Newbie to pond building seeks wise counsel
- Thread starter Matak
- Start date
Beautiful ponds & back yard Dr. You are one of the few i have seen that knows how to select & place a 5 point rock (basically a fieldstone) and make it look natural. It is not an easy task, I know.
oldmarine
Married 32 years
Because of the size of your pond, I would recomend sticking with gold fish or shubunkins in you pond. You may wish to concider a fitration system that includes a boi-filter and construct it along the inside wall of your garage for easy access. The materials for doing it yourself are endless and most of the hardware and tools can be found at Lowes or Home Depot.
Rich, I would prefer to go that route. Much more attractive & natural looking having the equipment out of site. The only draw back I can see is that because all the plumbing is above the water level, I will have to prime the pump with each re-start. I might just add a valve at either side of the pump to make priming easier.
oldmarine
Married 32 years
Good point. The other alternative would be to have your submersible pump in the bottum of the pond. That would eliminate any problems having to prime a pump, and worrying about a possible pump failure.
True, but I already own a small Hayward pool pump. I don't know if it would be more prudent to press the pump I own into service, or buy a submersible. but you guys/gals would know.
pool pumps are not for ponds and the filtration that accompany them. Pool pumps work with a high head force and that's not what pond filtration requires/uses.
Pool pumps are for pools and pond pumps are for ponds. Same goes for filtration...don't use a pool filter on a pond or a pond filter on a pool. Stay native.
Pool pumps are for pools and pond pumps are for ponds. Same goes for filtration...don't use a pool filter on a pond or a pond filter on a pool. Stay native.
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
Matak... you want to run your pump and filtration 24/7 turn it on in the spring and off for the winter any ways, but..like oldmarine said, the use of a submersable pump will eliminate the need for any priming..
So it sounds like buying a submersible is the way to go. Besides, if build a pondless WF I may only need 20" to 30" of head and maybe 1,000 to 2,000 GPH (I'm guessing).
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
remember. head heigth begins at waters surface not the pump, 1000 to 1200 gph would be more than sufficient for that size pond, (and would give a nice sound) this is 1200 gph at 1.5 ' head height
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/index.php?n=175
the stone is rounded in front and the spread on the falls is about 17"
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/gallery/index.php?n=175
the stone is rounded in front and the spread on the falls is about 17"
koiguy, it looks like the falls are about 6" so I will assume that there is more head upstream of the falls, out of site of the picture. Is that full flow? I think that I would want about double that flow at about 20" of WF drop. BTW, it looks quite nice. How is the sound of the falls?
koiguy1969
GIGGETY-GIGGETY!!
the falls water sheet is 17" across but the rock is rounded so its hard to see. and the drop is 14" . now heres the same pump setup without the width restrictions of a weir extension. this water sheet is more like 25" across on a straight fronted stone still 1200 gph at 1.5' head
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/new-pond-rain-t3360.html
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/new-pond-rain-t3360.html
It's hard to judge size and distance from photos. But yeah, that gives me an idea about head & flow
oldmarine
Married 32 years
Sugestion: Build the filtration system inside the garage up high enough so that the water gravity flows down to the top of your water fall. Looking at your arrangement, I can't think of any other way to set up an adequate filter that will meet the needs of your pond.
When I was pondering as to where I was going to place my pond, I came up with idea of putting my pond right up next to my garage on the other side of the yard for more direct sunlight. Then I realized I have a sewer line that runs right where I wanted the pond. So I settled on having where it is now.
When I was pondering as to where I was going to place my pond, I came up with idea of putting my pond right up next to my garage on the other side of the yard for more direct sunlight. Then I realized I have a sewer line that runs right where I wanted the pond. So I settled on having where it is now.
janine9620
janine
Wow, I really wish you hadn't just poured that sidewalk.....If you could take out a two, three foot section, then bridge over with wood then you could open the area on the otherside of the walk way also, how great would that entry be, to walk over the fishies! Some canna in close to the garage...... I agree, the bigger the easier, I have two small ( 1-2")baby koi in a 20 gal in my sons room, can hardly keep it balanced, gonna send them out to the pond ang get small trops in there. I didn't notice where you were located, would tropicals be an option, or matbe just some goldfish. It can be done in that space, just not ideal for koi. You have to account for slope loss of volume, and no rock, that will take up volume too. 3X12x...24"(house)-36"(Drive) I would try, but no koi. I would shoot the water from the house towards the drive, with a BD there to skimmer/pump at the drive end, then back up to the house end, not a water fall, a PVC with holes going verticle and horizontal to flush the water downstream, that way you will get somewhat of a river effect and the fish can get some exercise. My ponds have always been too small and shallow for ideal situations, I'm just a hobbiest, enjoying my fish, please understand though......it's a daily chore, not weekly....daily.