Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Small pond design help please

RAH, I completely agree. No down side at all.

I rented an excavator a while back, it was the largest one they had that had a bull dozer type blade on the front of it, along with heat and air. The company rented all types of heavy equipment, (big equipment) the cost to rent it for 3 weeks was $2,200.00. I remember being told one time "if it flys, floats or F (u know), you r better off to rent it.
I am keeping this same thought when it comes to heavy equipment
And will be renting it again when things dry out at my place.

Tracy

What size excavator was it? I have seen compact excavators with blades on them, but not full size ones with blades.

Update: Apparently, the big ones come with blades too.

RAH, I can not say off hand what size it was. but it was at least two times bigger than the largest back hoe I have ever seen, and 3 times bigger than the exc with blade you might see on a regular basis. Sorry but I just don't remember the size but it was a foreign made name brand, not a Cat. My neighbor has a cat exc. with a blade that I have used and the one I rented was at least 3 or 4 times larger. Sorry not much help but they are out there.

Tracy

Actually this is a big help in that I thought a rental like this would cost a lot more. Of course things may be different in my area.

With imminent rain coming today. I held off starting to dig the forage pond. With very little backhoe experience, its hard to estimate how long it will take to dig.

Update: Glad I held off. We got almost 1.5".

Well I got started but a hydraulic cylinder was leaking too much, so its being rebuilt. Dug the center hole and made a ramp out after a little painted turtle was spotted in the bottom. I may just pull out all the sides at the same slope. This will be fed by an artesian well. I still need to core a trench on the downside of the pond.

We built a small pond three years ago, a little less than a half acre.We dug it in two parts joined in the middle, the first part is 30 feet deep and is sloped at a low angle and the deep hole slowly goes from one end to the other at an angle to be about 6 feet deep. I liked this but felt as dry as we get in the summer I wanted more bottom area for water and for the wintering the fish. So we dug a nearly square hole 15 feet deep with a 10 foot wide,6 foot deep ledge around it. i planted 25 bass, 25 catfish, all were 4-6 inches and 200 BG 13 months ago. Today we caught 2 catfish 17 inches long and a bass 13 inches. I was worried our muddy clay pond would not grow anything, WOW. you don't meed much if you feed them and let them do their thing! You may dig now and want to adjust to your needs in a few months or next year, make it yours!

The current project is a very small pond. We have two other ponds that are about one acre each. This one may be to increase forage species for seeding into the other ponds, or if it stays cool enough from the well water, it may be for trout.

RAH this looks like an interesting project. I would like to do a similar sized pond when time and money allow.I look forward to seeing updated pictures!

RAH I added this thread to the list of specialty ponds I keep.

Sediment, forage and specialty pond list

(more pics) Still need to pack sides with backhoe bucket, compact core with sheep's foot roller (already packed with backhoe bucket in lifts up to grade), and dig trench to artesian well.

That appears to be about half the size of my forage pond which is about 1/20th acre and two to three times my pre-sediment pond. Good job. I think you will have fun with it.

That is the tiniest sheepfoot roller I ever saw. It is so cute!!!

By my calculations about 1/3 of yours (1/60 acre). The Sheep's foot is 4' wide, but still heavy filled with fluid.

Filling from artesian well!

If you ran that water down a cheap tarp there would be less turbidity when you are done.

That is a good idea. It looks like it will fill in about 3 days so the turn-over should clear it out pretty quickly. I am hoping that the flow will keep the water cold enough for trout even when it slows during the driest part of summer. If not, I need to figure out what type of novel forage to get going. I wish I could find a source of PK shrimp. I still will need to deal with the overflow. I am thinking of a shallow bog before it hits the duck pond below. I can turn off the water at any time.

OK, The small pond it full! I am seeking ideas on how to terminate the one inch poly line from the artesian well. I would like a solution that will work through Indiana winters without ice damage. Perhaps a floating "fountain" that will work with low pressure?

If it was me, I think I would just let it run into my big pond. Ponds like new water, if it's not to much to fast.

Tracy

what about shutting the valve down to a very low flow rate so it just barely maintains evaporation with little over flow and let it run?

I think my last post was poorly worded. The small pond will indeed overflow into a larger "duck pond" that is below. Since I have water moving from the artesian well into the forage pond, I thought that having a small "spray" or "fountain" effect to add aeration and some visual interest would be nice. I am looking for a good way to terminate the 1" poly input line such that it won't freeze up in winter. One thought is something that floats.

How about a waterfall?

You may have to go two seperate systems, One for summer then switch to something else that will not freeze in winter. Something under ground below frost line running directly into the pond for winter. DO levels should be good in surrounding water then anyway.

How about some pictures at full pool?

Here are some pics. Does anyone know where to buy just a fountain float which I could use to make a small fountain for my pipe input?

Ha! a private swimming hole for your dogs, looks like they think it was built for them

I had a Golden that duck hunted with me that loved the water, and now I have a 5lb toy Maltipoo that will not stay out of the water, he even tried to retrieve a duck decoy that was 15 feet from the shore.

Tracy