Beginner BACKYARD POND Build - Mistakes were made 

I'd recommend filling the water first before rocks...because the water will pull the liner and conforms to the shape...this way it won't pull or over stretch the liner

I'm a novice pond guy with more fish experience. I know it's 2y since this was posted but a couple notes for you/others to consider: 1. initial mild algae bloom is normal after set up of tanks/ponds (and every spring, for those with snowy winters). I'd stock lightly or not at all until you get things stable and allow for early beneficial bacterial colonization of the rocks/filter. Usually you can just ride it out. Using chemicals too early can start of a vicious cycle ("dead stuff" = more growth = more chemicals = more "dead stuff", and so on). 2. This is a very small pond for bass and even bluegill, I'm wondering how they've done. I'd guess you'd need very frequent water changes or a significantly robust filter system for them to thrive). Even so, more/bigger fish = more algae issues, especially in a small pond. I generally start by stocking light/small and add creatures slowly. You'll see lots of videos online of tanks/ponds getting filled with fish early (because it looks cool) but what you don't see is the algae fight and die off that is likely to come later. Still love the video and appreciate you leaving in all the mistakes - lots of pearls of wisdom in it. Thank you!

My first pond took me all summer to finish. It was finished, but I kept tinkering with it until I was happy. I was moving things and adding things constantly. To me it was always a work in progress. Which I loved and enjoyed. It ended up, being a very relaxing spot for me to enjoy after a long day at work.👍👍

Your "mistakes" will be our success. Thank you for your honesty in this video

I used old carpeting as my underlayment. It was free, and extremely durable. When you wet it down it conforms to the curves or the ground nicely. That, coupled with a nice and thick pond liner, and I never experienced a leak in my pond ever. Nice job on your first pond build! What a beautiful piece of property you have. 😊

The merkiness in the water from the dirt from the rocks would have settled over time. For anyone reading this that doesn't want to fill, drain, and fill their pool again, you can just leave it completely unbothered overnight and by morning it should be pretty clear

My wife and I accidentally found this post... (she won't let me leave the video). Now I can't stop watching with her. Gud Job!

Pickaxe is something I've come to love with my ground being full of red clay haha

Mine had a leak everytime I used thick mil plastic or even an actual pond liner. So I went with a semi-pernmant alternative route. Start with depending on your size pond a Queen size bed sheet. Grab a wheel barrow, 1 bag of cement/concrete/mortar and 2 bags of sand.( 1 bag of sand was thrown in the pond before the next part).Once you have everything mixed up in the wheel barrow,you want it really watered down a little thin than pancake mix. Take your sheet put it in the wheel barrow, soak the sheet real good and then just lay it out like a pond liner. And if you have mix left in the wheel barrow...pour it down the sides of the pond. Let it dry, for a day. And your done. 👍 And he's absolutely right dont be cheap when buying your pump. I also threw in some white sponges for extra filtering. My Waterfall/Pond looks great and relatively cheap too. I ran into all the same problems during my build. 🤘🍻🤠🇺🇸🏴‍☠️ Great video.

My favourite part of this video is how many times you messed up, I mean this in a genuine way. It's brave to do something that's not your expertise and come out with something beautiful. Congratulations, seriously.

I really appreciate you talking through the process and the mistakes and successes! It was so encouraging to me. Failure is not trying. You didn't quit! Thank you for this video!!

From what I've seen and from my experience, there are certain basics of building a pond/waterfall to prevent leaks etc, but for the most part, a waterfall is a work of art. It really is an expression of the person building it, so there isnt really a right and wrong way to build it, just do what you like and make adjustments until you are satisfied with your own work!

I suppose making mistakes and rectifying even though it seems to turn into a full time job at times is all part of the hobby. The best thing I ever did was to build a bog filter from a water butt . Water clears dramatically. Thanks 🙏

thanks for including your mistakes, that really added to the video. Great work!

Nice 1st attempt. Just some recommendations. After digging your hole tamp the bottom and sides so they are firm. Then spread about a half inch of sand in the bottom. Then place your liner and then wash your gravel of choice and spread it along the bottom.

