pics/writeup of my waterpond install [Archive]

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TNathe

05-17-2006, 11:21 PM

Sorry I don't have any pictures of the progress throughout the build but I will describe to the best of my ability.

-First I opted NOT to go with one of those preformed liner deals, to me they restrict what you can create and the size of your pond. Lowe's and Home Depot both sell pond liner that is very heavy rubber lining and feels like a thick innertube.

-I got busy digging the hole where I wanted the pond. It is recommended you get it AT LEAST 3 foot deep in the deep end if you plan to put fish in it. THe deep part of mine is right in front of the waterfall and is about waist deep. Most of the dirt dug was placed in a mound where I wanted the waterfall as this would form the mound for it.

-THe pond bottom was dug as so

_ ---- < ground level
\ |
\ /--- < first shelf for plants/rockes
\ /------ < second shelf
------ < deep end of pond

- After the hole was dug I placed the liner in the bottom as well as covering the mound of dirt where the waterfall will be

- stretch the liner to the best of your ability to get wrinkles out and begin filling

- For the waterfall, I dug a ravine in the face of the mound that will allow the water to flow down it. At the top of the mound I dug a hole that will serve as the pool for waterfall to begin to cascade out of. I placed rocks in this ravine but alas, the water flows behind the rocks instead of on top. I did not want to mortar my rocks in so to solve the problem I began at the bottom of the mound and layed one single course of rock. After that I took the liner and folded it over the first course and packed dirt behind it then pulled it back till the liner overlapped about half of the first course. Then a layed the second and so on and so on...THis allows any water that gets behind the rock to come out and on top of the next course of rock.

-I am still not completely done, just need to add some plants to hide the liner sides and plant some things on the mound surrounding the waterfall. Total cost thus far is ~$200 and the rock came from my yard so that is just from the liner and pond pump which is actually a 1/6hp sump pump. They pump more water and are cheaper than pumps made for "waterfalls" in the garden section of the hardware stores.

Heres some pics

http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/data/500/pond_10.JPG

THis shows the first shelf in the pond where plants/rocks will be placed
http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/data/500/pond_11.JPG

Here you can see the folds in the liner between the rocks allowing the water to flow over each course of rock without using mortar

http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/data/500/pond_6.JPG
http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/data/500/pond_2.JPG

http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/data/500/pond_1.JPG
http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/data/500/pond_9.JPG

XtremeSaturn

05-17-2006, 11:47 PM

interesting.

TNathe

05-17-2006, 11:52 PM

:lol: "interesting" :lol:

Guado

05-18-2006, 12:47 AM

Looks really good! I never knew they had liner like that. I never liked the size of the premade things. Thanks for posting this up!

XtremeSaturn

05-18-2006, 07:23 AM

I don't like the preformed ones either and have been thinking about doing the liner thing. The only thing is that I have a black lab that loves water so she'll probably jump in. Either I'll need a bunch of various sized rocks in the bottom and on the ledges so she doesn't tear it over time or just get the preformed deals.

XtremeSaturn

05-18-2006, 07:25 AM

Forgot to ask, did you use the expanding foam stuff behind the rocks or was it all the folded liner technique on the waterfall?

TNathe

05-18-2006, 09:31 AM

I thought about the expanded foam on the waterfall but for now it is just the folded liner method. I like to tinker with it alot. Move a rock here or there to adjust the flow pattern and stuff. My dog used to love to go swimming in it. I doubt your dog will put a hole in the liner. It's 40mil thick and heavy as a son of a b*t(h. Like I said, it feels like a heavy innertube.

Kristin

05-18-2006, 10:31 AM

Not bad at all. Just throw in some plants and flowers to hid the edges! :)

XtremeSaturn

05-26-2006, 12:46 PM

What are you using for a filter? I found a cheap DIY filter that seems to work well for around $150 instead of the $700+ Biofalls.

www.skippysstuff.com/biofiltr.htm

TNathe

05-26-2006, 04:00 PM

pfft! filter schmilter. Its just a sump pump at the bottom of the pond in a bucket with very fine wire screen to keep out trash from getting sucked into the pump. As long as there is water flowing all is well IMO. Im not doing any biofilter crap, my fish are still alive and I plan to add some aquatic plants to the pond to provide a more ecosystem-like habitat that will proved more oxygen for the fish as well as other bio who knows what. In other words. I believe (as i have tested in my home aquarium) if you provide your fish with a home similar to what they live in in the wild, mother nature will take care of it.

NOTE:If you look at the rock you will see algea on them, a key ingrediant to the hole biological process. Leaves and other debris make there way into the pond to form a natural bottom as well. Granted you should rake some of the leaves out but a natural bottom is important IMO.

Clint

06-02-2006, 06:30 PM

Thats sweet... My mom's new house has a little fish/koi pond, I really would love to make one of my own here..

JERSEYGURL

06-03-2006, 01:43 AM

Wow that looks GREAT....

TNathe

08-03-2006, 12:01 AM

time for some updated pics from this past weekend. I replace my 1500gph pump with a 2000gph pump and what a difference, then again I am now running a 1 inch line. NOTE: Run the same size line as the output of your pump. My original setup had like a 3/4" output and i was running a reducer to an elbow that went from 3/4" to 3/8", man did that kill the waterflow. So yeah, on with the pics.

25 bags of 1/2 cu ft brown river rock from Lowes.
http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/data/500/pond_new_2.JPG

http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/data/500/pond_new_5.JPG

This will be the view from the jacuzzi
http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/data/500/pond_new_4.JPG

pitch dark outside except for underwater lighting
http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/data/500/pond_new_1.JPG
http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/data/500/pond_new_7.JPG

I still need to landscape the side of the mound just trying to find a low creeping flowering plant that is easy to maintain.

Tomorrow UPS should be bringing my all my outdoor lighting to help brighten things up out here in the boonies. Look for that in my outdoor lighting thread. :)

buck19

08-06-2006, 10:43 PM

Have you thought about LED strings under thick shrubbery around the parameter?

buck19

08-06-2006, 11:09 PM

I recomend Lemon Grass. When you prune the dead leaves out once every month or 3 the whole backyard will smell like sweet lemons for days. It'll grow about 4ft tall in the 1st year and flow outwards the same length. They tend to not get much larger. Very hardy plants compared to Red Sea Oats that died after their first hurricane.

Treysdad

08-07-2006, 12:39 PM

That really looks good. I have a fairly decent sized backyard and have considered putting in a pond of sorts around the tree in the back. Is that even possible?

TNathe

08-07-2006, 12:43 PM

around the tree as in tree is in the middle of the pond? What kind of tree. A tree that grow from a bulb (like a palm) would be doable, but something like a large old oak tree would be a bad idea as to dig the pond youd be cutting all of its roots which will inevitably kill it. How big and what kind of tree. If the tree isnt that huge you could start you pond out about 4 or 5 feet from the center of the tree and the tree could be an "island" in the middle of your pond wich i think would actually be pimp as shit.

NeENeRs

08-07-2006, 03:01 PM

holy shit that's awesome!
i want a house so james and i can do gangster shit like that

Treysdad

08-07-2006, 10:29 PM