Rehabbing a Completely Overgrown Pond

[j.w]

Wow what a feat and you've really put a lot of energy into re-vamping that nice big pond.
Dirty Dawg

 

[Dirty Dawg]

Alright, been too busy slaving away to post, but it's coming-along nicely........

Getting ready to dig the bog pit.

 

[Dirty Dawg]

Cutting the slots in the bog feed pipes. I cut more slots towards the back of the bog and less at the front where it spills to the waterfall.

 

[Dirty Dawg]

Bog piping set into the pit.

 

[tbendl]

Wow you're going to have a fabulous sized bog when you're done. It is looking wonderful!! You've obviously done lots and lots of work done this summer. Thanks for the update. I love seeing how other people are coming along.

 

[Dirty Dawg]

I plumbed the feed piping to the bog so it could be back-flushed, used that trash pump I bought off Craigslist to suck the water out of the bottom and the pond pump to put the water up on top the new, dirty, gravel. It worked great! Water ran real dirty for about a half hour, then clear. Very little dirt flowed out of the top of the gravel when it ran to the pond for the first time.

 

[tbendl]

Now comes the fun part... The planting!! I planted my bog maybe a month ago and it is already going crazy!

 

[Dirty Dawg]

Finished the final hard-piping yesterday and had both pumps running together for the first time. 7,200 gph in the skimmer, 5,000 gph in the bottom of the pond. It's loud! lol.

About 3/4 of a ton of Ohio Blue flagstone in use so far out of the ton I bought, two 10'x20' liners, $300+ in Schedule 40 PVC pipe and fittings, a yard and a half of 3/8-1" pea gravel, and four yards of 3/8" pea gravel.

 

[tbendl]

I love the little steps built in next to the waterfall/stream. WOW DD, it is looking fantastic.

 

[Dirty Dawg]

Now comes the fun part... The planting!! I planted my bog maybe a month ago and it is already going crazy!

Luckily plants are on sale right now! lol. But bog-specific, and marginals we have to wait until spring, not finding any local.

Oh, and I never posted about the fish. Had a guy give me two 8" Koi, and a 12" Comet. I also bought five 6" Comets.

It was awesome watching them swim around and feeding them, they all appeared to be having a really good time.

Then a huge Sandhill Crane proceeded to come eat them all.

 

[Big Lou]

Great looking project.

 

[Dirty Dawg]

I love the little steps built in next to the waterfall/stream. WOW DD, it is looking fantastic.

Thanks!

 

[tbendl]

A lot of regular plants will do great in the bog although I don't know since winter is coming for you.
Oh and as far as the crane, welcome to the joy of ponding. That is why I don't have fish... lol

 

[Dirty Dawg]

A lot of regular plants will do great in the bog although I don't know since winter is coming for you.
Oh and as far as the crane, welcome to the joy of ponding. That is why I don't have fish... lol

Yea, I keep telling the girlfriend I wanna grow hydroponic tomatoes in it, lmao.

That gravel in the bog is fun, easily move it around with a shovel and get water to flow how you want it. The dog loves wading in it and drinking from it.

The goal yet this fall is to get all the bare dirt around the falls covered with fabric and stone to keep erosion from sending to the pond, really tired of that by now.

I really want fish, dunno what I'm gonna do, time for more research here on that topic.

 

[tbendl]

...and mint and watercress are edible and grow for sure.
Well all I was told is net it or forget it... LOL Unless you have a creature willing to stand guard and chase them off, You will have to do some type of netting or string line over the pond. Once the Heron has found a good snack bar they are tough to get rid of.
The only other thing I've seen is having hiding spots in the pond but I don't know how well that works, those Heron are pretty feisty. I wonder how RobAmy manage since they don't have a net.