adding a stream to an existing pond

[addy1]

Thanks so much. You sure must know what you are doing. I will put your information to good use. You said you used a timer. What is that for?

Like sissy said I run the pump on a timer, the stream is set to come on around 6 hours a day, in two hour cycles. The pump is not the most efficient electricity wise, a pond pump with that head pressure was way expensive. Also the stream has been my main, I have a leak, issue. The deer walk on the edges pushing them down, on the down hill slope side.
The plants like to root and grow in the stream, leaves block the water flow on and on lol. I made it deep so it would not block as much, which helped, also the depressions in the stream bed keep water for the birds, bugs, etc when the pump is not running.

I have three smallish sized ponds, 200-300 gallons at three of the bends in the stream switchbacks. The frogs love those fishless ponds. They make great plant filters, the plants grow explosively. The water tends to be warm, full sun, lots of nutrients.

When we leave town I either turn it off completely or run it just once a day. Then monitor, by camera, the pond level. My neighbor will come over and turn the stream off if I see a issue.

My flat land stream is arizona had a lot less issues. Being flat land I could make it wider. Also more flow down the stream. This stream with the slope is not as wide. Think of a road switchbacking down a hill, you have to dig into the hill to make the road bed, wider = more digging in = more dirt walls that you need to try and hide, plant etc so they don't keep crumbling. I put pallets of rock into the slope walls to try and stabilize them, so far it has worked. The deer do knock some of the rocks down so spring is walk the stream repair time before it is turned on again.

 

[crazyforponds]

Hi all. I have a 5500 gal pond with a biofall waterfall built into a berm. I now want to add a stream that hopefully would flow into the pond. I have about 40 fish in the pond. The existing land I have has an gentle slope that levels out near the edge of the pond. I have a 5200 GPH pump housed in a skimmer. Here are the questions I need help with. Can I put a Y on the outflow from the pump and use it to power both the flow of the stream and the falls? I'm estimating the stream will be 20-25 foot. My falls are about 4 ft tall. If I can't do I just put a new pump in the existing pond? Also when I dig the stream how deep do you all recommend? How do I introduce this stream into the existing pond? Thanks for helping.

View attachment 89344

 

[crazyforponds]

Here are some more pictures of my land. My tentative plan is to add a small pond and stream above and below the pond. I would do this in stages. Right now I'm trying to decide if I want the stream to empty into the existing pond or bring the stream close enough to the pond that with the use of a foot bridge I could give the illusion that they r connected. I'm a little worried about leaks if I connect to the pond. I don't have enough pond liner with the existing pond to over lap with liner from the stream. Any thoughts.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

What a nice (blank canvas) piece of property. The possibilities are endless.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

First suggestion (if you haven't already considered it) is to work with the existing grade of the property.
Tying the stream to the pond is not difficult. Your second option of a pondless stream may prove a little more difficult as a reservoir is required on the terminal end of the stream. Additionally, I would recommend doing the entire stream at one time using one piece of EPDM.

 

[addy1]

Additionally, I would recommend doing the entire stream at one time using one piece of EPDM.

I had to do mine in pieces, due to the switch backs. I agree do the stream in one piece!

 

[sissy]

You could do a pondless and then put the bridge between them so it looks like it flows into it .Reservoir for a pondless is easy .A liner and those plastic pallets could be used with some crates .Depends on where you are because here I got the plastic type pallets for free and a friend had those bread holder things by the hundreds .saved for my future pondless

 

[crazyforponds]

First suggestion (if you haven't already considered it) is to work with the existing grade of the property.
Tying the stream to the pond is not difficult. Your second option of a pondless stream may prove a little more difficult as a reservoir is required on the terminal end of the stream. Additionally, I would recommend doing the entire stream at one time using one piece of EPDM.

Thank you. I'm concerned about 2 things tying it to the existing pond. First is the pump situation. Do I just submerge a new pump in the pond and run the flexible tubing up to the top of the stream or could I get a stronger pump and have it feed both the falls and the stream? The other concern I have is the liner. Right now on the existing pond I probably have maybe a foot or two of liner over the edge of the pond. If I drape the stream liner over this into the pond will that present leaking? Thanks so much for your help. I have been wanting to do this for several years but have been scared that I won't do it right.

 

[crazyforponds]

You could do a pondless and then put the bridge between them so it looks like it flows into it .Reservoir for a pondless is easy .A liner and those plastic pallets could be used with some crates .Depends on where you are because here I got the plastic type pallets for free and a friend had those bread holder things by the hundreds .saved for my future pondless

I actually made a pondless waterfall near my deck. I used several 5 gallon plastic containers from Lowes and drilled holes in them . One houses my pump. it worked great. How big of a reservoir would I have to have to feed a stream?

 

[crazyforponds]

I had to do mine in pieces, due to the switch backs. I agree do the stream in one piece!

Thanks. Do they make liners that are long and thin? I haven't looked yet.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Though you have not actually said so, I am assuming that the stream will tie into the pond opposite the waterfall. Is this correct?
What make and size skimmer do you have? Some are large enough to accommodate 2 pumps or you can upgrade to a larger pump supplying both the waterfall and stream. Here again your skimmer must be large enough (weir opening) to handle the increased flow rate.
Liner is available in 5 foot widths 50 feet long so you are covered on the liner. As to tying it into the pond, as long as there is at least a 6 inch distance between ground level and water level at pond edge overlapping of the liner will work.

 

[addy1]

Thanks. Do they make liners that are long and thin? I haven't looked yet.

I used ppl liner, ordered it to the size I wanted and the length, then found out I had to cut it in legs to go with the flow of the stream bed.
Like meyer says you can get it 5 foot wide.

 

[cas]

One thing to be aware of if your stream has any slope at all - when the pump to the stream is turned off, all the water in the stream needs to go some where. Be sure your pond at the bottom can handle all the water in the stream. I know of someone that didn't take this into consideration and over-flowed their pond. They ended up making the sides of the bottom pond taller.

 

[addy1]

One thing to be aware of if your stream has any slope at all - when the pump to the stream is turned off, all the water in the stream needs to go some where. Be sure your pond at the bottom can handle all the water in the stream. I know of someone that didn't take this into consideration and over-flowed their pond. They ended up making the sides of the bottom pond taller.

When I turn on the stream, it drops the pond level by 1-2 inches, depends on how hot and dry it has been, how much water the stream ponds and deck ponds have lost. Also it takes a bit of water to fill the stream, fill the ponds to the point they start flowing. When turned off the big pond refills nicely.
That is something to consider. My pump intake is deep so the level drop does not bother anything.

 

[crazyforponds]

Though you have not actually said so, I am assuming that the stream will tie into the pond opposite the waterfall. Is this correct?
What make and size skimmer do you have? Some are large enough to accommodate 2 pumps or you can upgrade to a larger pump supplying both the waterfall and stream. Here again your skimmer must be large enough (weir opening) to handle the increased flow rate.
Liner is available in 5 foot widths 50 feet long so you are covered on the liner. As to tying it into the pond, as long as there is at least a 6 inch distance between ground level and water level at pond edge overlapping of the liner will work.

I have a PF 7000 skimmer. We built a flag stone patio opposite the falls so I can't really try the stream in there. I was thinking more halfway between the skimmer n the falls. Does that sound okay? there is a six foot drop to the water level but that is it hour the stream being dug out. I'm assuming the stream must be dug down several inches. How do I calculate the size of the pump I will nee? I know how to calculate for just one water feature but not two. Thanks for all the great info n help.