How to reduce the depth of my pond

[parabous]

I've discovered that it was a swimming pool, not a water tank. I've got steps and it seems to get deeper towards the middle.

 

[hamstermann]

Yes, it's steel fencing with galvanised fence mesh. I think it's been in there for 35 years.

Wow, so a horizontal chain link fence? Very creative!

 

[parabous]

My pool is now empty and clean. My problem now is that there isn't any flat surface to build any structures with Aquablox for the plants or fountain.

I spoke to a pool company about putting 3 metres (in diameter) of concrete at the lowest point to make a flat surface with an epoxy seal on top it.

They want $16k to do it :-(

My more cost effective idea is to just put some fish safe pebbles/stones to make a flat enough area that the aquablox can then sit on.

The obvious challenge is making the aqua blocks and the plant pots that will sit on them with the lilies look straight.

Am I going about this wrong?

 

[Laaf]

Now that you have it cleaned out and the fencing removed, what are your overall plans? I think if you refill it with water, your fish will behave very differently now that they can easily dive to safety from anywhere in your pool.

I would use stones or blocks to build a structure or structures that the fish can hide in/under. Perhaps in the middle. And deep enough that they are safe from predators. (Not a perch for herons to grab them)

I would also add lilies and other plants so they have more natural shade and hiding places.

I really think they will learn to come up to you to be fed with the fencing removed. As it was, they were targets for multiple predators if on top of the fencing. So they would dart back to safety as soon as they ate.

 

[parabous]

@Laaf so do you think I can put the aquablox on the stones?

 

[Laaf]

Yes you can put aquablocks on the flatter surface of stones. My question is why add aquablocks? I really think your fish were hiding and getting below the fencing because they felt like they were on a serving platter for predators when above the fencing and would go under it to be safe.

I would build some stone caves, underwater mountains with hiding places for fish. And find a way to have plants on some edges.

You wanted the fish to come up to see you more often and not hide in the depths. I really think they will now that they can escape Predators everywhere by diving.

More water volume is easier to manage and allows more fish.

The only modification I might do if it was my pond, is build a wall separating part of the pool, maybe and make a pea gravel bog. That becomes your filtration and gives you a place to add interesting bog plants.

You only need one pump to feed the big, and the water flows back to the pond.

You can use the aquablocks as the bottom of the bog so you need less gravel to fill it.

 

[Laaf]

Post a pic of the steps. You can use them as plant shelves.

 

[GBBUDD]

My pool is now empty and clean. My problem now is that there isn't any flat surface to build any structures with Aquablox for the plants or fountain.

I spoke to a pool company about putting 3 metres (in diameter) of concrete at the lowest point to make a flat surface with an epoxy seal on top it.

They want $16k to do it :-(

My more cost effective idea is to just put some fish safe pebbles/stones to make a flat enough area that the aquablox can then sit on.

The obvious challenge is making the aqua blocks and the plant pots that will sit on them with the lilies look straight.

Am I going about this wrong?

Take pictures of the pond showing the cleaned out and how deep and the over all size is

 

[parabous]

My thinking around aquablox was to be able to plant lilies and other plants in pots on blox that are just a 50-75cm below the surface (remember this thing is 2.8m deep in the middle. I also want to put my fountain back in the middle for aesthetics and aeration (it is about 75cm tall) and I can't see how to do that without building it up to a level where the pump for this can sit on an aquablox that is again about the depth the plants will need. Pics attached.

I'm now off the idea of some stones in the middle based on advice from others around it being a sponge for dirt and algae.

 

[j.w]

My thinking around aquablox was to be able to plant lilies and other plants in pots on blox that are just a 50-75cm below the surface (remember this thing is 2.8m deep in the middle. I also want to put my fountain back in the middle for aesthetics and aeration (it is about 75cm tall) and I can't see how to do that without building it up to a level where the pump for this can sit on an aquablox that is again about the depth the plants will need. Pics attached.

I'm now off the idea of some stones in the middle based on advice from others around it being a sponge for dirt and algae.

Wondering if you could make a big sturdy grated thing and lay it on the whole bottom so you can put whatever you want on it as it will all be flat. Could even stick some kind of pump under it to suck the muck under it when it develops or just allow it to run always?

 

[GBBUDD]

If that was mine to work with I would make three islands maybe more.

Wondering if you could make a big sturdy grated thing and lay it on the whole bottom so you can put whatever you want on it as it will all be flat. Could even stick some kind of pump under it to suck the muck under it when it develops or just allow it to run always?

If that was mine to work with I would not even think about making the whole thing shallow. Unless your thinking of making it into a giant wetland filter.
But let's say you still want to . Don't worry that the sides angle up. You could put 18 inch blocks in the deep end. they can be cut to keep the bottom flat and level but Why? Doesn't really matter if they have a little angle to it so. Providing the gravel on top doesnt roll to the middle. I would also build one area up to 3 feet so Lillie's can grow but I do have hardy's that are growing in 5 feet of water. I posted a picture recently showing how long the shoots were.
And one area a log tree stump boulder or a bunch of boulders would poke up above the water great for a showpiece plant like maybe pitcher plants or even a hibiscus seems they do very well with their feet wet.

 

[parabous]

I'm no longer thinking of making the pond more shallow, I just want to get plants in there and a fountain in the middle.

What about some plastic deck planks (or maybe even hardwood) would give me a flat base to put aquablox on so that I could put some plant pots in the middle on aquablox towers and have my lilies back, plus the fountain.

Thoughts?

 

[Laaf]

I found this example of turning part of a pool into a bog filter.

Adding a bog filter would be the only filtration you need.

In the end, it is your pool and pond and you can do what ever you want to do with it.

It is normal for the walls of the pond and any thing you put in it to grow a healthy living coat of life. I have not had problems with algae on my rock island waterfall on the parts that are under water. Algae does grow in the flowing stream/waterfall especially in the spring. But it is easy to scoop off. I have never had to scrub or clear the algae growing on the underwater surfaces. The bits that do grow, the fish feed on like it is a salad bar.

 

[Laaf]

This is my rock island that has a waterfall on it. The water comes up to a hole in the top. I put a flat rock on top of the hole so the water doesn't come up as much. The large stones are stacked so there are multiple open cave areas beneath it. My pond is long and narrow. There is space on both sides of the island, it is a true island. Yours would have a much greater space between the island and the sides of your pond.

My bog is at one end of my pond and built as a second raised pond that is all bog and waterfalls back into my pond.

I have a skimmer at one end and bog at the other.

I have a 1 foot shelf all the way around that I set pond baskets on and they have filled in very lush as has the bog itself. The area by the island is narrow so I have not put baskets and plants there so water has full flow to the skimmer.

I would love to have a pond as big as yours. But I only had this much space to work with.

 

[j.w]

This is my rock island that has a waterfall on it. The water comes up to a hole in the top. I put a flat rock on top of the hole so the water doesn't come up as much. The large stones are stacked so there are multiple open cave areas beneath it. My pond is long and narrow. There is space on both sides of the island, it is a true island. Yours would have a much greater space between the island and the sides of your pond.

My bog is at one end of my pond and built as a second raised pond that is all bog and waterfalls back into my pond.

I have a skimmer at one end and bog at the other.

I have a 1 foot shelf all the way around that I set pond baskets on and they have filled in very lush as has the bog itself. The area by the island is narrow so I have not put baskets and plants there so water has full flow to the skimmer.

I would love to have a pond as big as yours. But I only had this much space to work with.

Great looking island but I think your dog wants to be the center of all the attention!
Sweet pup