Hi Folks, I've got a new very small pond that was built last fall. it is currently about 1/2 full of water and I'm thinking about putting a small dock out into it just for fun. I thought about treated wood but my pond is so small that I'm concerned about the chemicals. Metal will rust, and galv metal also sheds chemicals. so I'm thinking about PVC pipe.

And, I know nothing about dock building but, I'm very good about following directions if I have them, and pretty good about problem solving in the midst of a mess.

I found an older forum that discussed this and the fella was using 8" PVC pipe, and using an auger, filling with concrete wire mesh and rebar. and there was talk about lateral forces and bracing, etc, etc.

While day dreaming this all up at the pond awhile ago I thought about making the posts water tight and leaving hollow, however after reading the other posting I'm not so sure about that. I'm not really concerned about ice movement since the pond is so small but I am concerned about the posts cracking and breaking during a freeze. I know the pond will freeze but I doubt that much ice will push around due to the size of it.

I haven't thought up how the deck will connect to the posts yet and that is important of course. I hadn't even considered lateral bracing and am not sure how important that is for something this small.

my favorite thought right now is 4 or 6 inch PVC pipe filled with concrete. I could pound that pipe into the ground but I would probably dig post holes by hand first, then pound, or use the front in loader on the tractor to try to push them down. I don't think I have a way to get dirt out that pushes up inside the pipe. I would like for the deck to raise and fall with the water level I think, but still undecided about that. If I did it this way then posts would need to raise up above the surface of the deck.

Are there better easier ways to do this. If I used metal pipe which kind would be best for the water quality. I intend to put fish in here eventually.

Ideas sought, any advice appreciated.

Thanks, Lynnie