I'm building a pond - is my plan ok?

Mum, I helped my mate make a much smaller pond than mine. He used an old tarpaulin to line it but when it was just half full we realised we'd lined it up wrong so had to pull it out and start again. It took two of us all our strength to move it. Turns out water in any significant quantity is quite heavy

Freddy, if my impatience gets the better of me, I'll use an old sheet of polythene I have in the shed, and then put some gravel on it to make it look a nicer. If I manage to be patient and wait til January pay day, I might get some proper pond liner.

 

Be patient

 

Just another few points C1.

Have you given any thought to a having a filter? And therefore a pump? And, what about 'green' water? (sorry if this has already been covered)

 

I've sort of thought about it, but to be honest I don't really have a clue what I'm going to need.

I'm aware of the need to keep the water oxygenated, but I'd sort of hoped that a few oxygenating pond plants would take care of that. I have to add a waterfall somehow, its the only specific request I've had off wife. I guess that means there'll be a pump, and presumably therefore an opportunity to include a filter, but it will probably only be a tiny waterfall, so maybe not enough water being pumped to keep the pond clear.

 

Hiya C1.

It would be a fairly straight forward task to split the flow into two. One to feed the waterfall, and the other to feed a filter. It would be just a case of 'balancing' the flow. Personally, I wouldn't rely on plants alone to deliver all the oxygen needed. A waterfall would be good on this front, as (by all accounts) oxygen is relatively easily absorbed through disturbance of the surface. One needs to bear in mind that during the colder months, a waterfall can significantly lower the temperature of the water, but no big deal as oxygen isn't really an issue at this time, so the waterfall can just be isolated and turned off. The filter however should be left running, so splitting the flow is advantageous.

 

C1, it's worth thinking about putting in a 'sump' at the centre of the deepest point, where the pump will go, and don't bother with one of those with a sponge filter attached, as they just get blocked up all the time. Better to get a 'solids handling' pump

 

Nice thread this - good to read. Looking forward to seeing it develop CL1. Need to educate your little one right from now about the can and can't dos,
Jenny

 

Hiya Mandy.

I know what you mean But if he used a solids handling pump, then all the 'rubbish' could be taken out of the pond altogether. At this point, it would be so easy to do, and much less maintenance in future. Silt at the bottom of a pond is best avoided, I think

 

You're right of course. I gave a lot of thought into my decision to build a pond. I've always wanted one but put off having one because of the well documented risks as far as kids and water are concerned. Much thought went into this plan, so that I can seal it off. That section of garden will have a trellis fence around it with lots of planting around it to soften it up but at the same time make it harder to get into. Entry will be via a gated archway, with a lockable gate on it, and the very angular shape of the pond, which kind of goes against my rule of no straight lines in the garden, is so that I can easily cut a strong mesh to fit over it if I think it might be appropriate.

The lad is going to be allowed to play near the pond, and even in it, but of course under constant supervision. And of course the lad will be told, and told again, that fun is great but danger is real (I'll explain it in kiddy terms of course).

 

Hiya Mandy.

I think for many, that a 'wildlife' pond works, but only after they've managed to get 'balance'. I used to have a pre-formed pond, many years ago. I stuck in a pump (the kind that has a spout to give a 'nice' effect), stuck in a few fish and plenty of plants. Job's a good 'un, I thought. Well, I ended up with a stagnant stinking mess, and dead fish. I believe that although some folks might think that they have a healthy pond (and I'm not saying that this is true in all cases), they may in fact be sitting on a time bomb.

I guess I'm one of those that likes to minimise any risk, not only to the fish, but to the project as a whole.

Cheers...Freddy

 

I saw a feature on a community garden in london and they had a deep big pondthey got around the safety problem by using secure fencing as close to the ponds edge as they could.then the public could get right up to the pond watch amd feed fish even the marginal plants poked through the fencing so they could get a sensory experience too

 

IT was a thin but strong and high trellis fencing with a gate