Shade garden turned pond

[gello22]

I have been hanging around here for a while now learning, so time to post. I was searching for pictures of shade gardens for my summer project and discovered pond/stream picks and managed to get permission to build one.

After much teasing from my wife that it will be done in December managed to pound this out in just shy of 3 weeks with breaks for rain and mothers-day holiday weekend. Of course it will never be done.

Basic stats: about 1800 total gallons including the stream/bog areas. total flow about 3200gph. The stream is about 20ft long, it has since been adjusted to be less straight. I have added many plants since and am desperately waiting for them to cover more of the rock and mulch.
These pictures are day one with water it took about 3 days to clear up and so far the plants are keeping it clear.

I went super cheap on the skimmer and falls (minimal approved budget). The falls are just liner and the skimmer is a 13 gallon garbage can. I used some scrap aluminum and stainless screws to sandwich the liner to the "skimmer" later sealed with 3m 5200 marine sealant. it just has a net and is lacking the floating gate, but it does a good job of keeping the surface clear of leaves and "helicopter seeds".

Thanks for the valuable information,

Wade

 

[addy1]

That is very nice! Neat ponds can be made with small budgets!

 

[CountryEscape]

Welcome, Gello22!!! Very nice, and very unique, which is what we all strive for, I think. We want our pond/stream/waterfall to be different than any one else's and they always are. Even after you get it "complete", you may tweak it differently, as it sounds like you already have.

 

[gello22]

Thanks,

this is tonight about 7 weeks after the first pictures and a few more tweaks.

 

[slakker]

Thats so nice! I can imagine a bridge from the porch over the stream to the other side! :banana:

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forums! :wave:

 

[DrCase]

Water looks great ! Nice job
Welcome to the Forum

 

[mtpond]

Welcome, nice pond.

 

[dieselplower]

Dude that is so awesome! Are you going to put fish in it or what?

 

[Mmathis]

Welcome! Very nice pond set-up! I like the stream. If I ever get a chance to do anything new with mine, it will be an add-on (smaller) pond connected by a stream.

 

[sissy]

what a neat idea and what a dream pond

 

[gello22]

Dieselplower

I'm working on getting permission for fish. My wife isn't up for any trials of life experiences. I think the best I will do is shiner minnows that wont allow her to track any individuals that might go missing. I put half a dozen trapdoor snails in, but haven't seen them for a couple weeks. Last I saw them they were 3 feet down so I don't think they where eaten.

 

[don't ask]

welcome wade, looks great!

 

[addy1]

Your trap doors are there. I added a bunch a few years back never saw them, but they are there. I see the large ones all of the time now on the bottom and when I net the pond, I have to sort out the babies.

 

[gello22]

You were right addy1 I still haven't seen the original large snails, but now baby trapdoors are showing up on numerous rocks and even in the stream. They must have taken a trip though the pump as the ones in the stream are near the falls.