Hi everyone
Do I really need a bottom drain if I want to make a small pond 7 x 3 x 3?
Do I really need a bottom drain if I want to make a small pond 7 x 3 x 3?
Bottom drain
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JohnHuff
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Short answer = no.
JBtheExplorer
Native Gardener
No. My pond is 7x4x3 and no drain.
I have a pond about 2200 gal, I don't have a bottom drain. Its new, so maybe I will regret not having one, but I don't.
JohnHuff
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Long answer: It depends a lot on what you're keeping in your pond and what purpose you have it for. That's a pretty small pond you have there. If you have a lot of fish that's producing a lot of waste, you might consider it. If you have your pond sloping down one end and the pump intake there, you probably won't need one.
I am just afraid of leaking if I install one
JohnHuff
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I agree.
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My pond is 27x10 to 20 feet wide, no bottom drain, it does slope to one end. I don't regret not having one, so far it has been no issue caring for the pond.
My personal belief is that it is not critically necessary and more of a personal choice through a matter of convenience versus presumed need.
Once I have my pond establishment constructed, it will have two bottom drains which will gravity feed out.
Here is the reasoning and a little information.
My pond is actually a rectangular HDPE tank (10.5' x 5.5' x 28") which I am going to use as a fishing bait tank. The bottom of the tank will be resting upon a solid, flat wooden structure, not sand or dirt or mud and since the tank is hard-walled and not an EPDM liner, it won't be moving around in any manner. So I am going to install flush mount shower drains as my bottom drains, just like a regular home bathroom shower stall. This way, I won't have any obstructions within the tank and when I desire to retrieve baitfish from the tank, I can just swipe a net through it and the net won't get hung up on anything.
The bottom drains in my case serve a specific purpose... No plumbing or pump obstructions in the tank (pond) and they facilitate better removal of debris from the flat bottom.
If I were constructing a below grade pond with a liner, I don't think that I would install bottom drains. I would just place the pump near a low spot or provide some sort of pickup tube.
Gordy
Once I have my pond establishment constructed, it will have two bottom drains which will gravity feed out.
Here is the reasoning and a little information.
My pond is actually a rectangular HDPE tank (10.5' x 5.5' x 28") which I am going to use as a fishing bait tank. The bottom of the tank will be resting upon a solid, flat wooden structure, not sand or dirt or mud and since the tank is hard-walled and not an EPDM liner, it won't be moving around in any manner. So I am going to install flush mount shower drains as my bottom drains, just like a regular home bathroom shower stall. This way, I won't have any obstructions within the tank and when I desire to retrieve baitfish from the tank, I can just swipe a net through it and the net won't get hung up on anything.
The bottom drains in my case serve a specific purpose... No plumbing or pump obstructions in the tank (pond) and they facilitate better removal of debris from the flat bottom.
If I were constructing a below grade pond with a liner, I don't think that I would install bottom drains. I would just place the pump near a low spot or provide some sort of pickup tube.
Gordy
I just finished the major part of my pond construction (12' x 8' x 2') and I install one bottom drain. It was a lot of extra work, and so far I'm not sure I see the additional benefit.
However, at the moment, my pond is very lightly stock so my opinion may change.
However, at the moment, my pond is very lightly stock so my opinion may change.