The Crypt

[NiftyFifty]

Bog in a Box!
Your system is cool.

How completely wild about bullfrogs coming out of your hose! I hope I get frogs in my pond. Tadpoles not mosquitos!

 

[jdale]

This started out as a swimming pool (came with the house) and we already had frogs then. I would kick them out of the skimmer when I shocked it, and then in the morning I'd find them sitting on top of the chlorine tabs. They were pretty happy when I gave up on the pool and made it a pond (I was too!). We do have a little on-and-off stream going through the property. So there are at least three other types of frogs besides the bullfrogs.

Here's a batch of the tadpoles. After the first couple times trying to find all the tadpoles flopping around in the yard, I started draining the hose through a basket to catch them.

 

[NiftyFifty]

This started out as a swimming pool (came with the house) and we already had frogs then. I would kick them out of the skimmer when I shocked it, and then in the morning I'd find them sitting on top of the chlorine tabs. They were pretty happy when I gave up on the pool and made it a pond (I was too!). We do have a little on-and-off stream going through the property. So there are at least three other types of frogs besides the bullfrogs.

Here's a batch of the tadpoles. After the first couple times trying to find all the tadpoles flopping around in the yard, I started draining the hose through a basket to catch them.

View attachment 166576

I love them!

 

[GBBUDD]

After I got the filter assembled and now have filled the pond, I wish I had splurged for the Matala filter pads. It was a drag to sew the strips of filter fabric together and I don’t like the way it looks under the island. I think the Matala pads look a lot better and will be more functional too. Would you just place them over the filter pad I made?

I would use a black matala mat and cut it tight between the top and bottom, and secure it with a black zip tie . With it placed vertically it will in time get covered in peach fuzz algae . or you could stuff a foxgloves roots or similar into the weave and in time you'll have a living wall.

 

[NiftyFifty]

Well, it looks like I’m going to need a boat, folks!

After harvesting some lovely moss this week, I thought it would be nice to spread some on the island

I figured I would do maintenance and more planting on the island when the weather warms up and I can drain the pond. Perhaps this set-up wasn’t well thought through. Crossing fingers the pump doesn’t get mucked up and need servicing, it’s encapsulated inside the crypt now. Although a boat would be fun, I’m not sure how practical it would be. I wonder if those rubber fly fishing boots/overalls would work to allow me to walk to the island when the pond is full? Has anybody had experience using those in the context of island maintenance?