It appears the the majority of ponders strongly recommend not using rock/gravel on the bottom of the pond for obvious maintenance reasons, what are your thoughts on a compromise of only rocking the walls/sides? There would still be some added work, but the sides could be blasted with a hose from time to time, washing the debris to the bare bottom where it could easily be vacuumed out. I must admit I like the look of the rock below the waters surface. What do you think?
Rocked Walls
- Thread starter Anthony
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That could work, you would need to get the hose close to the rocks to blast them.
j.w
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I've seen ponds like that and don't suppose it's much different then having pots on shelves all crowded together. Just need to clean out w/ a hose stuck down there now and then w/ a strong current in between them all. Rocks might be a bit harder to deal w/ than pots tho but I think it could work if one kept up on it.
pinon ponder
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I'm wondering if the muck blasted out, then floating in the water, could affect the fish. Unless you're talking about draining the pond every year or two before the cleaning. That's what the pond cleaning services do. But the problem with that is you have to start all over again with the bio balancing of the pond water, not to mention the stress on the fish in relocating them.
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If you keep it cleaned out to the point that the muck does not get anaerobic, it most likely will not hurt the fish, might muck up the water some.
pinon ponder
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Yeah, the rocks would need regular cleaning to not get anaerobic. Too much work for me. lol I sometimes sweep the bottom of the pond toward the skimmer and stuff floats to the top. The few fish I have don't seem to mind but the skimmer filter pad usually needs rinsing soon after. No noticeable odor on it.
Most people only rock down a few inches below the water, like 6"-1ft. This gives it the full rock look and doesn't collect as much muck like if it was all the way to the bottom. Over time algae will cover both the rocks and liner, they will blend into each other very well. Don't get rid of the algae on the rocks, its good for the pond.
I rocked my pond down to a shelf about 18" below the surface. My pond is still fairly new but no issues so far. I used large rocks and have a lot of flow so I don't expect anaerobic issues (lots of gaps between the rocks and plenty of oxygenation). Time will tell but I also prefer the rocked look, and it gives the fish lots of places to hide. Hopefully it'll turn out to be the best of both worlds (pretty rocks near the top, bare liner at the bottom). Here's a link to my pond build post where you can see the rock placement. It was A LOT of additional work but worth it I think!
j.w
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You will have to keep us informed on how it works out w/ the rock being just in the top 18" and it does looks quite nice. At that level you will always be able to see the rock and swoosh out any debris that may build up w/ a hose. Keep posting pics and enjoy your new pond!
To avoid the obvious maintenence issues yet still have an attractive pond bottom I suggest using flag stones like you're laying down a patio. If you're building new, it helps to dig out the bottom perfectly flat so that the flag stones lay down easily once the liner is in. If you're dealing with an existing pond with an imperfect bottom you should use medium sized flat stones like what would be used in a dry stacked wall and you can put some gravel in the spaces between.
Personally, I like the look of a gravel bottom and I think the asthetics outweigh the maintanence. The other reason I like some sort of stone layer on the bottom is the added protection against punctures and rips.
Personally, I like the look of a gravel bottom and I think the asthetics outweigh the maintanence. The other reason I like some sort of stone layer on the bottom is the added protection against punctures and rips.
I have 8-10" rocks stacked up from my first shelf, and I keep rosy reds (a type of minow sold in pet stores as feeder fish). My koi never seem to bother the rosys, and these little guys like to make their home in the openings between the rocks. From what I can tell, they're doing a good job of preventing debris from settling in the rocks. Of course this first Winter will be very telling of the overall balance of my pond, as I've done a lot of things that are generally recommended against. (crosses fingers)