Retired and Just Starting Out

[MoonShadows]

We bought our property in the Pocono Mountains, PA almost 22 years ago. The one regret was buying property that didn't have a pond, stream, etc. My dream was to dig a pond in the field behind our house, but it never materialized. Now, that I am retired, we spend a lot more time in our back yard. I want to create a pond in our backyard beneath our deck and surrounded by our greenhouse, gardens and chicken coop/run. I've been looking into sunken and raised ponds, but haven't made up my mind. I thought joining this forum would help me learn more, so here I am.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group! My ponds were all built post early retirement, have fun!

My dear hubby bought me a kubota tractor, for our first anniversary, our ground is to rocky to dig in. With the aid of it I dug up the yard...........

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[cas]

Welcome. Looking forward to hearing about your new pond.

 

[MitchM]

Welcome!

 

[Lisak1]

Welcome! You will get lots of great ideas here and answers to questions if you have them! You will find pond owners of all different types and backgrounds - great diversity of opinions, experience, and knowledge.

 

[RobAmy]

Welcome!

 

[MoonShadows]

Thank you for the welcome! While we live on 15 acres, our backyard is on the smaller side before it slopes down to a back field, so it would not be a huge pond, and since rocks are the number 1 crop here in the Pocono Mountains, I'm not sure I want to start digging. I am planning to build a ground level deck at the base of the stairs from the deck attached to our house and thought a small raised pond off the ground level deck might be a good place to start and learn. Something along these lines.....

 

[addy1]

Make it as big as you can, a lot of people start with a "small" pond then wish they had gone bigger. My first pond was around 200 gallons, the second pond was 14000 gallons. My ponds here are around 12000 gallons more or less, when you combine all the flowing water.
I have found bigger ponds are a lot easier to keep in good shape.

If you stick with a small pond, stick with shubunkins, goldfish, no Koi, they like a lot of water and grow big!

 

[MoonShadows]

Doesn't that seem to be the way with all projects? I wish I had built my deck larger, my greenhouse larger, my chicken coop larger, my home business warehouse larger, my wood working shop larger, etc....

 

[BobDE]

"My fish pond is too big", said no man ever.......

 

[MoonShadows]

I'm learning that real fast here, @BobDE

 

[MitchM]

Bigger ponds mean bigger and more expensive water pumps, so be careful what you wish for.

 

[MoonShadows]

What I would really like to build is an eco system pond with no mechanical filtration, but I don't have the room in my small backyard for the size it would have to be to function effectively.

 

[Mmathis]

@MoonShadows (now I'll be singing that song all day!) Welcome to our group! And as much as the idea of rocks is a pain for you, you don't know how envied you are by a lot of us -- we LOVE rocks, though I agree, not necessarily the kind you have to dig up.... Here, in LA, we have to BUY our rocks. Grrrrr!

You could always rent a small excavator to help with the digging. It sure helps the process go a lot faster and easier (and they are awfully fun to operate!) As many have stated, it's best to go as big as you are able to. That will make your initial costs on the higher end, but in the long run, I find it's easier to maintain the water quality.