I'm back

[FountainMan]

Some may have wondered what happened to me due to my downtime. Between college and the normal winter shutdown in the pond I haven't had the time. Now that spring is going strong I've begun a long process to redo my pond. After a day of working on the pond ie removing leaves, cleaning out sludge, removing rocks and stones I'm not really in the mood to post pictures right now.

But here are my plans, I'm wanting to do a pebble bed around the edges of the pond. Basically a shallow spot for raising marginals. This year I want to ditch the pots and containers. Except on plants like cattails which have a tendency to bore through liner. A stone wall retains the pebble bed allowing for a deeper center where the pumps and fountain will be. I figure the pebbles filter the water and in turn fertilizes the plants. Planting in the shallower outer pebble bed will consist of pickerelweed, 4 leaf water clover, sensitive plants, Iris, and Parrot's feather. The deeper center will contain a water lily and some submerged plants. I'm going to do the same for what was an upper pond is now going to be a cove or lagoon. So this year there will be no waterfall between the two.

I've been browsing at Lowes and saw a Pennington filter/pump/fountain kit for about 125-150$. In the future I may also consider an external pressurized biological filter in addition.

It's going to be a long trip. A lot of damage control. Figure the pond should be done by July. June if I work hard. Because of the newnew design I'm thinking fewer fish this year. Small goldfish should do well.

 

[Big Lou]

Welcome back and good luck getting your pond back up and running.

 

[j.w]

FM
That pebble bed around your pond will look really nice I bet. Now I sure hope the mini-cattails I have won't poke holes in my liner. I just have them stuck in-between my rocks around the pond edge w/ their roots in the water. Haven't noticed any problems w/ them.

 

[FountainMan]

Here's what I've gotten accomplished so far.

The ring of rocks in the main pond will retain the pebbles. I put a sheet of black plastic under the stones to protect the liner.
The stone wall is currently 2 stone levels which will be 3. The center will contain an all in one filter/pump with fountainhead. I saw a unit at Lowes made by a company called Pennington aqua gardens. I'm a bit skeptical about it after doing research and finding the site representing the product has no email or contact info. So if something went wrong I'd be on my own. I do like that it has a built in light but I can always ad one. An alternative is a similar all in one unit made by Lifegard Aquatics. Looks as thought it has a new design to be custom built to my pond.

Now the stream in the 2nd image is dug out. Some of the flagstone used in the stream has disintegrated most likely to nature erosion and ice. In the 4th image is where the pebbles are washed. They will return to the stream after they are washed. The stream will be lined with a bog area.

3rd picture shows the lagoon. Well what's left of it. Looks more like a dump. Need to dig out the stone and sludge from this. As mentioned before I removed the lip of the waterfall from the lagoon to the main pond and it will just be a branch of the pond. I'm going to deepen the connecting point from both parts so that fish can easily get in and out. The lagoon will still function as a formal area and will have some degree of symmetry.

5th image shows the tub where I have plants stored. Water clovers, Parrot's feather, pickerelweed, water lilies etc. Some of the plants will be transplanted to the pebble bed. Got sick of plastic planters.

The whole area looks like a construction zone.

 

[j.w]

Sounds like you have it all figured out and before no time you will have everything all set up just the way you planned. Plants in, fish swimming and you relaxing w/ a tall cool one

 

[FountainMan]

Almost debating asking the dad to expand out the pond and ad an extra 4-6' and making the lagoon into a lobe. Problem is that would require a whole new EPDM liner which are never cheap. If I were to incorporate the stream and lagoon into the pond and build it out would require a 15' X 20' liner which would run about 500-600$. If only reality was as free as dreaming I might have a lake. LOL

So many ideas.

 

[addy1]

Called the pond bug! neat ideas you have there

 

[j.w]

Try searching at a roofing company in your area. Sometimes they are cheaper and might even have a left over piece. Also irrigation companies have them also. I got my first one from roofing company and then when I went to a bigger 2nd pond I found a nice price at the irrigation company nearby. I paid $176. for a 45 mil, EPDM 15' x 25' piece at the irrigation co. in 2007. The roofing co. in 2001 was a bit more at $260. for a 20' x 20' piece but it was 60mil.

 

[FountainMan]

Still a bit expensive. Dreaming is always easier than acting on it. I think I'll stick put with what I have.

Also since I've been gone to damper my mood even more I got to digging the larger pond I've been talking about last year when I ran into an underground pipeline. Don't know if it's electrical, AT&T, etc. But that pipe has caused me to forget the larger project. Don't want to know what would happened if I busted it. A pond isn't worth bad happening. If it is electrical that's a fatality waiting to happen. My dreams of building a larger pond are shot sad

Maybe someday I'll find property with lots of land and a large pond or lake. Then I'll have my dream pond. Wish I lived on a farm or ranch. I could care less how big the home is. I could live in a mobile home as long as it had acreage. Of course those are almost as expensive as normal homes.

Sorry, just rambling.