Making a pond

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Making a pond
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Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Sat May 26, 12 7:26 am Post subject: Making a pond
We are planning a quite large pond on part of the lawn. It's a bit that tends to be soggy all winter and it would be rather good if it filled and stayed full on it's own. Assuming it doesn't though, what should we use to keep the water in? What have you used that was successful? It will be roughly 20' x 15'.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15433
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Sat May 26, 12 2:55 pm Post subject:
Pond liner or clay are the usual things.

Went

Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 6968

Posted: Sat May 26, 12 3:11 pm Post subject:
Liners need lining so old carpets, rugs, clothing, cardboard, sand - keep them in mind as they work well for lining the liner. We used Butyl but for your size pond it would be expensive so you might want a high grade PVC.

misty07

Joined: 22 Jan 2010
Posts: 2223
Location: swindon wiltshire

Posted: Sat May 26, 12 3:22 pm Post subject:

Gawber wrote:

Liners need lining so old carpets, rugs, clothing, cardboard, sand - keep them in mind as they work well for lining the liner. We used Butyl but for your size pond it would be expensive so you might want a high grade PVC.

also roofing insulation. fiberglass

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15433
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Sat May 26, 12 3:41 pm Post subject:
I'm wondering what would happen if you used lots of newspaper layered together with vegetable grease...

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sat May 26, 12 4:10 pm Post subject:
Wouldn't the paper disintegrate as the oil rose to float on the water? What are you after, self battering fish?

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15433
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Sat May 26, 12 9:31 pm Post subject:

Nick wrote:

Wouldn't the paper disintegrate as the oil rose to float on the water? What are you after, self battering fish?

Would the grease separate from the paper? And the paper wouldn't float easily if it was weighted down with mud.
But plant roots would easily penetrate it and cause leaks... OK, back to the drawing board...

hardworkinghippy

Joined: 01 Jan 2005
Posts: 1110
Location: Bourrou South West France

Posted: Sun May 27, 12 9:56 pm Post subject:

Good try though Hairyloon !

Have you dug the pond yet Cathryn ? From what you've said, it sounds as though you may have a clay soil.

After it's dug, play with the earth that's on the bottom of the pond. If it's sticky clay you could be lucky and all that it needs is a bit of puddling to keep it watertight. That can be done by (ideally) a few pigs rolling in it for a week or so to flatten the clay but if that's not possible, then some daft pals with wellies on can do the job in an afternoon.

Wait for the rain and see how the pond holds water. If there's a leak, put back some clay that you've taken out and puddle it again.

We've made loads of ponds like this and although we live in a dry climate most of them hold water all year round.

This is after a year - puddled by foot :

This one was puddled by our pigs and has never been dry :

Try the clay first and if the pond doesn't hold water then you can use butyl - what have you got to lose ?

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Wed May 30, 12 10:08 am Post subject:
It will be dug today or tomorrow and yes I am going to keep my fingers crossed and hope it holds water. In fact I've been advised that it's a hole not a pond, as a hole invariably fills with water. A pond inevitably empties. Lovely pond you have there. Just what I fancy. We do have a spaniel though.

hardworkinghippy

Joined: 01 Jan 2005
Posts: 1110
Location: Bourrou South West France

Posted: Wed May 30, 12 11:13 am Post subject:
We have five Dachshunds who love water too ! We also have one of these, so the temptation to make more ponds is extreme.....

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Wed May 30, 12 11:39 am Post subject:
Yes, that looks rather like the one we are using at the moment. Just dug a deep hole for a septic tank. It's not too far from where I'd like the pond dug. It's through a lot of shale but the top layer is clay. Hurrah! There is water already seeping into it. I am feeling hopeful but I have also come in to price up liner.

Toffer

Joined: 01 Nov 2009
Posts: 247
Location: Sutton St Edmund, Lincs

Posted: Wed May 30, 12 12:10 pm Post subject:
We're always taken with the idea of a pond somewhere too, we're Easy Anglia though so not sure if there's enough clay in our silt to make it watertight. Would be interested to know from those with experience if it's possible to make a relatively large pond with a modest digger, say micro or mini, if you're patient?

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15433
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Wed May 30, 12 7:33 pm Post subject:

Toffer wrote:

Would be interested to know from those with experience if it's possible to make a relatively large pond with a modest digger, say micro or mini, if you're patient?

Why would it not be?
You can make a large pond with a small spade if you have the time and energy.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Wed May 30, 12 9:19 pm Post subject:

Hairyloon wrote:

Toffer wrote:

Would be interested to know from those with experience if it's possible to make a relatively large pond with a modest digger, say micro or mini, if you're patient?

Why would it not be?
You can make a large pond with a small spade if you have the time and energy.

Of course it is, but why would you want to? We dug a pond big enough to bury the machine in with a 5t one iirc, it took a couple of days though. Have just been watching loads of newts & a few fish catching flies in it tonight - best thing we ever did was digging out that pond.

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Wed May 30, 12 9:48 pm Post subject:
I remember, your pond is just the kind I would like. Did you have to line it? I imagine not.

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