# Well water to ''top of a pond''?



## hang_loose (Apr 2, 2008)

My pond is down about a foot and my pallet stacks are showing. There is a lot of action going on around these stacks from the bass and perch having dinner(I think). I think the're tearing up the minnows.

I'm wondering if I run well water in enough to cover the pallets, is there any danger for oxygen levels or that thing where the water layers flip over? It would only have to come up about one to two inches but that is a lot of water for a half acre pond.

I can't find any other info on this so any info is appreciated.

Thanks


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

You should be fine, i am/will be supplementing my pond next year with well water, best advice is to run it through a pipe/hose and have it either splatter of a pile of rocks on the way in or to shoot it a couple of feet above the water line so it splashes down and picks up some aeration in the process. 

Most folks run a timer, to run every hour for 3-4 minutes, depending on your well capacity

Salmonid


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## hang_loose (Apr 2, 2008)

Thanks Salmonid for the quick response. I think I'll just run the lawn sprinkler in the pond for 3 or 4 hours each night. The well should be able to handle that. Hopefully that will pass up the evaporation rate that I'm losing every day.

Thanks again.


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## bountyhunter (Apr 28, 2004)

my ponds just over two ac , I run a 1'' hose from my barn well , just let it flow . takes about a week to raise it three four in'' [this is a artiasn well flows all the time on its own,] the wave action does the oxygen work for me.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Using well water is perfectly fine as Salmonid stated, and spraying it against something (even the surface of the water) is a great idea. Most well water needs to be degassed - because it generally contains other, undesirerable, desolved gasses.


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

To put things in perspective:

To keep up with an average evaporation rate of 1/4" per day on a 1/2 acre pond, you'll need to pump 2.36 gallons per minute 24/7. In order to gain 1" per day you'll need to pump 11.79 gallons per minute or 203,657 gallons over 12 days to gain 1' of depth. 

The above assumes no leakage or other incoming water. If it's hot, dry and windy....evaporation can reach 1" per day.

How much water will your well produce? Is it enough for the pond and normal uses? How much will it cost to pump that much water?


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Just outta curiousity what region of the world are those "averages" relative to?. I knew water evaporated out of ponds at a fairly astounding rate, but never thought they were as high as that.

I really don't think people need to pump water into their pond. Some of the ponds I take care of are used for irrigatation purposes and the levels drop like rocks. Sure it looks unsightly, but I've never saw it effect the fish negativley in terms of something you could physically see and it REALLY retards pond weed growth. Hell, last year I knew a fella that was litterally paying to have water trucked in and put into his pond. Explained to him it really was a drop in the bucket and to save his cash.


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

I read the 1/4" per day somewhere and it works out about right. You can fill a 5 gallon bucket and set it beside the pond to see what the actual evaporation rate is. 

My pond is around 1.5' low right now, maybe 2'. I could spend a bunch of money pumping water to fill it over the next couple of weeks only to have it pour down rain and go out the overflow. IMO the money is better put into other things.

My wife didn't like the way the pond looked when it was low so I spent about $1500 having the banks covered with #2 limestone. Now it doesn't look bad when the water drops and was still less expensive than putting in a well and much cheaper in the long run.


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## hang_loose (Apr 2, 2008)

Well I can see that sprinkler isn't going to do much to bring the water level up. [email protected], I can see why your wife doesn't like the way it looks. Looks to bare and kind of reminds me of a ring around the bathtub.

I like the limestone idea. I'm about out of ''pond money'' for this year but I will look into it this spring. Thanks

Also, all of those evaporation and well numbers on filling the pond really made me think twice.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Good point about the limestone. Funny ya mention ya wife didn't like the exposed mud, I've never even thought of it as unsightly... guess it's a guy thing  

Not just for asthetics, but for weed control and habitat for aquatic organisms, putting rock around the pond is the best bang for your buck. Filling a pond with water, even if it's just the electric bill running the pump, is a waste in my opinion.


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

The limestone was the easiest project by far. I had some geotextile fabric left over from a job and my wife and I laid it around the edges one August when the water was especially low. We tossed a few stones on it to hold it in place. We called a company http://www.rockchuckers.com/ and they delivered and placed it. It took 8 or 9 truckloads if I remember correctly to deliver 90 tons, 8 loads the first day and 1 the second. I only found 2 or 3 stray stones when they were done and they even shot stone under the dock. Little to no damage to the yard too. Couldn't have been any easier.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Sounds like ya did it right, 1500 bucks ain't to shabby for that either.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I have a "seasonal wetlands" area about 50 yds behind my pond. I've often thought about a windmill/well pump back there to supplement my pond level but so far, haven't pursued it due to expected cost. I think I could "drive" the well point and pipe and hit water fairly shallow(10-25 ft.) which would be a good start. Anyone else ever use a windmill pump? Costs for the rig??


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

c. j. stone said:


> I have a "seasonal wetlands" area about 50 yds behind my pond. I've often thought about a windmill/well pump back there to supplement my pond level but so far, haven't pursued it due to expected cost. I think I could "drive" the well point and pipe and hit water fairly shallow(10-25 ft.) which would be a good start. Anyone else ever use a windmill pump? Costs for the rig??


My guess is that you would need a windmill capable of producing 1000 gallons per hour. A well with an electric pump would need to be able to produce between 4 and 5 gallons per minute to keep a 1 acre pond topped off, or roughly 283 gallons per hour (much more than a sandpoint could produce in a season wetland I'd expect). Since the wind doesn't blow all the time all day, you would probably have to quadruple the capacity if using wind power, figuring you'll have full power 5 hours, half power for 10 hours and no wind for 9 hours. To generate the kind of power needed to accomplish this, you'll probably be looking at 15'+ diameter windmills with a 5" cylinder. I'd be interested in what a windmill rep has to say though since I'm just guessing. You'll need to establish what is good enough for you. Maybe replacing half the water lost to evaporation is good enough for you.


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

I once saw a dude filling about a 10+ acre pond with a regular sized garden hose coming off of his well. Had hardly any pressure at all. 


lol, just thought I would share


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