Need help/advice for new pond.

[AntlerCollector]

I had a pond dug at my deer camp. It’s about 25’ deep. With this last hurricane and tropical storm it has filled up fast.

This is almost completely clay based. The water is a cream color due to the clay particles in the water.

I have several questions I hope the green screen can help me with.

1. Is there any way I can get the water to clear up?

2. I would like to install some type of fountain to circulate the water. Any recommendations?

3. Also I intend to stock it with crappie. I know nothing about crappie. I did build some structures and put in the bottom for the fish. Should I add bait fish/ minnows now and let them get established first?

4. This will be a pond for fishing, swimming, and recreational activities around it. I plan to build a gazebo, picnic tables, bbq pit, etc. it will have water and electricity available. Kids want a rope swing, slide, and a zipline. Any advice on the zipline and slide would be helpful. I already have the rope. I’m thinking a large pipe for the slide and maybe a water well hand pump at the top so the kids can wet the slide with then go down.

Any other advice you have please let me know thanks. This is something I’m wanting my kids and grandkids to enjoy for years to come.











I saw this playset online. That gave me the idea of a pipe. I’d prefer a real water slide if I can find one


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[rut-ro]

When we first dug our ponds they were “milky” as well. We put gypsum in the tank and it clears up then turned muddy again. After a while it all settled and now we can see about 6 foot deep. All of our ponds have the same experience. All between 8-27’ deep and 1 to 10 acres.

Crappie reproduce like pigs and you will have to take a lot out of a small pond. I would start with minnows and blue Gil to get the feeder fish establishes then crappie and or whatever jig want.

Ponds are fun but can be a pain in the butt as well. I need to post pictures of our builds.

[RifleBowPistol]

I have not tried this idea, but I have noticed over the years, that the rivers, lakes, creeks I have seen, if they have rocky bottoms, the water is usually clear, mud bottoms result in murky water.

I plan on lining our pond when we make it, with clay, we had plenty of clay where we are, once you get down a couple of feet. Then put a layer of rocks on top of the clay. I was also thinking of maybe a layer of sand on top of the clay, then a layer of rocks. But then you have runoff. The runoff, will make it murky. So I plan on trying something similar to what the highway department does with the rocks in chicken wire on the up stream side, where the runoff, will be coming into the pond, kind of a attempt at filtering the sediments out of the water, before it goes into the pond. I know it sounds like a bit of work. But it sure would be nice to have a pond with clear water, over the typical murky water stock pond.

Recently we have had a lot of rain, a few weeks ago, I drove over the Cibolo creek, in that area, it is very clear, because of a rocky bottom. But right now there is some construction along the bank on one side. So there is a lot of bare ground on one bank, I noticed where the water is flowing from that construction area, off into the creek, and down stream of that drainage the water is very cloudy. But everywhere else, around that area of the creek,, the water is pretty clear. So having grass, trees, ECT growing, around the pond or on the ground, from where water will flow from, into the pond. Would also be a good idea. Also if the water flowing into your pond, has a lot of silt in it, it will eventually start to fill your pond up. With creeks and rivers, that have water flowing most or all of the time. That flowing water, will carry the sediments down stream, so it does not fill the river, most of the time. I have seen sand bars formed as a result of sediment getting dumped into rivers and creeks.

[.243 WSSM]

I have not tried this idea, but I have noticed over the years, that the rivers, lakes, creeks I have seen, if they have rocky bottoms, the water is usually clear, mud bottoms result in murky water.

I plan on lining our pond when we make it, with clay, we had plenty of clay where we are, once you get down a couple of feet. Then put a layer of rocks on top of the clay. I was also thinking of maybe a layer of sand on top of the clay, then a layer of rocks. But then you have runoff. The runoff, will make it murky. So I plan on trying something similar to what the highway department does with the rocks in chicken wire on the up stream side, where the runoff, will be coming into the pond, kind of a attempt at filtering the sediments out of the water, before it goes into the pond. I know it sounds like a bit of work. But it sure would be nice to have a pond with clear water, over the typical murky water stock pond.

