Pond (large) construction
Discussion
Tiggsy said:
JFReturns said:
Nothing to add, other than this is awesome and looking forward to updates.
Oh, I also think that fish size is determind by the amount of room they have.
Only in the sense that if you put a lion in cramped cage and feed it poorly it would not be as large as one kept in a huge safari park with space and good diet...but you dont say "lions grow to the size of their home"Oh, I also think that fish size is determind by the amount of room they have.
Ade cheers for those photos they are good. A couple of questions for you.
How much did the level drop during that dry spell before you topped it up? Also have you got any run off at all, does the water level ever come over the top of the pond in times of heavy rain?
As for 2000 fish in there, it could well be true, the recommended stocking rate is around 4-500lb of fish per acre of water, this if for a rarely fished pond with little extra food going in. Some of the commercial waters are stocked at close to 2000lb of fish/acre and they purely survive due to the quantity of anglers baits going in.
M3 sounds like you had good fun digging that one, don't think there would ever be a shortage of water on a site like that either by the sounds of it.
How much did the level drop during that dry spell before you topped it up? Also have you got any run off at all, does the water level ever come over the top of the pond in times of heavy rain?
As for 2000 fish in there, it could well be true, the recommended stocking rate is around 4-500lb of fish per acre of water, this if for a rarely fished pond with little extra food going in. Some of the commercial waters are stocked at close to 2000lb of fish/acre and they purely survive due to the quantity of anglers baits going in.
M3 sounds like you had good fun digging that one, don't think there would ever be a shortage of water on a site like that either by the sounds of it.
cerbfan said:
Ade cheers for those photos they are good. A couple of questions for you.
How much did the level drop during that dry spell before you topped it up? Also have you got any run off at all, does the water level ever come over the top of the pond in times of heavy rain?
As for 2000 fish in there, it could well be true, the recommended stocking rate is around 4-500lb of fish per acre of water, this if for a rarely fished pond with little extra food going in. Some of the commercial waters are stocked at close to 2000lb of fish/acre and they purely survive due to the quantity of anglers baits going in.
M3 sounds like you had good fun digging that one, don't think there would ever be a shortage of water on a site like that either by the sounds of it.
It probably dropped around 6" all in, though it's a little difficult to say as we first viewed the property in January/February and didn't move in until mid-May.How much did the level drop during that dry spell before you topped it up? Also have you got any run off at all, does the water level ever come over the top of the pond in times of heavy rain?
As for 2000 fish in there, it could well be true, the recommended stocking rate is around 4-500lb of fish per acre of water, this if for a rarely fished pond with little extra food going in. Some of the commercial waters are stocked at close to 2000lb of fish/acre and they purely survive due to the quantity of anglers baits going in.
M3 sounds like you had good fun digging that one, don't think there would ever be a shortage of water on a site like that either by the sounds of it.
When if was dug, a soil-pipe-sized line was run to a nearby culvert, with the open end vertical and around 2-3 inches below the level of the pond's bank. Any excess drains via this pipe; think bathroom sink overflow.
I'm still waiting for some mates to come round and have a trail angle (is that the correct term?). I'm hoping any fish in there will be a bit thick, and hence take the bait easily.
Right, thanks Ade, that standpipe arrangement is what I'm planning with a filter over the top to stop any possible escapees. A 6" drop does not seem to bad at all for the length of dry spell that we had although you have a much larger slope to harvest surface run off from then I will have.
Nice looking pond by the way, sure your friends will catch a few if it has not been fished for a long time they will not be hook shy. If it was stocked with Carp 10 years ago you could have some seriously large fish in there as well.
Nice looking pond by the way, sure your friends will catch a few if it has not been fished for a long time they will not be hook shy. If it was stocked with Carp 10 years ago you could have some seriously large fish in there as well.
OK, finally going to get started with this pond next week, its taken a bit longer than expected to get going.
