Clay Pond Build for bass

This site was perfect for a natural clay pond construction. They wanted this pond so their daughter could fish for bass.
Creating Custom Water Features and Hardscapes for Over 30 Years
Decker’s Pondscapes has been the Capital Region’s premier provider of beautiful ponds and water features for over three decades.
To find out how we can turn your backyard into an inviting natural retreat visit www.deckerspon...
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Pattersonville Location
1632 Main Street
Pattersonville, NY 12137
518.218.6109
Latham Location
1157 New Loudon Rd - Rt.9
Latham, NY 12110
518.507.7398

[@addictiveaussie]

FINALLY, somebody calls it SOIL and not dirt!!! Great job BTW, you can't beat an earthen pond.

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

🤣

[@sushitraxh6736]

I am addicted to artificial ponds now. salute to this people who create habitats for different animals and joy to kids faces

[@paulkelley86]

Pretty cool to hear my hometown Selkirk in a pond video. Also cool there is enough clay just in the soil as is. I am in socal now and doing my own 75x100 repair of an existing that had a torn rubber liner bonded to concrete sides. I went with 15,000 pounds of sodium bentonite hand spread since no machine can get down in with the concrete sides. All decomposed granite here so I did the blanket method and rocked over everything. 60 tons by hand!! Hand dug a wetland and put in an RPE liner and stratified sizes of gravel. Been a year already working on it regularly. PEOPLE CANT UNDERSTAND the massive difference in the amount of work and completely different approach to something this size with a clay bottom. It's just not what is showcased regularly. You did a lot of work in a short time! And this will serve the homeowners well. Thanks for the video!

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Sounds like you have a cool project there. Thank You for watching

[@PurpleDrac]

Best advice right there. if there's anything I've learned from watching this is you can't just up and build a pond just anywhere. there's all types of different soil. Not claiming to be an expert but even if I was, I think I'd still wanna watch this video. Take ground samples and see what's what.

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Awesome glad you enjoyed it

[@DieselRamcharger]

you can absolutely build a pond anywhere....only difference is the price.

[@AntiQris]

Duuude! It took my wife and I almost 30 minutes but we finally placed who your voice sounds like! Bill Murray! Oh man it was driving me nuts but yeah you sound exactly like maybe the best dude since Jesus bro. Nice and great video totally helping us as we hand dig a back pond lol Helping us hate y’all and that track beast! So sick! Thanks for sharing!

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

🤣🤣

[@Rick-the-Swift]

KZbin is full of experts who have never been in the field. I commend you sir for being one of the few experts who makes a living in the field. Pond turned out great!

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Thank you appreciate it

[@AuditRecon]

Great looking job.

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Thank You

[@thepeopleplaceandnaturepod8344]

Very educational and resourceful. Great job! 💚💫

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

😀

[@pramudithamadhusankha]

nice job alan. it's so Awesome

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

The editor did a great job 😀

[@Bamacountry88]

Love the shallow shelf y’all did,i think I’m going to do the same thing on my pond build..awesome video! New sub!

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Thank You

[@lindaleslie5634]

Great project!

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Thank You

[@charlesfleischmann3014]

great vid

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Thank You

[@Drew_peaballs_128]

Awesome video!!

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Thank You

[@northeasthardytropicals541]

Phenomenal

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Thank You

[@HaveNoFearAmir915]

The Name of the Skunk shall be...0R30...that's Right...OREO 😂😎

[@1957kwick]

When I built my pond I have a large home and I had all the rain gutters run into an underground pipe into the pond which helped the water level stay high just a thought you might try.👍🇺🇸

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

We did that in this one also 👍

[@froglick28]

Ya BamaBass had to bring in like 600 truck loads of clay for his lake

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Yes I saw that. A lot of clay but worth it

[@samgaither793]

@ an estimated $300 a truck load that's around $180k of just clay. This isnt even counting all the digging costs and moving dirt out.

[@russdillingham689]

850 loads of clay

[@floridaknight3052]

Had to turn the volume all the way up to hear what you were saying, then music cuts in and blows my ear drums out. Thanks

[@mr1stephen163]

another great video. that stray if thats what it is . it that in a roll or did the skid steer spread it in bucket

[@TEAMAquascape]

👏🏻

[@jasongrace1989]

when are you going to fix Flair's Pond?

[@derTaktgeber]

Great video! please check your sound level tho, your voice is really low, the music is way too loud.

