The pond dig has begun!

[CountryEscape]

Well, the sidewalk is finished (except for the sand in between the pavers) and the pond has been started as of last week! Taking another day off work tomorrow to dig, hoping the storms stay away. Have tarp to cover it if looks like it will get too wet.
The close end is 9.5' across, the far end (waterfall end) is 8' across. It's 19' in length. I'm planning on having it 3-4' deep. My original idea was 3' deep on the narrower end by waterfall, and 4' deep on other wider end. But, I'm wondering what other ideas might be out there! There will be a bog on the inset on the left side. I plan to have shelves for plants, and I think someone said to make the shelves at least 2' deep in the water, so raccoons, etc. can't get a foothold. The edge of the water will be about 8" above ground level, so I won't actually have to dig a full 4'.
I'm hoping to find a nice flat stone to place across the middle of the pond, down 2' or so, for the fish to hide under in case of any danger. Saw that at a local store and thought it was a great idea! Just have to find a large enough rock. Have utility tractor to move it with, so that's not a problem. But, the utility tractor at the moment refuses to start ... Hoping to figure that out tomorrow before getting back to digging.
I started piling up dirt on the waterfall end, thinking I will plant the sides after placing stones over the liner for the falls. Does anyone have any comments about putting the waterfall on top of dirt base? Would it be better to build it up on blocks? Now would be the time to recommend a change.
Also, it's strange, but my dirt seems to be in the following layers: sod (which I relocated), maybe 4" of nice soil, clay for the next 12-18", then black dirt that seems to be top quality topsoil! There used to be an old house where I'm digging, so wondering if 2' down is the original yard, and the part on top is from when my house was built and basement dirt spread on top? So, I'm moving the top part, and going to use the bottom part for landscaping around the pond.
So, we will see how well this 53 year old female body holds up digging the pond by hand! I know some of the women on here have dug a pond in AZ with pick ax ... I don't think I want one THAT bad! But my digging is extremely easy, just heavy! Wish me luck! I'm so excited about how it's taking shape, and anxious to get it all dug so I can order a liner.
Oh, and saying that, anyone have any good places to order liners these days at good prices? Thanks!!!
Patti

 

[addy1]

Yeah! go gal! Invite friends over for a drink and a byos (bring your own shovel) party!

If you put a large hiding stone in your pond, make sure you put extra liner below it to protect the real liner.

 

[blessedfamily]

I love this part(the building)..as for liner check out this company
http://stores.ebay.com/American-Pon...l?_fsub=15&_sid=3583000&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

I bought from them a few years ago and my cousin just purchased from them a month ago..very easy to deal with and you can find a good deal if you keep your eye out. Good luck can't wait to see it finished. Amber

 

[CountryEscape]

Thanks for the website, Amber, I'll check it out! And, Addy, thanks for the idea about extra liner under the stone ledge. I never would have thought of that. I will keep pieces that are trimmed away and use that to add extra layer of protection. This is why I enjoy having you "pros" to help me with my pond.

 

[CountryEscape]

Amber, I see that company has liners, too. Has anyone used a liner under their pond liner? Is it worthwhile? Company says it protects 45 mil pond liner 400%! They are not very expensive either, looks like maybe another $50?

 

[j.w]

Ok here we go and looking good............Ibuprofen works well for sore muscles

 

[blessedfamily]

I did buy the pond underlayment but I know some people use carpet,newspaper etc..whatever works,if you have a ton of rock in your dirt I say go for it but that is just my opinion.

 

[Olee]

Nice!

Word of caution about about your stone idea... I did this and one of the fish got spooked and actually ran into it and caused some damage to her mouth. It was ugly for almost a year. It is now healed, but a close look will reveal the permanent damage to her mouth. I just use lots of hornwart now, they like to hide in that...

 

[CountryEscape]

Very little rock in my dirt, only roots, but I'm trying to cut them behind the edge when I chop them up. Now I have another question!
If I have one end 3' and the other 4', which would be best by the waterfall, the deeper or 3'? Also, my sister with pond in AZ said to make sure bottom slopes to one deep area, that way less time to clean bottom. Which brings up another question. Obviously I have not planned everything out, doing it as I go.
I was thinking of having a fountain at the far end from the waterfall, and a submersible pump in the deep end. If I have the deeper end by the waterfall, that should catch most of the debris and send it through the system which will be where the waterfall water will come from, at the top/back of the waterfall, or at least that's what I think. So, my thought was to have the deeper part below the waterfall, hoping that most of the crud falls to that area, and will go through the filter. Does this make sense, or would it be better to have the pump at the far end, but then it would be pushing water farther ...
Also, can the fountain run off of the same pump, I assume?
Last, since I'm in So Central IL, we have winters that go below 10 degrees, although not usually for very long. Ponds do freeze here. I plan to use floating tank heater. Should I plan to keep the fountain running all winter, maybe put it to "bubbler" mode, so doesn't gather as much cold air? I suspect the waterfall will need to be shut off, or it will freeze if it gets really cold. Or, is it best to just let the pond "rest" all winter with just the heater?
Oh, one more thing, will I need to drain the filter tub completely, and would it be best to move that into my garage and keep some water in it through the winter? I'll need to know this before placing it, so I can easily move it out.
My sister is trying to talk me into concrete block wall on the inside of the pond, before the liner. That sounds like a lot of expense I had not counted on, plus rough edges for the liner. Would I need to have a concrete wall down the depth for the waterfall end, though? Or, could I just dig down maybe 12", lay concrete block for under the edge of the waterfall, and call it good? I have a mound of clay there now, that I drove over with utility tractor, so it's packed well, but I know it could easily shift.
Sorry this is so long! I'm inside, taking a break, then heading back out to dig some more, and wanted to get these questions down before I forgot how to ask them. THANKS!

