Will my garden cave in if I knock down my deep fish pond?

[NotaclueSue]

Hi all!
I have a large, deep fish pond in my garden: c 14ft x 6ft oval and 6ft deep. It is brick built above ground and concrete (I seem to remember) beneath with a rubber (?) liner. At the deepest point is a gravity fed drainage outlet - and outlets higher up in the walls. there are underground pipes leading to ground level filtration chambers.
Unfortunately all the fish have died: I believe this was due to limestone in the air from the local cement factory. We have since tried to drain it but the bottom drain is blocked. Despite asking people to help me unblock it we have been singularly unsuccessful. Even so, re-stocking the pond is out of the question - too expensive; and as my husband who knew how to work the pond/filters etc. has since passed away I do not want it as a fish pond any longer.
The whole area is a mess; stagnant water and weeds. So what to do?
I did think of getting someone in to knock it down but wonder if this will affect the foundations of the house which is about 12 ft away...
Furthermore on the opposite side of the pond to the house there is a rockery which is being kept up by the wall of the pond. any ideas please??

 

[breezer]

its a shame to see a pond go, but i understand why.

you could always buy a cheap sump pump

this one comes from here ,you will also need a hose, the one shown on the link is a bit too big (its a 2 inch hose)

if its 6 foot deep i presume 3/4 foot is below ground?

obviously if it is supporting the rockery and you take it down there will be nothing to support the rockery.

I will also guess the pond has a concrete base, good idea to break this up if you want to return it to a normal garden. otherwise it will effect the drainage

 

[NotaclueSue]

Thank you for your prompt reply. You are right that it is really, really sad to break up what was once a smashing pond with koi carp and there is also a 'stream' through the rockery falling into the pond. the whole pond is also covered with a gazebo (?): wooden trellissing covered with clematis which are just coming into bloom. A fabulous sight. I will certainly wish to keep the gazebo (not sure if this is the correct word for it....) and the clematis.

I wasn't sure whether I was describing the pond adequately, but you have obviously understood. You are right that some of the depth of the pond is above ground, although I would estimate up to 5ft below ground.

Good tip about breaking up the concrete so as not to affect future garden drainage.

But what do you think about the ground affecting the foundations of the house? My son (who visits occasionally and throws in reason why not to do something/words of 'wisdom' to his blatantly non-technical Mum but does not follow through with solutions) put this thought in my mind. I would hate to knock the pond down and fill it in only to cause subsidence to my house.

Best wishes

NotaclueSue

 

[NotaclueSue]

p.s. I have noted the sump details and will buy/hire one as soon as I learn whether the current weight of the water in the pond is necessary to shore up the ground between the pond and the footings of the house.

Sue

 

[JohnD]

as a rule of thumb, a hole six feet deep and six feet away from the house is OK; a hole ten feet deep must be ten feet away. A hole 20 feet deep must be 20 feet away. this is considered safe enough not to affect the house.

Wet, sandy or muddy subsoils are more prone to give way.

I presume that as soon as the pond has been broken up/removed, you will be filling the hole in again, and once the ground has settled it will not be a problem.

I don't know about fishponds but some on here do, especially Breezer.

If your late husband was a member of a Fish club it is possible that someone local will be willing to help.

Breaking up concrete is hard work but if there is access for a Digger it can probably be broken up, dug out, and refilled in a day or two. One-man digger hire businesses are very quick at these small jobs.

 

[NotaclueSue]

Gosh! I am learning a lot here, aren't I? That rule of thumb for depth of hole v distance to house is useful as is all the advice here. I thank you all very much.
I did try a fish club first. The one my husband was in is too far away - and we hadn't been in touch for a few years, so I visited another one nearer home. How do I describe the people there politely........? anyway, a woman on her own would appear to be considered a threat....... Actually an old couple went out of their way to come round and visit but at the time we were discussing re-activating the pond and they could not fathom out how to unblock the bottom drain.
With regard to workmen, I've had a few costly mistakes over the past year or so. I must have chosen badly, but they must recognise I don't understand technical issues and I seem to have been overcharged. That is why I am trying to get to grips with issues myself before calling anyone in.
Anyway, thanks all. Shame that you bods who do such work for a living do not live nearer me. You all sound honest and knowledgeable.
Sue

 

[Pyromaniac]

I know nothing about fish ponds !

But as it seems you have electrics and services already installed for the pond, could you not fill a pond in and make it less deep - say 3 foot or even 2 foot deep, and have a new external filter of some sort put in ?

You could then have it as a planted or wildlife feature if not for actual fish.

I may be talking rubbish as I have no idea what is involved, but it sounds a shame to lose such a feature and keeping a semblance of it would make a nice memorial to your late husband maybe ?

 

[holmslaw]

I'd go with pyromaniac.

 

[Bodgeit and scarper ltd]

Put goldfish in it they will live in anything. They don’t need a pump or fresh clean water. They can grow quite big and they breed like rabbits.

 

[breezer]

nice ideas but the water will stagnate and smell over time, it has filters, because it has a bottom drain, but this is blocked. a pond of that size really does need looking after.

mind you, could always pump it out and refill and call it a swiming pool

But seriously, holes and foundations are not my "thing", but the size of the pond it will need some looking after and i have to agree perhaps its time for it to go.

Being a koi pond the filters are probably integral to the pond, but they will not be as deep. I suppose the best time to fill it in is now since who wants to work outside in winter.

I agree with the one man digger though.

Also before anything is done find out were the pump(s) and uv etc is supplied from and switch it off or better still dissconect it.

as a point of note, you may be able to sell the parts on ebay as buyer to dissconect and collect.

might not get much but you get them taken away for free and dissconected for free.

 

[NotaclueSue]

Thanks. So many ideas: and yes, I would have liked to have kept the pond or even changed its usage but I can't see an option that I would be able to maintain -and single son is not interested...unless it attracted nubile maidens , then he'd be over like a shot!!!
Selling the filtration chambers etc. on e-bay is a good idea. Didn;t know that people would disconnect it for themselves. Food for thought.

Thanks again. Sue

 

[oilman]

Sorry to turn up late, but if you were to pump out the pond, it might be possible to deal with the blockage. Before that, I presume you have tried shutting the valve grom the bottom drain to the filter, draining the filter, then opening the valve from the bottom again. It's likely to be blocked as you have no fish and so the weed growth got out of hand.

Let me know, as I have close contact with a pond man. It would be good to restore the pond if it is what you would like.