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Rock the Pond

7:54
24:33
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At 7:54 in

How to Build a Backyard Pond in ONE Day steps 8-20

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What happens here

Begin placing rocks from the bottom of the pond outwards. This technique (starting with the 'frame rocks' or 'destination boulders') helps to pull the liner into place, preventing tension and ensuring it conforms properly to the pond's shape. Strategic rock placement is crucial for creating biological filtration (providing surface area for beneficial microorganisms), acting as ballast to prevent the liner from bubbling up due to hydrostatic pressure, and enhancing the pond's natural appearance. If no rocks or ballast are used, water pressure can cause the liner to float, creating an unsightly bubble underneath, and soil erosion will eventually cause the pond walls to collapse. Ensure there is enough slack in the liner to accommodate the rocks and provide flexibility for future adjustments or repairs.

Goal: Secure the pond liner and create natural aesthetic with rocks

Tools and materials

  • Buckets — Transporting smaller rocks or gravel
  • Rocks — Lining the pond, providing biological filtration, ballast, and aesthetic appeal
  • Tree Dolly — Moving larger rocks
  • Wheelbarrow — Transporting rocks to the pond edge

What they say

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like go so ed you're just piecing together the walls the the contours right now exactly and one of the things you noticed I'm starting on the top hole even though other people are working in here you want to start I should say at the bottom I'm starting on the bottom the reason I'm doing that is it's gonna pull the liner in place if I were to come in here and start setting work all the big ones on top it'll end up putting tension on the liner and then all of a sudden the liner is not kind of conformed everything I had to get a couple bucket loads of gravel start filling in behind those rocks so kind of locked everything in place what if they don't put anything in the pond if they don't put anything in the pond the problems gonna be multiple things number one biological filtration by having all the rock and gravel every square inch of this rock is going to become a habit at home for algae for different types of microorganisms which are food for the fish as well as they help to control water quality next thing that's gonna happen is you're not gonna have any ballast and so you don't have any rocks down here in the bottom every spring I guarantee it you're gonna get a big bubble underneath the bottom of the liner and that's because you have water coming in so water is going to displace water very easily this pound for pound per cubic foot is much heavier than water obviously that's going to give it weight down the bottom it's going to push the water through our fabric which is also part of that system and allow it to go into the surrounding area the other thing that it's going to do it's going to look idiots by not having any rock and gravel inside of this thing it's gonna look awful final thing is all of that soil what's holding it in place if you were gonna do a retaining wall at somebody's homes you're not just gonna cut out a section of soil in the leave it exposed they'll eventually slump over so eventually if there was no stone here this is gonna start collapsing in and then the pond will slowly implode on itself and I got a question for you you put a lot of artistic design into this can I see right behind you you know why because nobody's gonna see it they're gonna see it because our viewing area is right there and the water is gonna be crystal-clear and it's getting rid of that where you've necklace ring a pearl necklace type of all look so by having these little unique things it just adds interest and and that's the fun part of the job you know…

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