“The struggle!” Pond re-line & re-design part #2: completion

[@paulmartin7078]

Building watercourses and pond edges like this is as much art as it is practical skill. Blending that imagination and construction technique properly is rare and you made a great job of it. Another great result.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for your kind words Paul! Cheers, Ed

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Link to Oases webinar on oxygen depletion in ponds and lakes: attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8441434976127099406

[@janescaife7278]

Always good to see you and Dave. Really enjoyed the tips on stone cutting as that would never have occurred to me. No matter how many videos I watch I am still confused about the electrics and pumps etc. Which what goes in etc. I am building a nature pond with hopefully a small cascade. So I will keep watching. I love the work you do and often watch the videos over and over. Keep up the great work sharing what you do.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks Jane! What specifically are you confused about re pumps/equipment etc?

[@sydneygardener540]

Love watching your work. 27 degrees? If only Sydney never went above that. Beautiful

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

27c is positively sweltering!! I’m more then happy to lounge about and crack open a beer in hot weather but work is always a struggle😂 thanks for watching and for your comment. Best, Ed

[@Jobsagoodunfluffycloud]

A very inspiring pair of videos Ed and Dave. As the weather picks up over the next month or so I will be trying my hardest to create a copy in my own garden. I feel I've learnt a lot from your videos, so many thanks for them! Keep up the good work.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for your kind words Craig and i’m pleased you found the videos helpful! Best regards, Ed

[@ranger178]

looks good i like the flat stones to be able to get right up to the side of the pond and the rock wall we did that but did not cement the rocks in just stacked them up, so we had some settling and readjusting over time.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for watching and your kind words! Best, Ed

[@normanaspinwall1584]

Great job as usual both you and Dave must have suffered in that heat, The fish loss must have been a blow, A couple of years ago l found 3 Golden Orfe that l had lost through a very hot sticky night even with my waterfall running

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks Norman. Yes it was a real shame to lose some fish on this job. Thankfully it’s a rarity, but very unpleasant when it does happen. Orfe are notorious for suffering with low oxygen levels in ponds- you’re not alone there I’m sure! Thanks for your comment! Best, Ed

[@heatheryarbrough5255]

Beautiful rock work. Well done

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for your kind words! Best, Ed

[@elizabethfoyconsulting88]

Such beautiful ponds. A question if you don’t mind. I’m in the process of building our wildlife pond. I note you’ve been using a 10mm gravel… where is the best place to source this? The likes of Travis Perkins/Wickes etc suggest it is unsuitable for pond use. So I’m now a little confused as I’m sure I’ve seen it used in lots of ponds! Any advi source this? The likes of Travis Perkins/Wickes etc suggest it is unsuitable for pond use. So I’m now a little confused as I’m sure I’ve seen it used in lots of ponds! Any advice you can share would be greatly received.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Hi there Elisabeth- thanks for your kind words! Typically the best sort of gravel to use in ponds would be pea gravel- small water worn ‘beads’ of gravel that are smooth and don’t have any sharp/angular faces. Perfect for use in lined ponds. However this is very expensive!! A basic shingle (in this case 10mm gravel) is fine for use in ponds, but is very dusty/dirty and will require a soaking period (the pond is filled and the gravel and building materials allowed to sit and soak in the water for a week or two, before draining, cleaning and re-filling the pond). Small quantities of gravel (for example when potting on plants/lilies) can simply be rinsed through prior to adding to the pond. The gravel I use tends to come from most typical build centres, such as Travis Perkins, jewsons etc etc and is the basic 10mm golden shingle. Best, Ed

[@bettywall7903]

​@@CrystalClearAquatics2:03

[@simonwoods7802]

Great job! I love it. How long after cementing do you leave it before adding fish? I have just rebuilt my waterfall with stone and cement but am not sure how long to let it all ‘go off’ before connecting it back up and running water down into the pond. Will the lime leach into the water? Cheers

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Hi there, thanks for watching and commenting and my apologies for the slow response- cured mortar will continue to leach out lime for a long period of time (years possibly in small traces) but in general letting the mortar go off for a few days, hosing off with water and if possible letting the freshly laid mortar sit submersed for a week or two before draining cleaning and re-filling would be sufficient in most cases to render it harmless to aquatic life. Occasional small partial water changes (perhaps 10%/20% )may be required though the ponds first season. New ponds built using mortar I would allow to soak for a week or two before draining, rinsing down and refilling then leaving the pond to mature for 4-6 weeks before adding any livestock. If during this time the water takes on a milky or bluish tinge (a clear sign or cement contamination) I would perform some partial water changes. If constructing a cascade to an established pond it’s difficult to gauge how much mortar would pose a problem. I’ve constructed many waterfalls in established ponds housing fish and having let the mortar dry over a few days, rinsing with fresh water and draining again have then run them with no ill effect to fish or other pond livestock. Careful monitoring for the first few weeks is important so at the first sign of distress from fish-lethargy, unusual swimming behaviour, flicking, rubbing, jumping etc etc a partial water change can be performed to dilute down any potential contaminants. Hope this helps! Best, Ed

