Hi everyone,

I dug out a spot for a pond before winter. It is currently filling from my water well. We didn't get much snow or rain this year. It has a deep area that is 60x60 feet and about 12-13 feet deep. Then there's an area that is about 60 feet long and 15 feet wide that goes from about 10 feet deep to about 2 feet deep in a gradual slope. I've estimated the pond holds about 300,000 gallons. I've attached a picture of the pond. It should fill to just under the grass line, and in the shallow end everywhere you see the dirt in the second picture. It still needs to fill a bit. We plan to mainly use it for swimming. I might add some fish down the road but isn't a top priority.

My first question is, in the shallow end, would putting down pea gravel work well so that the muck and clay doesn't get stirred up when walking on it? Or should I also get a liner for the shallow end and put the gravel on top of it? If I got a liner, should I try to get one that holds water or just one to separate the clay from the water?

Question 2. What solar aeration setups would you recommend I use? I don't have power ran to my property and I don't plan on running it any time soon. We have a solar setup for our RV that is 600 watts with a 500ah battery bank and a 2000watt inverter. It does just fine for our needs. but it sounds like I might need something a lot bigger to run solar aeration.

Question 3. What plants and vegetation would you recommend to help keep it clean? We plan on putting some vegetation at the end of the shallow end to "filter" what we can.

I'm trying to keep it as natural as possible but learning very fast you can't just dig a hole and swim in it.. haha

Thanks!

Not sure I have the right answers but:

1. You might need several applications of gravel. I tried it and it sunk into the mud/muck.

2. I know nothing about aeration.

3. Plants can be a regional thing. Where is Rimbey?

No fish? Mosquitos will appreciate it. I have a couple of those.

3. Halfway between Edmonton and Calgary, I believe.

Here's a you tube link to my solar fountain that I made.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYsOn6tc3b8

Might give you some ideas.
My pond is off grid, no power.

If you click on my name on that video page, you can see my other pond videos I've made.
Just put the pond in last fall.

G.DUB and Joe Obiden both signed up May 2021. That HAS to be a co-inky-dink.

Yes, it is in Alberta about halfway between Calgary and Edmonton.

Is that all clay? That is a crazy slope where you are standing. Great for diving maybe not for getting out.

Ya, it's all clay. That's the swimming/jumping in end. I don't plan on getting out there.

How much water do I need to turn over a day? If I got a pump that did 26GPM or 100Litres/min that I made into a waterfall feature, would that help keep my pond clean enough? Can you leave your pond to freeze over winter if you don't plan on using it for fish? thanks

1.5 times the volume of water in the pond.