Gonna Build a Little Pond

[Amarok]

a good plan from start to finish

Is this good? Remains to be seen, but this is the general plan.

The precise areas of the different depths is TBD, and the shapes will be less regular(and I may go a bit deeper in the middle.
There will be some form of aeration, but until the various flora become established, there's no rush. I won't be adding any fish until the ecosystem is getting established, including in the filter, so there shouldn't be much of a need for a while

Going to have a hardware cloth underlay and likely some landscape cloth as well, then the liner, then various sizes of rocks to secure the verticals and cover the flats.

The pump will have a natural-look wall around it and a weir to create surface tension and act as a skimmer. It will feed into the bottom of the bio-filter and emerge to be routed back to the pond. Routing is TBD to minimize "dead" spots where debris can accumulate. The fairly regular overall shape should help with that.

Piping, ducting and wiring will be hidden as best I can until the plant life can hide it properly.
There will be a berm around the outside which will be wider at the rear to support the piping/outflow and also hide the filter barrel. The barrel will have a drain/flush valve which will feed to the flower and berry garden at the rear

Speaking on crows

They gave me so much pleasure last year.
Pretty sure one of the two babies is back. She's small and the least fearful of the bunch. She's sat above me and made the "friend" sound a few times already in the last few days.

Last year me and the crows had my yard to ourselves. The nesting pair and I would put the run on squirrels and cats and magpies. It will be interesting to see what the pond brings. I just hope the deer don't start jumping the fence. I don't need that hassle.

 

[Bullfrog]

Is this good? Remains to be seen, but this is the general plan.

The precise areas of the different depths is TBD, and the shapes will be less regular(and I may go a bit deeper in the middle.
There will be some form of aeration, but until the various flora become established, there's no rush. I won't be adding any fish until the ecosystem is getting established, including in the filter, so there shouldn't be much of a need for a while

Going to have a hardware cloth underlay and likely some landscape cloth as well, then the liner, then various sizes of rocks to secure the verticals and cover the flats.

The pump will have a natural-look wall around it and a weir to create surface tension and act as a skimmer. It will feed into the bottom of the bio-filter and emerge to be routed back to the pond. Routing is TBD to minimize "dead" spots where debris can accumulate. The fairly regular overall shape should help with that.

Piping, ducting and wiring will be hidden as best I can until the plant life can hide it properly.
There will be a berm around the outside which will be wider at the rear to support the piping/outflow and also hide the filter barrel. The barrel will have a drain/flush valve which will feed to the flower and berry garden at the rear


View attachment 163774


They gave me so much pleasure last year.
Pretty sure one of the two babies is back. She's small and the least fearful of the bunch. She's sat above me and made the "friend" sound a few times already in the last few days.

Last year me and the crows had my yard to ourselves. The nesting pair and I would put the run on squirrels and cats and magpies. It will be interesting to see what the pond brings. I just hope the deer don't start jumping the fence. I don't need that hassle.

Looks great and you've done your homework. Looks like you're ready for the fun part. Great idea on the hardware cloth to keep critters from digging in, just be sure to bury that stuff as it can be pretty sharp. I can picture a gorgeous natural pond in my head, sure would love to see progress and especially the finish. Your little slice definitely sounds like heaven. I admire what you've done for yourself. All that ice fishing, dude so envious over here. My dad and I ice fished a lot, but we never made it out even close to 50 times a season. I live in a rural area, but it's grown up so much since I was a kid. Not many private recreation areas left anymore, seems like there's a crowd everywhere, way less room for wildlife too.

 

[Amarok]

I can picture a gorgeous natural pond in my head, sure would love to see progress and especially the finish. Your little slice definitely sounds like heaven. I admire what you've done for yourself. All that ice fishing, dude so envious over here. My dad and I ice fished a lot, but we never made it out even close to 50 times a season. I live in a rural area, but it's grown up so much since I was a kid. Not many private recreation areas left anymore, seems like there's a crowd everywhere, way less room for wildlife too.

Thanks, man.

I have very simple needs and wants, so I'm able to spend time and resources on those few things that matter to me.

It was a wonderful experience to get that many ice fishing trips in. Not going to look right now, but I think I only got skunked maybe 4 or 5 times. It was pretty fun. I designed, built, and tested various devices and contraptions, some successful, some not. I fished a number of new lakes. I figure I pulled my gear somewhere between 50 and 80 km through the snow over the course of the winter(very much a rough estimate). I have trouble thinking of a better way to spend the season.

I'll get out at least 100 times before freeze-up. It's so much easier in the summer.
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The pond you are picturing sounds like the one I'm trying to build: all natural rock and plants, with a steady stream of flying visitors and supporting healthy aquatic life. Done right it will require almost no maintenance.

Excavation will begin in the next few days.

 

[Bullfrog]

Thanks, man.

