Looking at building a pond but....

The cost of the skimmer and filter box are expensive ~$500 or more. Has
anyone seen plans to build one? Any special concerns??

Thinking of using either external quality (CDX) or marine grade plywood and
then covering with liner......comments. Expect the pond to be 6 ft x 8 ft
or so and 18-24in deep.

Thanks Daryl

Make your pond bigger! At least deeper in more parts of it!

For my first pond I did what you are proposing and in a few months it was
all tore out and redone!1

--
_______________________________________
"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is
like an eggs-and-ham breakfast:
The chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

http://community.webshots.com/user/godwino

"daryl wilde" wrote in message
...
The cost of the skimmer and filter box are expensive ~$500 or more. Has
anyone seen plans to build one? Any special concerns??

Thinking of using either external quality (CDX) or marine grade plywood
and
then covering with liner......comments. Expect the pond to be 6 ft x 8 ft
or so and 18-24in deep.

Thanks Daryl

Depends on what he wants the pond for. My
largest pond is smaller than the size Daryl's
proposing and it does just fine for me. I only stock
minnows, snails, and whatever else shows up
(toads, frogs, snakes, etc.). No filtration, no
aeration, just lots of plants, water stays clear, and
I don't have to spend most of my life fussing with it!
[The rose garden has me on a really short leash.]

So Daryl - where do you live? If in the far north,
your pond's going to freeze solid in the winter,
hence a deeper pond is advisable. I'm in
Southcentral TX and at worst have a thin sheet of
ice over above-ground ponds, but not yet the
in-ground pond (it's only 2 years old, though).

What do you plan to put in your pond? Goldfish,
koi (pond will need to be much bigger), minnows,
no fish? Will there be shade? Plants?

As long as you use a good liner, the material
it's covering shouldn't make a difference. But
don't stint on the liner.

Gail

"Just Me "Koi"" wrote in message
...
Make your pond bigger! At least deeper in more parts of
it!

For my first pond I did what you are proposing and in a
few months it was
all tore out and redone!1

--
_______________________________________
"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is
like an eggs-and-ham breakfast:
The chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

http://community.webshots.com/user/godwino

"daryl wilde" wrote in message
...
The cost of the skimmer and filter box are expensive
~$500 or more. Has
anyone seen plans to build one? Any special concerns??

Thinking of using either external quality (CDX) or
marine grade plywood
and
then covering with liner......comments. Expect the pond
to be 6 ft x 8 ft
or so and 18-24in deep.

Thanks Daryl

excellent and more complete response! I have Koi in my brain so I think
everyone else will keep Koi!

--
_______________________________________
"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is
like an eggs-and-ham breakfast:
The chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

http://community.webshots.com/user/godwino

"Gail Futoran" wrote in message
...
Depends on what he wants the pond for. My
largest pond is smaller than the size Daryl's
proposing and it does just fine for me. I only stock
minnows, snails, and whatever else shows up
(toads, frogs, snakes, etc.). No filtration, no
aeration, just lots of plants, water stays clear, and
I don't have to spend most of my life fussing with it!
[The rose garden has me on a really short leash.]

So Daryl - where do you live? If in the far north,
your pond's going to freeze solid in the winter,
hence a deeper pond is advisable. I'm in
Southcentral TX and at worst have a thin sheet of
ice over above-ground ponds, but not yet the
in-ground pond (it's only 2 years old, though).

What do you plan to put in your pond? Goldfish,
koi (pond will need to be much bigger), minnows,
no fish? Will there be shade? Plants?

As long as you use a good liner, the material
it's covering shouldn't make a difference. But
don't stint on the liner.

Gail

"Just Me "Koi"" wrote in message
...
Make your pond bigger! At least deeper in more parts of
it!

For my first pond I did what you are proposing and in a
few months it was
all tore out and redone!1

--
_______________________________________
"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is
like an eggs-and-ham breakfast:
The chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

http://community.webshots.com/user/godwino

"daryl wilde" wrote in message
...
The cost of the skimmer and filter box are expensive
~$500 or more. Has
anyone seen plans to build one? Any special concerns??

Thinking of using either external quality (CDX) or
marine grade plywood
and
then covering with liner......comments. Expect the pond
to be 6 ft x 8 ft
or so and 18-24in deep.

Thanks Daryl

"Just Me "Koi"" wrote in message
...
excellent and more complete response! I have Koi in my
brain so I think
everyone else will keep Koi!

Yeah, but your warning was a good one!
A lot of people do upgrade before the first
pond has barely settled in. I would have upgraded
to a larger pond by now but have enough to keep
up with in the garden, so I'm content with my
mini-ponds.

Gail

We are located in Texas too - right outside of Austin so freezing water is
not too big a concern maybe once every 5-10 years. This is why I am going
to have a deep part ~24 ins or so....

The area I am wanting to use is off the back patio and is partially covered
by a Oak tree- yes I know not the best spot for a pond, and I am concerned
with this but this is where we want it so we can be close and enjoy. This is
why I am looking for skimmer and waterfall box plans - $400 is just too much
mula.

Would like to put some plants and small goldfish or koi so there is some
movement and interest...

Daryl


"Gail Futoran" wrote in message
...
Depends on what he wants the pond for. My
largest pond is smaller than the size Daryl's
proposing and it does just fine for me. I only stock
minnows, snails, and whatever else shows up
(toads, frogs, snakes, etc.). No filtration, no
aeration, just lots of plants, water stays clear, and
I don't have to spend most of my life fussing with it!
[The rose garden has me on a really short leash.]