[@cjcorradi9400]

Nice bass ponds I bought fish from your store

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Thank you for coming in I remember talking to you 💪👊

[@cjcorradi9400]

@@deckerspondscapes9291 me to

[@cjcorradi9400]

@@deckerspondscapes9291 next time I come in I will comment on a video

[@ericwiltz6584]

Do you think you'll get called back to install a bog for filtration and aeriation?

[@Chelleme]

Buying a place that one of the selling points is that it has a water catchment. When it rains the water is diverted into a channel that opens into a shallow basin, when that fills, it overflows into a larger , slightly deeper basin and that overflows into a HUGE reservoir. The leading edge is about 4' deep the back edge is about 15' . The house is on a well, so the reservoir helps replenished the water table. When looking at the property the first time, it was about a month after the rainy season and it was dry as a bone. Even the cattails had dried out. Would that be a good situation to build the clay pond? Would just keeping the water from soaking in be enough to stock fish? Thanks!

[@BearMeat4Dinner]

So ya guys service Franklin County around Malone? Thanks. Great job. I got a piece of property n am moving soon from San Francisco. Look forward to moving!

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Gives us a call www.deckerspondscapes.com

[@BearMeat4Dinner]

@@deckerspondscapes9291 Will do! Thanks Buddy! I was born n raised in Chcago! Saw you guys got some place in SC! Good deal buddy! I was hooked up to the last daleys that was da Mayor

[@anthonygilding8648]

How do you get it so clear

[@dflatt3962]

Do you have any updates on this pond? Would like to see if the water level came up to the edge and how well it holds water.

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

It did and we will look for pictures That was a couple yrs ago

[@Redsammeh]

Please audio balance your music vs your voice! Can't hear what you're saying, or I get deafened by music. Good info though

[@TheOfficialSteelReign]

That turned out looking fantabulous. Riddle me this, Pondman. Had it been in the budget, had the property owner asked for a bog filter, would that have cleared the water up like it does on the more traditional ponds with liners, or is there just too much sediment in an earthen pond?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Thanks

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

It would but we built them a koi pond already and this was for game fish. It can always be added

[@julianhastings1547]

Good job but what stops all the edges from eroding?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

The type of clay on that area is really good. The sides where all planted with grass. Also it’s not turbulent . In our area these type of ponds are all over

[@elizabethtamondong1809]

Forgive my ignorance, it filled rather quickly. How would you prevent flooding after too much rain??

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

An over flow area

[@4220greengates]

So there was enough clay in the soil..not necessary to bring in any? Assuming you had it analyzed or from your experience it was not necessary? Really nice looking pond with great potential for fish, wildlife and visual beauty. $35k with landscaping or more?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

From expand knowing the areas we work in. No need to bring in extra and much more than that

[@phil8580]

Would it not have been better to have dug late summer when ground is not saturated?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

No we wanted the season rain to fill it and actually when we started it was dry. In the Northeast if you wait got dry weather you will never get projects in. We had 3 days without rain in July we need to keep working no matter what

[@jasminepina9058]

Lol good for west

[@billyfranklin9422]

Hey Alan, is there an update on this one yet? Great info by the way!

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

I was there a week ago we have aeration in it and also a fountain for aesthetics. Looking great it needs another 1foot of water to be full.

[@billyfranklin9422]

@@deckerspondscapes9291 That's great! I appreciate the educational videos. Taking notes.

[@Gigachadly]

So wait are you saying that a lot of times people think the soil they have won’t hold water because they haven’t dug deep enough? I’ve tried building a pond without liner before and ran into that same issue of my soil not holding water.

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

We Always do test digs to check soil type before we dig a pond

[@Gigachadly]

@@deckerspondscapes9291 no I’m asking if you need to dig to a certain depth to check the soil?

[@thomaswebby2431]

Gotta have clay to hold water so if your ponds 4 feet deep you want probably 2 feet of clay under it

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

@@Gigachadly yes as deep as the pond will be

[@Gigachadly]

@@thomaswebby2431 thank you Thomas for actually providing me with an accurate and knowledgeable answer unlike decker.

[@halliegutierrez2000]

Can you haul clay in and put it on the bottom and it work the same??

[@halliegutierrez2000]

@@TheBelrick theres a lot of clay where we live at in mexico but theres also dirt which is y I asked as I want this pond for my fjords

[@halliegutierrez2000]

@@TheBelrick there's definitely pure clay here as people harvest it for pottery and cajuelas etc. here

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

You can haul clay in if it’s available to you. Also not sure if you have access to betonite but if you are afraid your clay is not enough you can use both together

[@AndersJensen1977]

Thanks for the video, why dont you put clay on the sides?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

It’s all clay

[@chicoringler]

how big do i need to make for 31 ducks and 31 geese just for pets no laying of eggs, breeding and anything at all?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

As big as you can ducks and geese are dirty Bigger volume of water the better If you had a spring or continuous water flow through would be good

[@chicoringler]

@@deckerspondscapes9291 copy thank you

[@Tony-InLosAngeles]

👍🏻

[@justinferguson9779]

That’s what my soil looks like plenty of clay.

