Inherited ponds and I’m a complete novice!!!

[Gurooh]

Hi all...
I’ve been lurking here for quite some time. I’ve worked up the courage to work on my inherited ponds. Here is the overview of my project. I have an upper pond that links to a smaller pond through a stream. The upper pond is approximately 13 feet across and mainly circular and 3,5 ft. deep. It has a couple of chimney liner bricks in the very middle that support a large slate rock. The man who built the pond had a water wheel in it but took it with him when he left. (Bummer). He has numerous filters and pumps in the pond shed next to this pond and I don’t have a clue on how to hook anything up!!
the smaller pond was drained last year just to see how deep and the system he used to hook to the pump. The smaller pond is approximately 5 ft. Across and almost 5 ft deep. It has a flexible pipe with a length of pvc attached to it with holes drilled into it that sits in a milk crate. The other pipe has very fine screening taped to the end and just sits on the bottom. These two pipes run from the small pond under the liner that lines the stream and large pond.They then come up under the shed and one hooks to the pump. The other hooks no where. I am lost. I see the potential and so want to make this work but obviously I need lots of help. I will attach photos of it so there will be a clearer idea of what I’m talking about!
hopefully I can explain as questions arise!!
thanks!
Rue

 

[JRS]

Welcome Rue! The screen on the pipe and the milk crate are likely some sort of prefilter to prevent large debris from clogging the pumps. Photos will definitely help.

 

[Gurooh]

I’m trying to figure out how to post photos... my phone won’t post from google photos. I have no idea why!! Ugh!

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

 

[Gurooh]

Here are some photos of the larger pond. I started cleaning it and trying to figure out the piping system. It looks like the two pipes from the lower pond just travel under the liner to the far corner of the shed and come up through the floor of the shed and connect to the pump and I’m thinking the filter but one is not connected at all. It is a conundrum! I will take more photos of the pump, etc. it sure is a work in progress!!

 

[Laaf]

Great start to your clean up and refresh. I was thinking the lower pond sounded like a bog filter.......but the filtered water would have to be pumped back to the upper pond. Hmmmm ? Is it just a second pond with a deeper water reservoir? Do you have pics of the lower pond, and both ponds in relation to each other?

 

[Gurooh]

Okay, so photo heavy and a little more background.. I live in West Rupert, Vermont. Gets pretty darn cold in the winter!! I saw the pond builders son last fall and he said they ran the pump all winter. He was young when his dad put it in so his recollection of how it ran was minimal. His dad has some health issues and he was not too keen on me calling him and discussing things. They had 6-8 koi. I have only frogs right now but would eventually like fish. I’m not really a koi girl. I like smaller fish and anything hardy!! I just took the photos so it is about as real as it gets. I tried to take photos of anything pond related in the shed and how it attaches to pump. I am willing to try to figure it out and the ideal would be if anyone was located near me and could help. I would be over the moon and so appreciative. My husband wanted to fill in the ponds and has too much on his plate with work and house maintenance to put my ponds on his list. He thinks I’m nuts basically!!

 

[poconojoe]

That's a lot of pipes and equipment to figure out. And from a distance, it's a bit hard for us.

I'm pretty sure we can get it all sorted out.

The Hayward filter is a pool filter, but you never know, it might have been used for the ponds currently or at one time.

You have two external pumps. One looks old and one looks fairly new.
I don't know if both were used at the same time or the newer one replaced the older one.

From a basic view, the piping from each pond needs to be attached to the pump, then through a filter, then return to the ponds.

I don't know if the water from both ponds is joined together somewhere and then goes through one pump/filter or they are completely separate and each use their own pump and filter. They could be joined together before the shed or in the shed. If you have only two pipes in the shed, I would guess they are joined together outside somewhere. If there are 4 pipes in the shed, then each pond has a feed and a return.
These are all guesses and assumptions. I can't tell from a distance.

So, let us know how many pipes are in the shed, and if it's possible where they come from.
Maybe shoot some water through them with your garden hose to determine where they go.

 

[addy1]

It almost looks like some of the items have no pipes going into them. 'Like said above follow the pipes see where they go and if they go into something.

Welcome to the forum!

Stick with us a lot of smart people here that will help you figure it out.

 

[Gurooh]

I don’t think there are separate piping for each pond. I can see where one pipe comes up under the shed and connects to the newer pump. The spot that I think the second pipe should come up through the shed has a pvc pipe with nothing attached to it and more puzzling it has an electrical cord coming from it. Why I haven’t the faintest idea.. as I would assume water to be flowing in that pipe. I think I am going to try to contact the pond builder and ask for guidance.. the worst I can get is no and can keep trying to figure it out.
In my head I think the water goes through the pump and filter in the shed, out through the holes in the walls of shed to the upper pond and goes down the stream to the smaller pond and gets returned to the pump in the shed all over again. I feel like if I could just chat with the guy I couldput some pieces together...
Thanks for trying to figure it out with me!!
I love your bog and I seriously think it’s the way to go.

 

[addy1]

pvc pipe with nothing attached to it and more puzzling it has an electrical cord coming from it.

They used the pvc pipe to protect the electrical cord, see if you can follow that pipe.

 

[j.w]

@Gurooh

 

[poconojoe]

I don’t think there are separate piping for each pond. I can see where one pipe comes up under the shed and connects to the newer pump. The spot that I think the second pipe should come up through the shed has a pvc pipe with nothing attached to it and more puzzling it has an electrical cord coming from it. Why I haven’t the faintest idea.. as I would assume water to be flowing in that pipe. I think I am going to try to contact the pond builder and ask for guidance.. the worst I can get is no and can keep trying to figure it out.
In my head I think the water goes through the pump and filter in the shed, out through the holes in the walls of shed to the upper pond and goes down the stream to the smaller pond and gets returned to the pump in the shed all over again.

Yep, you definitely have a good idea of how it should function.

You would think the guy would be more willing to help you out. Someone passionate enough to build and maintain a pond should feel a connection to it and willing to help you keep it healthy and running.

 

[GBBUDD]

THERE are plates on the side of the two motors can you get a photo of that. there is where to begin they will tell us how big the pumps are and if one is a back up.

 

[Tula]

Welcome, neat pond and setting. You're fortunate to have electric and water in the shed. Can't wait to follow along as you figure it out