Building pond in topsoil?

15 years ago

I am filling in my first attempt at digging a pond with topsoil. I was going to wait until next year to try again but is it necessary? I still plan to use a liner but am planning a smaller pond to allow for plants and flowers. No more than 3 ft by 6 or 7 ft. This time I also plan to have different levels with the deepest level.18 inches, I still want a waterfall and still want some goldfish and plants. Can this be done?

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Comments (6)

mondotomhead
15 years ago
How come you are filling in your first attempt?

You don't have to wait to try again. We dug our first pond, 17 x 15, 3.5 deep, in the second week of July during our vacation. It was up and running by August (since we only had weekends to work on it) and had plenty of wildlife and goldfish living in it. We had all of August, Sept, and October before the cold killed the floating tropicals.

Don't wait until next year. You still have PLENTY of time.
chas045
15 years ago
I must be missing something, and perhaps others are too. Why would you fill in a hole so that you can dig a hole? Why would you wait?

A small pond can have a waterfall, plants and goldfish, but 18" might not allow winter survival.
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hjbartling
Original Author
15 years ago
The hole I dug is too big for what I really want. I also want different layers instead of what now looks like a small swimming pool. so I do need more dirt as I used all the excavated dirt to build up my many garden areas.
chris_in_ct
15 years ago
Unless there is some other reason for not wanting a larger pond (cost, maintainence, etc) I would leave it. Almost everyone on here at one point or another says, "I wish I had made it bigger". My pond is a little over 2000 gallons which I thought was plenty big enough for what I wanted. Guess what? I wish I had made it bigger.

Good luck!
-Chris
hjbartling
Original Author
15 years ago
Chris...I'm sure. But I really do need it smaller. It's just too big for the area. If I kept it as is...it would be just a pond with no vegetation around...just rocks and water. Nice for those who like that...but me? I love flowers....I wish it would look like is Cliff and Joans of course....but that's not happening.. but...at least with a smaller pond I can still have the waterfall and also still have flowers and plants near and around. To me...that is relaxing. Having fish included is just a bonus. If I ever move....I'd love to have a large pond...but it would still have to have to be nestled between plants and flowers. But...checking with the pond lady, I don't have to fill in the hole....I'm going to use her flashing method and backfill. So the pond is on again! :-)
sleeplessinftwayne
15 years ago
You will probably need to compress the soil you use to backfill.