Just a quickie note to introduce myself. I saw this group when it was
proposed over on news.groups and thought it might be interesting to at
least lurk for a bit from time to time.

My wife and I recently moved out of the city (in Bryan, TX) onto a 6.5 acre
property. I am in the initial stages of digging a pond next to the house
(roughly 20 yards off to the side). Right now, I've just been scratching
the top soil off (using it to landscape other areas of the property). The
final dimensions will be approx. 50'x100' with a small island on one end
(the "shallow end").

The pond is purely dug out and won't get much runoff from rain. Because of
this, there won't be a dam or even much of a "burm" to help keep water in
(it can't really run anywhere anyway). I will have a water well dug to
help keep it full in the summer (the well is also used for irrigation for
the garden, yard, etc).

The purposes of the pond a
(a) decoration (close to the house, landscaping, etc)
(b) We raise Labrador Retrievers; this provides a place for the big dogs to
go swimming (and do some basic training) as well as a place to introduce
puppies to water (hence, the shallow end).
(c) have a place for pet ducks (mallards) & geese (Canadas) to live and
nest (the island).


Q1: how deep can I expect to get the "deep end" of the pond? I would like
it to get "as deep as possible", at least 20'.

Q2: Ponds in this area tend to be really muddy/cloudy, mostly from the dark
clay in the soil. Is there any way to help keep the water clear (clearer)?
And yes, I am aware of the poop factor from the ducks & geese...

Q3: what kind of fish? The fish are pretty much just there to control
insects, although grandkids are probably not too many years down the road,
so having perch they can easily catch might be fun. I'm not interested in
having bigger fish (catfish, bass) unless I need them for some other purpose.

--

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Chris Barnes AOL IM: CNBarnes
(also MSN IM) Yahoo IM: chrisnbarn

Chris Barnes wrote:
Just a quickie note to introduce myself. I saw this group when it was
proposed over on news.groups and thought it might be interesting to at
least lurk for a bit from time to time.

My wife and I recently moved out of the city (in Bryan, TX) onto a 6.5
acre property. [ . . . ]

Hi Chris,

Welcome aboard! I'm looking for a place around the same size in Bastrup
County, TX, so I'll be interested in following your pond discoveries.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

I can't answer any of your questions but
I just love your plans for your pond. I'd
love to do the same thing someday.

So... you have labradors that swim. I think
I have the only two labradors in existence
that don't swim. Works out well with our
small garden pond but rather embarrassing
when they meet up with the other labs in
the extended family.

k :-)

kthirtya wrote:
I can't answer any of your questions but
I just love your plans for your pond. I'd
love to do the same thing someday.

So... you have labradors that swim. I think
I have the only two labradors in existence
that don't swim. Works out well with our
small garden pond but rather embarrassing
when they meet up with the other labs in
the extended family.


Well, strange as it may seem, they need to be introduced to water
(properly) when young. Hence, one of the purposes for our pond. ;-)

Our dogs: http://www.txbarnes.com/dogs/
Bragging on the dogs: http://www.txbarnes.com/land/Virtual%20Tour/Ribbons.jpg


--

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Chris Barnes AOL IM: CNBarnes
(also MSN IM) Yahoo IM: chrisnbarnes

And I thought labs had a water gene built right
into them!

http://www.txbarnes.com/dogs/
aaaahhhhh!
I went and looked at all the pictures and showed
them to Heidi when she came in to check up on
me.

One of our visiting labradors will drop a ball in
at the waterfall and track it as it bobs down to
the other end of the pond. Picks it up, takes it
back to the waterfall and does it all over again.

k :-)

On Apr 5, 2:38 pm, Chris Barnes wrote:
Just a quickie note to introduce myself. I saw this group when it was
proposed over on news.groups and thought it might be interesting to at
least lurk for a bit from time to time.

My wife and I recently moved out of the city (in Bryan, TX) onto a 6.5 acre
property. I am in the initial stages of digging a pond next to the house
(roughly 20 yards off to the side). Right now, I've just been scratching
the top soil off (using it to landscape other areas of the property). The
final dimensions will be approx. 50'x100' with a small island on one end
(the "shallow end").

The pond is purely dug out and won't get much runoff from rain. Because of
this, there won't be a dam or even much of a "burm" to help keep water in
(it can't really run anywhere anyway). I will have a water well dug to
help keep it full in the summer (the well is also used for irrigation for
the garden, yard, etc).

The purposes of the pond a
(a) decoration (close to the house, landscaping, etc)
(b) We raise Labrador Retrievers; this provides a place for the big dogs to
go swimming (and do some basic training) as well as a place to introduce
puppies to water (hence, the shallow end).
(c) have a place for pet ducks (mallards) & geese (Canadas) to live and
nest (the island).

Q1: how deep can I expect to get the "deep end" of the pond? I would like
it to get "as deep as possible", at least 20'.

Q2: Ponds in this area tend to be really muddy/cloudy, mostly from the dark
clay in the soil. Is there any way to help keep the water clear (clearer)?
And yes, I am aware of the poop factor from the ducks & geese...

Q3: what kind of fish? The fish are pretty much just there to control
insects, although grandkids are probably not too many years down the road,
so having perch they can easily catch might be fun. I'm not interested in
having bigger fish (catfish, bass) unless I need them for some other purpose.

--

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Chris Barnes AOL IM: CNBarnes
(also MSN IM) Yahoo IM: chrisnbarn

Hi Chris
This is one place where even Tsips love Aggies, so we're glad to see
you. I only have a few very general ideas. The depth might turn out
to be a function of your bedrock. In Austin you're lucky to get a few
feet before you hit something. In beautiful Leander we don't have it
quite that bad but it's still a concern.

My guess is that Perch would be a pretty good choice. They seem to
multiply readily and won't have to fed as much as the big fish. Of
course, because they are smaller your migratory ducks might enjoy the
occasional meal as well.

Sounds like quite a project. Good Luck!
Bill

humBill wrote:
This is one place where even Tsips love Aggies, so we're glad to see
you.

You'll be happy to know that back in January of 06, I was yelling "gig'em
horns" :-)



I only have a few very general ideas. The depth might turn out
to be a function of your bedrock. In Austin you're lucky to get a few
feet before you hit something. In beautiful Leander we don't have it
quite that bad but it's still a concern.

Bedrock? What's bedrock?

Seriously, I think you could dig down 50' or maybe even 100' before you hit
anything hard. Well, except for the white clay - you hit that at about 5'.


My guess is that Perch would be a pretty good choice. They seem to
multiply readily and won't have to fed as much as the big fish. Of
course, because they are smaller your migratory ducks might enjoy the
occasional meal as well.

Especially since I want to rent the dozer and do it myself.
:-)
(my wife & kids & I did about 40% of the work on our house ourselves)

--

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Chris Barnes AOL IM: CNBarnes
(also MSN IM) Yahoo IM: chrisnbarnes

the system most parks and golf courses use to keep ponds nice is big
aerators. aquatic ecosystems has these or can configure one for your needs.
oxygen is required by everything in the pond except the bacteria that make
slime and ooze and stink.
you might consider treating the inside of the pond with bentonite (?) a clay
that seals the inside pretty well. after that, aluminum sulfate is used to
settle clay particles. Ingrid


"Chris Barnes" wrote in message
...
final dimensions will be approx. 50'x100' with a small island on one end
(the "shallow end").
Q2: Ponds in this area tend to be really muddy/cloudy, mostly from the
dark
clay in the soil. Is there any way to help keep the water clear
(clearer)?
And yes, I am aware of the poop factor from the ducks & geese