I have very simple needs and wants, so I'm able to spend time and resources on those few things that matter to me.

It was a wonderful experience to get that many ice fishing trips in. Not going to look right now, but I think I only got skunked maybe 4 or 5 times. It was pretty fun. I designed, built, and tested various devices and contraptions, some successful, some not. I fished a number of new lakes. I figure I pulled my gear somewhere between 50 and 80 km through the snow over the course of the winter(very much a rough estimate). I have trouble thinking of a better way to spend the season.

I'll get out at least 100 times before freeze-up. It's so much easier in the summer.
----------------------

The pond you are picturing sounds like the one I'm trying to build: all natural rock and plants, with a steady stream of flying visitors and supporting healthy aquatic life. Done right it will require almost no maintenance.

Excavation will begin in the next few days.

I'm picturing lily pads Seriously though, you describe the picture perfectly. Can't wait to see your vision come into reality.

I'm a simple man also. Seems like the simplest things are the most rewarding. Took me too long to realize it though.

I used to fish a lot, but things happened, and I've gotten away from it. Don't go nearly often enough. Did get to take my nephew out fishing for a couple days last fall. Went camping on a small lake with a good population of largemouth. We both caught well over 20 fish over the weekend. The boy got the biggest, it was only 16in but he got it right off the campsite, he'd been fishing that spot off and on all day. Not to mention all the other campers that fished that spot all summer long. They only have to be 14 in to keep so I was pretty shocked to see him hook that fish. He was cool with letting her go, so his mom snapped a pic and she went back home. When I was 20, I caught my biggest largemouth ever in that same lake, it was 26 in and went right back in the water, didn't even get a picture, I'll never forget though. My buddy caught a bass the same size two weeks later, he was into taxidermy and took it home. Now it's on his wall. Weighed in at over 8lbs. Back then the lake was beaver infested so there were trees everywhere, it was quite the feat to land a fish like that from shore. Not to mention that's a huge largemouth anywhere north of the 45th parallel. Gets the blood a pumpin for sure.

I hadn't been to the lake in a good 10 years probably and it's changed a ton. There's a what was a two track now a ORV trail above the back side of the lake, that's where the good fishing was. Well that shore line has totally changed due to the side by sides people tear up and down that trail. It's not a two track anymore it's a 30' wide sand trail and there's a big wash at one end of the lake just dumping sand into the lake. Doesn't seem to have done the aquatic life any favors. Campground side doesn't seem to have changed though. Still a lot of fish, just a little smaller, used to be trout in there too but I'm skeptical if there still there.

I didn't get out once this ice season, I messed up a finger in Dec. and it's just so sore, especially when it gets cold. Being on the ice would probably get old real fast. Only got out 3 times the season before. So sad

I'll be watching this thread for updates. Thanks for sharing all you do!

 

[Amarok]

Not going to look right now, but I think I only got skunked maybe 4 or 5 times.

I checked the records.

I got skunked 2 times in the first 8 days of the season when there wasn't much ice and I was just happy to be out. I got skunked once in January at one of my local lakes and once at a new lake. The final time was when I hauled everything a long way in to another new lake, than a long way out on the lake, before learning it was dead. The water stunk and there was SFA living there.

That's 45/50 trips with fish caught. Hard to complain about that.

 

[Hugh Jass]

That's 45/50 trips with fish caught. Hard to complain about that.

Well, you're no Mrs. @Ramjet159 , but I reckon 90% is still an 'A' these days. Prolly even higher in Canadia.

I give up, what's SFA? Small Furry Animals? Senior Field Agent? Space Force Association?

 

[Amarok]

SFA?

 

[Hugh Jass]

10-4... Here's hoping you draw in some cool critters

 

[Bullfrog]

I checked the records.

I got skunked 2 times in the first 8 days of the season when there wasn't much ice and I was just happy to be out. I got skunked once in January at one of my local lakes and once at a new lake. The final time was when I hauled everything a long way in to another new lake, than a long way out on the lake, before learning it was dead. The water stunk and there was SFA living there.

That's 45/50 trips with fish caught. Hard to complain about that.

That's great man really enjoyed all the photo's you posted. I'm not a bad fisherman, just severely out of practice. If you count catching any fish towards the skunk, then I don't remember the last time I was skunked, probably back when I had a boat. Ice fishing, I can always catch small perch with my marmish rod and some larvae. One slow day I was messing with some 4"perch in 24 fow just for fun, and a big brown trout came in and nailed my maggot. 1# fluorocarbon line on a marmish rod isn't ideal for catching big trout. Took 10 minutes before I even saw the fish, it would run circles around the hole dragging the line on the edge of the hole. Don't know how that line held up. Fish was 23", guessing 4 or 5 pounds, and stunning. Took that one home and the family had fish nuggets. I do have an old photo of that fish somewhere.

