Hello Folks

New on here, thought I'd have a look around see what people are up to etc.

I'm planning on building a pond in my garden. Always wanted one, but the bedrock is so close to the surface it's not easy. Anyhow I was inspired by a variation on a pond I saw being made on Gardeners World. They used a length of commercial waste pipe, the stuff that is used for major utility piping. They pretty much sat it on the surface, put a liner in it, filled it with water, then made the sides presentable with a slate wall.

Now strangely enough I've not been able to find an off cut of such pipe, so I'm still working on the wall, but I'm going to excavate as deep as I can, which may only be 8 inches. Stand the wall in there, then I'm thinking of building a rockery all around the pond.

The final result will probably be about 2 foot deep and 5 foot diameter (approx 60 cm deep by 1.5m diameter). The added bonus I have here is that if I can't get any depth, then I could just stand it on the ground and be go from there.


Tom

On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:33:55 EDT, tomsimmons
wrote:

New on here, thought I'd have a look around see what people are up to
etc.

Welcome.

I'm planning on building a pond in my garden. Always wanted one, but
the bedrock is so close to the surface it's not easy. Anyhow I was
inspired by a variation on a pond I saw being made on Gardeners World.
They used a length of commercial waste pipe, the stuff that is used for
major utility piping. They pretty much sat it on the surface, put a
liner in it, filled it with water, then made the sides presentable with
a slate wall.

Now strangely enough I've not been able to find an off cut of such
pipe, so I'm still working on the wall, but I'm going to excavate as
deep as I can, which may only be 8 inches. Stand the wall in there,
then I'm thinking of building a rockery all around the pond.

The final result will probably be about 2 foot deep and 5 foot diameter
(approx 60 cm deep by 1.5m diameter). The added bonus I have here is
that if I can't get any depth, then I could just stand it on the ground
and be go from there.
Tom

Sounds very unique. Can't wait to start seeing some pictures. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us

Welcome to RPM, Tom.

People will have lots of ideas for you...although you seem to be
thinking things through by yourself. Most of us remember our first
efforts at a pond (and our first anxious post on rpm or rec.ponds.
There are a number of ways to build above ground or partially above
ground ponds with liners.

By all means think about your filter process as well. Many of us use
smaller 'veggie filters' as easy, low maintenance filters (10% or more
the surface of the larger pond, filled with plants ans slow flowing
water to help settlement of gunk. Water drawn from the low point of
the main pond).

By all means launch any questions you may have. Folk here are always
glad to share their best observations (and to air their differing
opinions).

You are welcome!

Jim

OK

Been side tracked for the last week or so....

So I've been thinking about how to build the wall of my pond. Having probed the ground of the intended location, the rock is very close to the surface on one side so I think I'll just stand it straight on the ground.

I've not yet decided on how to make the containing wall, the liner I already have. Aside from masonry, what do other people use for free standing 5 foot diameter ponds? Obviously when finished the wall will no longer be visible because of the rockery.


Tom

Hi Tom sounds like a good Idea, when I built mine I had a sloping garden so I had virtually the same problem I dug out the slope and then used Railway sleepers to build the sides. This gave me a raised pond and garden which protected the fish from children and children from falling in. Obviously you can then make the pond as deep as you like. Tony

On 1 July, 15:29, tomsimmons
wrote:
OK

Been side tracked for the last week or so....

So I've been thinking about how to build the wall of my pond. Having
probed the ground of the intended location, the rock is very close to
the surface on one side so I think I'll just stand it straight on the
ground.

I've not yet decided on how to make the containing wall, the liner I
already have. Aside from masonry, what do other people use for free
standing 5 foot diameter ponds? Obviously when finished the wall will
no longer be visible because of the rockery.

For my 1 foot deep pond/fountain/paddling pool I'm using aircrete
blocks layed on their side. My main concern with the blocks (or any
other masony) is the sideways pressure the water can exert. Obviously
if it sits inside a large waste pipe, that takes care of that problem.

Matt

Hi

Well I'm hoping to avoid any masonry/concrete work. Not least because it saves having to "plaster" the mason for a waterproof finish, or plaster/coat it with something that won't shred the liner.

