Filling in an existing pond

[StevenN]

Hello

I’m looking to fill in an existing pond that I’ve drained and removed the liner.

The bottom is all sand and wanted to know will water drain ok or should I remove the sand before I fill with hardcore and top soil?

Are there any other considerations?

Thank you

 

[brokensword]

Hello

I’m looking to fill in an existing pond that I’ve drained and removed the liner.

The bottom is all sand and wanted to know will water drain ok or should I remove the sand before I fill with hardcore and top soil?

Are there any other considerations?

Thank you

depends on if you're going to use this as a raised bed; if not, you're good to go, the sand will drain as well as it can depending on what's below it. If a garden, I'd find out what's below that sand, just so you know how to water the plants above. If more sand/topsoi/loam, you're again, good to go. If rock/concrete (which I'm suspecting), it will hold water more than you probably want and to alleviate this, I'd drill some holes near ground level for drainage of this above ground garden.

 

[StevenN]

depends on if you're going to use this as a raised bed; if not, you're good to go, the sand will drain as well as it can depending on what's below it. If a garden, I'd find out what's below that sand, just so you know how to water the plants above. If more sand/topsoi/loam, you're again, good to go. If rock/concrete (which I'm suspecting), it will hold water more than you probably want and to alleviate this, I'd drill some holes near ground level for drainage of this above ground garden.

Thank you for the advice. I’ll dig a bit of the sand and see what’s underneath. I will eventually be looking to turf the area once I’ve filled and let the ground settle.

 

[SarahT]

If you're going to turf it, I'd suggest removing the brick wall to at least 6-10 inches below the ground level surface. You will have to remove most or all of it eventually to turf it successfully. I've done something similar and it wasn't as difficult a task as I thought it would be; I used a 15 pound sledge hammer (carefully; use eye protection).

 

[j.w]

@StevenN

 

[StevenN]

Thank you

 

[StevenN]

Morning

I’ve dug the bottom of pond and no concrete.

There is however a pipe which runs from the middle of the pond to the edge which was used for a filter. Am I ok to just fill in over the pipe or do I need to remove it first?

Also there is some water still sitting on the sand and not draining as in the attached picture. Is this ok to just start filling in or will I have drainage problems in the future?

Thank you for all your advice.

 

[brokensword]

Morning

I’ve dug the bottom of pond and no concrete.

There is however a pipe which runs from the middle of the pond to the edge which was used for a filter. Am I ok to just fill in over the pipe or do I need to remove it first?

Also there is some water still sitting on the sand and not draining as in the attached picture. Is this ok to just start filling in or will I have drainage problems in the future?

Thank you for all your advice.

okay now, you've gone and made it even more curious; no concrete huh? Makes me wonder how they expected water to move down the pump and back with only sand/soil as support...don't think I've come across this 'pipe/drain' in sand technique. I'd actually dig down further around the pipe and see which way it goes (should go laterally, maybe 8" or less further down, but it might not. For all practical purposes, I'd like to know where the other end of this pipe is, but you can probably cover and forget about it. I still wonder if there's not concrete lower as you say the water isn't draining. Sand would drain. Clay would take a while but eventually, could drain too. And like I said, having a bottom drain sitting in sand isn't how I've come to understand that build process. Just throwing some ideas out there...

 

[Dimelius]

Or a heavy clay soil or must be a liner/glassfiber/concrete down there... :O there is a drain at bottom and not a solid bottom? time to investigation!

(btw for me, put a liner and make a pond noway fillin a pond with soil...this is Garden pond forums not opposite) Joking ofc

 

[brokensword]

Or a heavy clay soil or must be a liner/glassfiber/concrete down there... :O there is a drain at bottom and not a solid bottom? time to investigation!

(btw for me, put a liner and make a pond noway fillin a pond with soil...this is Garden pond forums not opposite) Joking ofc

Hell, you forgot the LPS recommendation!!!!

 

[StevenN]

I did wonder about posting on a pond site about filling a pond rather than making one lol

Appreciate the help and I will dig a bit further down to make sure no concrete. What I’ve dug so far looks like heavy clay soil under the sand so might be why it’s taking ages to drain.

The pipe runs under the sand and comes out the side of the pond where the previous owners used to have a big filter pump.

 

[yorkshire pudding]

hi @StevenN, i think that is a bottom drain. on your 1st pic it looks like a liner has been cut out along the top edge of the pond so it would have been a lined pond, if that's the case look where the "drain pipe" comes out, it would be where the filter was connected, pour a bit of water down the pipe and see where it comes out. if you do find it when you fill in the pond any excess water should continue to drain away, maybe put some cobbles around the drain to stop it clogging/filling up with soil, and you have a ready made drain. hope this helps cheers mark.

 

[Dimelius]

I did wonder about posting on a pond site about filling a pond rather than making one lol

Appreciate the help and I will dig a bit further down to make sure no concrete. What I’ve dug so far looks like heavy clay soil under the sand so might be why it’s taking ages to drain.

The pipe runs under the sand and comes out the side of the pond where the previous owners used to have a big filter pump.

Make some holes in this soil then you can refill with "normal" soil.
We are helpful in any way, maybe one day you ll ask help for a pond

 

[StevenN]

hi @StevenN, i think that is a bottom drain. on your 1st pic it looks like a liner has been cut out along the top edge of the pond so it would have been a lined pond, if that's the case look where the "drain pipe" comes out, it would be where the filter was connected, pour a bit of water down the pipe and see where it comes out. if you do find it when you fill in the pond any excess water should continue to drain away, maybe put some cobbles around the drain to stop it clogging/filling up with soil, and you have a ready made drain. hope this helps cheers mark.

Cheers. There was a liner in the pond which I have removed. The pipe comes out and then goes up to a higher level where the filter pump was. I’ll take a photo and add it tomorrow. Would be great if I could use it as a drain but don’t think I’ll be able to in this case.

 

[SarahT]

Many people add a liner to an older, original pond that begins to leak, often adding sand or clay type soil to pad and cushion the new liner. There may well be concrete or something "down there" that leaks enough to be a pond problem but not leaky enough to drain the hole well enough.