This spring I'm making a very large pond split into three sections: A two level basic pond with a waterfall with a built in foot deep stream. The fish cannot enter the stream however, It will be black by a screen camoflauged with rocks. The stream will enter into an approx. 90 gallon pool. The stream then continues out of the pool into another pond (blocked by a screen), slightly large than the first. This pond will be heavily planted on the shorline, stretching about 1/3 of the way out on every side. The unused 1/3 will be a deeper shelf that is not planted. I don't have exact dimension for the whole thing yet, but I will by if not on April 8th (I CAN'T WAIT!). This is just one of my drafts, I will post more in the future.
Pond #1 Fauna: 1 Largemouth Bass, 1 Channel Catfish, 5-10 Assorted Sunfish, and possibly more.
Pool & Stream Fauna: LOTS of Assorted Darters, LOTS of Tadpole Madtoms, and Grass Pickerel?!?!?!?!
Pond #2: 1 Bowfin, 2 Bullhead, Gar?!?!?!?!?!, Grass Pickerel?!?!?!?!, Any suggestions?
My HUGE Native Garden Pond
Started by
Guest_Yeahson421_*
, Dec 15 2010 07:35 PM
56 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_jblaylock_*
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Posted 15 December 2010 - 08:34 PM
Sounds like an awesome project. I don't have any experience with ponds, but I would love to do a large scale thing like that.
How will you make current for the stream?
How will you make current for the stream?
Edited by jblaylock, 15 December 2010 - 08:35 PM.
#3
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 15 December 2010 - 10:40 PM
I have to ask several things:
1. What type and thickness of pond liner are you using
2. Are you doing the central drain method where the deepest part of the pond is the intake for the filter
3. Describe your filter system
4. Be prepared for predators in your backyard (raccoons, cats, migratory wading birds) to hunt your fish. They need deep caves to hide in to survive.
1. What type and thickness of pond liner are you using
2. Are you doing the central drain method where the deepest part of the pond is the intake for the filter
3. Describe your filter system
4. Be prepared for predators in your backyard (raccoons, cats, migratory wading birds) to hunt your fish. They need deep caves to hide in to survive.
#4
Guest_exasperatus2002_*
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Posted 15 December 2010 - 10:55 PM
You'll have several large predatory fish there. How do you intend on feeding them regularly? What is the turn over rate of your pumps you'll be using? Total volume of water? I know it sounds obvious but dont forget that the darter section should be the upper section where the water fall is since this will have the faster current and most disolved O2 that they'll need (especially in the summer).
#5
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Posted 15 December 2010 - 11:13 PM
1. I was thinking about 45 mil.? I honestly don't know, my dad is the one who will be buying the liner. Im do plan on doing some research, I just don't want to get TOO excited considering it's going to be 4 months until I even get to begin construction, if at all (This plan is not set in stone yet).I have to ask several things:
1. What type and thickness of pond liner are you using
2. Are you doing the central drain method where the deepest part of the pond is the intake for the filter
3. Describe your filter system
4. Be prepared for predators in your backyard (raccoons, cats, migratory wading birds) to hunt your fish. They need deep caves to hide in to survive.
2. I have different plans for my filter, but I will have a bottom drain there for if I need to empty it out, and should my filtration idea not work, I will hook up a filter to it.
3. I don't know if this will be adequete, but my idea is that I will be using a very large and high GPH waterfall pump equipped with a skimmer. In the spillway there will be bioball filtration and in a small pool in the waterfall there will be some plants. Also, throughout the entire pond I will have LOTS of Elodea, Water Lillies, maybe Vals, and much more. One final note is that in all of the screen dividing the ponds there will be filter floss as an added bonus.
4. I plan on having many caves and I will also get a fake Heron (Whether they work or not, they still look nice!) so I feel that should be adequete, should I notice missing fish I will step up my safety precautions.
#6
Guest_Yeahson421_*
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Posted 15 December 2010 - 11:14 PM
My waterfall will be powered via a VERY high GPH pump.Sounds like an awesome project. I don't have any experience with ponds, but I would love to do a large scale thing like that.
How will you make current for the stream?
#7
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Posted 15 December 2010 - 11:23 PM
1. My Bass and Bowfin will be fed (while small) freeze dried krill, trout pellets, shrimp, and cut up fish fillets. Once they get larger they will be fed fish fillets, trout pellets, and shrimp. Would this be a good diet?You'll have several large predatory fish there. How do you intend on feeding them regularly? What is the turn over rate of your pumps you'll be using? Total volume of water? I know it sounds obvious but dont forget that the darter section should be the upper section where the water fall is since this will have the faster current and most disolved O2 that they'll need (especially in the summer).
