“Please don’t be put off by the length of my contribution. It’s really an unsolicited testimonial for Ozponds, with some useful info for others — especially if you’re converting a pool.”– Ian
Hello everyone,
Although this group didn’t exist until near the end of my pond construction, it’s been great keeping up with what others are doing.
We had a 30-year-old (at least!) fibreglass pool that came with the house when we moved in 22 years ago — great for hot, dry Adelaide summers. But after years of patching cracks, it was time to either rebuild, remove, or rethink it.
Our kids had grown up, and while I still enjoyed the occasional post-gardening plunge, I didn’t want to keep adding chemicals for such occasional use. I also wanted a permanent water source for bushfire protection — I’ve got a little mobile firefighter pump I hope never to use, but I wanted water on standby.
We procrastinated for a few seasons… and then nature made the decision for us. Frogs moved in and turned it into a full-on tadpole nursery. That’s what convinced us to join the growing movement of converting pools into ponds.
When contractors fall through…
At first, we weren’t planning to DIY it. But local contractors in this space are rare. One quote we got was through the roof. We eventually found one that fit our budget, so we went ahead.
Then, with fences down, decking removed, and everything prepped — the contractor quit after just a few hours due to personal reasons. The expensive company had gone bust, and the only other one wouldn’t respond to messages.
It was DIY or nothing.
Finding Kev — and the Blueprint
I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for Kev’s videos and the Ozponds website, I might still be stuck in frustration and indecision.
Thankfully I’d just retired, so I had time. I also wasn’t trying to break any landscaping speed records, which helped me absorb the ideas and avoid injury. Kev’s principles and examples gave me lightbulb moments I could apply to our unique site.
Mistakes made and lessons learned
I definitely made some mistakes.
I tried to reuse the original buried pool PVC pipework — running under a wide paved path — to suit the “dry” pump setup our initial contractor had suggested. But after scoping it with a camera, I found multiple tight angles and realised the 40mm pipes were far too restrictive. Flow was terrible.
So if anyone wants a near-new Oase 21,000 LPH Eco Max pump — barely used, still under warranty — let me know! It worked fine as a submersible, but it wasn’t the right fit for our plumbing.
In the end, I switched to a low-voltage DC in-water pump with reconfigured bog pipework. It’s too early to tell if it’s perfect, but we’re slowly seeing better clarity and less string algae. (Pro tip: This model has DC cord extension leads that don’t void warranty.)
Water loss surprised me
I didn’t realise how much more water loss would come with a 24/7 pump, bog filter, and waterfall. Like Kev says — I thought there was a leak. But there isn’t.
I’d estimate the loss is double what we had when it was a pool (9–10 hour cycle, no waterfall). If I did it again, I’d leave more vertical room between overflow and intake bay. Ours is only 12cm, so in dry weather I’m topping up every 2–3 days.
Adelaide’s in drought and water’s precious, so I’ve tried to be smart about topping up:
- Rainwater from the roof is piped directly into the pond (screened for debris).
- We have a water bore on the property, so I use that when needed — but it’s moderately saline.
- I check pond and bore salinity weekly with a TDS meter, so I know the safe limits.
Surprise fish
Apparently it’s common for fish eggs to hitch a ride on pond plants. We noticed mystery fry, and after trapping and identifying them, discovered we’d acquired ten Murray River Rainbow fish!
We didn’t want goldfish — so this was a brilliant surprise.
What’s next?
There’s still fencing and landscaping to go. It’s mid-winter now, and the water’s about 11–12°C, so that refreshing dip is still a way off… but I’m looking forward to it.
And in the meantime, the frogs, fish, and plants are loving it.
Want to build your own pond?
Ian’s journey shows what’s possible with a bit of patience, the right mindset — and access to the right info.
If you’re converting a pool or starting from scratch, the Pond Building Blueprint includes everything Ian used to guide his build — detailed formulas, videos, access to KevBot, and a private community of legends like Ian.