Show us ya pond!

[PyreneesPlot]

Here's ours, built last May. No pictures from this year yet as it looks a little sorry - a deer fell in it on Christmas Day and we've had problems with water getting behind the liner which has bulged out and fallen into the water on one side.

First hole dug by mate with digger, and then refined by hand and spade/mattock.

Filled but before the edge had been finished.

Late summer - needs a lot of plants to reduce the surface area.

This spring it is full of beetles, boatman, pondskaters and newts, but no frogs. Having said that, I've never seen frogs here, although loads of toads!

More pictures and info here Stella in the Pyrenees : Building a Pond

[Bigmallly]

Thanks for the inspiration guys. I'm having issues with seepage at the moment. Due to it being on boggy ground & filled from a stream, it was filling up as I was digging it out so wasn't able to fit a liner. Anyhow it appears the seepage is greater than the inflow but I think it is down to the limited rainfall we have had & the stream is running really slow so basically I have a tidal pond.................

[Bill HH]

Thanks for the inspiration guys. I'm having issues with seepage at the moment. Due to it being on boggy ground & filled from a stream, it was filling up as I was digging it out so wasn't able to fit a liner. Anyhow it appears the seepage is greater than the inflow but I think it is down to the limited rainfall we have had & the stream is running really slow so basically I have a tidal pond.................

[ATTACH=CONFIG]43575[/ATTACH]

Limited rainfall! I didnt know you lived in Australia. You know in your heart of hearts there is only one answer to this, it has to have a liner. but how the hell you line a pond with an island in the middle is beyond me other than removing the island and rebuilding it when the liner is installed. Its a damned shame because it looks brliiliant.

[Bigmallly]

Cheers Bill, it's a tricky one cos I cannot get it completely empty due to it filling from underground (about a foot). Then I have an inlet from the stream which would need to go through the liner & be sealed, the same would apply with the overflow back into the stream. The island would be no issue, I'd just cut a big cross in the liner & feed it over the island. Also because it is full of roots, it would need a good depth of sand for the liner to sit on. All in all, although I agree that a liner is the answer, there are too many potential pitfalls to gamble the cost outlay. I'll just have to keep practising my rain dance............

[PyreneesPlot]

Can you line it with clay?
Ours filled from groundwater so had to be bailed before lining, but now the groundwater has filled the space between the liner and the ground.

[Bigmallly]

Just a quick update. I decided to bite the bullet & buy a 26' x 20' liner, anyways I managed to roughly lay it. Just waiting for the sealant to arrive so I can seal the inlet & overflow as the inlet is about 2 foot below water level. Cutting round the island wasn't too bad but will see when I start filling and stretching it.......................watch this space as they say.....................Looks a bit crappy at the mo.

..........

[Bill HH]

I am a born pessimist and I think you will come hate that island, I would have removed it and then used water plants to create a new island on top of the liner. I hope I am wrong because you have put a lot into it.

[Bigmallly]

Cheers Bill, I am winging it as I go along. The main problem I have at the moment is the ground is so spongy due to the water table from the stream, trying to smooth the liner out is gonna be a pig. I have 3 constants to bear in mind, the inlet, outlet & island. I'm not throwing the towel in just yet............I may need one though if I fall in....

[Bill HH]

Cheers Bill, I am winging it as I go along. The main problem I have at the moment is the ground is so spongy due to the water table from the stream, trying to smooth the liner out is gonna be a pig. I have 3 constants to bear in mind, the inlet, outlet & island. I'm not throwing the towel in just yet............I may need one though if I fall in....

Lol. unfortunately throwing the towell in is not an option for us Britains, if it all goes belly up you need a scapegoat, in fact the liner being trampled by goats would be ideal. I sense your determination, daring do and stiff upper lip which can only lead to a magnificent triumph. (Ive just been watching a programme about the ripping yarns series).

[darcyvuqua]

Lol. unfortunately throwing the towell in is not an option for us Britains, if it all goes belly up you need a scapegoat, in fact the liner being trampled by goats would be ideal. I sense your determination, daring do and stiff upper lip which can only lead to a magnificent triumph. (Ive just been watching a programme about the ripping yarns series).

I'd go down the route of It didn't work as there was a little hole in the middle of the liner

[Bigmallly]

Oh ye of little faith..................

[darcyvuqua]

Oh ye of little faith..................

I have loads of faith I wanna see mini monkey island become reality

[Kristen]

The main problem I have at the moment is the ground is so spongy due to the water table from the stream, trying to smooth the liner out is gonna be a pig.

Once you get a bit (less than an inch or so) of water in there you will be able to straighten the liner out, and put folds / pleats where you want them that looks "discrete" etc.

[mothhawk]

It's too late now, but I think I would have removed the plants from the island, and left off cutting the liner around it until the pond was full of water. Then cut it and replaced the plants. If the weight of the water pulls the liner down around the island, it will be a pig to adjust again.

[Bigmallly]

It's too late now, but I think I would have removed the plants from the island, and left off cutting the liner around it until the pond was full of water. Then cut it and replaced the plants. If the weight of the water pulls the liner down around the island, it will be a pig to adjust again.

I know & maybe that is what I should have done. There is loads of excess liner so my plan is to run a pleat along the bottom before I seal the inlet. Fingers crossed it will be enough to take any sinkage.