Construction of my 1(+) acre tank is nearing completion. I'm about to fill it with structure and then will patiently (or not) wait for the rains.

I was thinking before the rains come and fill my new tank it would be nice to put in a small fishing pier or a floating dock.

Anyone have any good info or resources to pass along? I know that treated wood can be toxic, so I'm not considering that route. How long should a pier last if untreated piers are used? Would a floating dock be cheaper and last longer?

What depth should anchors be? Should concrete be raised above lake bottom?

Thanks for any assistance.

-jw

Take a look at my homepage you can see how I used 4 inch diameter pvc, rebar and concrete to construct my pilings. Happy ponding.

Bob

Thanks for the info and link Bob. Your property looks great!

Is it fairly easy to get rebar cut to my specific measurements from a building supply company? How many bars did you put into each pvc tube?

Also if you search the Help section, there are a couple of threads on docks

I put 2 in each and did not cut them I think they were 8 ft and I drove the excess into the ground with a sledge. I also drilled my mounting hole and put in the bolts prior to filling the pvc. Looking back I probably would have spent the extra 5 bucks or so and bought black pvc but hindsight is always 20/20! I did dig out a hole about 12 inches deep and 12 inches in diameter prior to using a post hole digger to put the pvc about 2 ft total in the ground as a small footer.

Bob

jimmy wheels,

I noticed your comment "fill it with structure"...you probably didn't mean it litterally, but in case you did I'll offer you this thought:

You can over do structure, just like everything else in pond management. If you place too much structure (about 20% coverage is tops), you can protect your forage fish to the point that the bass can actually have trouble catching their food...and that means skinny bass.

Meadowlark, I didn't mean that I was filling the entire pond with structure. Even if it was something positive for a pond, I don't think I could manage all that work!

Thanks for the warning though.

-jw

Bob,

Since you have had time to look back and consider the white v. black pvc, is there anything else that you would do differently (i.e.: dock shape, lenghth, position on pond, wood used, etc.)

By the way, I didn't know they made black pvc pipe. I wonder if spray painting the pipes before hand would be a long term option? If so, the entire color world is at my fingertips.

I used treated 4x4s for posts on my dock. They were fairly easy to install by myself before the pond filled. Concreted them in 12" holes two feet in the ground. Will come back this summer and add the decking. Never thought about the potential chemical problems. Anyone else have any thoughts on potential toxicity problems with treated lumber in ponds?

The floating docks I priced were very expensive. While they would be easier to install and probably maintain I much prefer the looks and stability of the wood dock.

We have built three piers/docks in our 8 acre lake over the years and used treated lumber for all of them and have never had any issues with toxic problems. As a matter of fact, fish hang around the piers all the time.

Other than using black and making it a little taller (had to use couplings and raise it 12 inches! The black is used for sewage I guess my Lowes stocks it here and I think it is 15.00 instead of 10.00 for a 10 ft section. I am going to put a 16' long "T" on the end when the weather gets warmer.

Bob

The info I've found on CCA treated lumber is not something that makes me think of good health. I don't know how long it takes to seep or what it does in water, but I know they don't use it on playgrounds anymore. If it isn't safe enough for kids, I don't want it in my water with my fish. Not to say it's going to leak for sure, but I don't want that risk potential.

Links on CCA Treated Wood:

http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/oii/cca.html
http://poisonwood.wasteage.com
http://www.epa.gov/oppad001/reregistration/cca

Call me stupid, but treated lumber is a must. I figure anything that drips into the water is diluted millions and millions of times. That can't be any worse than the pollution from the environment. I would recommend a cleaning station though...I wouldn't fillet them straight off the dock.

Jimmy,

If you can afford it, use the fake deck wood for at least the base of the dock, use stainless steel screws. I got my decking from Lowes.