I am still in the design and funding phase of my pond.(seems like this is a long phase) Anyway, I am planning on installing a small pond, probably less than 1/4 acre due to space/easement restrictions. This pond will hopefully support warm water species. Max depth 8' with a 4-5' average.

To help with the "funding" aspect of the project the wife would like something other than a "redneck swimmin' hole". I am planning on a small sandy beach for the kids and a nice flagstone patio adjacent to that. I know this might not be most of your idea of a "bass pond", but it is what best fits my family. (read: funding)

Now for the question. If I built a small 10'x10' pond above the main pond and created a 2-3' waterfall that flowed for about 5' and then dumped into the main pond, would this provide much aeration? I am not trying to get out of a traditional aeration, but just wanted to know how much effect something like this would provide. Also, am I drastically increasing my evaporation?

I also need to look into this cost of pumping water uphill vs air down hill.

Thanks,

Joe

Joe,

Don't despair about the size of your pond. You can grow some really exceptional fish in a pond that size. You may not have as much quantity, but you can do a LOT with the quality.

The best way to incease your O2 levels from a waterfall like you're describing, would be to find a way to take the anoxic water off the bottom of your main pond, then make your 10 X 10 pond full of cattails or some such other macrophyte. This will give you both increased oxygen and trap some of the nutrients. This will also improve your carrying capacity of the .25 acre pond.

What kinds of fish are you hoping to grow. I love it when other pondmeisters have smaller ponds like this, because I can really relate.

If I'm not mistaken, the water that is pumped from the bottom of a pond isn't any more energy expended or net cost to taking it off of the top. The "head" remains the same. (Am I using that term correctly?)

Bruce,

I like the idea of "natural filtration" on the upper pond. I always like when form follows function.

I wanted a system where I wouldn't have to submerge a pump, thereby running electricity into the water. I would rather build a small housing for the pump and run a pipe to the deepest part of the pond.

BTW, I liked your horizontal circulation approach.

Joe

Hey Joe,

Bruce always has some great ideas. If you do plan on using the pond for some type of swimming, I would not suggest any electricity in the water either.

Yes, a shore-mounted pump can be used with a draft tube placed at the bottom of the pond. I would make sure you have some sort of screen to help reduce the large debris from damaging your pump. Also, by using a float or duck decoy attached to this draft tube, you can lift it out to clean it. That is if you use flexible PVC pipe.

The suggested flow rate for a water fall to provide a good looking display is 1500 gph/foot of width of the waterfall. As for evaporation, we install garden ponds all around our area here in the mountains of NC and we find evaporation to be a small factor. Actually, the splash out created by the water bouncing off the rocks causes more water loss than any other.

Using this method will circulate the pond, at a much slower rate than conventional aeration. Keep in mind the rate will be dependent on 1) the size of the pipe, 2) the rate of the pump in gph 3) the rate that the cattails or what other macrophytes you have in the upper pond remove the unwanted gases and nutrients.

Your electricty cost, construction cost and overall maintenance will be much higher than a conventional aeration diffuser placed at the bottom of your pond too.

These are just some things to put on your pros and cons sheet when planning your pond. Keep us posted on your progress.

I am doing the same thing only with a 1/10 acre pond and a 500sqft upper pond/stream. The pump I am looking at is the Superfalls KJ110 115v 1/4 HP, 183 GPM Pump operating at 3.7 Amps from Stoney Creek . At 3.7 amps it should be comparable with a 1/4 hp air pump in electricity usage.

My pond will be deeper (15'-20') than yours and I am looking into several Hypolimnetic Aeration options to keep the bottom cool and aerated. The goal is to keep trout in the pond without putting in a well to keep the water the right temp.

Another benefit is that your water will be clearer with this type of filter. I am using one right now to keep 100 fish in 2 X 100 gallon stock tanks. The difference in water quality before and after the filter was amazing.

Thanks for the insight, all good things to consider. At the onset of this project, one goal was to develop a system that would be as self sufficient as possible. It's nice to be able to think out loud around a bunch of people who have been there and done that.

Thanks,

Joe

Bruce--I am planning on LMB and Blue Gill/minnows, with maybe a grass carp or two (hopefully the same sex)

Hello,
I have a pump house and 2.5 HP, 90 GPM pump drawing from the bottom of my new (just filled up this winter).70 acre pond (11' deep). it runs to a large center fountain shooting 15' into the air and a small fountain in the shallow end shooting 8' into the air. And I have a plan for a waterfall going from claw foot tub (old tubs found in a barn) to another claw foot perpendicualr to the first then hitting stones or directly into the water. I hope this provides enough O2 without aeration. My questions is where do you get the 1.5" ID flexable PVC. I need it to keep my floating fountain head flat on the water with the rising and falling of the water level. The rigid pvc keep the fountain tilted.
Thanks for any suggestions
Ron

Ron,

Welcome to Pond Boss. I just sent you a Private Message. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask them.

i am gonna fill my pond which is about a quarter acre this spring i damed a very small yr round stream and also excavated out much of it. the pond will be 12ft max depth with a average depth of 6'. so it is very similar to yours. i see you are in washington state it stays cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter there then here so you should easily be able to support fish. the water fall idea is one i have been thinking about for a while and will probally put in. my plan is a lot different as i have a consstant inflow and constant outflow. i will use a very small dam 3 ft or so to raise the water up then i will put 2 4" diameter pipes(avg flow of water would fill those) to within 10 feet of my pond the pipes would empty into a small man made stream which would then cascade down into a pool of water 4 feet deep rock bottom. in the case of a flood my mini dam would have a concrete top covered with native flat rocks from the stream. iv already got 2 small silt/debris/flood control dams with replica designs and they withstood a one hundred years flood a week ago. man it was scary my stream looked like the mississippi. well good luck. o ya at tractor supply they have sumursible pumps for 100$ they pump quite a bit per hour

good luck

Ron,
You may want to take a look at Aquakler. There are many private pond owners, aquaculturalist, golf courses, etc that have are finding this product to an easy way for them to increase their oxygen levels from the bottom up. Let us know if you have any questions.