon visits regularly (based on prints and scat)
• huge oak tree on east side, inside the fence, more oak trees on west side, other side of fence — there is no direct shade in the center of the yard, but those oak trees cast a lot of shade throughout the day
• no thoughts yet on type of pump, but we are having the pond done professionally this time, so will compare the expertise of my GPF buddies with the advice of the pond people. Fence is shown in orange around the property — yellow is rest of the property line
• yard does have some sloping — not anticipating a problem with that and thinking about — are considering a French drain/dry creek bed going down the sloped side (next to neighbor’s driveway, which is the property boundary — see 2nd picture) — this would be perfect for an overflow

 

[BKHpondcritters]

How fun & exciting!

 

[Mmathis]

How fun & exciting!

I need inspiration to keep the fire going! The past 2 years, my “pond” has consisted of 2 make-shift tanks/pools with all my fish (and their babies), plus a ton of plants and biomedia! I miss not having my pond (real pond)!

 

[Lisak1]

Do you have a patio or deck off the back of the house? What kind of viewing from inside do you have of the backyard?

 

[Mmathis]

Do you have a patio or deck off the back of the house? What kind of viewing from inside do you have of the backyard?

No deck, just a narrow back porch. I have “suggested” extending that into a deck, but for some reason, hubby doesn’t want a deck (?). Our den/living area looks directly to the entire backyard! In the included pic, you can see the Intex pool out there, but cockatiels cage blocks it. Oh, and you can see the stock tank way over to the right, as well.

 

[Lisak1]

Oh my gosh! Well that's your viewing spot then, so location won't be hard. I'd get it as close to the house as possible, with a good seating area or two in the plan. Waterfall facing the house of course. I'd go with the intake bay - I think we've talked about the reasoning behind that before. Go as big as you can - you won't regret it.

Oh this is going to be fun!