A few questions people may be able to advise on:
Need to order a pump to pump water from the main pond up to the header pond to then flow back down the waterfall. Can anyone recommend any manufacturers to use or stay away from? Also planning to use a submersible pump however wondered if I'd be better using a surface pump even though it will be more hassle to install. This pump will be running continuously and have to flow around 8000l/hr at a 2m head. Planning to install a 1 1/2" pipe.
Will I be to late in 2 weeks time or so to plant pond plants bearing in mind I'm in Northern Scotland or should I just wait till Spring.
Hoping to put at least an initial stocking of fish in this Winter, would this be to early seeing that the pond will have only had a few months to stabilise and come to life?
The planting of the hedge and trees will happen over Winter as this is the best time, although I guess I will be to late to seed the rest of the area with meadow seeds now.
Anyone ever come across filters suitable to install on the top of a standpipe overflow so that it satisfies the fish licensing people that there is no chance the fish can escape into the watercourse?
No doubt there will be more questions to follow as work starts but hopefully not how to do you recover a 12Te slew digger from the mud!
A few questions people may be able to advise on:
Need to order a pump to pump water from the main pond up to the header pond to then flow back down the waterfall. Can anyone recommend any manufacturers to use or stay away from? Also planning to use a submersible pump however wondered if I'd be better using a surface pump even though it will be more hassle to install. This pump will be running continuously and have to flow around 8000l/hr at a 2m head. Planning to install a 1 1/2" pipe.
Will I be to late in 2 weeks time or so to plant pond plants bearing in mind I'm in Northern Scotland or should I just wait till Spring.
Hoping to put at least an initial stocking of fish in this Winter, would this be to early seeing that the pond will have only had a few months to stabilise and come to life?
The planting of the hedge and trees will happen over Winter as this is the best time, although I guess I will be to late to seed the rest of the area with meadow seeds now.
Anyone ever come across filters suitable to install on the top of a standpipe overflow so that it satisfies the fish licensing people that there is no chance the fish can escape into the watercourse?
No doubt there will be more questions to follow as work starts but hopefully not how to do you recover a 12Te slew digger from the mud!
Here are a few photos taken once I've got home, it amazing how much earth is produced and a bit worried that not all of it will be able to be redistributed around the site. There is around 600Te of topsoil been moved into the neighbouring farmers field and that was just 1 foot of topsoil from the pond area. There is still 4 foot of clay to go.
View from the road
View from old railway line
Kids getting stuck in and helping of sorts.
In case anyone is wondering this is only a rough shape of the pond and it should get more defined and a bit curvier over the next few days it won't be left a rectangle. Tomorrow will mainly be spent however spreading the soil out over the field so that the farmer can get in and plough so probably not to many exciting updates tomorrow.
View from the road
View from old railway line
Kids getting stuck in and helping of sorts.
In case anyone is wondering this is only a rough shape of the pond and it should get more defined and a bit curvier over the next few days it won't be left a rectangle. Tomorrow will mainly be spent however spreading the soil out over the field so that the farmer can get in and plough so probably not to many exciting updates tomorrow.
I have read all of this and the project sounds great, do you have any more updates/pictures.
The fishing club I help to run is currently extending a small stock pond that we have next to one of our lakes to be used for a coaching lake for local kids it should be around an acre when finished, slightly larger than yours but would be very interested to see how you are getting on and what planting you have planned.
Mark
The fishing club I help to run is currently extending a small stock pond that we have next to one of our lakes to be used for a coaching lake for local kids it should be around an acre when finished, slightly larger than yours but would be very interested to see how you are getting on and what planting you have planned.
Mark
I'd love to get a go in the digger but not sure I'll manage. Cannot get any time off work at the moment due to being flat out and I'm away this weekend on my brothers stagger, typically everything happens at once.
It should be around 0.4 acres with a depth around 2m, so allowing for the island, sloping sides and shelf I guess it will have around 3000m3 of water in it. Before I left for work this morning we dug a test pit to full depth to check that the clay does extend to depth and it does which is a bonus. Water was actually starting to pool in the hole as well so looks like the water table is fairly high.