Recently we have had a lot of rain, a few weeks ago, I drove over the Cibolo creek, in that area, it is very clear, because of a rocky bottom. But right now there is some construction along the bank on one side. So there is a lot of bare ground on one bank, I noticed where the water is flowing from that construction area, off into the creek, and down stream of that drainage the water is very cloudy. But everywhere else, around that area of the creek,, the water is pretty clear. So having grass, trees, ECT growing, around the pond or on the ground, from where water will flow from, into the pond. Would also be a good idea. Also if the water flowing into your pond, has a lot of silt in it, it will eventually start to fill your pond up. With creeks and rivers, that have water flowing most or all of the time. That flowing water, will carry the sediments down stream, so it does not fill the river, most of the time. I have seen sand bars formed as a result of sediment getting dumped into rivers and creeks.

^^^^^^This. You are getting sedimentation infiltration from runoff. First thing to do is get that bare ground all around it covered in vegetation. Rye grass or wheat/oats. If it remains bare dirt you will continue to have a problem with turbid water. Some ponds never clear up due to their specific chemical makeup in the water but I suspect those suspended particles in the water column will eventually drop and become clear as long as you address the sedimentation problem. That isn't a very big pond for crappie but it will work. As above, put in fathead minnows and hybrid bluegill first to get a bait base. Then stock crappie. If you find that the crappie are stunted put a couple of lmb in

[tlh2865]

Agree that crappie will eat and breed themselves out of a pond that size if not aggressively targeted and kept. You will definitely want to get minnows established first too. A year alone in there would do them a lot of good, and they'll need a lot of cover to survu=ive predation for very long after you stock with fish

[AntlerCollector]

I will be planting rye grass around it soon. Hopefully some real grass in the spring.

Ok minnows will be going in first. Probably set up a fish feeder and throw just enough to keep them fat and happy.

Anyone have experience with a fountain to keep the water from getting stagnant?

[AntlerCollector]

When we first dug our ponds they were “milky” as well. We put gypsum in the tank and it clears up then turned muddy again. After a while it all settled and now we can see about 6 foot deep. All of our ponds have the same experience. All between 8-27’ deep and 1 to 10 acres.

Crappie reproduce like pigs and you will have to take a lot out of a small pond. I would start with minnows and blue Gil to get the feeder fish establishes then crappie and or whatever jig want.

Ponds are fun but can be a pain in the butt as well. I need to post pictures of our builds.

Is this what you used? If so can you tell me how? I don’t see instructions for using it to clear up water.





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["DOC"]

Go to The Pond Boss forum.
Everything you could possibly want to know from a Professional.


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[rut-ro]

Is this what you used? If so can you tell me how? I don’t see instructions for using it to clear up water.





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We used something similar we got at the CoOp. We also tossed old Sheetrock in one pond.

[Abctx]

Give it a few weeks, and it will likely clear up.

Virtually any reliable source will tell you do NOT stock crappie (unless the pond is 10-20 acres plus). They eat too much and reproduce too much.

Bluegills/red ear and minnows the first year. Bass a year or two later. No catfish unless you like your pond looking that muddy (sounds like you don’t).

I like to eat crappie more than any other fish. With that said, NO crappie in a small pond...

[jerp]

Word of caution on the crappie. A friend of mine spent a ton of money to build a 10 acre pond at his ranch. They did the stocking right, starting with bluegill and minnows for almost two years before adding bass. Time went by and they couldn’t figure out why the bass were not thriving. They had a guy come out and do a shock test and found out the pond was full of almost nothing but crappie. All they can figure is there were crappie mixed in with bluegill when it was stocked and they took over.

[Thumper]

I've read that Crappie are not a good pound fish.

Is the ladder going to be used as a diving board? It will if kids are around. You might want to build a bigger/wider platform to get it out over the water.

[Mudslinger]

Wish my pond held water like that!

[GARY]

Like everyone else, no go on crappie

[Quackerbox]

Tiger had a water slide in the classifieds

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