any low cost sugesttions for my pond?

[poconojoe]

Well, no one knows better than you on what size pond will fit, where it will go and what you can afford or physically endure to get it done. So think about it, plan it out and take your time.

I'm a huge proponent of bog filtration. Maybe you can stay with your original thought of 1,000 gallons and add a bog to that for awesome filtration and almost zero maintenance.

 

[TheFishGuy]

Well, no one knows better than you on what size pond will fit, where it will go and what you can afford or physically endure to get it done. So think about it, plan it out and take your time.

I'm a huge proponent of bog filtration. Maybe you can stay with your original thought of 1,000 gallons and add a bog to that for awesome filtration and almost zero maintenance.

bog sounds like a great idea! and since the can be relativly shallow I shouldnt run into any large roots!

 

[csdude55]

A few notes after reading...

1. I think that pretty much everybody wants to go bigger as soon as they finish!! LOL My pond is 1,000 gallons, and I really want to double that. But taking out the fish and starting over is a bit overwhelming.

2. I'm just now starting the planning of a water bog, and I wish I'd done it in the beginning. It'll look a lot better, and be a lot easier to maintain!

3. I love how you hid your liner, mine isn't hidden well at all (another reason I want to rebuild).


I totally agree on plants, it'll make a world of difference. When you do...

A. Parrot's Feather helps keep nitrogen in check, but it TAKES OVER!!! I bought like 10 sprigs when I first built the pond, and now I literally have to fish out 4 or 5 wheelbarrow loads every year and just throw it out. And I still have too much left! It wraps around my water lilies and pickerel rush, and I can't get it out without damaging them. If you're within driving distance of western NC, you're welcome to come get as much as you want

B. I strongly recommend putting plants in pots! There are some that do fine if you just toss them in, but they'll divide and divide and divide and take over. Or worse, they'll grow in to your liner, so when you try to take them out you end up damaging it. So trust me, spend a few $$ and some time on getting everything properly potted.


How deep is the pond? I don't see where you've said. I did 3' with the hope of giving fish room to dive if a bird came to eat, room for water lilies to grow, and in an attempt to control some of the algae.

 

[TheFishGuy]

A few notes after reading...

1. I think that pretty much everybody wants to go bigger as soon as they finish!! LOL My pond is 1,000 gallons, and I really want to double that. But taking out the fish and starting over is a bit overwhelming.

2. I'm just now starting the planning of a water bog, and I wish I'd done it in the beginning. It'll look a lot better, and be a lot easier to maintain!

3. I love how you hid your liner, mine isn't hidden well at all (another reason I want to rebuild).


I totally agree on plants, it'll make a world of difference. When you do...

A. Parrot's Feather helps keep nitrogen in check, but it TAKES OVER!!! I bought like 10 sprigs when I first built the pond, and now I literally have to fish out 4 or 5 wheelbarrow loads every year and just throw it out. And I still have too much left! It wraps around my water lilies and pickerel rush, and I can't get it out without damaging them. If you're within driving distance of western NC, you're welcome to come get as much as you want

B. I strongly recommend putting plants in pots! There are some that do fine if you just toss them in, but they'll divide and divide and divide and take over. Or worse, they'll grow in to your liner, so when you try to take them out you end up damaging it. So trust me, spend a few $$ and some time on getting everything properly potted.


How deep is the pond? I don't see where you've said. I did 3' with the hope of giving fish room to dive if a bird came to eat, room for water lilies to grow, and in an attempt to control some of the algae.

holy cow thanks for such an amazing reply! and thanks for the compliments about hiding the liner my old pond has something callled "rock on a roll" and it was a mess! it just tok a few ton of rock and a lot of work! my pon is around 24 inches in the deepest shelf, and 10-12 in the main area tommorow I will post an image witth teh cleared up water so you can see better

 

[TheFishGuy]

A few notes after reading...

1. I think that pretty much everybody wants to go bigger as soon as they finish!! LOL My pond is 1,000 gallons, and I really want to double that. But taking out the fish and starting over is a bit overwhelming.

2. I'm just now starting the planning of a water bog, and I wish I'd done it in the beginning. It'll look a lot better, and be a lot easier to maintain!

3. I love how you hid your liner, mine isn't hidden well at all (another reason I want to rebuild).


I totally agree on plants, it'll make a world of difference. When you do...