 

[Amarok]

Here's hoping you draw in some cool critters

I was just out with one of my crows. That's all the cool I need.

There were two babies last year. One was a rowdy, goofy little shit I called Baby Shark because he loved splashing and playing in the water tubs I put out. The other was far more reserved but still awesome, I can't recall what I was calling her, but pretty sure she's back. I saw her through the window, hopping around the back yard like she did as a fledgling. I went out and while the others still fly when I show up, she just waited for me to toss out some food and she hopped right over for breakfast.

 

[Amarok]

Yay! Puttering in the yard season is back!

The pond outline has been measured and laid out and dirt removal has begun. Lots of frost still, so it will go in little spurts as the thaw progresses. Raked and bagged some leaves and caught up with the neighbor, saw some new green in the lawn, just little stuff that makes me happy.

 

[Jewels]

Saw my first Robin, yesterday.

 

[Amarok]

Saw my first Robin, yesterday.

Just corvids and chickadees and geese here so far.
Snow is going fast. Things are going to start happening quickly now.

 

[Hugh Jass]

I was just out with one of my crows. That's all the cool I need.

Perhaps I should've said, "Hope it draws additional cool creatures to the ones you already have."
I love crows, and you won't find any smarter critters to hang out with.

And here I am with my first tick bite already... Seems almost like summer down here.

 

[Amarok]

First lift of dirt has been removed from the 12 x 7 outline. I'm actually a bit surprised how quickly it went. Once I get past the depth used for the garden I assume it will get tougher.
It will take one or two more lifts to get the entire area down about 14-15 inches deep, but that will be over 2/3's of the total for the entire pond(yay math). The 2 and 3 foot areas are much smaller.

Weather is supposed to be cold and shitty tomorrow but that's okay. It will shut me down so I can't too much too fast and end up paying the price physically. Been a long time since I spent any significant time running a goon spoon and my lower back needs some toughening up.

 

[Amarok]

And here I am with my first tick bite already.

I've been happy to see the spiders coming back, especially in the basement. I need some reinforcements in the mite wars.

Surprised even ticks want a bite of your leathery old hide.

 

[Psychobilly]

I've been happy to see the spiders coming back, especially in the basement. I need some reinforcements in the mite wars.

Surprised even ticks want a bite of your leathery old hide.

Well given his climate in Summer they probably get desperate

 

[Amarok]

I'm typing with a big smile on my face. I was in the kitchen and saw a crow shadow cross the window so I went outside. A familiar looking figure was standing on the lawn looking up at me.

He went up to the nearest branch while I tossed out some food and he swooped down and started filling his beak. After I got a better look, I'm almost certain that this is the male from last year, the one that always looked like he'd been on a bender the night before. He made a few stashes around the lawn with the loot before flying up and landing on the little deck I made for them last year. He knew there was no food. He just landed there, 6 or 7 feet away, and looked at me for a couple seconds before going about his business.

I wondered if I'd recognize returners, but between his size, bedraggled look, and his familiarity and comfort with me, there isn't much doubt.

 

[Amarok]

Progress has been pretty slow, at least as far as finishing off the digging. It has been cold and windy here and being outside isn't much fun. I did go pick up a load of large rocks with my neighbor for shaping the pond, and I've been continuing to assemble fittings and to read and research. I'll be getting some cheap gravel from the county once the piles thaw. Mostly just smaller things left to obtain.

Been getting back into a bit of a rhythm with my crows. The murder is splitting off into family units and a few times every day I'll see a shadow across my curtain or hear Scruff letting me know he's arrived. I'll go outside and he'll be sitting on the perch I made, with the yearling in the tree right above. I'll throw out some food and he'll gather and stash. Often the little one will make happy noises at me, but she hasn't been feeding while I'm there. I'm curious to see if Scruff finds a mate for this season or if it will just be the little family of two.

 

[Amarok]

I would estimate 90%+ of the earth removal is done and the plan is becoming more set. The main reason I have been going so slowly is that I am still learning and planning and adapting and re-planning. The secondary reason is I'm lazy. The third is that all the stores are an hour away.

I just finished installing the bulkhead fitting on my bio filter so now I can work on the inside. It is already 2/3's covered by the berm that will form the return stream. Once I finish shaping the berm, I'll be adding hardware cloth so it doesn't end up full of burrows.

Hoping to get the small rocks delivered next week and planning to start putting things back into the hole soon after. I also have to run the power for the pump, and an airline, from the garage. It only has to go a few feet but there is a sidewalk to cross. Sidewalk butts right up the the concrete pad the garage is on so going under isn't an option without jackhammering, and that isn't going to happen.

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Every day there's a bit more green and a new bird singing in the choir. I've got a pair of bluejays gathering nest material and there may be a red-winged blackbird nest in the trees at the rear of the yard. I'm sure hearing them a lot, anyway.
Now if I can only catch a fish one of these days.