Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Its time for structure. UPDATE 1/31/2011

Here is a the post that covered the construction of my pond:
http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=216832#Post216832

I figured that I needed to make a post for my structure.

This shows a pair of large culverts and a pair of 'benches' that are on the shelf in the front corner of the pond. In the background are several large logs placed where they are running up the bank along with a few root balls to make a reef.


another view:


This one shows a set of smaller culverts placed where the back side will be able to be fished from the dock and the other side from the bank. Notice the bench spanning the channel, would this be better to turn sideways where it runs with the channel? My thinking about it was that it will provide a pathway from bank to bank.


I still have a few more structure features to place. I have 30-35 concrete piers in various sizes to make a reef out of. I am thinking of placing them where the small channel on the back side of the island comes out (dark area in the picture)


The other structure I plan to add is several 3/4" pvc trees. There were two 3/4" gray conduit runs that went through the pond (about 300' total) that were scarped up by the dozer when they removed the topsoil. I saved all of it for this purpose. There are all kinds of bends and curves in it from where it was pulled up. I will post some pictures when I am done.

If you put CC in your pond, those large cylinders look like prime spawning cover.

I was planning on stocking with LMB, BG and red ear shell cracker. I am afraid that CC will muddy the water too much.

Update:
I made 2 piles of concrete piers:






Added some old bricks to the top of a clay mound:






And built a bulkhead where some of the yard drains into the pond:


The water level is starting to rise. I guess it is time to get the aeration system set up.

Very cool!

I really like those concrete pier piles.. Good idea..

The only structure I have left to place are 3 PVC bushes. There was a pair of 3/4" conduit runs to the front of the property, right where the pond is now. They were for a security camera and 120V power. I had the crew scrape them up with the dozer and place them to the side. It made for some interesting shapes and bends. I ended up with about 300' of it when they were done. Here is what I turned the usable pieces it into:

You can always look at manmade structure (cover-habitat) and tell if the creator is a true fisherman or just throwin some stuff in his pond for the fish to hang around. I like everything I see. BTW LMB aren't the only species that like cover and vertical structure...ever walk into a restuarant and notice that all the booths around the walls fill up first?

Those look really good, drumz. What's your plan for placement in your pond?

If i was you id get out there and bury those buckets atleast half way.. Or make some kind of legs/feet so they dont tip. They look awesome...

Your babies are going to love em!

Im not sure if I will so a straight line from shallow to deep, place them all at the edge of a drop off, or split them up and place them in 3 different spots. Any suggestions?



That is the plan, to bury them half way aslong as I can dig without it filling in too quickly.

boy, I don't really know, drumz. You've got such a good variety of things in there now that it's a tough call for me. You might consider using them to connect some shallow structure to deep water in a line as you've mentioned, or you might gain some advantage by placing them individually around some of the other materials you've already got there to create some variety for different fish. Lots of choices, for sure, and fun dilemma to have!

Look at this for ideas.

http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=92463#Post92463

On the pvc buckets cut a few holes in the sides and stick a piece of pvc through at angle to give a larger profile. Add weight (rocks , crete) to the bottom to stabilize and or 4 holes near the bottom to cross 2 pvc pieces through for a base.

On the brick/rock and concrete piles - it does not matter what it looks like to you (neat rows and stacks) that is the human mind at work. Its how it functions for the fish. Make sure they are stable (not knocked over by people , boats , fishing). A random pile of bricks works just an well as a neat pile.

Thanks, the pvc buckets each have about 2/3 of an 80 lb sack of concrete in them holding everything in place. I was thinking if i place them in a circle, burred half way up the bucket, it would be like one big piece of structure.

Suggest you consider a triangle with the extra buckets extending the corners. Much bigger profile plus acts as a funnel and a wall/highway. Corners are better than circles. Xs ignore the dashes.

------------------ X ----- X
-------------------- X --X
---------------------- X
---------------------X

Orient triangle extensions to your pond botton scape.

Maybe place them around those bricks you put on the clay mound (re: pic with BB goal in background)

Is the wood that's in there weighted down. I'm not sure but will the logs with footballs stay still when it's full?

BGK, the smaller logs are weighted down with cinder blocks just in case. I do not think i will have a problem with them floating though. They all came from a buried log pile that was hit while digging the pond. They were buried by the previous owner in 1988 after a small tornado took them down. There was always a wet spot where they were buried and the logs were fully saturated. The 290 would not lift two of them, it had to drag them out. As you can see in the new pics I just loaded, the 3 large logs that are not weighted are just about completely submerged and not floating.

fff, I thought about that but I think they may be better used as a transition piece or highway as ewest suggests.

ewest, so you are saying come out of the corner and funnel outward to the deep? I will have to make some more buckets for that, I currently have only 3 made but have plenty of buckets and may be able to scrounge up some more pvc.

Here are some updated pics from yesterday that shows current water level and the bottom lay out.

These are from left to right across the pond from the road:











I am thinking about moving this log up the bank to act as a shallow to deep path:


Here are all the clay mounds:


I didnt take any pictures of the dam but it is to the far right of the last picture. IT is fairly gradual of a slope and bowl shaped with a smooth bottom. What about 'planting' the bushes in a line from shallow to deep here? I will take a picture to show the area I am talking about for the visually minded.

Ok, here are the pictures of the dam.

standing on the dam:


Opposite end looking towards.

Across the ditch in the deepest water half way between the island and the far bank connecting the bank and island and the logs/brush on the other banks. I think as below pink dots.

This is a perect application for structurespot. Each unit can be tracked after it sinks. Now you can ensure your planned layout get installed the way you want.

Thanks for the suggestions, Ill see what I can come up with this weekend.

Hes dedicated..

I don't want to have to go diving to change things up.

Here is what I decided to do. I moved the log from between the island and the north bank. In the picture, the high end is attached to one cinder block for weight and attached to two that are stacked on the drop off side. From the end of there I put the 3 pvc bushes extending to the deeper area. They stop at the edge of the last drop off which goes about 3-4' deeper. I plan to make at least 3 more pvc trees with 3" trunk and 1/2 and 3/4" limbs crossed through and place them between the bushes.





I used my chest waders to place the bushes, I had about 1" before the water was about to come in so it was about 4.5' deep at the deepest one. I also have another large pile of bricks that I am thinking about using between the large concrete 90 and the angled log.