jays first pond

jaykoi · 11-10-2011, 09:02 PM

hi after years of marines/trops and nagging the missus i have finally started a pond .
as its my first i didnt want to go to big or advanced , so have gone for sleepers and liner .
its 8foot long by 6foot wide and 4foot deep (or will be soon lol)

it was hard packed clay to start with ,then i found where the builders buried their leftover ballast :roll:

and here are my little helpers/pains

thanks for looking cheers j

Doghouse Riley · 11-10-2011, 10:21 PM

Hi Jaykoi,

I'm impressed with your woodworking skills, what sort of filter set-up are you going to have?
Can you install an overflow that goes to the nearest house drain?

I like the lump hammer in pride of place, it's one of my most useful tools.

jaykoi · 11-10-2011, 10:25 PM

i have an easypod coming from tractorboy as soon as i raise the funds, there is a drain near the patio door i can go for .
needed the lump hammer to get through the clay it was so hard lol
j

jaykoi · 13-10-2011, 05:06 PM

i am thinking of doing away with the step and then lining the pond with polystyrene, will 25mm thick be ok cheers j

Doghouse Riley · 13-10-2011, 06:14 PM

Jay can I suggest you look through the "Pond Construction and Pond Build Diaries" section?

You know best what you want to achieve and it's prudent to thoroughly research your options before you go any further as these things are expensive to build and expensive to change later.

It will be easier to give you advice once your complete plan is formulated.

jaykoi · 16-10-2011, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doghouse Riley

Jay can I suggest you look through the "Pond Construction and Pond Build Diaries" section?

You know best what you want to achieve and it's prudent to thoroughly research your options before you go any further as these things are expensive to build and expensive to change later.

It will be easier to give you advice once your complete plan is formulated.

yes mate i have a plan , but take advice from others . im going to go all one level (as suggested ) instead of the step and im hoping to put a veg filter ontop of the pile of ballast , falling back into the pond with the easypod feeding the veg filter.
i would prefer to use 25mm thick polstyrene if it good enogh to line the pond under the liner but if 50mm would insulate better than i would use that.

i dont like/trust bottom drains in a liner hence going pump feed
cheers for any advice j

Doghouse Riley · 16-10-2011, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaykoi

yes mate i have a plan , but take advice from others . im going to go all one level (as suggested ) instead of the step and im hoping to put a veg filter ontop of the pile of ballast , falling back into the pond with the easypod feeding the veg filter.
i would prefer to use 25mm thick polstyrene if it good enogh to line the pond under the liner but if 50mm would insulate better than i would use that.

i dont like/trust bottom drains in a liner hence going pump feed
cheers for any advice j

Well, my bottom drain is in a liner pool and has been there since 1986.
It is set in concrete and the base has a few inches of concrete render.
No disrespect, you'd be well advised to have a bottom drain, saves a lot of heartache later. "Every fallen leaf in your garden will blow into your pond and settle on the bottom."
Difficult to change if you don't start with one.

jaykoi · 23-10-2011, 04:14 PM

after reading on a few sites i decided to go as big as poss so its now 8'x8',i willbe getting another layer of sleepers when funds allow to give me a depth of 4'.
thesleepers are being drilled and 10mm rod hammered through to stop them moving

the easypod willbe beside the pond with a veg filter as well, just need to finish digging and build the pagola then wait for spring to put the liner in and fill it cheers j

faz201283 · 23-10-2011, 05:27 PM

whats the manhole plate doing in the bottom?

do you have a manhole there??

jaykoi · 23-10-2011, 05:30 PM

thats plywood mate that i was standing on when i dug the shelf out so i could keep the soil seperate from the ballast
j