Mistakes to avoid when building a pond 

just know that people are still watching, learning, and appreciating your video in July 2023... Thank you!

The best tip I have ever found is FRESH WATER CLAMS! My pond is small about 5'x8', and about 24" deep in a hard shell liner. I added the clams (500 + or -) 3 years ago. No pump. No filter. No aerator. I put in 9 Gold fish and a handful of Guppies and a few water plants. I have never fed any of my fish and they are still alive after 3 years. They seem to be enjoying life, eating the clam babies, plant roots and mosquito larvae, as they reproduce every day. The clams eat fish waste and keep the water clean. I can still see the bottom!

I'm really enjoying your channel. I've got to point, though, that some folks have money but not time, so it is a fair trade to offer a good pond at a premium, and your ponds are certainly good and built with great care and sensitivity.

Great video. I will add a tip: Try to avoid joining liners. Because of the shape of my pond I bought three liners and joined them together. I have spent the last 5 years look for leaks. Every year it seems somewhere water is getting out at a seam. It is a lot of work to find and patch. Now I wish I had gone for a more simple design and spent a little more on a bigger liner. I love my pond, but this year I just let the water line sit a foot below the proper level because I don't want to do all the work of patching.

The natural pond with no liner, 5 foot deep and was less than 500$ in material is exactly what I'm looking to do in my yard for ducks. I'm very glad to have found your channel with such great information. Hopefully it will help make my dream a reality. Need to search for a video specifically on a pond of that style. Thanks for the videos!

Very pretty ponds and seem to be thought out in detail. Thanks for sharing.

Your videos deserve tens of thousands of more views! You share realistic information that is actually helpful for the average pond owner!

Thanks for posting,I’m enjoying your vids and feel like I’m a getting fast tracked to owning a successful pond. Like you I am planning my dream pond (I have a 1000 litre fish pond and a pondless waterfall) and I’m at the planning stages working out budgets etc. I was tempted to go the Aquascape route but after watching a lot of your vids now I’m not so sure,I’m doing all the labour myself so anywhere I can save $$ is a bonus. Keep posting Please as you have a growing number of followers.

Oh my the questions I could ask you!!! I want to spruce up my pond system. I dont know where to start.

Love the video. Love your simple ideas and creativity. Lots of great info. Thank you. Subscriber from NW FL.

This is great for people on a budget like me. Thank you from the 🇺🇸

Thats a lot of pro tips in a vid ❤️❤️❤️

I used a cheap liner for my duck pond. The dog jumped in it a few times and found if 6 or so inches low the next morning. Epdm liner was gonna run 500/600 dollars(U.S). Ended up buying 200lbs of portland cement and 800lbs of sand and mortered the pond and small river. Not a big pond, 10x14 ft, knee deep. I used a 35gallon round premade plastic pond as my bog filter.it feeds back in thtew a small stream between the 2. Pumps are 1500gph pool pump to the bigger bog filter and a 850gph to a smaller bog filter i built out of a bucket. Plenty for 2 ducks. They trash it fast though.freshly filled kid pools look like swamps in a hour with ducks. I went with the pool pump mainly because i already had it,bonus is i can put a cartridge filter in it and hook up a small pool vacuum to clean out sunkin duck mess. I cant do fish, my 2 ducks would eat em.

Hi Kev, thanks for reaching out to us with your experience and help. Mentioning help could you help with my question , I’m buying a liner that quotes the size and 45mil, what does 45mil mean in this case? Cheers Brian

Tks for the useful information 🙏🏽. I'm wondering what mistake did I make if my new pond become foamy? I haven't put in the fish yet. Do you have video about it, tks..

Hi Kev, love your videos. My husband dug me a 2300 gallon fish pond. We have a 2100 submersible pump feeding into our 55 gallon bog filter. The water flow is not adjusted and is coming out with such force I know my poor fish need ear plugs. We drained the bog today to clean it and did about a 15/20 percent water change. Water is still very green. Suggestions Mate?

we had still water ponds that didn't need any attention. perhaps a good cleaning out every two years.

I also don't want to think of how much I've spent on pond projects over the years but worth every dollar

I am converting my 5000 gallon pool to a pond. Do I need to put down a liner? Thank you for your very helpful instructions.

And physical effort. ;)

Very, very cool!

I would like to know if you are able to build me a backyard pond 12ft x12ft x5ft deep?

Thank you

cheers

At 10:20 you mentioned running pump continuously, moving or running water wont freeze if moving enough. I live in Buffalo N.Y. and my pond runs year round. And if i dont it will freeze and kill my fish and break my plumbing.

