DIY summer pond project

[AndrewH]

Since it's winter and too cold for working outside already, I've been working out the details of the pond/patio I want to install this coming spring/summer.

The house sits on 3 acres, so there's plenty of room. I also wanted to have a nice "feature" to the entry of the property plus a nice area for outdoor entertaining :hehe:. The driveway is running along one of the fence lines then it doubles back to form a circle drive (kinna looks more like a sideways P where the leg is against the fence line).

Within the center of the driveway I want to install this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Andrew_H/5PondConceptModel.jpg
(send your e-mail in PM if you want to see a larger, higher resolution copy)

The plan is to have it heated and cooled year round to 75*F, but after it's all said and done it might not be practical enough to try at 2000+ gallons total. If I can heat and cool the pond I will stock them with tropical as well as cold water and maybe even some natives. If not, then it'll be all cold water fishes.

I know it's a little much to DIY, but I got time, tools, knowledge, and approval :D

Let me know what you think!

[ayla]

You should put a viewing window in a couple of those!

[TangTango]

That looks great.
So when did ya say ya was goin to start build'n it at my house?

Ya def got to post "as ya go" pics.

http://i701.photobucket.com/albums/ww14/TangTango/Gifs/Frontosa_02.png

[AndrewH]

You should put a viewing window in a couple of those!

Well the ponds are actually pre-made fiberglass tanks. Plus they'll be below grade to help with heating cooling. I think the fountain (near the top) will be 12"-15" above grade and the last pond (one at the bottom of the drawing) will be 3"-6" above grade. I have to have them flowing downhill to make the rivers work, not to mention the filtration :D.

Viewing porthole(s) would be awesome, but not sure how practical.

That looks great.
So when did ya say ya was goin to start build'n it at my house?

Ya def got to post "as ya go" pics.




Thanks.

Anytime you're ready, but I don't work well in the winter months... I HATE THE COLD.

Yeah, once I have a pile of pieces and parts, and actually break ground I'll start posting pics.

Depending on how much time it takes, this might end up being a several phase project (phase I during spring/summer '10, phase II fall/winter of '10, phase III during spring/summer '11, etc.).

[TangTango]

Did ya mean the pond at the bottom would be below grade,
cuz ya said above.

Which way is the flow gonna go?
Toward the fountain or from the fountain?

http://i701.photobucket.com/albums/ww14/TangTango/Gifs/Frontosa_02.png

[sailfin2]

How are you going to run filtration/ aeration in each pond? Are you going to use seperate pond pumps, or a drain system?
Just don't make the mistake I made once with pond to close to grade, and things just washed into the pond during a good storm.
I love the idea of the fire pit, great plan for multi seasons.

[AndrewH]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Andrew_H/5PondConcept-ELEVATIONSModel1.jpg

The flow starts at the fountain and flows to the lower pond (the one at the bottom of the drawing). All of the ponds will be below grade for the most part. The ones nearer the fountain will be a little higher while bottom pond will be the lowest.

[AndrewH]

How are you going to run filtration/ aeration in each pond? Are you going to use seperate pond pumps, or a drain system?
Just don't make the mistake I made once with pond to close to grade, and things just washed into the pond during a good storm.
I love the idea of the fire pit, great plan for multi seasons.

That's exactly why the ponds aren't even with grade, or below grade. The lowest one will stick up from the ground about 6" to keep the rain run off from getting in.

There will be one huge filter for the entire system... sort of.

The fountain will be ran by a pump in the bottom most pond (to get the water from the bottom back to the top). The rivers will act as bio and mech filters with the fountain and rivers giving aeration. Each pond will have it's own heating and cooling, but it'll all work together to maintain 75*F year round.

Since it's heated and cooled I wanted to have a fire pit and maybe some other things for general entertaining year round ;).

[ElijahTurtle]

If you're going to heat & cool it, you most cost effective options, would be a DIY drip evaporator/scrubber for cooling & solar heating for the winter augmented with something like a spa heater.

[masroberts9]

im not sure that i ever had a need for this smiley before now. :bd:

[AndrewH]

More concept drawings :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Andrew_H/5PondConcept3.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Andrew_H/5PondConcept-ELEVATIONS-Model.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Andrew_H/fishy/Duel%2090s/5PondConcept-ELEVATIONS.jpg



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Andrew_H/5PondConcept-ISO.jpg

[AndrewH]

If you're going to heat & cool it, you most cost effective options, would be a DIY drip evaporator/scrubber for cooling & solar heating for the winter augmented with something like a spa heater.

Not sure what you mean by "drip evaporator/scrubber"? Care to expand?

Solar heater will NOT work at night in the winter time. I have to have an artificial way to heat the ponds.

