New to the forum and building my first BIG pond...

[digginponds]

great job.You'll always have the urge to wanna push a rock here,tweak that ..I hardly ever actually sit and enjoy mine.I have a hard time siting,plus I'm a crazy perfectionist.lol, bad comboo,hahahaha But indeed ENJOY!

 

[mikecoscia]

great job.You'll always have the urge to wanna push a rock here,tweak that ..I hardly ever actually sit and enjoy mine.I have a hard time siting,plus I'm a crazy perfectionist.lol, bad comboo,hahahaha But indeed ENJOY!

Lol thanks, as am I. OCD really is a curse...hahah. Water is clearing up great. I can finally see all those feeder goldfish I put in from the pet store. Can't wait to get the plants in and just let them over take it.

 

[mikecoscia]

Quick update, backyard was finally graded, topsoil/mulch added, and seeded! Looks so much better already! Oh also added some lighting, a spot light on each sided pointed at the waterfall. Gonna add more low voltage once I am finished planting. I'll try and get a night shot up soon .

 

[addy1]

Looking good there!

 

[lauraleellbp]

Looks fantastic!

I think I may actually like the look of the little bubbler in the shallow end better than another waterfall. Is it hooked up to any type of internal filter?

 

[mikecoscia]

Looks fantastic!

I think I may actually like the look of the little bubbler in the shallow end better than another waterfall. Is it hooked up to any type of internal filter?

Nope just a sponge over the intake, going to buy one of those small square flat filters for smaller ponds however, to help prevent it from clogging. I like it better than another water fall too . It also seems to do a pretty good job pushing the leaves towards the skimmer. The only place that leaves collect is around the water plants, but I guess that is to be expected.

Here is a night shot I took last night...

I only have too floods shooting across each end and pointing at the waterfall. However I installed a blank directly across the water fall in case I decided I want another flood. Also the flood on the far left might get blocked when I add a bridge over the shallow end, so I planned accordingly. Not sure if I want to add any low voltage lighting.

Now I just need to figure out what to plant around the thing! Any suggestions? I know I at least one a Japanese maple to the right of the waterfall. Everything else I am at a loss for. I was thinking some junipers around the sides of the water fall and far left and right sides. Think they would look nice flowing down over the rocks. Also not sure if I should plant anything in front of it in the mulch....ugh decisions!

 

[DrDave]

I like bamboo. Make sure it is clumping and not a runner.

 

[addy1]

I like the looks of ornamental grasses, they look nice even in winter, well until squished by lots of snow.

 

[mikecoscia]

I like the looks of ornamental grasses, they look nice even in winter, well until squished by lots of snow.

Yeah I was thinking about using those.

OKay I got another issue I am trying to figure out, keeping the leaves out. I bought big a leaf net to put across the pond and I made it as tight as I could, but most of it still sags in the water. I imagine its going to get heavy fast and be a real pain to remove. I saw the pop up ones but the biggest they make is 24x17. I was wondering what you guys do to keep all the fall leaves out. Or do you just skim everyday?

 

[Shdwdrgn]

I've been reading that weather loaches are good bottom-skimmers... They are supposed to take care of plant matter and extra food that falls to the bottom. I'd be curious if anyone has actual experience with them, or something similar, and how good of a job they actually do at cleaning?

 

[DrDave]

What is the temerature range of these fish?

 

[shakaho]

Yeah I was thinking about using those.

OKay I got another issue I am trying to figure out, keeping the leaves out. I bought big a leaf net to put across the pond and I made it as tight as I could, but most of it still sags in the water. I imagine its going to get heavy fast and be a real pain to remove. I saw the pop up ones but the biggest they make is 24x17. I was wondering what you guys do to keep all the fall leaves out. Or do you just skim everyday?

I saw a great idea on another forum for supporting a net. Check this out: LINK .

 

[Shdwdrgn]

What is the temerature range of these fish?

Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (weather loach / dojo loach) -- I've been finding wildly varying articles on suitable temperatures for these guys, however most seem to agree that they will do fine down to 35-40F. I've also seen reports by people keeping them in their ponds for several years in Washington state and Canada, allowing the pond to freeze over and just keeping a breathing hole cleared.

If I'd learned about them earlier, I would have gotten some for my pond this Summer, but the ground temp has already started dropping and I think it's too late in the season to be adding anything new. Ah well, hopefully next year.

 

[mikecoscia]

I saw a great idea on another forum for supporting a net. Check this out: LINK .

That's a great idea! I have been meaning to post, I actually ended up using those pillows that people use for pools. Got three of them and threw the netting over them. Worked pretty good so far .

Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (weather loach / dojo loach) -- I've been finding wildly varying articles on suitable temperatures for these guys, however most seem to agree that they will do fine down to 35-40F. I've also seen reports by people keeping them in their ponds for several years in Washington state and Canada, allowing the pond to freeze over and just keeping a breathing hole cleared.

If I'd learned about them earlier, I would have gotten some for my pond this Summer, but the ground temp has already started dropping and I think it's too late in the season to be adding anything new. Ah well, hopefully next year.

Ive seen loaches before at pet stores, that's pretty neat that there are varieties that can survive lower temps. I will have to look into getting them in the spring .

 

[tarren]

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