How do you keep birds from preying on the fish? My neighbor had a koi pond and every day there was a heron there just picking out the fish. In a few days they were all gone. Would it help to put a net over the top? I don't really like the idea of a net because it kinda ruins the aesthetics. I've been wanting to make a fish pond for many years but I haven't because I've been afraid of losing them all to a ballsy heron that has no qualms about landing in someone's back yard.

How much did it cost you to make this ? Plz reply Love your videos ❤️

So what happens if I do use a solar only pump and it shuts down doing cloudy days and at night? I want to avoid a plug in pump. I do not plan to have fish in my pond. Just water plants. Pond will be on the smaller side. Maybe 5ft by 6ft and 2ft at it’s deepest point. Thanks!!

the guy who installed my pond waterfall cant stop the leak. the water is leaving the waterfall basin, going down the rock in front but also going around the side and into the rocks and getting lost. anyone have any tips how i can fix it since the installer seems clueless?

Im presently trying to design a false beaver dam that will let water flow but keep salamanders and fish out of pump pond. Any video suggestions. I like your creations

Are you using volcanic rocks?

Garcia John Robinson Barbara Walker Patricia

I can make that 2000 dollar pond in around 140 dollars😝

Praise the LORD for creating ponds!

Im a single mom but u made it sound like i could totally build my own pond with no experience..great video sir👍🏾

The one bit of Advice I got was if you build your pond like at 500 gallons double it because you’re always want it bigger my pond is 2000 gallons almost 5 feet deep at the bottom and I did that to keep the predators like raccoons and egrets from coming in and getting the fish and I have it to where I can see it out my dining room slider all season long

Love your variations of ponds! Your knowledge of the systems is so helpful and easy to follow. I did subscribe to your page! Thank you! 🐠☺️

Just a note, there's a type of PVC liner that's actually very good. It's UV stable and there's a woven net of fabric inside it, so it's super hard to puncture it. If I cut it, the net is blue, and it looks similar to the material they use in grain bags. I'm not sure the brand, it came from my local shop. They promised a 15-year guarantee for it.

Love the videos! I know how much time you put it to make them. Keep up the good work 👍

Thank you so much for providing such fantastic information and instruction! We would like to make a duck pond and are trying to figure out if there’s a viable way of making a natural-style pond despite the challenge of added waste and their propensity to eat everything. Your videos have been invaluable for helping us learn, plan, and prepare realistically. It may take us a few years, but your guidance will make a big difference for our family and friends. :)

Thanks for the upload. I really appreciate the tips on flow rates, and all the examples in situ.

Again another great video! I love the information you’re providing for us all!

Thank you for your video, i have watched heaps and yours is simply the best hands down, simple, clear, so easy to understand, if you don't do this as your business you should, I would hire you to do my pond in a second, great jod, look forward to watching all your other vids. p.s Great to see someone for OZ on the video too.

I have watched hundreds of pond videos. Yours are truly among my favs. Clear. Concise. Straightforward. Thank you. Question, what are those plants dangling into the water by the waterfall and to the side of the waterfall at minute 8:40? Also, how large is the pond for which you have the drum bog filter. Thank you.

Helpfull information sir. Watching from india.

Thank you so much. I saw some stuff on Instagram and wanted to build a mini pond 8 gallons. With your videos(all of them), not just this one, I was able to make a diy mini bog attached to a gravity filter (taken from your steam bog idea) all powered with a $37 (amazon)10v 7w max flow 350L/H pump. I wanted to do a pond but didn't want to waste electricity. This help me prove that I don't need to invest in a huge pump or costly solar system without testing the concept. THANK YOU!!!!!! I hope to build a larger system next.

You build beautiful ponds and give great information, Well done, good luck in the future with your pond passion! Cheers from Canada!

In one of your videos I heard banjo frogs and am curious if they were in a separate pond, from the goldfish, or in the same pond you have found a way to stop the goldfish eating all the frogs' eggs.

Hi, lovely vid and great no bullshit delivery ! How refreshing to see someone who's just doing these on a not-for-profit basis and just sharing tips out of the goodness of their heart!. My question is, if we're regional, in swamp/clay territory (near Richmond River, NSW), and I already have planted swamp sedgey plants eg juncus, carex, isolepsis, gahnia, teatree etc etc in a boggy area, do I really have to use plastic liner if I dig out a nearby area? (This is for frogs, not fish.) I just hate the idea of putting plastic in the earth and putting plants in pots... Would it work if I dig out a deep enough area and keep filling it? We have bore water and rainwater so it wouldn't be tap water. The soil is dark/pug-like, some areas drain better than others, in summer it does crack though. Cheers :-) and thanks

How do you stop the neighbors cat from eating the fish. I could use the trusty 30.06, but I'm not sure how well I would cope behind bars.