So Daryl - where do you live? If in the far north,
your pond's going to freeze solid in the winter,
hence a deeper pond is advisable. I'm in
Southcentral TX and at worst have a thin sheet of
ice over above-ground ponds, but not yet the
in-ground pond (it's only 2 years old, though).

What do you plan to put in your pond? Goldfish,
koi (pond will need to be much bigger), minnows,
no fish? Will there be shade? Plants?

As long as you use a good liner, the material
it's covering shouldn't make a difference. But
don't stint on the liner.

Gail

"Just Me "Koi"" wrote in message
...
Make your pond bigger! At least deeper in more parts of
it!

For my first pond I did what you are proposing and in a
few months it was
all tore out and redone!1

--
_______________________________________
"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is
like an eggs-and-ham breakfast:
The chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

http://community.webshots.com/user/godwino

"daryl wilde" wrote in message
...
The cost of the skimmer and filter box are expensive
~$500 or more. Has
anyone seen plans to build one? Any special concerns??

Thinking of using either external quality (CDX) or
marine grade plywood
and
then covering with liner......comments. Expect the pond
to be 6 ft x 8 ft
or so and 18-24in deep.

Thanks Daryl

You could build the pond now, and then retrofit a skimmer later. It's not
mandatory like aerator/filter.

daryl wilde wrote:

The area I am wanting to use is off the back patio and is partially covered
by a Oak tree- yes I know not the best spot for a pond, and I am concerned
with this but this is where we want it so we can be close and enjoy. This is
why I am looking for skimmer and waterfall box plans - $400 is just too much
mula.

Due to how it is being placed in the yard it is better to accomidate it now.

"Sean Dinh" wrote in message
...
You could build the pond now, and then retrofit a skimmer later. It's not
mandatory like aerator/filter.

daryl wilde wrote:

The area I am wanting to use is off the back patio and is partially
covered
by a Oak tree- yes I know not the best spot for a pond, and I am
concerned
with this but this is where we want it so we can be close and enjoy.
This is
why I am looking for skimmer and waterfall box plans - $400 is just too
much
mula.

Check out:
http://www.austinpondsociety.org/aps.htm
You have a great local resource.

Water Garden Gems is just northeast of San
Antonio (and a few miles from my house), so
only about an hour from the southside of
Austin:
http://www.watergardengems.com/

"daryl wilde" wrote in message
...
We are located in Texas too - right outside of Austin so
freezing water is
not too big a concern maybe once every 5-10 years. This
is why I am going
to have a deep part ~24 ins or so....

The area I am wanting to use is off the back patio and is
partially covered
by a Oak tree- yes I know not the best spot for a pond,
and I am concerned
with this but this is where we want it so we can be close
and enjoy.

There are things you can do to catch leaves, like
netting. I don't do that but others do and can
help with information.

This is
why I am looking for skimmer and waterfall box plans -
$400 is just too much
mula.

Would like to put some plants and small goldfish or koi so
there is some
movement and interest...

Goldfish and shubunkin are wonderful pond
fish and while they can get large, not nearly
as large as koi. Not to mention not nearly
as expensive...

The usual space recommendation for koi is
1000 gallons for the first koi, 200 gallons for
each additional fish. Goldfish, by contrast,
require about 20 gallons each.

With the size pond you're planning, I'd
recommend one hardy water lily, and then
a variety of common oxygenators like
anacharis, hornwort, and maybe some
marginals. Lowes carries some water
garden plants, as well as the specialty stores.
(I'm sure there are some in Austin.)

You can always start small and do what a lot of
other people do and expand later. Just Me "Koi"
is absolutely right about that. If I were
younger I'd already have moved up to a much
larger pond, but I have all I can handle now!

Gail

Thanks for the pointers.

Will let you know how it turns out.

Daryl

"Gail Futoran" wrote in message
...
Check out:
http://www.austinpondsociety.org/aps.htm
You have a great local resource.

Water Garden Gems is just northeast of San
Antonio (and a few miles from my house), so
only about an hour from the southside of
Austin:
http://www.watergardengems.com/

"daryl wilde" wrote in message
...
We are located in Texas too - right outside of Austin so
freezing water is
not too big a concern maybe once every 5-10 years. This
is why I am going
to have a deep part ~24 ins or so....

The area I am wanting to use is off the back patio and is
partially covered
by a Oak tree- yes I know not the best spot for a pond,
and I am concerned
with this but this is where we want it so we can be close
and enjoy.

There are things you can do to catch leaves, like
netting. I don't do that but others do and can
help with information.

This is
why I am looking for skimmer and waterfall box plans -
$400 is just too much
mula.

Would like to put some plants and small goldfish or koi so
there is some
movement and interest...

Goldfish and shubunkin are wonderful pond
fish and while they can get large, not nearly
as large as koi. Not to mention not nearly
as expensive...

The usual space recommendation for koi is
1000 gallons for the first koi, 200 gallons for
each additional fish. Goldfish, by contrast,
require about 20 gallons each.

With the size pond you're planning, I'd
recommend one hardy water lily, and then
a variety of common oxygenators like
anacharis, hornwort, and maybe some
marginals. Lowes carries some water
garden plants, as well as the specialty stores.
(I'm sure there are some in Austin.)

You can always start small and do what a lot of
other people do and expand later. Just Me "Koi"
is absolutely right about that. If I were
younger I'd already have moved up to a much
larger pond, but I have all I can handle now!

Gail