You may not want to hear this - but putting rocks and gravels in the bottom is a really bad idea - the pond may look really nice and natural for the first season, but soon detritus will accumulate in nooks and crannies which will cause proliferation of anaerobic bacteria - which once accumulated to a high enough level will cause fin rot, ulcer to fish due to bacterial infection. To take care of this you'll either need to drain the pond on an annual basis to wash off detritus (or hover/siphon), or better still, take out all the rocks and gravels... In a few months time in summer the liner will grow a layer of green algae which will completely cover the black rubber - giving you a nice natural look. Only rock the edge of the pond and potentially the top shelf to help hold the liner in place. I speak from regrettable experience which killed multiple fish, until I took out all the gravel. Namo Amituofo

Thanks, I'm building right now and this helps very much! 🐟🐟🐟

Great video! Informational and I loved to see how you troubleshoot. Projects always have hiccups, but it's easy to forget when you see the videos where everything is edited to look perfect from start to finish. Also, we the audience get to learn a lot from your experience. This gives me more courage to try adding a water feature to my yard!

For public knowledge since I've built dozens of these... newspaper underlayment = free. And use roofing rubber mat for lining. Sometimes roofing companies will even give them away

Appreciate others showing their triumphs as well as failures. Really want a pond but not confident enough in my knowledge to go for it yet.

I think y'all did a great job! I'm redoing my pond for the 3rd time myself. Glad to know I'm not the only one who's made mistakes in the past😁🤘

Watching your video made me feel better knowing I’m not the only one that made the same mistakes

Bootifull pond, I realy want a koi pond in my back yard thanks for the tips!

For that kind of compacted clay, rock and soil you should be using a large rock pick axe ⛏ tool combined with shovels, it will make the digging go much faster. I know because I have the same crappy soil 😂 way to go on the pond btw, it looks great!💜

Key to clean up is, touch it once! Easy to say after right. Looks great and good job :-)

I'm just about to start on a little pond at my new property. I really appreciate you showing the mistakes you made to help others avoid doing the same. I admire your perseverance to come up with an amazing work of art in the end .. I hope mine will be 1/2 as good! 👏

I absolutely love your video. Thanks for all the tips along the way. 😊

This pond is beautiful; I admire your perseverance and attention to detail! You created an absolute piece of art. And it was done with help from your loved ones. Don't beat yourself up about things that didn't quite go right because it turned out amazing. P.s. You definitely had something going with the water fall

Lol, I dig you man...digging, that's what friends and family are for :D

Awesome job! Love the wild fish in there!

You did a great job, I’m 3 ponds in now and have learned a lot from these videos.

Love your video...I just started digging for a pond, thanks for all the good advice...it will save me alot of trouble later!

Honestly second pond liner looks really high texture and the first looks like a trash bag. Amazing video bro and i’m glad you kept the mistakes in. Makes it true to life🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

Word of advice. Never use thick black plastic for the liner. I had to redo mine several times before I figured out it was not going to work. But a liner made for ponds or a above ground swimming pool liner will work as well. That is what I used and it has held up for years. Also wash your rocks before putting them in your pond.

Nice job on the pond. And between your amazing video and the comments left I've gotten a lot of great ideas. Thank you for the video and the links.

Always call 811 before you dig!!! Don't forget to call!! You bust a line to a gas pipe not good!! Be safe and always call!! That's 811....!!!

I'ma huge pond and goldfish guy! I enjoy your videos, I'm from Connecticut in the United States and we have a load of places to build a pond

Well, there goes my idea of building a backyard pond!

I love this. Im going to try to build something next spring. I love your honesty.

I feel your pain while you are working on that pond. This is very helpful to learn from the mistakes so when we start with our pond we will know what not to do. Thanks for sharing and I love the end result.

I've designed and built two natural ponds. Now weve moved and I want another pond, unfortunately, I am now older with a medical conditions that will prevent me from digging or placing rockscape...Looks like my next pond is going to have to be a professional job! Good job on your pond, and video!

Beautiful backyard pond..wish you success and be healthy always

It looks wonderful!! Thanks for the pointers!! ❤️

Good video and good first build, my only concern is the closeness to the house and foundation.

All that digging is worth it….. we dug ours 3 ft …. 2ft and 1ft…. Went on a tour of homes and we got busy.Really enjoyed the pond for years here in rocky Tennessee.

Just a couple of thoughts,usually you dont want water that close to your house as it will overflow and cause rising damp,also in Australia atleast you need a fence around it just like a pool if you go to deep,thats all,nice vid

Great video, thanks for posting!

Good job, learned the hard way but but you saved some others your mistakes. Thanks!

Super cool pond

Pond looks so great

Great video man, I'm glad you got help in digging it. I'm currently digging a 3000> gallon pond alone.