2. I don't know yet. As I've said, the details haven't been finished yet, and I've still got a lot of plannng time left.
3. Total volume of water will be MASSIVE! I don't know any figures yet though.
4. For the darters I will be having the waterfall pointed towards the inlet of the stream and there will also be large outcroppings of rock that will cause the water to move faster. For O2 I will have a bubbler in the pool and there will also be plants that will help with dissolved O2. The reason I don't want them right there is because I want to split up my two predator habitats a little bit but I suppose I could think about that. I will draw up a few sketches tomorrow to see how it will look. Once I've come down to maybe like a final 3-5 designs I'll post some up.
#8
Guest_njJohn_*
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Posted 16 December 2010 - 12:29 AM
Will you be removing the fish for the winter?
#9
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
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Posted 16 December 2010 - 12:47 AM
I have my own opinion about what constitutes a "large" or "massive" amount of water, and what a VERY high GPH pump is. Having said that, gar and bowfin do not need a lot of water movement or volume (above, say, 100 gallons). I look forward to your drawings.
#10
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Posted 16 December 2010 - 07:09 AM
You might want to look into the thick polymer layer used to waterproof roofs. The lining can be a very expensive part of the pond, and I really lucked out when building my pond by getting a used roof waterproofing rubber layer for free from a roofing friend. But I guess it doesn't matter since you're not paying for it yourself?1. I was thinking about 45 mil.? I honestly don't know, my dad is the one who will be buying the liner. Im do plan on doing some research, I just don't want to get TOO excited considering it's going to be 4 months until I even get to begin construction, if at all (This plan is not set in stone yet).
Might want to look into adding a few trash can pond filters. They're easy to build, do-it-yourself things that work great and are low cost.. I don't know if this will be adequete, but my idea is that I will be using a very large and high GPH waterfall pump equipped with a skimmer. In the spillway there will be bioball filtration and in a small pool in the waterfall there will be some plants. Also, throughout the entire pond I will have LOTS of Elodea, Water Lillies, maybe Vals, and much more. One final note is that in all of the screen dividing the ponds there will be filter floss as an added bonus.
http://www.frankhaga...er/pondpage.htm
Motion activated sprinkler system. Make the deepest point of your pond at least four feet deep. Avoid sloping pond edges; make them steep drops to give raccoons less places to sit and fish. Submerge egg crates and other cave-like structures for your fish to hide in. All of these strategies will help your fish hide from predators, but you'll still lose a couple to the odd raccoon, real heron, and neighborhood kid.. I plan on having many caves and I will also get a fake Heron (Whether they work or not, they still look nice!) so I feel that should be adequete, should I notice missing fish I will step up my safety precautions.
Edited by EricaWieser, 16 December 2010 - 07:10 AM.
#11
Guest_Yeahson421_*
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Posted 16 December 2010 - 08:12 AM
No, the pond will be close to 6 feet deep in some parts, so it will be okay for the winter.Will you be removing the fish for the winter?
#12
Guest_Yeahson421_*
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Posted 16 December 2010 - 08:13 AM
Thanks for the tips, and I will look into those roof liners, I would still like it to stay at a semi low cost just for my dad's sanity!You might want to look into the thick polymer layer used to waterproof roofs. The lining can be a very expensive part of the pond, and I really lucked out when building my pond by getting a used roof waterproofing rubber layer for free from a roofing friend. But I guess it doesn't matter since you're not paying for it yourself?
Might want to look into adding a few trash can pond filters. They're easy to build, do-it-yourself things that work great and are low cost.
http://www.frankhaga...er/pondpage.htm
Motion activated sprinkler system. Make the deepest point of your pond at least four feet deep. Avoid sloping pond edges; make them steep drops to give raccoons less places to sit and fish. Submerge egg crates and other cave-like structures for your fish to hide in. All of these strategies will help your fish hide from predators, but you'll still lose a couple to the odd raccoon, real heron, and neighborhood kid.
#13
Guest_Yeahson421_*
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Posted 16 December 2010 - 08:14 AM
There will be rock formations and the like that will block of some of the water flow to make it like a slackwater area. Any ideas for mosquito control OTHER than Gambusia?I have my own opinion about what constitutes a "large" or "massive" amount of water, and what a VERY high GPH pump is. Having said that, gar and bowfin do not need a lot of water movement or volume (above, say, 100 gallons). I look forward to your drawings.
