Thread: Natural clay pond in Surrey

So after many years of koi keeping I'm going to the stage and digging a large pond in my new house. This time it has a twist, it's going to be completely natural. I moved to lingfield 4 weeks ago and with my knowledge from fishing in the area I know it's completely clay and thankfully after digging yesterday I was right.
This pond will be about 30.000 litters and completely natural with weed and an airstone.
I know it's not your normal koi pond put having been there and done that I wanted to try somthing knew.
I hope you enjoy watching my progress and I'll up date as I go and welcome any suggestions.

So with the dig under way and chosen spot it's sods law I find this!!
Any ideas? My research tells me it's a victorian cesspit but not sure or even know what to do with it. Any thoughts or knowledge of how big it is?

It maybe an old well, if so it could be a bit of a problem.
Could you not move your dig a bit to avoid it, as you’ve only just started digging.

I'm going dig around it and extend the other side to keep the same volume. I drilled the top about 6 inches and it's solid concrete on the top

I've found this link but not much help without a subscription
https://www.hortweek.com/victorian-r...rticle/1428112

Good discussion to dig around it, I think it could be an old well that has been capped off, best to leave well alone.
So are you intending to build a completely natural pond with just clay and no liner.

Yes I'll be going liner free and using just the clay.
I have got a 2 week gap until I carry on digging so have done a little water test to make sure it holds water.
First pic was yesterday and second is this morning.
Looking good so far..

So I contacted a well company who have now confirmed it to ba a capped well. So I now need to decide if I re open it up and use it as a source of water to fill the pond!
It could actually make a nice feature I'm thinking.

As John said, this will be a very interesting project to follow.
If you do decide to open it up and see if it’s still a live well and going to use it as a water source for the pond, make sure you have the water tested before using it.
Good luck and keep us updated on your progress.

Looks like she holds water. 24 hours later and hasn't dropped abit.
You can see my white stick as a guide. Its Also it's gone clear which is a bonus.

Here is my latest picture before the big fill Tomorrow.
A quick visit to Gatwick koi to pick up a new air pump and discs x2 ready for tomorrow .

Looks a good size, what the volume going to be and any decision on the well.

I've took the head of the well off and dumped loads of clay over it.
Here is some progression pics.
What my main challenge is now is to get plants in the pond and try and get them established before I put the koi back in.
I'm toying with segregating them in the middle with a net while this happens, any ideas?

Thanks Dan.

Next job on the list is to get a picket fence around the out side, I've a guy coming tonight for a quote.

This looks a so much fun!!! Cess pits tend to be squarer, we have an old disused one. I'm over near Guildford too. but new to this forum