Good advice, great content.

Love your confidence

your backyard is amazing!

I think posting the mistakes helps more than anything . Thank you!

I been thinking of diy my fish pond. Thanks for the video. I subscribed.

So good of you for sharing.

Nice work! I think you saved many of us a lot of money by showing your mistakes. This was a very helpful video, good job on the project.

Such an awesome pond, very creative, good job bro

this video was really helpful man, me and my dad are getting close to finishing our pond. thanks for the advice :)

Great videos, thanks for your sharing with this video

These are really great tips you give, will save me lots of trouble!

Your explaining the mistakes you made, and the various suggestions, really helped me as I'm building my pond. You can cut down on algae build up by including more plants, especially waterlilies or lotus which will cover the water area and cut down on the light that helps algae grow.

Man this reminds me of my struggle with my pond haha... I gotta cover my liner too... Great job sticking with it dude, shows a lot of character. Love from Toronto ✌🏾

I did all the mistakes you made with my first one had to redo it 3xs lol. This one will def dig deeper but awesome job on the pond. I don't think I can go without one ever again.👌

Very kool! Thanks for sharing!👍🔥

The reason its so hard for you to hide the liner is because that top edge where it goes from vertical to horizontal should be like at least 6 inches below grade . the bottom of those bolders you have sitting on the top should be sitting in water

9:04 you should try to take all sharp stones out, spread about 1" sand or use an old carpet as a base. Water is heavy and if you use a cheap liner it will tear, try to buy a liner with a 25 year guarantee. one good thing was having clay, this is a great smoother over rocky places.

love your pond . i’m going to build a pond soon.

Don't worry about murky water once you have running long enough it will get clear. Best way to learn by your mistakes and you get better. I have three water feature around my garden

Thank you for an HONEST how-to 😅 I have definitely learned from your mistakes

Props for digging it all out with a shovel, a pickaxe would have broken all that up and be easier to shovel out

💪🏽 Love your attitude !

You did an amazing job

Nice, watching for your tips and experience. Hacking through a large pond build now 🤣 probably 80,000 to 90,000 gallon. Just starting to really take shape. Obviously I have some equipment.

Sand is good before laying liner as it is softer and fills in areas

great job dudes 2nd pond looks far too better...weldone guys enjoy

Nice Build!!

Perseverance 🏅found this motivating.

Damn wide-neck!! Good job

Thanks for the video I'm about to do one for my ducks goin to bury a water trouff for now but want to do something like you did in the future thanks again

We need an update of the pond!!!!

Amazing! You inspired me man

Don't repeat my mistake. Please recess your pond area away from the concrete wall because you will have difficulty in maintenance later.

Great video.

I really recommend plants and you know why? Plants eat the fishdirt (their pooh) out of the water, it is fertilizer for them and give oxigyn in return. I have a very little pond with an extra tub with water and plants next to it that acts like an extra filter. I barely have any algae in my pond. Fish happy, plants happy and you get to enjoy them both!! 😃

Love the video 👍

Looks great

Thanks for video Will follow your advice ..

Love you did this video your the best

Good for you... I like it!

Charlie, the real MvP

Good stuff. Thanks for the info and making those mistakes so I wont ;)

Good video,, you taught me a lot,, thanks,, Fellow Earthling

Hella chill💯🙌🏼🔥

Beautiful backyard pond dude, salam from Indonesia

Great video for what" Not" to do in building a Pond....Bless your heart for trying...."Savio"Water Feature Institute has a couple of "how to build a pond"videos that will show you the correct way to get it right without problems building & maintaining it...also no chemicals....its the right amount of (1) Fish(koi) eat plants..then they poop which fertilizers plants to grow and as plants grow they pull high levels of H2O out to keep Algee down and you have a full circle eco system DON'T BUY UV LIGHTS OR CHEMICALS....

Not really ideal, your electrical won't last next to the downspout, (the location of the downspout may also spill woodchips and other debris into your pond negatively impacting the health of your fish) and I'd be worried about potential foundation damage if it leaks next to the wall of your house.

Interesting project

4:30 depending on your location, you don't need to go deep, I live Southern England and my average summer temperature is 75⁰C, winter -10⁰C and my pond was only 18" at its deepest and all above ground, I had 80cm koi, 75cm common carp, 112cm blue Orf, goldfish and tench, all lived over 15 years.