Thanks for the many great tips in this video! Do you have any videos explaining the correct way to do a liner overlap? like if you were adding another waterfall to a pond.

Great tips, Kev. I suffer from mistake #1. We have a budget, but I keep increasing it as my visions become more grandiose. Haha. Does anyone make/distribute RPE liner in Australia? That's what I'm using for my build and it is extremely tough stuff. About 1/3 the weight of EPDM and 3x the puncture resistance. Can be heat welded if you need to seam or patch. Downside is that it is not stretchy at all, making it pretty tough to form to curves in your pond. Have to study up on origami to fold it to get it to lay the way you want it. Side note: Really looking forward to hearing how you like those Jebao pumps you ordered for the new pond.

I’m in Sydney starting a pond business this year I’m very reasonable on price and busy as🤙🏻 And is a lot thanks to you 🙏🏻

Oz ikeep hearing 60% of the pond surface needs to be covered to avoid algea. Your ponds are beautiful and don't seem to have that much coverage. Is it the bog filter or am I'm just misunderstanding.

Well, I don’t think a simple thx is enough this time. After 1.5 years of looking at and taking notes, you have summed up all those into one video and much more. I will have to watch all your help on filters now, as I want to avoid cleaning too often!

I've learned so much from your videos,I love my 1500 gallon pond and I've had it 7 years ...always improving it and I love hearing you talk about things I already do from experience also

Excellent videos and beautiful ponds. I especially like how you use large rocks in the bottom of ponds to give fish a sense of security and something to swim around. Bare bottom ponds are not natural so thank you!

Thank you for being kind and sharing your knowledge. It is priceless.

Your passion for your subject is evident in every video. Keep inspiring!

Thanks for the tips, covered some very important things for me. Cheers.

The problem is the materials cost $10,000 and the labor and profit comes up to $40,000. That $2000 pond would cost about 30k from a CAC.

Kev, bro I love your channel, I learn so much here and I love the accent! I’m about a month away from breaking ground on my pond! Just bought a house and now I get to upgrade from a small plastic koi pond to a 16x22x5 pond, I’ll be making a big filter in a way YOU have taught me! Honestly I wish I could hug you, you have made this easy and accessible

What’s the difference between using a fast moving filter bed vs K1/K3 medium through slow moving to remove particulates? I’m building a pond now in our backyard that will be 7,500-10,000 gallons, using 4-55 gallon drums for mechanical filtration that will move into 3-150 gallon “bog” filters for bio filtration that will then spill into the pond. The 55 gallon drums are all being fed from an 8200 GPH pump (all being fed from the pump at the same time), I’m expecting slow moving K1 beds, just wondering the differences in the fast rolling beds vs slow, thanks. Love your videos!

I was hoping to get your opinion about flow rates and tempest upflow filters with bog filter. I'm going to start digging a dedicated koi pond its going to be 12x12x6 in feet its around 6400 gallons. Would u please let me know if my thinking us flawed. 4" bottom drain to a 3,000 gallon per hour external pump that splits into 2 tempest upflow filters that then feed into a 2150 gallon bog filter. I have a heavy fish load approximately 50+ koi. My concern is will the flow rate be enough turning over the pond every two hours or should I have a separate pump feeding 3000 gallons to the bog filter the have the two tempest feed additional. I know the upflow filters work best if there's not to much pressure flowing through. I'm thinking by using the two tempest I can help remove the organic waist from the pond daily reducing the mechanical filtration needed for the bog. Sorry for the length and I'd appreciate your opinion, cheers

Really nice vid! Your ponds is beautiful.

I've just finished putting a bog filter in my koi pond. After just a week there's a huge difference. Would love to convert my swimming pool to natural but the running costs deter me. Am I maKING A MISTAKE IN MY CALCULATIONS? pOOL IS 12 MTRS BY 3 METRES AND 1.45 METRES DEEP. SOME 52.500 litres. If I build an eco filter of 15 M2 I need to change the water every hour which would mean using a fair sized pump. Running 24 hours a day, the electricity consumption would be a considerable expense. TRUE?

