Outdoor pond - Page 4

Posted by aemeijers on October 3, 2009, 6:04 pm

windcrest wrote:

>> Have any of you ever built an outdoor pond? I'm curious whether I
>> really need to use 45 mil pond liner, or can I save $$$ and go with 20
>> mil for about 30% less?
>> I'm in NC, if it matters.

>
> I built an outdoor pond, and never will do it again. Mine was only 4
> feet deep, all the fish froze to death over the winter (Chicago) (it
> should have been minimum 6 feet deep). I also regret not installing a
> bottom drain return for the bio filter, as that would have kept the
> bottom clean. If I did go 6 feet I would have had too much ground
> water pushing the liner back up. Also if it is not on perfectly level
> ground you'll get runoff into the pond and liner lift out, mine was on
> a very slight slope which was problematic. All in all I learned a
> lot, it was hard work and cost a lot of money to build. After built
> it was a constant source of maintenance work and little jabs from the
> wife worrying about a neighbor kid falling into it. Both of these
> were not worth it. But it did look pretty with the lilypads and fake
> koi (colored goldfish that look like koi but are 1/16th the price).
>
> I would never have another pond in suburbia, maybe on a farm if I
> could do it naturally by tapping a spring or artesian well and use a
> clay bottom.
>
> After 2 years I pulled the liner and filled it with black dirt, now
> its a vegetable garden and I have bought myself back many months of
> living doing other things I enjoy more.
>

I would tend to agree, based on ponds I have known. (Space and money for
one of my own being way above me on the food chain.) Sort of like
swimming pools and outdoor hot tubs- once the novelty wears off, they
are a PITA hole in the ground you pour money and time into. If I were
to hit the lotto and build a rural dream house, a water feature would be
appealing, but it would have to be something that was an adaptation of
existing waterflow on the the property (assuming the PTB allow modifying
existing waterflow in the area), and self-maintaining.

--
aem sends...

Posted by Jim Elbrecht on October 3, 2009, 9:18 pm

-snip-

>I would tend to agree, based on ponds I have known. (Space and money for
>one of my own being way above me on the food chain.) Sort of like
>swimming pools and outdoor hot tubs- once the novelty wears off, they
>are a PITA hole in the ground you pour money and time into.

Different stokes. . . I find the pond and hot tub to be very low
maintainence. [The pool wasn't bad if you kept plugging along at it
15 minutes every day- I don't spend that in a week on either the hot
tub or pond]

Jim

Posted by benick on October 4, 2009, 12:01 pm

> windcrest wrote:

>>> Have any of you ever built an outdoor pond? I'm curious whether I
>>> really need to use 45 mil pond liner, or can I save $$$ and go with 20
>>> mil for about 30% less?
>>> I'm in NC, if it matters.

>> I built an outdoor pond, and never will do it again. Mine was only 4
>> feet deep, all the fish froze to death over the winter (Chicago) (it
>> should have been minimum 6 feet deep). I also regret not installing a
>> bottom drain return for the bio filter, as that would have kept the
>> bottom clean. If I did go 6 feet I would have had too much ground
>> water pushing the liner back up. Also if it is not on perfectly level
>> ground you'll get runoff into the pond and liner lift out, mine was on
>> a very slight slope which was problematic. All in all I learned a
>> lot, it was hard work and cost a lot of money to build. After built
>> it was a constant source of maintenance work and little jabs from the
>> wife worrying about a neighbor kid falling into it. Both of these
>> were not worth it. But it did look pretty with the lilypads and fake
>> koi (colored goldfish that look like koi but are 1/16th the price).
>> I would never have another pond in suburbia, maybe on a farm if I
>> could do it naturally by tapping a spring or artesian well and use a
>> clay bottom.
>> After 2 years I pulled the liner and filled it with black dirt, now
>> its a vegetable garden and I have bought myself back many months of
>> living doing other things I enjoy more.

> I would tend to agree, based on ponds I have known. (Space and money for
> one of my own being way above me on the food chain.) Sort of like swimming
> pools and outdoor hot tubs- once the novelty wears off, they are a PITA
> hole in the ground you pour money and time into. If I were to hit the
> lotto and build a rural dream house, a water feature would be appealing,
> but it would have to be something that was an adaptation of existing
> waterflow on the the property (assuming the PTB allow modifying existing
> waterflow in the area), and self-maintaining.
> --
> aem sends...

So very true...I know several people , my brother included that have had a
pool installed and then taken out...A ROYAL PITA for such a short season
here in Maine...3 months use at most....Especially if both hubby and wife
both work..A house I was just recently doing drywall at was having their
pond and waterfall removed...They were tired of constantly screwing with
it...He said they just get it looking good and then it's time to close it
down for the winter..LOL ...

If I had my way I would pave the whole damn yard with asphalt so I could
have my weekends back...I'll be damned if I would add a pond , pool or hot
tub to my honey do list...LOL...Maybe AFTER retirement when I'm living in
Florida...LOL...

Posted by Phisherman on October 3, 2009, 5:40 pm

On Fri, 2 Oct 2009 19:55:07 -0700 (PDT), Jason Carlton

>Have any of you ever built an outdoor pond? I'm curious whether I
>really need to use 45 mil pond liner, or can I save $$$ and go with 20
>mil for about 30% less?
>I'm in NC, if it matters.

I have a pond and it does not have a liner. We dug it out by hand,
hold about 6000 gallons, fed by springs and overflow pipe to a brook.
The overflow has been running about 15 years, about 2 gallons a
minute.

Posted by Doug Brown on October 5, 2009, 8:37 pm

> Have any of you ever built an outdoor pond? I'm curious whether I
> really need to use 45 mil pond liner, or can I save $$$ and go with 20
> mil for about 30% less?
> I'm in NC, if it matters.

I know I risk starting a war here but you don't have to use pond liner. 45
mil EPDM roofing material is the same thing. Make sure it is not treated
for mildew etc. but I used this in a pond for ~ 12 years with no ill
effects. If there is a commercial roofing company near you you can probably
buy left over material for a very good price.

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