My 300 Gallon GF Pond

[RoyalFeather]

Snapped a couple pics of my pond today. I set it up last September and have had the same fish in it since last October. The only things I have purchased so far are the Liner, Pumps, and Aerator. The bricks were free and the Fish were free as well, though I had to pay to ship them. The plants were purchased online. Total cost aside from fish is $80 and most of that went into the pump since I got the liner at a discount on Amazon.com.

I set everything up myself in around two hours and have been adding a bit here and there. My plan is to eventually have larger pond set up in the back and to use this pond for raising babies in when the Comets start breeding. I have slowly been collecting stones from our trips up the river and will be using those as a border when I have enough of them.

Here is a full view of the pond as it is viewed from the road side. I am having a planktonic algal bloom currently so the water isn't as clear as I'd like it to be. The tree draping over the pond is a Cherry and I am training it with a bit of fabric to keep it growing in the arch shape.

This view is from the side.

 

[davepratt]

thats the way i got all my stones theres a river not far from my house just collected them until i got enuff that will make a great spot for the babies once u get your big pond built keep up the good work

 

[sissy]

I borrowed all my rocks from mother natures streams .You can get cheap liners at northern tool also .I got my second liner from a roofing contractor that was retiring 30 dollars as he sold his house a new owners did not want the junk left behind .What dummy's but my gain . :cheerful:
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[sissy]

have to ask royal where did you get the odd shaped pavers they look like puzzle pieces ,kinda neat looking

 

[RoyalFeather]

We have lots of rivers around here and I also live about 20 minutes from the beach, so I bring home some driftwood from time to time, as well. I can't really decide, though whether or not I want to go with a natural look or just leave it with the pavers and use all the stones for the big pond when it goes in. I've checked the local hardware stores around here and none of them sell pond liner or anything I'd be comfortable using as a substitute for it, so I have to order online for it.

Thanks, Sissy, I like these pavers, too. They came from a job my dad was working, he's a union carpenter, so I'm not really sure of the supplier. I do love them, though and I'm glad he got such a score with them.

I took a short video today after setting up the waterfall a bit better. I really wish the water were clearer, but I'm working on it. I have a protein skimmer set up under the waterfall that has been catching some of the yuck.

This is the skimmer that I set up. It is a temporary thing until I can get a biofilter going. Since I put this in a week ago my water has cleared up quite a lot, so I know it's working.

 

[davepratt]

Wheres the skimmer it looks like ur pumping that water straight from the pump. Skimmers draw in water from the surface. Just sayin

 

[davepratt]

that is more of a filter set up just screening out the fine particles in the water

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I really like your little pond! i just changed out my bricks to stone last weekend and couldn't believe how much it added to my pond! I liked my bricks but the stone made it look so cool.. If you ever get the chance to add stone, definitely consider it!

 

[RoyalFeather]

Realized that after I had read it, lol. That is what I used to use on my protein skimmer before the pump blew out, so I still call it that from time to time. In truth it is a type of filter, but it does the same basic thing in the end, just with a different part of the water.

When I empty it, this filter is full of algae, or at least appears to be, to the extent that it prevents any water from passing through the cloth. Sort of amazing, I thought and it is definitely helping, so I'm happy.

Thanks JB! I like my pond quite a lot, especially since I did it all myself without any help and it is the first project I had done on my own that was like this.

I am always envious of the more natural looking ponds that look like just part of the landscape, but I have also seen some very cool looking ponds made from brick and mortar edges, so it is sort of a tie in my eyes and it has been hard to decide. I also want to make the larger pond the cooler and more natural looking one and it will probably take more stone, so I may just use the stones for that one. Decisions, decisions...

I am saving up money to do the second pond and I intend to do it at least 1,000 gallons. I am using the flexible rolls of liner because it is pretty much portable and I may be moving in the next couple of years once college is over with. I could just drain the water, roll up the liner, dig a hole in the new spot and lay it out again, in theory at least, which I like the idea of.

 

[RoyalFeather]

The water is even clearer today! I can see to the bottom of the pond now and actually see my fish, too! Not sure if it was the Filter or not, but it is definitely clearer now.

 

[RoyalFeather]

I moved my Corkscrew Willow today. It was getting root bound in the pot, so made a small island out of Petrified Wood and then I pinned it gently between the rocks. It seems much happier now. The inside of the island is a little cave and the roots hang down inside the cave. The fish love it!