Homegrown: Ponding on a budget

Mark Daubert of Mount Vernon shared the following about his experience building his family's koi pond:

For years I went from pond to pond, read pond books and spoke to lots of ponders. I was always looking for the common denominators to use in the building of my dream pond. A place where I could reflect, and a place that would reflect on me. A place away from all that would bring me here, my place to ponder.

All that aside, I did have a budget. It was minimal and I had a 5, 6, and 7 year old along with a very patient and beautiful wife. So when we felt I had learned enough, (that took forever) off I went to dig and build my pond.

Here were the costs, with update from May 2010:

1. Liner 40ft x 60ft $ 475.00 Delivery was free because I had it dropped off at a commercial address. It was very heavy when rolled up. Get a few friend to help.

2. Pump, submersible 3200gph (my pond is approx. 9000 gallons)

$ 139.00 at Lowes. They have a 2 year return warranty. Runs great! Pulls only a few amps!

3. Pump house $39.00 at Tractor Supply Company or any farm store, the pump house is a plastic step for mounting a horse. Just turn it upside down and voila - you have it. A great receptacle/pumphouse.

4. Inlet baffler $ 40.00 at any good nursery or pond shop. Be sure to pick up 2 plastic skimmer frames also at a pool supply $ 10.00

5. Underground piping. $ 2.50 per ft. Any good pond supply or nursery will have it. Search around a little you may save .50 a foot. Note! Only buy rubber PVC 2in diameter, this type can freeze and will not break!

6. Filtration pond $ 10.00 - it's a used potable water tank.

7. Filtration media $2.50 a linier ft usually 42in wide. This material is found at most pond shops. In addition, to this, you will need 200-400 lbs of BLACK lava rock. Buy this at Wal-Mart. $ 3.50 a 40lb bag. DO NOT GET RED! After this, go to the laundry bag/ironing board area in Wal-Mart, here you can get nylon bags to put the lava rock into for the filtration pond. These bags cost around $ 4.50 each and you will need 4+ in most cases. I have 500lbs in my pond.

8. River rock $ 10.00-15.00 a ton. You want CLEAN rock. There should be 2+ inches in the bottom of your pond. My pond has 6 ton in it.

9. Large rocks and boulders $ 0.00 Talk to your farmer friends or make some new ones. All farmers have rocks in the corners of their fields. There are many rocks out there; you just have to ask for them.

10. Misc $ 150.00 just a good number for the pace connectors, hose clamps, sealant etc.

11. Koi $ Spend wisely, 4-6 inch American Koi can be found for around $15.00 each They will double in size each year so don't buy a zillion of them. Also American Koi are very hardy compared to Japanese Koi, although their colors are not as strong. My Koi are left in the pond all season and I use a bubbler to keep a hole in the ice. The ice freezes around 6-7 inches thick. YOU MUST KEEP A HOLE IN THE ICE or your fish will die from lack of oxygen and natural breakdown gases.

12. The limestone block, $225.00 this is last year's cut, so they

have a little discoloration. That's ok, after you new block out, it ages too!

Do's and Don'ts

1. Do not compete with someone else's design, size, or shape. This is your space, dream it, build it, and let it reflect on you and only you.

2. Do not try to make the space more than it is or to build a pond that does not flow with the natural surroundings. Build a place that flows with you and your lifestyle in a place that contributes to your personal happiness.

3. Do not go broke over this project. This place, your place, it should be a cost effective way for you to feel calm and at peace.

4. Do not get caught up in store made products, after all, when you bury it or cover it with rocks or build around it, it all looks the same. And as long as it works, does it really matter?

5. Do not go nuts and buy every product available for clear water, anti algae etc. remember the basics, these are bottom fish and clear water is a simple matter of filtration, good bacteria, and circulation. The rest is all nature.

6. Do not stop asking questions, they will all help you grow and learn.

Things to DO!

A. Do make your dream take shape. Use a garden hose to lay out your idea, move it, change it or restart it on a new day if it doesn't look right. A new day may bring a new dream. Don't rush it.

B. Do look at your pond from a normal viewing area. See how your dream fits into your real world.

C. Do think before you spend. Ask yourself, can I get the same results from another way and spend less?

D. Do rethink what “that” part of the pond does or what function does it have. Do not make it harder than it is.

E. Do ask family or friends if they see something or have an idea that could improve on your plan.

F. Do ask questions and do be assured that REAL ponders will help you see you dream come true.

G. Do have your friend or spouse get involved. They will play a big part in the time you spend by your pond. (There is nothing less fun than owning a boat and no one to go out with in it. Right?)

Almost everything you see in my pond has been recycled.

I leave my fish in all year round.

My pump turns my water every other hour and I have no algae growth to speak of.

I use liquid bacteria to keep my pond healthy and clear. My pond requires very little maintenance and looks much like this all season long.

I feed my fish anytime I am out here, as do my children. My fish stay healthy and started to multiply in the 3rd year.

The limestone blocks that make the retaining wall for the waterfall were salvaged from an old barn foundation. The larger rocks are from a local farmer who was putting in new field tile and the machines pulled these up. The retaining wall for the fire ring is also last year's block. The fire ring is a rim from a combine. The sand is from a local Ready-mix. 6 tons and it was free. All of the trees and shrubs were salvaged from stores and nurseries who could not sell them at full price due to poor condition. Just make an offer and water the plants and they will almost always come back just fine. All of my pond plants are left in all year. I do not like pots and or moving things in and out every season. If you would like to buy the bacteria that I use, it is about $65.00 a gallon. You may buy it from Marco. 1-2 gallons should be more than enough for any pond in the area.

This pond is approximately 18 wide, 25 long, 4 foot deep and after all the rock, holds about 10,000 gallons

So what is the total?

$1400.00 more or less. Now that is ponding on a budget.

Mark Daubert

Reach Mark at: of markdaubert@gmail.com