Nooby ponder with questions

[kevin]

Hello you ponders, nice site you have here.

I have some questions. First I'll explain my situation. We remodeled and built a walkout on our basement. It's not a regular slant downhill type of walkout but more of a sunken patio. A 30x25 foot pit lined with railroad ties. One corner has a 8 foot wide ditch leading downhill to act as a drain. (We live in Wisconsin so a drain for snowmelt and rain is essential)

I left that one corner of the patio open to drain excess water away from the house. That ditch is where I want to place a pond and stream. The way I envisioned the project is that the pond and stream will double as the drain for the patio. Bad idea? Everything I've read indicates that allowing runoff into your pond is a bad idea.

There will be no chemical fertilizers or pesticides used but a lot of leaves will find their way into the system, Which is going to happen whether I use the pond as a drain or not. I'll just have to deal with that. I am hoping to add some little goldfish or minnows to the pond.


The second option is to build a drain next to the pond/stream and disguise it as a rocky path. better solution? This could also have the stream running TO the pond where the other system has the pond draining downstream to a holding tank. (a 50 gal drum)



Any suggestion about which way might work better? Also any suggestion or links to DIY filters, pumps, or plumbing. I'm trying to do this as cheap as possible but still have a nice garden .

Thanks
Kevin

[Bonnie]

Can you do a sketch?

Also where will the water be coming from?  Others use pesiticides and can run off and end up in your pond.

Welcome to AP!!

[kevin]

thanks bonny.

I live in the boonies, The nearest house is half a mile from me. The garden is about 200 yards, compost only. The only runoff will be from the roof and patio.

Here's some photos:

[img width= height=]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/459194/IMG_1024.JPG[/img]
[img width= height=]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/459194/IMG_0939.JPG[/img]
[img width= height=]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-10/459194/IMG_0821.JPG[/img]

It looks like the ditch flows uphill but that's an optical illusion. There is a good 2 foot drop from the patio to the end of the ditch, about 6-10 inches to the bridge. The total length is about 60 feet but the stream would end just beyond the bridge. A dry stream will continue down for runoff.

If I run it backward a waterfall would be under the bridge ending in a pond at the patio. A drain would run alongside disguised as a stone path, with a pipe under the waterfall stones.

[tinkster]

Hello

I look at that site and see a beautiful pond with a stream running to it.  Unfortunatley I have no advice as usual.  I had to throw mine all together unconventionally but it works. Most highly recommended a DIY Skippy (biological filter), which you can find instrustions for on the web.  I swear by them to for clear water.  Guess filtering would depend whether your going submersible pump or external, things like that.  But there is tons of DIY for both. I have a Adams DIY filter on my submersible pumps, two inground skippy filters behind my waterfalls and so far I have had great water.

Mostly just wanted to welcome you and am sure you will get some great advice here!

tinkster

[Rocmon]

OK here's the DIY link. http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51710
You have to join to see the pictures.

Now about your set-up. No you don't want the pond to be a flow through for your runoff. From the asphalt in your roof to the creosote in your RR ties.

If it were me, I would consider a drain large enough to handle your biggest downpours and then some, where the patio stones end. Dig a deep trench to daylight the drain pipe well beyond your pond location. It doesn't have to be really deep if you run it along the side (underground) of your pond/stream. Then build your pond however you want with the run off taken care of. You will want the pond located where you can view it from the main hangout place in the house if possible—kitchen window, living room window, etc. You also want a nice place to view it from outside.

Maybe the pond could be at the top of the RR ties and flow over them and the stream run down that channel—that would help with the depth for running your drain pipe if a pond wasn't over it. You could use the drain pipe trench to run your pond plumbing too.

If you put the pond outside that four pane kicked out window, the falls could stair step in that corner near the house where the ties are at two different levels, you'd have to redo some patio stones if you took your stream down the channel though. Looks like you have lots of potential at your place.

Do lots of research and ask a bunch of questions, that way you won't have to build as bad a pond as many of us did before we knew anything. And yes everyone has a different opinion and that can be frustrating too.

[the Julles]

Hi Kevin - welcome.  I'm new, too ... and loving it!

I'd say that what you decide to do depends on whether you want a country fishin' hole / cattle tank, or a nice, clean, clear pond in which you keep and enjoy beautiful fish and plants.

And I guarantee you, once you get your eyes around a colorful, feisty koi, or a cute speckly shebunkin goldfish, or (my favorite  ) the so-fat-they-can't-hardly-swim fantail goldfish, you WILL want a clean, clear, disease-free pond.  And,,, make it a big as you possibly can, because ponders are like motorcyclers... they keep yearning to move up to a bigger one.

And, since you're out in the country, while you research building your pond, plan some measures to keep predators (heron, raccoons, cats, etc.) from messing up your plants and pond, and eating your fish.  Steep sides (rather than a gradual slope) are one method, as are hidy-holes and overhangs.

Take a long time planning your pond and filter.  Believe me - you only want to dig that hole ONCE!     and you want your fish and plants to be healthy and long-lived.

Julles

PS:  I read the word "basement" and I'm totally JEALOUS.  Here in Houston, we're below sea-level, and basements are decidedly NOT a viable option.  I grew up in St. Louis, and having a basement meant having a whole second house beneath your original house - for free!, and it's always cool in summer, and you can leave the ironing board out and no one knows!