Hi everyone, I've bought a house with 3 neglected ponds. This is the largest (about 1000 gal.) and I'm hoping get some sound advice. I've drained the pond and am in the process of a thorough cleaning, repair as needed, and new filtration system.
This house was built in the early 1990's, so the pond is no older than that.
It has a liner with stone and mortar on top. 12' x 8' x 2'(on the deep end)
There is no bottom drain. This pond has a simple submerged filter box with a pump to a waterfall. I believe that the pipe running upwards from the ball valve goes to a venturi. I'm hoping to get a better filter box where the filter medium and pump are in separate compartments. I think it will have to be a submersible type like was used originally. Should I consider a retrofit suction drain on the bottom? (still learning about all the plumbing aspects of ponds).
I've discovered some settling of the stonework on the deep side of the pond, and I've placed flags in the crevice to illustrate. The coping has cracked where the wooden posts are on the left the the fracture continues across to the other side. Should I fill this crack with cement (or mortar, or hydraulic cement?) or leave it be? I have experience with pointing mortar, so it would be simple. The pond holds water so I don't believe there are any leaks, this is the only problem area I've found. I assume that water gets between the liner and the stone and mortar. It may continue to settle anyway, but just wondering if as part of my repairs what to do, if anything, while it is drained.
Otherwise I'm going to fill it once I get it clean, and decide on what type of pump and filter. Then onto the possibility of fish.
Thanks!