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  • Results 1 to 8 of 8

    Thread: Basic pond questions

    1. #1
      miamicuse is offline Member
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      Basic pond questions

      I recently cleaned out a pond, it is my first time since owning the property that came with this pond so I didn't know what to expect, hopefully I can get some advice here on how best to proceed.

      All around the pond, just below the water level, is a coat of string algae. I saw the goldfish digging into it a lot, I assume they were eating it. Should I clean out these string algae? Are those algae dead if left alone or will they come back after I refill the pond? Here is an image showing the algae after the pond was drained.



      Next question is about the pond water level. Even when it rained a lot, the pond does not rise above a certain level. I thought the pond has a hidden or buried outlet somewhere, but after draining the pond, I found that there is an area under a wood bridge (bridge was removed and I am building a new one now) that the water was spilling into. See the image below.



      Is this normal that water just rises high and spill into the ground? If not what is a better way to do it? Also in the same picture to the left, there is a hole about five to six inches in diameter that goes deep. I am pretty sure crabs enter and exit the pond from here. After I drained the pond I found two crabs, I left them alone, the next day I found the crabs dismembered...probably raccoons. Should I close off this hole by filling it with dirt or sand?

      Finally, the perimeter of the pond are faux rocks and boulders. Some are very large the size of a refrigerator. See images below.







      I would like to modify some of these rocks, to add some features and to raise one side higher. I am pretty handy but I tried to use some mortar to create some rocks myself as a test and the result does not look good...they look like concrete, not rock. I think to do this requires someone who has experience, skills and tools to create the color, shape, and texture close to natural rocks. I don't think this is what a regular mason who lay bricks and blocks do either. What is the name of the trade for a professional that does this for a living? I probably need to hire this out instead of DIY.

      Thank you!

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    2. #2
      *Ci*'s Avatar
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      Most ponds have an overflow pipe so that excess water can drain to a determined spot. This pipe can also be located in the filtration. It can determine the final waterline in the pond by adding an elbow and adjusting it to the desired height.
      It is not a good idea to have the water just overflow around the perimeter of the pond, as this could lead to erosion or surface run off re-entering the pond.

      You can patch that hole in the rock with concrete or mortar. Dirt would just wash out again.

      If you are leaving the pond empty for a while, like more then, say, 2-3 days, I would scrub off the algae. It may die off and be an added mess in the pond when you refill.

      When I searched “fake rocks out of concrete”, it looked like an endless supply of tutorials. A whole ‘nother hobby, really, if you want to immerse yourself. If you have time and energy, it might be highly satisfying to create the new look on your own. Do you have fish that you removed to redo the pond? If not, then you are in good shape! The pond looks like it has potential to be a great looking water garden : )
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    3. #3
      miamicuse is offline Member
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      The hole I spoke of wasn't from erosion of the soil. It was dugged out by crabs. I am next to a river and there are half a dozen holes around the property that crabs enter and exit. I can go to one of those holes and collapse it by throwing some gravel and dirt in it, and two days later the hole reforms. I think this is how these crabs are getting into and out of my pond.

      I do not have any fish at the moment, I did but all my goldfish died overnight in August (may be oxygen level dropped too low after a very hot day) so now I can take my time to rework the pond.

      Right now my effort is on rebuilding a rotten wood bridge over the pond. I am making progress with that.

      After that I need to raise the perimeter of one side by 4-6" to stop the dirt from washing into the pond when it rains heavily, which is why I want to use the same kind of concrete rock creation, but I did some tests with mortar and I don't think I have the artistic touch to make it look natural. I can make rectangular steps and bricks...I can practice more, I have seen some videos too but whatever I did did not look like whoever did this originally, although this existing work has the advantage of having aged since 1992.

    4. #4
      miamicuse is offline Member
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      I am curious, this pond has a concrete shell. Is this what is keeping the water in the pond? Or do I have another liner behind the concrete?

    5. #5
      *Ci*'s Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by miamicuse View Post
      I am curious, this pond has a concrete shell. Is this what is keeping the water in the pond? Or do I have another liner behind the concrete?
      Could be just concrete or could have a liner, hard to say. You might be able to see clues if you dig around under the rock perimeter or behind the waterfall. If you raise the sides with more concrete, it might be hard to get it waterproof at the points where it joins the old concrete.
      It might be better to raise the sides and throw a whole new liner in the hole to cover everything.

      Sounds like you have an interesting eco-system happening with all sorts of critters!
      Last edited by *Ci*; 10-31-2022 at 02:59 PM.
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    6. #6
      coolwon is offline Senior Member
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      Whats it like to walk on?

      Does it seem to be firm, strong and thick like a 4 or 5 inch thick concrete shell?

      How about pressure cleaning it to expose any cracks or weaknesses in the shell ?

      A high pressure water cleaner will dislodge and expose the firm parts of the shell.
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    7. #7
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      Quote Originally Posted by coolwon View Post
      Whats it like to walk on?

      Does it seem to be firm, strong and thick like a 4 or 5 inch thick concrete shell?

      How about pressure cleaning it to expose any cracks or weaknesses in the shell ?

      A high pressure water cleaner will dislodge and expose the firm parts of the shell.
      Yes it feels solid, I saw one edge of it at the top and it seems to be 4"+ thick. I saw some metal mesh embedded in it as well.

      I also noticed around some areas of the bottom are some darker patches. Are these hydraulic cement or some epoxy that may have been used previously to stop leaks?

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    8. #8
      coolwon is offline Senior Member
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      You are in a warmer part of the States I think.

      They probably fiberglass swimming pools in the Florida area rather than remarbilite.

      Maybe worth a chat to the local pool builders and restorers.

      A lot of fiber glassing of ponds and pools over here.

      Not cheap, but affective if you get the right contracter with a good pedigree.

      Probably find the fiber glass rock builders, when you start making enquiries.
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