A. Parrot's Feather helps keep nitrogen in check, but it TAKES OVER!!! I bought like 10 sprigs when I first built the pond, and now I literally have to fish out 4 or 5 wheelbarrow loads every year and just throw it out. And I still have too much left! It wraps around my water lilies and pickerel rush, and I can't get it out without damaging them. If you're within driving distance of western NC, you're welcome to come get as much as you want

B. I strongly recommend putting plants in pots! There are some that do fine if you just toss them in, but they'll divide and divide and divide and take over. Or worse, they'll grow in to your liner, so when you try to take them out you end up damaging it. So trust me, spend a few $$ and some time on getting everything properly potted.


How deep is the pond? I don't see where you've said. I did 3' with the hope of giving fish room to dive if a bird came to eat, room for water lilies to grow, and in an attempt to control some of the algae.

oh and also, would you mind directing me to an image of your pond?

 

[csdude55]

Sure, let me see what I can find... since Google Photos doesn't sync to my computer anymore, it's harder to find pics that I took on my phone :-/

This is when I first built it, around 2012:

This is 2014 or 2015, but I'm including it so you can see how the Parrot's Feather had taken over and was pushing everything else out:

And these were all last year:

I put Creeping Jenny all around the pond, but none of it ever grew towards the water like JW's... most of it died, and what's left is really just a patch in front of the pond.

My list of things-to-do is to take out the waterfall completely, and replace it with a bog for filtration. Then I'm going to try to figure out a way to make it spill back in to the pond in a way that still gives me that splashing sound, but looks more natural than what I have now.

 

[poconojoe]

csdude55, you were stating you were not happy about parts of your liner that are exposed. From your pictures, I see what you mean.

Here's what you do: Remove the existing rocks, lift the edge of the liner, dig out some soil to create a very shallow shelf. Lay the liner back down and place large rocks on that shallow shelf. The rocks should be half submerged. Then build rocks on top of those stepping back toward the shoreline. I have done this without lowering the water.

 

[TheFishGuy]

Sure, let me see what I can find... since Google Photos doesn't sync to my computer anymore, it's harder to find pics that I took on my phone :-/

This is when I first built it, around 2012:

View attachment 131472


This is 2014 or 2015, but I'm including it so you can see how the Parrot's Feather had taken over and was pushing everything else out:

View attachment 131475


And these were all last year:

View attachment 131476

View attachment 131477

View attachment 131478

View attachment 131479

View attachment 131480

View attachment 131481

View attachment 131482


I put Creeping Jenny all around the pond, but none of it ever grew towards the water like JW's... most of it died, and what's left is really just a patch in front of the pond.

My list of things-to-do is to take out the waterfall completely, and replace it with a bog for filtration. Then I'm going to try to figure out a way to make it spill back in to the pond in a way that still gives me that splashing sound, but looks more natural than what I have now.

amazing! thanks so mcuh for the pics

 

[TheFishGuy]

Sure, let me see what I can find... since Google Photos doesn't sync to my computer anymore, it's harder to find pics that I took on my phone :-/

This is when I first built it, around 2012:

View attachment 131472


This is 2014 or 2015, but I'm including it so you can see how the Parrot's Feather had taken over and was pushing everything else out:

View attachment 131475


And these were all last year:

View attachment 131476

View attachment 131477

View attachment 131478

View attachment 131479

View attachment 131480

View attachment 131481

View attachment 131482


I put Creeping Jenny all around the pond, but none of it ever grew towards the water like JW's... most of it died, and what's left is really just a patch in front of the pond.

My list of things-to-do is to take out the waterfall completely, and replace it with a bog for filtration. Then I'm going to try to figure out a way to make it spill back in to the pond in a way that still gives me that splashing sound, but looks more natural than what I have now.

oh and also, A tip for the waterfall, you already have two great boulders, so once you have thew bog in, for the slippway back into the pond you could lay the smallest one plat, and then water just rizes up to its level and then sspills over

 

[TheFishGuy]

here is my pond, do you have any sjjestions that could make it nicer but would be a pretty low cost?View attachment 131406I do have a UV clarifier that should hopefully get the water more clear sometime soon

Edit! here is my pond today! I put a new fountain in yesterday, his some more of the filtering components and am going to get some water hyacinth

/lettuce next weekend!

 

[poconojoe]

Nice!

 

[snoozer]

Plants always softens the look and help clear the water. If there is community FB for sale page page where you are, try posting that you are looking for pond plants. I need to get out in mine and do some major thinning again and end up tossing them. If there is someone in your area they may toss some your way.