[@deborahshariati8345]

Absolutely brilliant vid, thank you so much! I've learned so much since subscribing! 😊

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for your lovey comment! Best, Ed

[@bear-tv]

Love your channel. Newly subscribed. Very watchable great content and very well presented.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks very much for your awesome comment! Best, Ed

[@suzannemoran7281]

Hi Ed , I am a new subscriber. I absolutely love this pond. The transformation is amazing. The stonework you have done is beautiful. I love the idea of a marginal planting zone. I have my first ever pond this year. It is a 1000 litre above ground pond. At some point I would like to have a " proper " pond built. I don't suppose you work as far Northwest as Southport ? 😊🌾🌿☘🌻🎅🐢🦎🐋🐟🐠🐡🐝🦋

[@amg8951]

thank you very much, great job. Can you tell me the brand of your sludge vacuum cleaner?

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

No problem! Thanks for watching and commenting! I use the Oase branded pondovac 5. Hope that helps! Best, Ed

[@amg8951]

@@CrystalClearAquatics Thank you very mucho👌🙏

[@owls275]

Great advice about fish care, every day is a school day 🙂

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

That’s my mantra!

[@artistic_spaz3724]

Looks amazing!! Guess you guys aren't used to those Temps over there...stay safe!

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thank you! Not a huge fan of working in high temperatures-would rather be sat with a cold beer enjoying a pond then building one in these temperatures!! Best, Ed

[@danielmerrell8926]

hiya i love the videos but i have a quick question how do you make the mortar non toxic to fish as i thought the mortar would make the ph spike up or be toxic in some other way ?

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Hi There Daniel,thanks for watching and commenting- this question is regularly asked and something I frequently cover in videos!! In brief however, once the pond has been constructed it needs to be left to soak full of water for a week or two, allowing much of the harmful toxins to leach out. The pond then requires a full drain, rinse and re-fill and then left to stand and mature for a further month or so before considering livestock. Hope that helps and best regards! Ed

[@heftyhefty_]

My pond is constructed very similarly to this one. The stones up the walls have come loose and shifted in places. What mortar do you use that’s non toxic to fish? Or are they all toxic you just have to let it soak, drain, repeat?

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Hi there, the mortar used is a basic sand and Portland cement mix and has no additives (other then a plasticiser to make the mix more workable) or waterproofing agents etc. a small quantity of mortar wont have any ill effects in an established pond, however if in doubt keep an eye on the water quality/livestock behaviour and if your fish exhibit odd behaviour-rapid swimming/jumping, laying on their side etc etc or you notice a bluish hue to the water then perform a few small regular partial water changes. Over time the mortar will have leached out all its lime and other chemicals and will become relatively inert and safe. Hope this helps. Best, Ed

[@heftyhefty_]

@@CrystalClearAquatics thank you so much for your response!

[@joansmith3492]

putting ice in the fish tank doesn't seem like a good idea to me. Seems like that would induce too much of a temperature change too quickly, but you have more experience than I do. Other than putting the fish tank in the house if it has AC, I don't think much could be done in that heat. I moved goldfish in Texas July 2021. I put them in a 150 gallon stock tank under the carport. They made it, but goldfish are pretty hardy. I am digging a new pond now and appreciate all the tips and tricks you share.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for watching and for your comment Joan- floating frozen containers or bags of ice in water to help cool it during very hot weather is actually pretty standard practise in both pond and particularly aquariums. Not often we get hot enough here in the Uk for high temperatures to be an issue however! You are absolutely correct however regarding shock- its very important to not rapidly cool or raise water temperatures for fear of causing thermal shock to livestock. In this instance the ice added was barely making an impact on water temperatures however. Best regards, Ed

[@amanda4406]

This was wonderful to watch and the result is absolutely stunning. Could you contact me to let me know roughly how much this kind of projects costs. I would like a similar size/shaped pond (minus the cascade) 👌 😊

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Hi Amanda, thanks for watching and for your kind words! If you’d like email me ([e-mail]) I’ll be more then happy to go through this in more detail with you! Best, Ed

[@samcole6569]

Beautiful jobs as always. Can I ask how long a job like this takes?