Hi! I just wanted to say that I really appreciate your videos on pond construction and DIY biological filters. English is not my first language but the way you explain things makes it easy for me to understand everything you say and do. Subscribing to your channel has inspired me to build a larger pond for my turtles. If I may, I would like to ask you a question: does it make sense to put a layer of soil under a layer of sand to try growing a few plants at the bottom of the pond? Or would it be better to just use stones and gravel, and to abandon this idea?? Thank you and keep up with the good work with the channel, I'm sure that with your work you're going to inspire a lot of people!

A couple of thoughts as I'm going through your videos. First, have you any experience or thoughts about using bentonite clay to seal a pond as opposed to using an edpm liner? Second, assuming that I dig my pond at least two feet deep, how do I help my bog filter survive winters with lots of snow and where we sometimes have a week or two of single digit temps, well below freezing? Do I shut everything down?

Nearly 2m deep! Wow.

Was that you digging? Bad!! Relax, no need to push and strain away... Get a decent rabbiting spade and crowbar, use the weight of the bar or your back won't last.. If you're getting pain.. Stop... You're doing it wrong. Stretch relax take a minute every 20 minutes.

I was hoping to build a small pond that is naturally fed by an under ground aquifer. The problem is that water source dries up in summer and so does the pond. I'm worried if I line the pond though bit may cause problems in the surrounding area. Any experience with that? Great video I really appreciate you

Thank you Sir for the absolutely great video!! Answered many of my questions...

For a small pond near a few gutter downspouts, is it possible to direct that water thru the bog filter to ensure filtration? One reason for the location I am considering is the water flow thru the area that I am slowing down with swales to manage it and I was hoping to incorporate it into the pond to keep it full. Perhaps a strategically placed intake basin for gutter and surface flow to ensure it gets pumped to the filter?

We just replaced carpet in our home, so we have plenty of carpet to use as a underlayment. I am not creating a pond w fish, but a simple creek or stream. So you say do NOT use carpet as an underlayment?

What about rats and mice digging around and under the liner then giving the rubber liner a little nibble and wondering why their burrow is flooded... What about soilcrete 3inches deep before putting the liner down?

What are your thoughts on RPE liner? The stats look impressive and much longer lasting.

the low volt option is still plugged in the wall and from the accent i'm guessing that is 220v. still sketchy

Just wondering what model pump you used for 12,000L/hr? I can’t find a low voltage one - thanks for the awesome videos btw

My new favorite pond channel 😍

I made hte mistake of pouring too much water in one end and now I have a pond that slopes - should have used a spirit level.

Don’t you have poisonous snakes spiders in Australia won’t this attract them ?

Oh man I can tell I'll be watching your channel a lot. I want to create a larger pond with a center island for a small pavillion and a multistage waterfall (Thats the dream at least) - I'm trying to get the proper knowledge before I even attempt to plan the whole thing out, but I imagine creating an island with a 'stream' around it shouldn't be a problem? Sincerely useful video man!

Legend

please feature a small gray water pond or water feature.

Is there a way to create a pond without using the linear?

"This one is a small 300-liter koi pond, this setup was just under 900 million dollars and 85 cents".

What is your thought on going fiber glass and i mean diy fiberglass mat sheets and all that jazz…. I do fiberglass work for plenty of my hobby cases didnt know your thoughts … pond in question three step down style big pond 2 meter deep in the center, prolly 3-4 meter by 5 meter oblong weird shaped…

Could i stock australian bass in sydney?

I thought I could just dig a hole in a low spot and put a pump in it

I'm having to fill my pond often is the normal.

I'm trying to build a pond into the side of a hill. It's really the only place available. It's been a up hill battle to say the least. I had to dig up so many tree roots and had problems with the dirt collapsing when try to make shelves. Since it's in a hill of course I'm going to make a waterfall. Oh and I planted 15 Japanese Maple trees and many other plants. I did make a big mistake buying my 1st liner which was a LLDEP liner. I now bought a Firestone Pondgard 45 mil liner. ???? Do you think I should remove the old liner or can I put the Firestone over the old liner ????? Thanks, I always love watching your videos. When I finish this pond I started last fall I will me so happy because sometimes I feel like I shouldn't have took on such a large project at my age and didn't know if I could complete it.

Do you have a link for the pond liners you like?

Holy shit this is the only lond video people need to watch oh thinking about a pond. I had so many questions I no was going to message... No need!

Will large tree roots go through the liner

What do you mean when you say may needs a fence?

I really like your ponds. The one for $2k is amazing, especially for the price!

Great video mate. 👍

Excellent video thank you

Another great video 👍

how to keep birds out ?