[@kiwibob223]

Do you need permits for this beautiful pond? It would cost more for the permit here than the work.

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

No we did not need one

[@andyparstino7280]

How deep are your test holes?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

6-8 ft

[@andyparstino7280]

@@deckerspondscapes9291 thank you

[@sz4179]

Pond is great, but the music volume is awful, can't listen with headphones without constantly adjusting volume to keep from being blasted out.

[@srikantamal9879]

Area and quantity?

[@raphlvlogs271]

are clay ponds more expensive than liner ponds?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

No but you need to have clay in your area. It was not trucked in but the soil type on the property

[@googaajjj6099]

how's it looking right now

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Awesome we just pulled the aeration out for winter today

[@wilsonrad9907]

How deep is the pond ?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

They wanted it 8 ft

[@froglick28]

Can you get these earthen ponds as clear as a lined pond

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

If you have the budget you can do a wetland filter to achieve water quality. Most people are just looking to have bass and other game fish no looking for same as liner pond . With bottom aeration and enzymes it is surprising how clear they will get. Also depends on surroundings like run off or do you have springs feeding in new water and etc

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

If you have the budget you can do a wetland filter to achieve water quality. Most people are just looking to have bass and other game fish no looking for same as liner pond . With bottom aeration and enzymes it is surprising how clear they will get. Also depends on surroundings like run off or do you have springs feeding in new water and etc

[@wannabeafarmgirl0398]

@@deckerspondscapes9291 Is it possible to add a wetland filter to an existing pond?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

@@wannabeafarmgirl0398 yes we do all the time

[@EdgarLopez-bu8fl]

Where did the water come from?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Rain fall and there was a small spring in it

[@iam_odyssey8924]

No spillway or emergency runoff?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Of course low edge swaled to a nearby culver 👍

[@johnhanselman6371]

Easier to move dirt than mud

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Yes it is

[@Rick-the-Swift]

Lol, I was thinking the same thing. I give them proper credit for tenacity though. I've learned to try to keep an equal balance of indoor and outdoor projects going that way when it rains I can hopefully give digging projects a day or two to dry out while I do something else. It's all relative to each situation though. Can be hard to keep a crew busy jumping back and forth switching gears all the time. Some times more muscle and more diesel fuel is the best option for some. Glad I'm mostly a one man crew most of the time for those very reasons lol. Pond turned out real nice!

[@alf3071]

how small can a pond be and hold bass?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

If you want you can keep them in a small pond as you would koi. But if you want them to spawn and grow big I would not do smaller than this one

[@kens.2753]

hrm bro those music cuts hurt like h3ll with headphones then you come back super low.....

[@parkerbirch1475]

For that reason this guys videos are unwatchable. You don't need head phones to be sure of that..

[@pineapplez1]

I don’t know why I’m watching this.

[@Rick-the-Swift]

Because you were confused and seeking some kind of clarity?

[@rock_ok]

if you add fish in there it might over populate or you can make a pool for people instead

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

It will be fine and won’t over populate. Part of being a natural ecosystem is there are predators in a stages of a life cycle. Have not run across over population in the 30 yrs I have been doing this. Also the owners will regulate what they are putting in there Great comment Thank You

[@davidgroff3355]

How much $ For test holes?

[@coltonsmith9254]

How much does this run bout $50,000 ?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

They start there and go up depends on situation

[@Rick-the-Swift]

This comment didn't age well. With all the recent hyperinflation, these just went to starting at around $100k, lol. Sadly not even kidding. Be sure to check in next week for more current pricing ;)

[@Rick-the-Swift]

Not to mention the cost of getting around all the Covid-induced shortages. Get ready to spend some bucks if you want something like this in the near future just saying. These folks will look back and say they got a steal from Decker's ;)

[@nillsilver]

What was the project cost please

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

We respect owner privacy If you are interested in a project please contact us Thank you

[@bobengelhardt856]

Good content, BUT ... music was waaay too load. Actually, you don't need music at all - the interludes are so short that silence is perfectly acceptable.

