New House, want to make the pond more natural but don't know what's possible

[David_VI]

looks like water lilies, don't let them dry out, healthy looking! You may want to divide them as spring arrives. The pot looks a bit crowded.

Do you mean the curved pot and the broken/dead parts?

I didn't think I could separate them. Is it quite obvious?

The pond is quite deep except for around the edges and I'm sure I remember the lillies being more central so the pot must have been floating?



I hope they can regrow with any advice given. The pond looks empty and I'd hate the fish to have no shelter.

Is the reason the timber edging is there because the blue stones are higher than the level of the edge of the pond?

I think so, that or it prevents people accidentally walking into the pond?

I'm a little wary about removing the wall yet. The posts are going through the liner, or at least a different liner that the slate is sitting on.

 

[GBBUDD]

From what i can make out from your photos and your description. i would bet you have a cinderblock wall holding the sides from collapsing in. Your photos appear to show a shelf that @addy1 was trying to describe . and they look rather angular and with the 4 foot deep statement my money is on cinderblocks . that being said . you would have a couple different layers .
1. The first would be a underlayment to protect the liner from sharp objects like rocks or even the corners of cinderblocks . Again from the pictures it appears you may have epdm liner/ rubber. As far as making things look more natural i have to agree the bamboo garden edging has got to go . And the water fall reworked . i would look at it as a couple easy lazy weekends take on one task at a time once you get one area done and see what you can make it look like you'll want to get to the next and the next. What would look ok with your set up and is usually quite available is thin flat stones/ shale? slate"? i myself to make this look pretty sweet is to watch a bunch of you tube videos on how to build a pond and a waterfall. so yu know what's what and how to make it all work.

I'd consider adding some epdm liner toward opposite side from you both in the picture . you would basically make a tub with flexible rubber sheathing. and have it drape over the sides of the existing liner. this way all water finds t's way back into the pond . you'll be able to have a crazy garden that needs next to no work once you get it built. an the sounds of a water fall that is the most peaceful white noise you could ever have in a back yard

 

[addy1]

I didn't think I could separate them. Is it quite obvious?

Lilies are real forgiving except for being frozen, dried out, or the growing tip buried when repotting. Take them out, use your hands or a sharp knife, wack them apart.

The pic with just the tuber you can see the small leaves, that is the growing tip. Red circle growing tip, white line chop, replant just the growing tip how every many you want to make new plants. I put mine in oil pans and kitty litter, with some osmocote under the litter.

 

[David_VI]

Lilies are real forgiving except for being frozen, dried out, or the growing tip buried when repotting. Take them out, use your hands or a sharp knife, wack them apart.

The pic with just the tuber you can see the small leaves, that is the growing tip. Red circle growing tip, white line chop, replant just the growing tip how every many you want to make new plants. I put mine in oil pans and kitty litter, with some osmocote under the litter. View attachment 136686

Can they not be planted in normal garden soil with stones ontop?

I'll have to look up osmocote!

I drained the pond a bit yesterday, and discovered the pump with fountain was sitting ontop of two slabs which were sitting on an upturned plastic rubbish bin. So about 3ft off the bottom of the pond.
The bin was full of sludge and difficult to remove.

I ended up putting it all back because I didn't want to leave the pond empty while I was away.

Shouldn't the pump be sitting close to the bottom of the pond? Not 3ft above it?

In the picture I had put the pump ontop of something else temporarily while the level was too low.

 

[poconojoe]

I have a string tied to my pump to keep it suspended about a foot off the bottom. The string also helps to pull the pump out if any maintenance is needed.

If you keep your pump sitting on the bottom, it will probably pick up debris that can settle down there. This debris can clog your pump and prematurely clog your filter.

To remove any accumulated debris, I use a pool net to gently skim the bottom in the Spring and the Fall.

 

[David_VI]

I have a string tied to my pump to keep it suspended about a foot off the bottom. The string also helps to pull the pump out if any maintenance is needed.

If you keep your pump sitting on the bottom, it will probably pick up debris that can settle down there. This debris can clog your pump and prematurely clog your filter.

To remove any accumulated debris, I use a pool net to gently skim the bottom in the Spring and the Fall.

I don't think I can suspend this pump as it has the fountain on top, that would end up wonky!

So is it OK that it was sitting 3ft above the bottom and in the middle of the pond?

I thought it could go lower but the fountain wouldn't reach high enough out of the water. I'd have to buy a new pump/fountain that's tall enough or somehow hope I can find the parts to extent the current one?

 

[addy1]

Can they not be planted in normal garden soil with stones ontop?

Garden soil tends to muck up the water, esp if you have fish. The litter makes a solid type soil around the lliies, a bit of dust floats out when first put in but it goes away fast.

 

[addy1]

So is it OK that it was sitting 3ft above the bottom and in the middle of the pond?

It is still moving the water, so imho, it is ok.

