Hi from Montana!

[CountryEscape]

Sounds like your GPF friends taught you to do it the right way, MT! I can't imagine having dirt filling into my pond. With a liner, that would be a disaster! She needs help, sounds like.
I'd love to see the before and after pics of this next endeavor, pulling rocks out, and redoing the edge. And, did you have suggestions not to put rocks in your pond before you built it? Just wondering because I, too, thought rocks in the pond would be oh so pretty! Glad I didn't do it, and listened to others on here. I had rocks in my stream, thought it was pretty, too, but when the plants grow, the rocks are invisible even in the stream. Now I just have rocks on the stream edge.

 

[mtpond]

I didn't find this sight until after I built my pond. I did read some articles on ponds, was on a very inactive forum, talked to a friend about her pond build and I watched videos of pond builds on utube and we know what a lot of the builders use in their pond builds. The first year the rocks in the pond looked great, but after that the algae started to grow on the rocks and then pine needles started getting between the rocks on the bottom. It was a lot of extra work putting the rocks in the pond and now taking them out but guess I'm glad I did it cause now I know having them in the pond didn't work for me. There are people who have ponds with rocks and love it and I feel that's their choice and they shouldn't be beat up over it. That's why I like this forum cause people say their opion and don't beat you up over your choices.

 

[CountryEscape]

Yes, so very true. It's amazing how even if we are told one way, we will still do it our own way, and then MAYBE figure out the others were right, OR we find a way to make it work for us. When I see rocks in ponds, I love the look! It's so very natural. But, when I see the algae on the rocks, and it simply looks like dirt, then I think, maybe if we would just shape the bottom of our ponds to be rugged looking before we laid the liner, we would have the bumpy look, no rocks, and algae would grow and cover the liner in time eventually, so ... voila!
I found this pond forum by searching for an aquarium, found koi fish for sale, commented to him about them, wishing one day I could have some, and he referred me to this forum! How lucky was that! And, ended up buying my first 5 koi from that same member.

 

[mtpond]

Hoping this Sunday it's going to happen that I can get hubby into the pond and get one more side of the pond cleared out of rocks. I would do it but some of the rocks are pretty big. This side I put a ledge half way down the pond so I could get in and out of the pond and I was thinking I would leave the rocks on the top of the ledge and then take the rocks out below the ledge. Now I'm thinking I want to take out all the rocks and put a few rocks on the ledge to hold the liner down. Then I'll do a ledge at the top of the pond to hide the liner.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I would take all the big rocks out and use them to hold the liner down too. It just makes it so much easier to net out the bottom in the fall. I see you were up in the wee hours of the morning, tossing and turning, at least it sure was a nice night, and I hear this last weekend of summer should be nice and warm! I have been dragging out my halloween suff and playing by my pond too, getting ready to spook small children! he he he

 

[mtpond]

Great weekend, got our carport set up so we can get concrete
poured this week. Thanks to hubby and son inlaw. Then also got another side of the pond rock free. I took the rocks off the side of the top of the pond as far as I could reach and hubby got in and pulled out only a couple large rocks. Just got the pond turned on to filter out the gunk. Pond cloudy, fish swimming around checking out the change. Will have to clean the filter out a couple times tonight. There were so many wasps around the pond today can't believe I didn't step on one cause I was barefoot.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I have to clean out my big filter too before the deep cold arrives. Liking this nice warm weather, hoping it holds out till spring! ha ha ha

 

[mtpond]

Wouldn't that be grand! I would love the milder weather too. I did about a 50 percent water change today. Tomorrow I hope pond will be clear.

 

[mtpond]

Had a high of 84 today! Currently 63. Sitting out by the pond loving it! Fish swimming around and grazing.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Hubby and I were outside just now too, sipping wine and he had a beer, in my haunted gazebo... halloween stuff everywhere around my pond already! It is so nice, wish winter would just "cancel" this year!

 

[Big Lou]

High of 93 f here today. Stayed cool inside.

 

[mtpond]

Don't know why I'm up at this time???? Went out and checked the pond and it's still murky. Cleaned the filter and need to go back to sleep. Have to be up and ready for work in a couple of hours . I will be so happy when I don't have to go to work anymore!! I'm so ready for retirement!!!!

 

[addy1]

I will be so happy when I don't have to go to work anymore!! I'm so ready for retirement!!!!

I love it, and now retired have never been busier.

 

[mtpond]

Pond still isn't completely clear. Hubbys home tomorrow so I'll see if he will start a water change and then I will finish it when i get home. Hubby and son in law are going to have concrete poured and finish the carport. I'm coming home early to watch my new grandson cause his mama will be at school.

 

[mtpond]

Carport is done and it looks fantastic, they did a great job .
Now I need to get back to getting the pond finished up. I need to finish placing the rocks on the new dug ledge and on the bank. Then I need to haul the extra rocks away. Next year I will pull the rocks off one more side.