Planting I'm really not sure about as yet, still need to research exactly what to plant, I think it will be to late to put anything in this year though so will probably have to leave it till Spring.
Planning to seed the area with a wildflower meadow once all the work is done and plant a wildlife hedge (60% Hawthorn + 5 other species) along the fence line along with the odd hedge trees over winter.
Hopefully will get an initial stocking of fish in this Winter however need to get the licenses in place first which by all accounts does not sound that straight forward in Scotland.
It should be around 0.4 acres with a depth around 2m, so allowing for the island, sloping sides and shelf I guess it will have around 3000m3 of water in it. Before I left for work this morning we dug a test pit to full depth to check that the clay does extend to depth and it does which is a bonus. Water was actually starting to pool in the hole as well so looks like the water table is fairly high.
Planting I'm really not sure about as yet, still need to research exactly what to plant, I think it will be to late to put anything in this year though so will probably have to leave it till Spring.
Planning to seed the area with a wildflower meadow once all the work is done and plant a wildlife hedge (60% Hawthorn + 5 other species) along the fence line along with the odd hedge trees over winter.
Hopefully will get an initial stocking of fish in this Winter however need to get the licenses in place first which by all accounts does not sound that straight forward in Scotland.
My Grandfather's built two in NE Scotland, one 5 acre the other 3.
Comments
5 acres - fed from a burn by 4" pipe & also field drain/springs.
This had to be split as change of water was not sufficient to prevent build up of disease in trout. The small end where the water came in had crystal clear water at first with the deeper end being green & murky, although this has improved in recent years. This ones outlet is by means of a monk which also controls the depth. I've never seen this lakes level rise more than a few inches after prolonged wet weather.
As there is no "flow" of water through this one, weed build up is a problem made worse where its shallow. (2-4ft). Deep end 6-8ft not so much. Depth also protects fish from Predators such as Osprey, Cormorant & Heron (The latter tend to do damage to the big fish rather than take away)
Poor water flow means this lake freezes in winter (we skated on it Christmas day) not sure how good that's for the fishes.
3 acres - built after the one above.
This time he dammed a burn, it's deeper water and is always clear (as long as the burn is). It's outlet is a 4ft pipe with an additional spillway for times of heavy rain fish are lost down the burn, but also brown trout can go upstream to spawn (they need flowing water)
I suppose coarse fishing is different to fly but do consider where you plant your trees, grandfather didn't with the 1st one, part of the reason he built a second!
Comments
5 acres - fed from a burn by 4" pipe & also field drain/springs.
This had to be split as change of water was not sufficient to prevent build up of disease in trout. The small end where the water came in had crystal clear water at first with the deeper end being green & murky, although this has improved in recent years. This ones outlet is by means of a monk which also controls the depth. I've never seen this lakes level rise more than a few inches after prolonged wet weather.
As there is no "flow" of water through this one, weed build up is a problem made worse where its shallow. (2-4ft). Deep end 6-8ft not so much. Depth also protects fish from Predators such as Osprey, Cormorant & Heron (The latter tend to do damage to the big fish rather than take away)
Poor water flow means this lake freezes in winter (we skated on it Christmas day) not sure how good that's for the fishes.
3 acres - built after the one above.
This time he dammed a burn, it's deeper water and is always clear (as long as the burn is). It's outlet is a 4ft pipe with an additional spillway for times of heavy rain fish are lost down the burn, but also brown trout can go upstream to spawn (they need flowing water)
I suppose coarse fishing is different to fly but do consider where you plant your trees, grandfather didn't with the 1st one, part of the reason he built a second!
Quick update, got the island fully shaped last night, all the topsoil in the field has been compacted ready for ploughing by the farmer and the pond has had a section dug to depth around the far side of the Island. The good news is that after cutting through a field drain water is pouring out so there should be no problem keeping the pond full and filling it however it may make digging more difficult. The bad news is the amount of spoil is huge.
Apologies for the poor photos these are off my phone, more to follow tonight.
Apologies for the poor photos these are off my phone, more to follow tonight.
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