[@mr.folmar2668]

Did you attach the joists to the concrete piers or just rest them on top? How deep did you pour the concrete piers? Would you do this method for a dock double the size of this? Thanks.

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Yes it’s attached and we have 4 ft into the soil inside the pond . If it’s was farther out in pond I would go bigger diameter sonotubes and extra rebar but needs at least 4 ft deep in soil

[@mr.folmar2668]

@@deckerspondscapes9291 Thanks for the response. Did you use a certain type of hanger to tie in to the concrete pier? I saw the rebar protruding from the top and was curious as to how you attached the joists to the pier.

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

The beams are attached then joist runs opposite way like you would traditionally

[@copperhead2kgaming796]

I never see anyone tell how much a pond cost?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Because it is private But if you are looking to do a project please go to our website and fill out all your information Thank you

[@bloodeaglehohos7099]

tht was prolly at least 100$ K

[@simplyintranets]

your music audio is way too loud

[@davidgroff3355]

Cost??

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Every site and situation is different

[@davidgroff3355]

Max cost for 1/2 acre roughly

[@davidgroff3355]

What's the max cost of half acre??

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Where are you first of all What’s the soil like is it clay can it hold water so many variables

[@davidgroff3355]

Clearfield pa alot of clay

[@raphlvlogs271]

I was expecting the clay to be fire hardened.

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

That would not be possible I have never heard of such a thing We have a freeze thaw cycle here

[@johntexan4165]

How much of a clay layer is what you consider the proper amount?

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

The whole area is clay

[@johntexan4165]

@@deckerspondscapes9291 come on now… you know I mean thickness. Of course the whole area, or you’ll seep your water level to wherever you missed.

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

No in our area it’s clay already did not have to truck it in . It’s clay ground do you understand what I mean . I would go to a poly pro liner if it was permeable. It is different in all areas and state

[@jonwatson654]

I believe it's about 2 feet.

[@johntexan4165]

@@jonwatson654 thank you sir

[@bakersoutdoors189]

That is so shallow of a pond 10 years will be just a mosquito nest...

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Actually that is not correct but thank you for your input. We added aeration and fish so lots of movement. Fish will eat any larvae that are on the water

[@tagg946]

it depends on how its managed; theres a reason there are trophy lakes down south in and around florida that never get above 13 feet of depth. the management and type of bass and forage you stock for the environment matters most. up north where i live, deep ponds and lakes do better because the fish have places to go when its cold, opposed to finding cool water in the dead middle of the summer. its probably the type of bass thats stocked here, but they prefer the depth over the bass living down south in the deadly heat.

[@lenjames]

Great job...the best is watching how much money is spent on things and then in a couple of years it doesn't seem as important. The next thing NY Commy State will declare the pond as an protected wet lands. Then the owners will have to move..lol

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Actually it is a very important part of our clients lifestyle and how they choose to help our environment by building these ecosystems. It never becomes insignificant to them. Thank you for your comments.😀

[@Rick-the-Swift]

Len, respectfully I don't like government overstepping bounds as much as anyone, and, where I'm from we've basically self governed since the American Revolution- very seldom does anyone feel the need to call upon police or government offices for any reason. However, having said that, conservation protection of wetlands, forests, and natural ecosystems is probably the most useful thing a governing body can do for both individuals and society. There has been a ginormous imbalance in the past centuries, and especially in the past decades regarding what humans constitute as disposable resources for self-desire/prosperity, and what our ecosystems actually need to remain natural in order for future prosperity for future generations. Our own generation is even in grave danger, if we haven't already tipped the scales too far and just haven't had time to feel the repercussions. Sure, give the government the finger for many good reasons, but realize 10 or 20 billion humans living in a capitalist society is wreaking havoc on nature, and if anything more adequate forms of nature conservation is definitely needed from all of the world's governments, as well as better lifestyle choices and education from individuals within or without society if there's such a thing (I know of no one who is without). There. I've said my two cents on the matter and will allow anyone to dispute what I've said, or offer countermeasures.

[@kiwibob223]

@@Rick-the-Swift nice to see balance in an American. You sure ain't wrong about the consequences being real but unapparent to us yet. Unfortunately the CO2 is being adsorbed into the oceans and giving us a false sense of safety. I have been following the science for more than 30 years and the predictions are on the money.

[@tanglediver]

It's a wharf.

[@daleolson3506]

The music junked another video 👎💩

[@deckerspondscapes9291]

Thank you for the info how did the music wreck it so it doesn’t happen again

[@tackyman2011]

Agree; music is often far too loud, and voice audio is somewhat quiet and muddy.

[@dancooper3066]

annoying music