Because I didn't have any luck locating a section or utility pipe, I've looked else where for a plastic pond, mainly at a preformed "bucket" for the job. However having discovered these were about £250, that idea has been kicked into touch as well.

I have an idea I'm prototyping for a plastic, circular retaining wall that will then have a standard liner draped in it. I hope report back on how it works out.


Tom

On 2 July, 23:11, tomsimmons
wrote:
Well I'm hoping to avoid any masonry/concrete work. Not least because
it saves having to "plaster" the mason for a waterproof finish, or
plaster/coat it with something that won't shred the liner.

My masonary work will be lined with a liner too, so no concreting for
me.I just need to make sure I've got some sand or similar cusioning
between the liner and block work.

Mine was built specifically for koi in a northern cold climate and in a small back
yard, so I built it 1.5 feet up and 2.5 feet down. I built it with a stud wall out
of pressure treated lumber. http://weloveteaching.com/mypond/mypond.htm
My veggie filter sits on top of it and is more than adequate for the 22 koi I have.
It is easy to keep netting over it, easy to put plastic over it in winter and I do
heat it a bit to cut down on the time my koi arent eating and even out the
temperature variation in fall and spring. Ingrid
Somewhere between zone 5 and 6 tucked along the shore of Lake Michigan
on the council grounds of the Fox, Mascouten, Potawatomi, and Winnebago

In article
,
matthelliwell wrote:

On 2 July, 23:11, tomsimmons
wrote:
Well I'm hoping to avoid any masonry/concrete work. Not least because
it saves having to "plaster" the mason for a waterproof finish, or
plaster/coat it with something that won't shred the liner.

My masonary work will be lined with a liner too, so no concreting for
me.I just need to make sure I've got some sand or similar cusioning
between the liner and block work.

Old carpet or that cloth pond liner underneath is the ticket.

--
To reply by email, remove the word "space"

I tried the old carpet underneath and was massively unimpressed. Old carpet is stiff
and weighs a ton, a real gut buster to get it in place. the cotton jute backing rots
and if the liner needs to be removed it is mold central.

OTOH, the foam underlay that goes under the carpet is fantastic. It is light as a
feather, can easily be torn or cut to fit into shape and a little duct tape holds it.
After a few years it was still "springy" underfoot. Have spent anytime in the pond
lately (having learned my lesson). It is well worth it to get NEW foam underlay,
carpet places may have ends or pieces cheap, because old foam may have staples and it
just isnt worth it to lay that expensive liner only to have it spring a leak.

Ingrid

Old carpet or that cloth pond liner underneath is the ticket.
Somewhere between zone 5 and 6 tucked along the shore of Lake Michigan
on the council grounds of the Fox, Mascouten, Potawatomi, and Winnebago

On 6 July, 16:39, wrote:
OTOH, the foam underlay that goes under the carpet is fantastic. It is li
ght as a
feather, can easily be torn or cut to fit into shape and a little duct ta
pe holds it.
After a few years it was still "springy" underfoot. Have spent anytime
in the pond
lately (having learned my lesson). It is well worth it to get NEW foam
underlay,
carpet places may have ends or pieces cheap, because old foam may have st
aples and it
just isnt worth it to lay that expensive liner only to have it spring a l
eak.

Foam underlying sounds like a good idea. On mine, I'm still going to
put sand on the base because it is very uneven and I can use the sand
to even it out more easily. But underlying on the sides should be
simple. There's even a carpet shop near me that puts (new) offcuts of
underlay in a skip outside their shop so I might be doing a bit of
skip diving soon.

Matt

Afternoon All

Well after some thinking and some playing I have my proof of concept. As you'll see this is just roughly set up, not in correct location or any levelling done. And that pathetic fountain was simply testing a cast off that I was given ages back. This has been sat for a little while now, not as long as the colour of the water would make out, that came from rain buts amougst other things.

The liner doesn't require protection from the sides, and where it'll sit on the ground I'm, just going to check for anything nasty, then put a layer of seived dirt down, saves another pretty penny on buying sand.

Next step is to sort out where it's really going to go, pump the water back out move it and pump the water back in. Then it'll be the task of landscaping the ground around it.

Tom

OK, for some reason regardless of how small I make the image, it just says upload failed.

Any ideas?


Tom