 

[bostonroadking]

View attachment 131292
View attachment 131293
Hi all!

I've just bought my first home and it has a rather deep pond, I like it and would love to keep it...but I've never even had a garden till now so I'm coming at this like a newbie, not knowing how to develop and look after a pond

I really don't like all of the slate surrounding the pond, at least not taking up as much space as it does. I'd ike to make the pond more natural, but controllable.
I would like grass, flower beds, foliage or something else more natural than that slate taking up so much space.

But i have no idea how or if possible.

Under the slate there appears to be a liner. I can't tell if it's the pond liner or just to stop weeds growing up.

Being new to this what is even possible and how?
I really need a point in the right direction.

If you can think it you can make it. First for now leave the liner be, take out the slate and put in any stone, logs anything that is not made of metal, metal kills fish. AIR SUPPLY FILTER WITH UV CLARIFIER LIVE BACTERIA AND A NET to remove unwanted things in the pond. depending on your climate you will add a little pond salt, natural sludge digesters and the list goes on, DO NOT over populate your pond less is more because these fish can get very large. 14 years ago i started with 4 small fish in a 300 gal pond I now have 4 fish at 24 inches ish, 6 baby's from them and a 1900 gal pond with a water falls IT's A MONSTER THAT JUST KEEP GROWING so go slow experiment and figure out what you like

 

[Mmathis]

Hey there, @bostonroadking! I see you joined in 2013, but we don’t know anything about you or your pond. Eight years is a loooong time to lurk, LOL! Why not go over to our “introductions” topic and tell us about yourself.

 

[poconojoe]

If you can think it you can make it. First for now leave the liner be, take out the slate and put in any stone, logs anything that is not made of metal, metal kills fish. AIR SUPPLY FILTER WITH UV CLARIFIER LIVE BACTERIA AND A NET to remove unwanted things in the pond. depending on your climate you will add a little pond salt, natural sludge digesters and the list goes on, DO NOT over populate your pond less is more because these fish can get very large. 14 years ago i started with 4 small fish in a 300 gal pond I now have 4 fish at 24 inches ish, 6 baby's from them and a 1900 gal pond with a water falls IT's A MONSTER THAT JUST KEEP GROWING so go slow experiment and figure out what you like

Adding salt and other things were popular a while back. It seems a lot of people have veered away from a lot of that, but that's a personal preference. A matter of opinion. Everyone should do what works for them.

No disrespect, I just want to share my view. This way both opinions can be presented and a personal decision can be made.

My opinion, for what it's worth, is to keep it all as natural as possible. I don't do much and don't feel the need to tinker with much.

I never add anything. If at a very rare occasion I need to add water, I'll use a dechlorinator/conditioner to my water which is treated by the borough. My pond/bog pretty much runs itself. Any water that evaporates is replaced by rain.

I never add any store bought "bacteria" either. I feel as long as all the pieces of the puzzle are present, nature will take care of that.

The bog keeps my water crystal clear and my fish are healthy.

 

[David_VI]

Things are changing by the week
Do I have a leak?!

Ignore the naturalising for now.... I'm just trying to maintain.

I cleaned out the filter and made sure the uv light worked (it was broken!).
I also drained a lot of the water out, about 2ft of depth and cleaned some of the liner and sludge from the sides.

But i think i have a leak?
First photo is from 2nd of March after topping the water up, look at the level against the flat stone.

Here's the same stone, today 4th March.

I haven't filled the pond up that high and noticed before so maybe it's always dropped to the same level?
But looking at photos from when. I first moved in, the water was almost up to the top of the liner...
I guess i should see if it drops any further? How do I find a leak? This is a nightmare!

The water is a lot clearer than it was at least
Advice?

 

[brokensword]

looks like a leak to me; do you have a waterfall? Turn that off and fill the pond back up. Wait and see if it drops again. If not, you have a waterfall leak. If it does, you have to find the culprit. You can let it drop to it's lowest point and that's where you look for a liner leak. But first, I'd make sure all your pipes and fittings are not leaking, after eliminating the waterfall.

 

[poconojoe]

It's not a good practice to clean the beneficial bio-film off of your liner. Leave it there. It's an import part of the pond's ecosystem. Plus it helps hide the black liner a bit.

As far as a leak. Sometimes they can be quite difficult to locate. I think you have the right idea....let it leak down and when it stops, the leak will be at that level. Hopefully it won't be located too far down.

 

[poconojoe]

looks like a leak to me; do you have a waterfall? Turn that off and fill the pond back up. Wait and see if it drops again. If not, you have a waterfall leak. If it does, you have to find the culprit. You can let it drop to it's lowest point and that's where you look for a liner leak. But first, I'd make sure all your pipes and fittings are not leaking, after eliminating the waterfall.

Very good points.
Most leaks occur in either a waterfall or plumbing. Definately check those areas immediately. Shut off all pumps and see if the leak continues.