 

[Nova]

As for underlayment, only the best for my fish, they have wall to wall carpet. LOL We had a lot of left over carpet when we redid the house so I used it line a lot of the pond when we built it last year. So when we rebuilt the pond this year I was curious about how well the carpet held up...it looked better than the the same carpet in my house. I also then used the old pond liner, it was a cheap one as underlayment that the carpet did not cover.

I added pieces of extra liner under a lot of my rocks.

 

[addy1]

We used carpet pad, put extra liner under the rocks. Water fall in the deep end, skimmer on the down wind side of the pond. opposite of the waterflall. Bog waterfall and stream waterfall both up wind of the skimmer.

Our pond is 5-6 feet deep, zone 6b it had 8 inches of ice on it. Got cold and stayed cold very little snow this year. We bounce down to minus off and on but usually above 0

my pond slopes towards the waterfalls to collect the junk to go into the bog filter.

 

[CountryEscape]

Addy, wow, thanks for all the good info. I wondered about going deeper on the waterfall side. I was not sure about a skimmer, since I don't have any mature trees close, do you think it is necessary? And "down wind" is what direction? Here in Illinois, it can be any direction. I guess in the summer and fall is when I would figure the prevailing winds blowing anything on top toward the skimmer, and that would be from the south (behind the waterfall, so that would be good) or west (the house is on that side). I need to read up more on skimmers and how the run. The pond I saw at a landscape place had a skimmer, and it took the water all the way around to the waterfall. Is that typical?
I got 3' deep on the bigger end, so glad I stopped there! I think I will slope it to 4' in the waterfall end. I made "steps" after the plant shelf, so I can walk in easier. My sister suggested that one. Coming along very well! If no rains stop me, hope to have it dug by Sunday evening.

 

[addy1]

Our wind is almost always blowing west to east, on the west side of the pond I have two apple trees. If no wind the leaves just hit the ground, if we have wind they seem to go over the pond but some do fall in, and the blossoms.

The wind helps push the junk to the skimmer.

This pond I have it sloped so you can walk out. I did not do that in my arizona pond and it was hard to get out, a walk out area would be great.

We have an external pump the skimmer and bottom drain both are plumbed into the pump, but with ball valves to pull from either or , or both. Then they go to the bog filter.

 

[CountryEscape]

Addy, is the bog filter you are referring to the "container" DIY filter that I plan to build and have it on the back of the waterfall, water comes in from the bottom (I think), goes through bio media, then through filter media, coming out at the top, and over the waterfall? If so, then that will be my plan.
With the size and length of my pond, calculated water gallons around 4,000, do you have a recommendation for a pump size, and any brand that seems to be best? Do I need a box to cover it from the elements if it's outside the water, and I assume I drain and take it into the garage for the winter?

 

[addy1]

Addy, is the bog filter you are referring to the "container" DIY filter that I plan to build and have it on the back of the waterfall, water comes in from the bottom (I think), goes through bio media, then through filter media, coming out at the top, and over the waterfall? If so, then that will be my plan.
With the size and length of my pond, calculated water gallons around 4,000, do you have a recommendation for a pump size, and any brand that seems to be best? Do I need a box to cover it from the elements if it's outside the water, and I assume I drain and take it into the garage for the winter?

Sorry just saw this, my bog filter is sort of a container bog, just a big container, laughing, 28 feet x 5 feet x 2.5 feet more or less. Yep water goes in from the bottom through the media plants and waterfalls back into the pond. I love my bog, so far not a bit of algae except side growth on the liner walls.

I am using a es4200, low electric use, very quiet pump. Others like the laguana brand. I have the es because I picked it up as a used pump therefore saved money lol.
We have a separate pump for the stream and small ponds, because of the 30 feet of head pressure due to our slope. It is run on a timer, the small ponds are crystal clear,. The large pond is getting there.

For your size of pond that would turn your water over every hour, which is good.

I have the lim dragon pumps for my pond in arizona, but they are pricy.