#14
Guest_Yeahson421_*
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Posted 16 December 2010 - 08:16 AM
Yeah, I understand, but my favorite fish (The Bass which I already have) will be grown out quite a bit, and he's a fighter so he'll be a struggle for the average heron or raccoon!You might want to look into the thick polymer layer used to waterproof roofs. The lining can be a very expensive part of the pond, and I really lucked out when building my pond by getting a used roof waterproofing rubber layer for free from a roofing friend. But I guess it doesn't matter since you're not paying for it yourself?
Might want to look into adding a few trash can pond filters. They're easy to build, do-it-yourself things that work great and are low cost.
http://www.frankhaga...er/pondpage.htm
Motion activated sprinkler system. Make the deepest point of your pond at least four feet deep. Avoid sloping pond edges; make them steep drops to give raccoons less places to sit and fish. Submerge egg crates and other cave-like structures for your fish to hide in. All of these strategies will help your fish hide from predators, but you'll still lose a couple to the odd raccoon, real heron, and neighborhood kid.
#15
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Posted 16 December 2010 - 05:48 PM
There will be rock formations and the like that will block of some of the water flow to make it like a slackwater area. Any ideas for mosquito control OTHER than Gambusia?
the mosquito's will make good free fish food.
#16
Guest_Yeahson421_*
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Posted 16 December 2010 - 06:09 PM
Here's my most basic idea. It is 10 ft. across and 20 ft. long. This idea does NOT incorporate the riffle/stream, so I have no plans for darters in this pond. On the left is where my Bass and some other panfish will be and on the right is where the Bowfin, Gar, and Bullheads will be. I have more ideas to come, I just need to rest up my hands so I don't get carple tunnel! NOTE: It will also be planted, I just didn't draw any in.
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Edited by Yeahson421, 16 December 2010 - 06:10 PM.
#17
Guest_EricaWieser_*
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Posted 17 December 2010 - 07:51 AM
What's that blue line dividing the two ponds? And how are you planning to dig that out? I dug my pond out with a shovel and a wheelbarrow, and I highly recommend not doing that. Rent a bulldozer or hire someone, it's worth your money.
#18
Michael Wolfe
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Posted 17 December 2010 - 08:44 AM
No, he is a teenager, they are just free labor anyway (at least that's the way I treated mine and my dad treated me)... let him dig it out with a shovel... it's good for him... builds character... let's him really experience the pond... from the ground up... or in this case form the ground down.What's that blue line dividing the two ponds? And how are you planning to dig that out? I dug my pond out with a shovel and a wheelbarrow, and I highly recommend not doing that. Rent a bulldozer or hire someone, it's worth your money.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#19
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Posted 17 December 2010 - 01:32 PM
Okay, well at least use heavy duty thick gloves and take a pickaxe to the tree roots you encounter. And take an hour off at noon and drink lots of gatorade. The mini-pond I dug was only about four feet long by four feet wide by three or four feet deep and it still took me two solid days of digging.No, he is a teenager, they are just free labor anyway (at least that's the way I treated mine and my dad treated me)... let him dig it out with a shovel... it's good for him... builds character... let's him really experience the pond... from the ground up... or in this case form the ground down.
Also, have a place in mind ready to put the soil. I created a vegetable garden and a pond at the same time, killing two birds with one stone so they say.
Edit:
Oh my goodness I just noticed you were in Minnesota. I hope that pond's big enough to keep from freezing all the way solid in the Minnesota winter. I'm in Ohio, right at the top touching Lake Erie, and our 8 x 7 x 5 pond ices over everywhere but where the waterfall splashes down. The fish come up for air where there is an opening, and the year the filter broke for a few days, the pond completely froze over and we lost fish.
Edited by EricaWieser, 17 December 2010 - 01:42 PM.
#20
Guest_Yeahson421_*
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Posted 17 December 2010 - 05:39 PM
Well, my dad owns a construction company, so I won't have a hard time getting a back hoe or something. Also, the pond won't freeze solid because it will be 6 feet deep and I will also have a de-icer running all winter.Okay, well at least use heavy duty thick gloves and take a pickaxe to the tree roots you encounter. And take an hour off at noon and drink lots of gatorade. The mini-pond I dug was only about four feet long by four feet wide by three or four feet deep and it still took me two solid days of digging.
Also, have a place in mind ready to put the soil. I created a vegetable garden and a pond at the same time, killing two birds with one stone so they say.
Edit:
Oh my goodness I just noticed you were in Minnesota. I hope that pond's big enough to keep from freezing all the way solid in the Minnesota winter. I'm in Ohio, right at the top touching Lake Erie, and our 8 x 7 x 5 pond ices over everywhere but where the waterfall splashes down. The fish come up for air where there is an opening, and the year the filter broke for a few days, the pond completely froze over and we lost fish.
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