Pond rim options

[etpm]

Well, we got the hole dug for the pond and all the rocks raked off of the bottom and the sides sloped. We are gonna buy some sand to put on the bottom before the liner goes down. I don't even know which liner I'm gonna use. When the liner goes in the hole it will come up the sides and lay on the surface. Rocks or pavers or flags will be placed on the liner to keep it in place. I don't know what to use and would love some advice and suggestions. The pond is about 3 feet deep and about 15 feet long and 8 feet wide. It is sorta kidney shaped. It is also already getting expensive and I would like to minimize costs. Like all of us.
Thanks All,
Eric

 

[Mendonsy]

Just be sure that whatever you use doesn't have sharp edges that can cut the liner material.

 

[Eagle1]

I'd start with sandbags until the liner and ground settles once the little pond is full. Much easier to adjust and visualize what you want.

 

[Jrasband]

I have heard people of people sometimes putting carpet down under the EPDM to ensure that the liner does not get punctured.

 

[fishin coyote]

We’ve built 4 different ones between the last couple of houses. We don’t use sand just line the hole with old carpet. tuck the liner in about a foot or so all around the outside and cover with flat stone. Here’s a couple of pictures from our current pond, it’s about 650 gallon.

This what it looks like 8 yrs later We’ve moved the waterfall a couple times and let the gardens grow up around it

 

[etpm]

Thanks folks for your replies, especially fishin coyote. It looks like I'm gonna use something called RPE, which stands for Reinforced Poly Ethylene for the liner. I'm also gonna have 3 inches of sand in the bottom of the pond and at least two inches of sand around the perimeter. I will be using flags and natural stone from our place to line the perimeter. Flagstone is kinda expensive around here so we will be shopping around and probably go off island for the flags. I would rather avoid concrete pavers. They look crappy. Dunno yet if we will have fish. My wife really wants a pond. I would rather buy the adjacent 5 acres because it has a year 'round creek which would obviate filling a pond with my well and would constantly feed a pond with frog eggs and then frogs would hang out and maybe one or two of the rare turtles native to Whidbey Island would hang out too.
Eric

 

[big bubba]

We’ve built 4 different ones between the last couple of houses. We don’t use sand just line the hole with old carpet. tuck the liner in about a foot or so all around the outside and cover with flat stone. Here’s a couple of pictures from our current pond, it’s about 650 gallon.
View attachment 3987883
View attachment 3987884
View attachment 3987885This what it looks like 8 yrs later We’ve moved the waterfall a couple times and let the gardens grow up around it
View attachment 3987886

nice job...lots of aquatic activity. are those lotus plants in one pic? in contained areas like yours, they add interest. in larger harder to control ponds, they can be very invasive. regards

 

[rScotty]

Thanks folks for your replies, especially fishin coyote. It looks like I'm gonna use something called RPE, which stands for Reinforced Poly Ethylene for the liner. I'm also gonna have 3 inches of sand in the bottom of the pond and at least two inches of sand around the perimeter. I will be using flags and natural stone from our place to line the perimeter. Flagstone is kinda expensive around here so we will be shopping around and probably go off island for the flags. I would rather avoid concrete pavers. They look crappy. Dunno yet if we will have fish. My wife really wants a pond. I would rather buy the adjacent 5 acres because it has a year 'round creek which would obviate filling a pond with my well and would constantly feed a pond with frog eggs and then frogs would hang out and maybe one or two of the rare turtles native to Whidbey Island would hang out too.
Eric

We have a year round stream. By simply widening the stream in three places it now forms a series of three small intercnnected ponds.

We originally had a single larger pond made by digging a 10 foot deep hole a few feet away from the stream and let seepage through the porous rocky soil between the two filll the pond.

The problem with any pond is that they eventually fill in with leaves and such. It helps to have some sort of flow through, and the ability to clean out the sludge every few years.
rScotty

 

[fishin coyote]

big bubba, Yes it’s a oriental lotus. We’ve had it for 15+ years. It’s in a good sized pot. I’d never plant one without a pot or in a large pond, to easy for them to grow out of control. We have a local lake that is just polluted with american lotus it covers acres water ruining boating and most fishing opportunities.