Jacuzzi/hot tub/spa heats are the way I'm planning to go.

im not sure that i ever had a need for this smiley before now. :bd:

LOL

[sailfin2]

Not sure about the fountain? I think you may get an algae issue. Are you going to just have a fountain, or try some plants in bottom to absorb excess nitrogen. I know my parents fountain must have algaecides or bleach to keep clean. I was thinking of fountain, but pond place reccomended a waterfall, without a basin to prevent the algae during the summer. I am doing a water feature, but just flowing into bottom pond.
PS- I love your detailed drawings, very impressive.

[ElijahTurtle]

Not sure what you mean by "drip evaporator/scrubber"?
Something I saw on Fish Geeks years ago. A guy had an outdoor tank in a hot climate & to keep it cool, he built a device where a large spray bar trickled watter onto a large mat like a horsehair air filter. As the water trickled down thorough the mat, it function as both a bio filter & the evaporation off of it cooled the rater that dripped back into the pond helping to cool the water.

Some reef keepers use a similar idea called a scrubber to grow emergent algae that work in the same principle. They just don't do it for the purpose of evap/cooling.

[drag13honda]

I hope you're planning on having us all over when you get done ;)

[AndrewH]

updates:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Andrew_H/5PondConcept-ELEVATIONSnew.jpg
(send your e-mail via PM for a larger copy)

Latest design incorporates glass blocks as viewing windows into the ponds from the side.

Not sure about the fountain? I think you may get an algae issue. Are you going to just have a fountain, or try some plants in bottom to absorb excess nitrogen. I know my parents fountain must have algaecides or bleach to keep clean. I was thinking of fountain, but pond place reccomended a waterfall, without a basin to prevent the algae during the summer. I am doing a water feature, but just flowing into bottom pond.
PS- I love your detailed drawings, very impressive.

Why would a fountain specifically cause an algae issue? Not sure I understand what you mean.

Every pond will have live plants. There will be built-in "plant shelves" and "bog" areas as well.

Thank you, the drawings help me prep and estimate materials. Not to mention it makes it 10,000 times easier for someone else to understand what I'm wanting and to possible help find design flaws or easier ways to do the same thing :D.

Something I saw on Fish Geeks years ago. A guy had an outdoor tank in a hot climate & to keep it cool, he built a device where a large spray bar trickled watter onto a large mat like a horsehair air filter. As the water trickled down thorough the mat, it function as both a bio filter & the evaporation off of it cooled the rater that dripped back into the pond helping to cool the water.

Some reef keepers use a similar idea called a scrubber to grow emergent algae that work in the same principle. They just don't do it for the purpose of evap/cooling.

Ah I know what you're talking about now. I think I read that same thread/article. Radiators and port-a-cools use the same principal.

Actually, my heating and cooling plan goes something like this:
Below the ground the temp is much more stable and constant. I'll have 1 pump per pond with an XX' long loop underground. This will keep the ponds at the same temp as the ground below year round (these pumps will run 24/7). So in the summer it'll cool the ponds and in the winter it'll heat them (the ponds will stay the same temp as the ground, unless I add or take out extra heat). So if I do add extra heating it's only from that constant temp to my desired temp (say 55*F to 70*F). So heating the ponds isn't going to be all that difficult. I'll just have to account for the extra heat loss due to all the surface area on a 20*F or cooler night.

I hope you're planning on having us all over when you get done ;)

Heck yeah!

I will be building the entire thing in phases.

Phase I


Layout the entire design on the ground using spray paint to get an idea of exact location.
Prep the ground with plumbing, gas, and conduit.
Build and install the Fire Pit, surrounding patio, and the lowest pond.
Build the benches and tables.
Install lighting.

Phase II


Prep the ground with plumbing and conduit for the two side ponds.
Build the two side ponds.
Install lighting.

Phase III


Prep the ground with plumbing and conduit for the fountain and two angled ponds.
Build the fountain and remaining ponds.
Install fountain.
Install lighting.

Phase IV


Install the rivers.
Building the covering (pergolas).

Etc., etc.

Anyone is invited to come out to help, watch, or learn during any phase of the project, but after it's finished I'll host a G2G.

Construction/phase start times and days will be post as soon as I know them :D (waiting til after the holidays and for it to be a bit warmer to start ;)).

[dhawk52]

This is truly impressive. Let me know when you are ready, I'll help anyway I can.

[AndrewH]

Sure will!

I'll have my smoker/bbq going with dogs and burgers with a cooler near by (all NA drinks, "adult drinks" will be after the work is complete each day - don't want anyone getting hurt) any day I'm working, so anyone can come out and just hang if they want.