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The reason for this post is to ask all of you how much it cost you to build a pond in your backyard. I'll probably use a preformed pond, but I'll also need a pond filter, a heater big enough to heat the pond, plants, etc, etc, etc. So how much did your final cost come to? My mom said she might fund it if I do all the work, but I need a general idea first. If you could just post your estimated total cost and let me know if it was very extravagant, etc, that'd be a huge help. Thanks in advance!

I'll try to post some pictures of the area I have to work with, but I'm warning you, it ain't pretty!

You can build a pond really rather inexpensively. It just takes a little (or a lot depending on who's helping) work.

We gathered rocks from the desert for edging and filling the bottom, etc. But make sure to check with the forest service to see if you need permits. Also, a preformed pond is less expensive than digging a big hole with machines like I did. Then you have to line it and get a pump big enough to handle the amount of water (ours is 3000 gallons) and the waterfall. But altogether I would say we spent about $2500 for materials and some hired labor.

Once we got the pond balanced it has been very little maintenance. The fish are happy and our new turtle should be as well.

WOW, $2500?! That's nuts!

Well, it is a 3000 gallon pond. We would really, really love to see some pics of it!

Yeah, I don't see ANY pictures of peoples ponds on this site lol.

But I'm only planning on getting a 100 or so gallon pond. Probably a preformed. Anyone have something like this?

What else would I need other than the preform, liner, and a filter and heater?

Anyone else have some of their price estimates?

Good Morning Leonardo
Sorry for the delay in answering your request for pictures. I work during the week and don't get on my pc at home until the weekend. I would love to show a picture or two but I haven't figured out how to post it. If you would like to help me I would be happy to share.
Anita

Anita, I can never seem to get my pics to post, but there are detailed instruction under the photo gallery. None the less it never seems to work for me. I see that you have yahoo instant messanger...you can upload the pics to your yahoo picture page and then just post a link. That's what I do. I find it easier, but then I am somewhat technologically impaired, lol.

If you have a place to upload it, then read this topic on posting images:
http://redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1811

If not, you can email it to me and I'll post them for you. My email is in a link below.

edit: does yahoo let you post images directly? hmmm, I'll have to try it out

well it's probably "SUE" stupid user error. lol but I will send u and email and see how it goes
thanks for all the help

I started out with a 70 gallon preformed pond for the turts - it was about $50 for the pond, $80 for the pump and $40 for the external filter. Once you get the water quality right, all is well.
It is not very expensive to get one started, but ongoing maintenance and safe, escape proof surroundings are important. Keep fencing in mind as a cost and plants for cover, etc.

I now have 3 ponds, 1 that is just for plants and snails (give the poor things a chance before the critters eat them) and the other 2 are for turtles and fish.

and I still plan to post pictures, just as soon as I get organized enough! (hopefully this week!)
Good luck on your new pond idea - just a warning - it is contagious! My dream would be to end up with a 3000 gal one like wstz4u, but my family seems to think having a yard is necessary!

My pond officially cost $246. That includes the tools I had to buy: a rubber mallet and a utility knife. I did NOT have to buy my pump, though, which can be a major expense. I also built my own biofilter and will be building my own mechanical prefilter.

Hi, We have started our pond in the back yard for the turtles. It is 12' by 8', 20 inches deep at one side and 26 inches at the other, bi-leveled with one small shelf for basking. Close to 1000-1200 gallons. We got our liner and pump on ebay, its actually a Harbor Freight Kit with a pump to push 1170 gals. That totaled $120. We dug the hole ourselves, spread it out over a week or so because of the NC heat. That of course was free. We then bought a solar pump for extra water movement to keep the mosquitos away, a Pondmaster 2000 filter unit, and that totaled just under $100. For the outer ring of the pond to contain the turtles, we are next going to purchase enough retainer wall blocks to surround it twice high to make it about 10 inches tall from the top of the liner so they cant escape, with plans to raise it another 4 inches with a third row of blocks. that will cost about $150 plus another $75 for the third row. We will be getting some water plants legal to our area, lighting, a spitter (because our large RES likes things like that), rocks to cover the wires for the pump, and their basking area will be the shelf with some flat rocks. So the whole thing so far is about $450 -$500 for a big enough pond. Here are three pics from the day we started setting up the area, to the dug hole with liner and rocks holding it in place. As of today thats how it remains. Next week is block placing week. Then we have planned to fence in the area and make a nice seating area to enjoy the pond and turtles, adding some plants, table and chairs, tiki torches and solar lights, and grass of course.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/196991/IMGA0360.JPG
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/196991/IMGA0363.JPG
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-5/196991/IMGA0364.JPG

Now hopefully it will all work out. All you really need to do is get busy with the hard work digging, go to ebay and research what you want to spend and put it all together for an inexpensive pond setup.

I have a GF who works for a Pre Formed Pond Place (they make em). I can get the free and very cheap but even getting a free pond cost money, forthe plants, filters, rocks, stones, etc. So There not cheap even whe nthere free

No, they aren't cheap, but they don't have to be insanely expensive. I researched for about a year before making mine. My plans for the filter went through a few different incarnations before I came up with what I have now.

So far it is working pretty well