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Original poster

Filling in a Pond

27 replies

Flashman · 29/05/2008 22:43

My main job that I have left to do before it is born - i have rather a large pond to fill in and by large it is about 13ft by 10 at the widest and prob about 3 ft deep in the middle of the garden. Does anyone have any idea the best way to get rid of this and how much hardcore or dirt I will need. I have no idea how far a ton of dirt goes! The baby is not due till July and I figure it will need to be done ASAP, as the dirt will need time to settle and next summer a little one will want to be outside. My DP has said perhaps we keep it, but I can't see the point in taking any chances - does anyone have a pond with little ones?

OP posts:

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KatyMac · 29/05/2008 22:46

If you keep it get a fixed grate put on top that is strong enough for you to walk on and the water should be flush or above with the surface

To fill it in is going to take a fair amount of soil - maybe 10-12 tonnes - soil is a tonne a cubic metre

Do you have access to the garden by vehicle or are you moving it?

You could also fill it with polystyrene clocks & just put a few tonnes of soil on top

cadelaide · 29/05/2008 22:50

Hi Flashman, we have a small pond with a very sturdy metal grid over it, weighted and disguised at the edges with pebbles and plant pots.

The holes in the grid are about 5 x 3 inches, big enough for frogs and birds (to drink) whilst small enough to prevent dcs falling through.

It looks fine, is a good temporary measure until dcs are older and they love to pick up the edging stones to look for frogs and toads.

QuintessentialShadows · 29/05/2008 22:50

Why do you want to fill it in?

We have a mega pond with carp. I have pots all around it so the children couldnt reach it. They both grew up with it, and never really bothered much, aside from plenty of fun feeding the fish.

You can always cover it with a net, if youa re worried. There are plenty of security features you can use, check ebay.

LyraSilvertongue · 29/05/2008 22:54

Our house had a pond before we moved in and we've converted it into a sandpit. it's about 1.5 metres across, both ways. Nor sure if that's bigger or smaller than yours It took about a ton of sand to three-quarters fill it.

KatyMac · 29/05/2008 22:55

Oh & how ae you going to empty it? & where are you going to put the water?

ArrietyClock · 29/05/2008 22:56

Fence?

Reminds me, perhaps should do something with ours now dd can crawl....

Original poster

Flashman · 29/05/2008 22:57

12 tons omg!!!! hmmm that could well take over a weekend then.

Why do i want to fill it in?? I sometimes figure why take changes - and also it is right in the middle of the garden - can't see how you can have a decent kickabout with that in the way -

Have any of yours every fallen in?

OP posts:

LyraSilvertongue · 29/05/2008 22:57

Emptying ours was a nightmare. At least a million trips with a bucket to the drain and back (in November - fingers almost suffered frostbite).

KatyMac · 29/05/2008 22:57

Was you pond about a foot or so deep Lyra?

2sugars · 29/05/2008 22:58

We never filled our pond it, in fact, H and his son were digging it the day befor dd was due. Only cos we needed to move house on that day. Have you considered some sort of mesh? That's what we have, and it keeps the big birds off too.

QuintessentialShadows · 29/05/2008 22:59

No. In 6 years and numerous birthday parties and plenty of children running around, only ONE has fallen in. But he ran RIGHT into it with his eyes open at the age of 4

2sugars · 29/05/2008 22:59

, IN, I should have said.

LyraSilvertongue · 29/05/2008 23:00

Ok, just looked at conversion tables and yours is almost 3 times bigger than ours. But we only needed one ton to fill it so you might not need more than 3 or 4, 5 max.

LyraSilvertongue · 29/05/2008 23:01

Katymac, it's roughly 2ft deep.

Original poster

Flashman · 29/05/2008 23:05

I thought to empty it by using the pump in the pond - it i leave one end of the pipe in the pond and put the other end down the drain it should be sweet - I think I could tape it to the side of the drain and just piss off for a couple of hours and jobs a good un. the main issue is what to do with the fish. Have about 20 of them now

OP posts:

KatyMac · 29/05/2008 23:06

Oh - then I must have worked something out wrong

I would estimate you needing 1.3 tonnes to fill it so 1 tonne would only fill ...oh yes 3/4 fill it

Sorry

The 10ft is about 3m & 13ft is about 4m by 1m deep

is about 12 cubic metres.....so 12 tonnes

Are the 'shores' of the pond shallower?

2sugars · 29/05/2008 23:06

Katymac, ours is about 6ft deep, but I was happy with it, with the mesh over it.

Original poster

Flashman · 29/05/2008 23:07

what makes ours much worse is that it is surrounded by loose stones - adults have almost come in - I have gone in while pissed. It was here when we moved in it is not something I did.

OP posts:

cadelaide · 29/05/2008 23:07

I don't think I could ever relax with an uncovered pond in the garden.

mumonthenet · 29/05/2008 23:09

my dd fell into our pool fully clothed at the age of about 5. she could more or less swim but fell into the middle part and could walk to the shallow end. She was so surprised and completely furious. DD1 and I (once we saw she was alright) were laughing so much we had to look the other way so she wouldn't see.

the thing about pools and ponds and staircases is that when they grow up with one they learn how to deal with it. Of course you must never, never, never take your eyes off them but that is true whether you have a pond or not.

KatyMac · 29/05/2008 23:10

So edge it properly

Nice little foundation, lay on the mesh at urface level, then a small wall (maybe 2 bricks high) with a nice cap stone & you can sit on it

Make sure the mesh is very strong - I ment it when I said you should be able to stand on it

You can make a hatch (with a lock) that you can climb into for maintenance

MarmadukeScarlet · 29/05/2008 23:13

WE had a large one, but being animal lovers carefully strained it all and removed 10 frogs and 140 or so newts.

We made it smaller - which took WAAYYYY more soild than anticpated and made it smaller and put new liner in. We put a sheet of concrete reinforcing (painted with dark hammerite stuff) level with the surface and put the rocks back over the edge to hide it. Once the plants grew it was invisable.

We were there 5 years and no-one ever fell in it.

We went to put all the newts back they had been in a fish tank with lid and I had been feeding them, they had eaten each other! there were less that half left! Ungrateful sods.

cadelaide · 29/05/2008 23:37

mumonthenet, sometimes I have to take my eyes off dcs; eg when I'm on the loo.

I'm relaxed about many things, stairs etc, but not ponds.

How d'you "learn how to deal with" a pond at, say 2 years old, when you've fallen in it and can't swim?

Actually I'm not being helpful to OP at all am I? Sorry, I think water/ drowning is my "thing", iyswim.

mumonthenet · 29/05/2008 23:40

didn't mean to come accross quite as casual as that cadelaide. was in response the flashman's question "have any of yours fallen in?"

cadelaide · 29/05/2008 23:49

Course not MOTN.

Like I say, I think water is my thing. We're off to Cornwall in a few weeks and I'm imagining freak waves and all sorts ( and I'm usually so rational )

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