Water Ponds/Water Falls

[cabinetman]

Since we got hooked up to the sewer, and haven't yet replaced the pavers to that area where the old septic tank is, we are thinking about some kind of interesting use of the area. It's 15' long extending from the back of the house, and 20' long against the house.

The area butts up to a cement patio by the back door. The picture below was taken when the septic tank was being "decomissioned", and the view in the picture is about half the distance along the back of the house. It shows how close the area is to the back door. We went up to our sons' for Christmas, and they put in a pond about 5' x 8', with a small waterfall. They have two big Coy's in there and it is really cool looking.

I've been looking at pond sites like this, and really like the look. So, I'm wondering if anyone here has installed one of these or has any pointers or suggestions.
.

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[Ed62]

I put in a small pond several years ago. It was only 9' X 20', but it looked pretty cool. I think the big thing about making an impact is to get nice landscaping around it. We dug ours with a shovel, and used a water level during construction. We finally gave up on it after several years, and took it out.

Ed

[cabinetman]

We finally gave up on it after several years, and took it out.

Ed

What was the problem?
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[Richard in Smithville]

I've never had a pond but a few friends have had small ones. They took them out as maintainance became an issue. I think that this is a case where size does matter. If it's anything like have a fish tank, larger ponds are easier to look after because issues don't become critical as fast due to the higher volume of water. Now keep in mind that my statement is just a logically thought out guess and I am in a different climate.

Also, as I live in an urban setting, I see many larger ponds on farms and bigger properties( it has something to do with insurance rates if you are not on town water ). Even these ponds, when not kept agitated, develope a solid green surface in record time.

Now that I have spewed off about a topic that I know nothing about, I really like the concept of those pond-less waterfalls in the link you provided.

[steve-norrell]

As I gathered experience and wisdom while maturing (read: gotten older ) over the years, I found that low maintenance demands are at least as important as appearance.

Good luck, Steve

[Ed62]

What was the problem?
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We have a lot of large oak trees. When fall comes around, it is a real job trying to keep the leaves out of there. We covered it, but even if you get 99% of the leaves, there are a lot that find their way in the pond. The ones that are left, rot. After having to completely drain the pond a few times, I finally said "enough".

Ed

[Nil]

I did one of the "pondless" pond thingys (basically a pond with rocks dumped into the main part until the rocks come above the level of the water), and it's worked great. Completely kid safe, no algae (the stationary water is below the level of the rocks), and any leaves that get in you can pick up out of the rocks if you care. Or just ignore them. The only downsides are that you can't have fish in it, and if you like the look of the clear water pool, you can't get it (the only water that's visible is the waterfall).

[Rand]

I put a small pond and waterfall in our backyard.
The only tip I can give you is to get more liner than you think you'll need. You may want to consult a pro in your area. It's not as easy as you would think.

[Mr__Bill]

I just can't get past the septic tank -- pond thing