The pond dig has begun!

[whiskey]

Hi ce ..water wheel...try using a deeper section in your stream, just over the size of the wheel, so if stream is 4 to 6" deep running into wheel but 12" deep under wheel then back to your 4to 6" after the wheel. no one would know from top view, but wheel would hold better in windy conditions due to depth and maybe slightly wider by wheel only, to create volume of water under wheel [brake] the deeper you you make wheel the greater the brake will be, thus the more force youll need to turn it.
so water is force
depth is brake
and a wider exit will increase flow of wheel.........got you thinking now !
put it this way turn a tap on to a wheel it will spin as fast as the flow...but drop the wheel into water and it slows. ok

 

[CountryEscape]

Very good point, Whiskey. But, I really don't have hardly any drop for the stream as it is, and to make a pool for the waterwheel ... it's a good thought though, never thought about trying it that way. I'm still playing with the idea of putting a bridge over the stream, or maybe just stepping stones and step across it for now, since it will only be about 18" across. I have not given up on the waterwheel. Maybe I will build something to attach it to on the far end of the new pond, where it would be most visible from the deck and house. I sure have not given up, but I also don't want the possibility of it spinning the wrong way and emptying my pond. Other option, of course, if to only have it running while I'm home and can enjoy it.

 

[addy1]

I put wide flat stones across parts of my streams for a stone bridge to be able to walk across. Has worked great.

 

[CountryEscape]

Saw a really cute bridge at the Garden Show yesterday in Chicago. I looked under it, and they used 2x6's for the posts, bolted 3 of them together, and it looked really neat, seemed would be pretty simply to make, too. Of course I didn't remember to take my camera, so couldn't take pictures to show me how to do it again. LOL

 

[addy1]

ce never leave home without your camera! geez

 

[CountryEscape]

Yep, not only forgot the camera, but forgot the phone. Realized forgot the phone but not time to retrieve it, and planned on using phone to take pics! Forgot about needing it for pics. Duhhhhh!!! So, I have a picture in my mind.
Get this, though .... since I'm so "predictable" with my phone, two of my sisters tried to contact me, tried at office, had State Police check my home for goodness sake .... now that's ... well I don't know what to call it. LOL I didn't get mad, because I've gone to that extreme with a friend before, too. Mind does funny things when you worry. Anyhow, since I left so early, and got home so late, didn't have a chance to let them know where I was until the next day. My daughter's phone number was only one I knew by heart, so let her know I left phone home, but didn't think to have her tell my sisters. Next time .....

 

[pondlover]

CE I understand what your talking about. If I don't answer my phone, for whatever reason, my youngest daughter who is 22, will call and call and call and call. Before cell phones, people left messages or waited and tried again. LOL

Looking forward to more pond pics!

 

[addy1]

Well at least you know if something happened someone would miss you!

 

[CountryEscape]

Yes, I didn't get upset with them, as I have done the same thing when a former boyfriend didn't answer his phone all day. I almost hate cell phones for that reason, people think you have them with you all the time.
Caught 8 of my baby koi and the 3 from Pond Kid and moved them to the big pond. They were very happy! Seems like they are all sticking together, as everytime I looked, they were all together, or at least most of them.
Here are 8 of my baby koi ...

And here are Pond Kid's 3 koi that I will sell for him a little later in the spring.

Hoping to have the new goldfish pond filled tomorrow, so will be able to move the goldfish from the basement pool to that pond, then start working on trying to catch the others from the main pond. I really want to catch at least the females (at least the ones I know are females) and move them to the new pond, but it's no big deal if they spawn in the koi pond. Probably most will be eaten anyhow. Just will have to catch babies later on. The goldfish and fantail I got from Pond Kid are all really nice and several of them seem to be females, very fat with eggs possibly.

 

[addy1]

Very pretty ce!

 

[j.w]

Awwwwwwwwwww, nice babies CE and they will look real nice in your pond! Good deal if you get babies from PK's pretty goldfish. Let us know if you get any w/ fantails from the mama's.

 

[CountryEscape]

I haven't moved any of the goldfish from PondKid yet, planning to do that tomorrow. Also going to get the pump put back in the skimmer and get that and the plant bog up and running tomorrow. THEN I can find the fish and catch them. With the set up I did, it's nearly impossible to catch the fish, as they have too many places to go to hide.
I am really hoping that of the 4 fantails that I will have in the pond, that I will see some babies someday. If not, that's fine, too. Just think baby fantails would be sooo adorable! I have no idea how I'm going to catch the goldfish from the main pond. My net is way too small. I'll have to get a larger net. Anyone know where to go to get large net? I assume sporting goods area, but want to make sure I get one that won't get caught in their fins or gills. When I bought my koi last summer, that guy had this huge net, it was probably 3' across, and he could easily get under the fish and come up with them in the net. I suspect that will be what I need to do. I sure don't want to be chasing them trying to catch them. It's sure not worth that.
Oh, and my water was 60 degrees this morning, and much clearer, but then got cloudy again after taking water for the new pond and filling with well water. I'm going to be patient, now that I won't be doing big water changes for a while, and see if it clears up. I also hooked up the UV light to main pond, too. Note to self - hose clamps at Menards are junk! I used a couple that came with a pump and they sealed the hose, where the ones from Menards were too wide, would not get tight enough.

 

[pondlover]

Very pretty colors on your Koi.

 

[koiguy1969]

yes...a nice lookin group of little ones ... nice job!...

 

[CountryEscape]

Here's my first lily bloom of the season. Hoping the warm weather coming next week will get more of the pushing those buds to the surface and opening. I think weather said 70's today, 60's tomorrow, and then they predicted 70-80's for all of next week! Woohoo, bring on spring!!! I have my water hyacinths coming next week, so I sure hope the warm temps hold out for good now.