Pond veteran here. You're going to need a water source and you're going to need to aerate that pond. Otherwise all of your hard work with the fish will be for nothing. If you get a dry spell you're gonna need to get water into that pan otherwise the pond while overheat and the fish will cook. If you don't aerate, especially with ducks on the pond, you're going to get algae growth which will choke off the oxygen and that will also kill the fish

Aeration! Especially necessary with ducks pooping in the pond. Aeration does lots of good things. Stops the formation of “dead” anoxic water at the bottom of the pond; helps cool the water and add oxygen; etc.

Glad you did an update I’ve been watching for a long time

It’s always been my dream to have a pond. Beautiful!

How lucky I am to have just found your pond videos. I just purchased 4 acres (Louisiana) this past August and in October I had a pond dug. It's about 80'x90' (7200 square feet) so not all that big, but very compatible to the size of yours. Despite two hurricanes passing by in close proximity and a few rainy days the pond is not filled. I'm confident it will hold water, it's natural soil is that red clay. I planted 8 bald cypress trees by it. This weekend I will try to build a dock for my pirogue before it does fill up. We're having a new well tank installed, and once done I'll run a line to the pond and start to fill it. I am excited to see how your pond develops. I'm one or two steps behind you in my development, so I'll be learning from your experience. Thank you for posting your videos. Keep them up... I'll be watching!

Great that you described how you got this to properly hold water by compacting the clay, really helpful as I'm about to dig a pond myself. Many thanks!

Great to see it finally holding water. How sweet what a view from the front porch!

Congratulations Steve! This project was kind of a nightmare pond project!! But I think your persistence will reward you in the end! Best of luck with it filling all the way up, and your future success with fish and and such. Thanks, and best wishes!!!

Nice pond. I have two ponds that I ran PVC pipe to from my deep well. I ran them out a good ways with an upright pipe and put a cap with holes in it. It not only keeps the ponds full during extended dry periods, it aerates the water for the fish. It is a pretty cheap fix and has the added benefit of looking very nice when the fountain is running! You can also solar power a small pump between your well and the pond with the batteries stored in a small shed.

That pond has come a long way! Your hard work has paid off!

To keep the lake clean, it must be regularly cleaned of silt and algae. This can be done with a dirty water motor pump and a Bagermaster suction nozzle.

Persistence is the key! Very happy for you that you're diligence paid off! Recently had my kids fly in to fish our pond it was a great time and my daughter caught two personal best. You can't put a price tag on that. Best wishes for your future pond adventures!

That compacter idea is great, I will try in our farm pond. Thanks buddy.

That's a REAL pond. Very nice, makes mine look like a small puddle. Great job sir!!

It is so cool ❤👍👍👍👍🇸🇾

I think that those 20 bass will eat ALL of the fry that you put in the pond really quick. I think a better idea is to put all ages of bluegill in and then after the bluegill have been in it for about a year or so, then add some 6 inch bass. That way the bass will have ample forage as they get older. But one bass can eat so many minnows daily that you wouldn't believe it. Also, ask a biologist about the type of forage fish and when to add the bass. I am probably all wrong. So ask a biologist to be sure.

Happy to see it is finally working for you.

Really wonderfull, natural and very beautiful. Ducks paradise.

We need to watching the progress

I told you the compactor would work, looks great. Hopefully you'll get to fish it next year

This is just too wholesome 🥺

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 man thanks!!!! I been waiting indeed!!! This is very inspiring!!! Need this bro

I love this ,,I just moved to southwest Missouri too and am doing the same I have a spring just need to dig it out

Its beautiful Man congratulations on your yard.

**Slow clap.**. Nice job! Way to stay after it!!

It looks like I spam this video but I did testing on my property and found clay 17ft below ground level. I wanted to haul clay material but its about $200 for 10-12yards due to 40+ mile round trip. I found a cool guy in town that has a small Deere 120 excavator and was thinking if to dig the clay out for about 1 day and then build a 10ft deep pond on a different part. I did build 2 small clay lined test ponds and the results appeared good for only having 4 inches of clay. I am thinking on getting close to 12" of clay on walls. Cool video and I always enjoy it.

The pond is looking great, well worth the wait.

I only ever watched your pond videos so I'm glad I cought this lol. Awesome job.

Looking great

Looks good I have been going back to the start of the channel quite different from today

Beautiful!!

Great job, and well put togather videos. Keep up the good work. !!!

Beautiful...Gone 🎣

Looks great and great idea with the gutter run off.

Looks great! Your hard work paid off.

Way to go!! I hope it works great for you and your dad!

Finally an update! pond looks awesome!! alot better then before haha, you could throw in some old Christmas trees as cover also, also might wanna get some tadpoles, great food for the bass, they will grow like crazy on tadpoles and frogs.

