Darksaber Pond - My Next Adventure

[GBBUDD]

You have been busy. Its just begun my friend it has only just begun. Just wait until the 4th year or even the second.

 

[milonedp]

Thanks once the mulch goes in and I till a couple more areas and get some ground cover going it'll really start coming together. Any suggestions on pathway lighting? I want to get something in there for that too, then hopefully by the end of May just mostly watch it mature, and maybe tinker here and there, but not so many big projects.

 

[combatwombat]

@milonedp: I've never met anyone who was satisfied for very long with solar path/landscape lights. They're not very powerful and I think they're all targeted at the lowest end of the consumer market. It's really trivial to run 12v or 24v low voltage cable around your property, so I'd recommend that. As far as fixtures, brass and copper are the ones that will last for decades, but they're quite expensive. The plastic and resin ones look fine, but the sun beats them up after a few years. They're cheap and easy to replace, though.

 

[milonedp]

@milonedp: I've never met anyone who was satisfied for very long with solar path/landscape lights. They're not very powerful and I think they're all targeted at the lowest end of the consumer market. It's really trivial to run 12v or 24v low voltage cable around your property, so I'd recommend that. As far as fixtures, brass and copper are the ones that will last for decades, but they're quite expensive. The plastic and resin ones look fine, but the sun beats them up after a few years. They're cheap and easy to replace, though.

Thanks for confirming. After looking around last night at all the comments on products I started coming to the same conclusion. Amy particular brand you'd recommend? I started looking at Volt and Aquascape before I stopped looking for the night.

 

[combatwombat]

Thanks for confirming. After looking around last night at all the comments on products I started coming to the same conclusion. Amy particular brand you'd recommend? I started looking at Volt and Aquascape before I stopped looking for the night.

It's been a long time since I've looked at brands (but will be starting soon for my build). My friends who've done projects recently have told me Volt is great.

 

[cas]

Love that aerial view. It's going to be neat to watch the pond and landscaping mature. Keep the pictures coming!

 

[milonedp]

Started to put in some landscape lighting. Still have 2 more runs, in the back and on the right, to wire up. Here it is with just the left side done.

 

[GBBUDD]

Coming along very nicely. What did you use for lighting and what watches it looks to be 3 watt led in the pond

 

[milonedp]

Coming along very nicely. What did you use for lighting and what watches it looks to be 3 watt led in the pond

I went with Leonlite, the uprights are 3w and the spotlights are 4w. As for the pond the ones in the lower bowl are 6w and the rest are a mix of 3w and 1w, all aquascape.

 

[combatwombat]

Damn! Looking great.

 

[addy1]

very nice!

 

[milonedp]

Can't wait till the girls let us get rid of the playset or those chindos fill in, it's messing up the view!

Things are coming along nicely and planting along the way. Had me wondering, about the depth of the standing water in the bog filter.

It's about ankle deep, if I added more gravel I'd get more biological filtration and more space to plant.

So is that enough? Can I add more? If so is there any such thing as too much?

Also do you all plant just the edges of your bog or plant throughout the entire bog?

 

[addy1]

Add more gravel if it does not raise the water where it will flow out.

Mine is totally planted edge to edge I started out with it nicely planted certain plants in spots, now it is a jungle and keeps the water beautiful

 

[milonedp]

Add more gravel if it does not raise the water where it will flow out.

Mine is totally planted edge to edge I started out with it nicely planted certain plants in spots, now it is a jungle and keeps the water beautiful

Thanks @addy1 do you rinse out your bog each spring? How deep is the water in yours? Favorite plants you'd suggest?

 

[addy1]

Thanks @addy1 do you rinse out your bog each spring? How deep is the water in yours? Favorite plants you'd suggest?

I am colder than you, and I stick with hardies. My main bog plants are obedient plant, marsh bentomy, yellow flag iris, water mint, water willow, blue forgetmenot, lizard tail. I had others, but the way I pond is what does well gets to grow, what you need to fuss with is just gone. I love water willow it stays small, pretty lilac flowers.

I have not flushed my bog since I built it 9 years ago. The water is any where from surface level, to a few inches above to below the gravel.