Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Second Pond started !!!

Just thought I would let you all know we just finished having a second pond dug. This time for my sister at her house. Also small one about 1/10-1/6 acre. Its max depth is only about 9 ft. Going to be used for Fatheads and my mothers goldfish. Maybe perch and SMB later. After the pond was dug, a day later we got a big storm and is 6 ft full thus far. almost didnt get time to add structure.

Have tons of sources of water feeding it and from her backyard alone it is getting about 50 GPM of flow after a rain.

I will add some pics after I get them uploaded. Stay tuned!!

Sounds exciting, can't wait for the pics.

I have a couple of ponds in that 1/10-1/6 acre range. You'll absolutely love it. Don't underestimate the size of fish you can grow in it. Just ask Cecil.

"I just finished having a second pond dug. This time for my sister at her house."

Thats a good one Eric! What do you think she'll say when she gets back from vacation?

How is the ice at Ice Station Eric?? We are finally getting some hard water here. Couple of inches so far.

I hope you didn't do this one by hand.

Will she let you fish when you want to or only after your chores are done? Waiting on pics.

Bruce, Don't I know it. My first pond now has 14" YP and about 14" SMB and they are fun to watch and play with. My sisters pond is a bit shallower and she really just wants it for minnows and small fish. Not for catching.

Russ, I hear you it would have been fun to do it while she was not there. Truth is she was adding on an inlaw addition to her house for my Mom. My sister always wanted a pond and we talked it over and determined that a pond right out her window would be ideal and fun for all. They got a great deal on the digging. Only $850 for the pond. Ice is about 3 inches here now. Real cold last few days about 9 as a high.

Sunil, Only did some parts by hand on this one. I am sure as we move into next year and I want to fix some of the mistakes I will be digging a bit by hand. I am thinking if I keep this up I may be able to justify a nice Bobcat with the right tools

Ok here is what I have so far. More to come when I add my sisters pics.

Place where pond will go.



Starting to dig:






Once again more later when I get the pics from Sister. SHe has about 6.5 ft of water thus far and about 5 inches of snow off from a 200+ acre run off waiting to go in once it thaws.

More new Pics:

Starting Out



Digging


Pond Filling




More to follow!!!!

Eric,

You stated your first pond now has YP at 14". I just reread some of your earlier posts concerning YP/SMB and have to ask, are those 14" YP the same fish you stocked in the summer of 2004 which were in the 2-3" range??

I'm curious what Bill Cody would have to say about the growth of those YP.

In the last picture of your sister's pond it looks like there is a piece of PVC pipe in the pond, near the hydrant. What is this pipe for??

Russ

Wow I am very surprised that you could build a pond so close to the road not to mention it looks like you might be in the waterline easement zone. Looks may be deceiving though and you may be alot further from the hydrant or the road. Looks fun though! I wish I had me one of those trac-hoes to mess around with

well the pvc pipe is a easy one! He just T'ed into the waterline and when its dark out he will fill up the pond..

Eric,

I still have this vision of you with shovel in hand and wheelbarrow at your side adding depth to your pond....and I say that with great respect.

If it runs in the family, she'll be out there adding depth in a couple of years.

Russ, The PVC is going to be tied into the gutters from the house roof as a source of water to the pond. Once the dirt is all moved and in place I am going to burry it. Thus double the direct run off to the pond. As for the PVC pipe I have one going through the berm that now has a anti seepage collar on it and a stand pipe going up for a drain off point. Near the road there is a drainage ditch when needed. Also you might see a few PVC pipes in the pond as fish runways for the smaller minnows and fish. I have used them in mine as well and find it keeps the smaller minnows safe from the big boys who can't get at them.


As for the perch most are in the 10-12 inch range now, but did have one that my brother inlaw pulled out that was near or at 14 inches. Was a lovely fish!!! A few ( 4 or 5 ) of the YP that came in were as large as 5-6 inches when they were added. Truth be told I think I have only had a pole in the pond about 4 times this season and maybe at most 10 times overall. Thus fish get no pressure and I have had tons of Fatheads and crayfish for the fish.

The strange thing about the area I live in is that the town has regualtions about everything and you must get a permit to breath, but they have NOTHING at all for Ponds. There is no setback regualtions. There are No permits required. There is absolutly nothing on the books for regulating ponds and locations. That being said, we are about 30 feet from the road and more than that from the Hydrant.


Trailsguy, I like that idea for the PVC pipe. I wish I thought of that!!!!!!

Meadowlark, My sister and I have already been discussing the additions and the manual work I am going to do this summer to modify the pond once we know how and where all the sides and levels will be.


As a note I added my sister to the members today. Her name here is Laura.

Welll enough for now. I spent a good deal of the day moving sod and boulders by hand and on a sled in the snow.