My New Pond Build - 800gal, probably Going Native?

[lauraleellbp]

So I've been planning this pond forever (I've had this site picked out for a pond since before we even built the house about 5 years ago! LOL) but as of last night I actually bought my first piece of equipment for it!!

Here's the future pond site- tucked right underneath this bay window (that's my home office behind it)


I've been actively researching designs and equipment recommendations for the past few years, and this is the plan as of today (may still evolve some, but the basic outline I'm pretty set on):


Basic layout:
The pond will be a 7' x 5' oval, lined with a 45mil EPDM liner and an underlayment to protect the liner. The middle will be 3' deep with a built-in plant ledge running all along the edges. I'm planning on building the pond up at least 3-6" over ground level to help keep rain runoff out of the pond.

Filtration:
There's going to be a skimmer/filter tucked into the back left corner up against the porch (I'm looking right now at the Laguna Skimmer Filter http://www.lagunaponds.com/lagunaeng...0.php?link=150, though at $350 that's the biggest chunk of my budget by far).
A bottom drain (probably a Koi Toilet II http://www.underwaterwarehouse.com/K...-II-p-433.html) will be plumbed into the skimmer/filter with a ball valve for easy shutoff.
I'm going to put a 2000 gph sumbersible pump in the back of the filter and run that over to this waterfall (which I've already purchased) http://www.lagunaponds.com/lagunaeng...l.php?link=158.
The waterfall is going to be built up/surrounded with rockwork and tucked up into the back right corner of the pond, in the niche between the bay window and garage wall. I'm probably going to be using 1.5" flexible PVC tubing for most of the plumbing.

Here's the budget I'm working with right now:

45mil EPDM liner & underlayment - $200
Laguna waterfall - $75 (already purchased off Ebay)
Laguna skimmer/filter combo - $350
Koi toilet II bottom drain - $70
2000 gph submersible pump - $125
20' x 1.5" flex tubing, ball valves, & misc plumbing supplies - $100
Rockwork & pavers for waterfall & pond surround - $100

For livestock and plants I'm strongly considering collecting my own and "going native" with assorted mollies, florida flagfish, killies, gambusia, etc.

[hydrophyte]

This is gonna be awesome. That site is perfect.

[cah925]

Hurray for natives! Can't wait to see this one get started.

[AoxomoxoA]

Originally Posted by hydrophyte

This is gonna be awesome. That site is perfect.

My thoughts exactly! Wow, I'm sooo jealous!!!

[VadimShevchuk]

nice house and idea! I would put some type of net over it to keep kids from throwing food/garbage outta there.

[esteroali]

As soon as it cools off we can go swampin

[lauraleellbp]

Thanks, ya'll!

Originally Posted by esteroali

As soon as it cools off we can go swampin

Definitely!

I would put some type of net over it to keep kids from throwing food/garbage outta there.

Actually, keeping the bears out is a much more serious concern than kids in my neighborhood... I saw a big one walk down that sidewalk just last week right after I got home.

[RipariumGuy]

Originally Posted by cah925

Hurray for natives! Can't wait to see this one get started.

I agree! Awesome site! I can't wait to see it all put together! What are your plans as far as plants go?

[lauraleellbp]

I'm probably going to do a lot of native collecting- so possibly cattails, ludwigia, bacopa, native lillies, pickerelweed (sp?), Salvinia... whatever else I can find whenever I'm finally ready to plant it out!

[Eden Marel]

Well I don't know, but your house looks nice! I can't wait to see the end result. Also your address is showing on your pic in the other thread, but there are probably a lot of those numbers in Naples, Florida xD

[lauraleellbp]

Thanks, Eden! I've worked really hard on my yard since last year, and it's finally all coming together.

I've finally picked out my pump, too. I'm going to get a Laguna PowerFlo 2000 or 2150. Looks like I should be able to pick one up off of Ebay for less than $150 so that's right on budget.

[Tex Gal]

That will be beautiful! Sounds like your fish will eat any nasty misquotes that might want to move it.

I think I would be a little worried about the kids, not for trash but for safety. At 3 feet that's pretty deep. My insurance (and city ordinance) requires a fence at that depth. Maybe FL is different.

I can't wait to see what you do with this puppy!!

[lauraleellbp]

Actually, where I live keeping the bears out is a much bigger concern than kids. I keep visualizing looking out my window one day and seeing one of the local black bears using my pond as his personal bath...

But I also really, really, really want to fence in our yard. I've wanted to for years so hopefully I'll be able to talk my hubby into it soon.

[lauraleellbp]

More progress! I just finished helping my mom landscape their front yard, and after I was done my parents surprised me with the $$ to buy my pond filter!

I'm also probably going to change the pond design a little. I've been reading that plant ledges tend to encourage fishing racoons and herons (which we certainly have plenty of around here), so I'm probably going to skip the plant shelves and angle the sides rather steeply instead to discourage predators.

I'll likely use plastic crates for plant stands instead.

This change will also increase my pond volume to close to 800 gallons- and I certainly don't mind obtaining more water volume!

[lauraleellbp]

Ordered the Laguna Skimmer Filter today. Cheapest I could find it was $330 shipped on www.Amazon.com.

That leaves all of the following needed before I actually start digging:

Pump - $150
Liner & underlay - $200
Bottom drain - $75
20'x 1.5 - 2.0" flex tubing - $50
Misc plumbing supplies (bulkheads, sealer, joiners, etc) - $50
Decorative rock & pavers - $100

Have:
Laguna filterfalls - $75
Laguna Skimmer filter - $330

So far the budget's in good shape!