I want to build a fish pond as well. As SOON as you said SW MO I subscribed,haha. I was born and raised in SW MO, that landscape seems similar to ours, so I'd imagine I'll run into the hot initially holding water issue myself. Thanks for the video!! Gonna definitely go check out some more. Have an awesome day!!

Great job looks really nice

2nd time today I watch the entire video. My backhoe wont be able to make it tomorrow but I have plenty of time to build the pond. I believe I can do this now.

Love what you did man 👍👍

If you plant the edges with water plants 🌱 the water will clear naturally 🤔

Looks great!! Its been fun seeing the progress.

Start to finish! Congrats

Fantastic video. Great ideas.

Can't wait to see you catch the first fish form this pond.

So cool man! I'm a fan ... I would suggest you will plant more tress around your pond bro ...tress also is a source of water and it will makes your pond look natural

Bass loves ducklings...

Yes for sure get some plants on the edge to clean it naturally.

Amazing!

I can’t wait to see how it fills up after the gutter run off starts flowing in!

Looks nice

The pond looks really good

Gorgeous! You've done a superb job. Contrats. Pat, Qld. Australia

That's Cool

Looks great! You need aeration or it will soon be an algae toilet. Nice fountain too.

Put in the like 12 plastic milk crates tied together. Thats the safe haven for the baby fish. And add in the top floating plants or the cranes will eventually come eat your bigger fish.

Looks good congress on you over sized pool

Well done

Sealing pond and lakes is more complicated than you know. Your description indicates you were trying to compact clay that was over optimum moisture. We will do a sealing video to guide people soon.

The pond is sure looking good

Great lookin habit in front of your house. 👍👍

It's good hunter having habits and habitat. The new concept is miyavaki Forest. Good to try for you. Excellent increase in nature. Enjoy hunting 🙂

Finally an update!!

Looks great!

Cool video that is a nice pond u sure have put in the work to make it hold water & create a good habitat in it,nice job bubba

Looking good!

I have a wet weather pond was considering a pond liner. I will try this maybe this summer with my pond.

I love it thats one of my dream in the future😍

Looking good steve

Good 👏🏻try

Very nice pond

lmao, a friend of mine stocked my pond fishing at places he knew of that where over stocked. my pond after a few years was crazy full of a mix of fish. had 24 plus inch large mouth bass that would follow you around the edge . blue gill over palm size.

I have not started my project yet but minimum size was a 50x100 pond. I'm in sandy loam material and did not know if to add $2500 in sodium bentonite or $1400 in clay soil. I was going for 9 ft deep max. This is still my favorite video on pond building.

You can make worms a spot next to the pond. The worms keep going in to feed the food chain.

Nice

Great 👍

Stack those big rocks you dumped in the lake a few high and the bass will hold to them better. The more obvious and stark the structure the better.

Love from india 🙏

You could try setting up a radial flow separator. If you have the intake at or near the surface that would prevent it from sucking up larger particles of sediment near the bottom of the pond, and it would also act as a skimmer. If it works and the turbidity drops enough, aquatic plants should be able to get enough light to start growing at the bottom, and that would help to prevent more sediment from being kicked up into the water column. Even if the turbidity doesn't drop much, it's still good to have circulation. You could also try integrating this with a bog filter like another commenter suggested.

buddy proud of you. u tryed and tryed over n over . but you finally won the game against mother nature her self . great job. awsome size yard. i would have a blast there . do a camping ground up for mates too that would look hell lit

Good job

Should probably build an overflow stream with large rocks. If the water rolls over the top of that pond that whole side wall could collapse and the power of all that water is no joke. Just a suggestion but good looking pond.

Aquascape beneficial bacteria for your pond is the best bacteria, your pond is beautiful

Nice design..

I understand it has been a lot of work but as always I see the hard work has paid off! It really looks Awesome enjoying as always all the video you guys make and yes I comment and enter everyday in everyway Love to Win the hunting Contest!!!!! God Bless

Awesome man

Man I wish I had half of your property. Maybe some day I'll have something like it.

Looking great. Gypsum may help with the clarity, but having fish and ducks will probably keep the particles fully suspended. Get some aquatic plants established to use up all that excess nutrient. And as a general rule at least 30 to 50% plant coverage will keep the water clearer and oxygen levels higher, meaning bigger healthier fish. Also it'll reduce algae issues.

Wow

Thank you for sharing, Sir! You may want to clip the ducks wings to prevent them from flying away and make them stay in your pond.

Also love the videos

You should add a fountain for air for the fish

Thts awesome bro

Really impressive bro 💪 I like to build a pond like this

Freaking awesome!

Looks very good. Please be careful on your fish choices. Your bass will do very well

With a pond of that size you might need to consider winter aeration to prevent a fish killoff

Wow, finally a youtuber that knows what redears are.

Love the pond! Added a lot of value to the property too.