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thank you Sam! This job took approx three weeks- if access hadn’t of been such an issue it would obviously have been completed a little faster. Best, Ed

[@keepingitkoi]

As always bud a great job 👍

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thank you as ever for your kind words and continued support with my channel!! Best, Ed

[@keepingitkoi]

@@CrystalClearAquatics great work deserves great praise 👏 and plus I'm learning a fair bit along the way 👍

[@dansjullie4912]

curious, what do you do when those plants need trimmed and the roots have grown into all that gravel and under the stone?

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Hi Dan, thanks for your comment and my apologies for the delay in responding- the idea of these planting zones is to allow the marginals to grow and fill the planting sections entirely and they’re restricted to only these areas by the water depth outside of these planting zones. However, as and when they require some maintenance its a simple job of pulling sections of the plant out without any fuss. The plants roots growing into the 10mm gravel don’t pose any difficulties to remove. Hope this helps! Best, Ed

[@MarilouEspion-ck3vo]

Great job

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for your kind words! Best, Ed

[@MarilouEspion-ck3vo]

@@CrystalClearAquatics ❤️

[@bearcatkoi]

Another good job. Do you raise the pump off the bottom to stop it from getting silted up

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks Ted! There’s positives and negatives to lifting a pump or leaving it sitting on the base of the pond: obviously raising a pump off the bottom slightly helps reduce blockages by keeping the pump away from potential layers of sediment sitting on the bottom of a pond. However a good quality pump, dedicated to filtration use (ie a semi solids handling pump) would be less likely to clog in any case- one could argue that positioning the pump at the base of the pond/lowest part of the pond would improve filtration efficiency by picking up more particulate matter and depositing it in the filter. It’s horses for courses really- I tend to leave the pump on the bottom of the pond as I use pumps (such as the oase aquamax range) that handle solids up to approx 10mm and are less likely to clog. There are other considerations to make when position the pump which can be important in the winter months, when lifting the pump from the bottom helps to ensure the bottom of the pond remains thermally stable and warmer for fish to overwinter- by not sucking in the warmer water from the base of the pond, bringing it to the surface where it may cool and then returning it to the pond-ultimately cooling the entire volume of pond water. Finally should the worst happen and your filtration system/plumbing spring a leak having the pump raised off the bottom would ensure that your pond wouldn’t empty fully, possibly a life saver for livestock should that ever happen!! Best, Ed

[@CarrieDoway]

13:38 Steel toe cap crocs for the win 🤣

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Ha ha! Do as I say, not as I do!! Best, Ed

[@billyjones1434]

How much does a job like this roughly cost? I need to change my pond liner and redo the edging it’s approx 4m x 4m and need some help.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Hi there, every job is different and out of respect to my clients id prefer not to discuss the cost of such jobs publicly- if you’d like to email me directly with your enquiry I’m happy to give you an idea of pricing if you can provide me as much detail as possible about your proposed job. Kind regards, Ed

[@keithhill9322]

Your waders must get a lot of use - what make are they? Can they be repaired?

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Ha! Yes indeed they do! I get through a pair or two a year. Have tried various types and materials- expensive heavy duty cordata fabrics, cheap basic pvc waders and what ever I buy always seems to last about one season before small leaks appear and are replaced. My current wader of choice sits in the middle ground in terms of price/quality. Nice and light weight and flexible and repairs can be made if required: www.decathlon.co.uk/p/fishing-waders-500/_/R-p-197172?mc=8409262 Best, Ed

[@keithhill9322]

Great info, Ed. I'm onto it already. Wish I lived nearer so I could help-out with you pond restorations.

[@cclearlandscaping1931]

Sorry been meaning to ask you where do you get your holding bags from please 👍🏻

[@thetropicaldream5933]

What pond liner you use mate? Is HDPE okay?

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Good question- I always use either greenseal 1mm heavy duty, or firestone rubber 1mm heavy duty- both of which are EPDM’s. I’ve never used a HDPE liner… Hope this helps and thanks for watching and your comment! Best, Ed

[@MohamedUAE]

36C too hot!? 😅😅

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

For me yes!!! Especially when digging ponds….!! Thanks for watching and for your comment, Best, Ed

[@frankiepitt9135]

The fish would have stood a better chance of survival if you had put them straight back in pond.

[@dylanmccracken3900]

Mortar and water wouldn't rhyme if said corre ctly by the way

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for watching and your comment Dylan! Must say i’m slightly confused as to how else to pronounce ‘mortar’, which a check online states is pronounced ‘Maw-tuh’ which to me sounds just like ‘water’!! Would love to be corrected however! Best, Ed

[@dylanmccracken3900]

@@CrystalClearAquatics im just teasing. You're good! Great videos might I say

[@dylanmccracken3900]

@@CrystalClearAquatics northern Americans say how it's spelt but some southerners and mid westerns say it how you said it. Haha "A's" are pronounced different every where so there's no wrong way in saying it

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

@@dylanmccracken3900 😉😉😆