Bubble Rock - Converting a small pond to a bubble rock

This is great. Thank you!

katie59: I hope you try it. It's really very easy, and can be very inexpensive, especially for the finished look and atmosphere you create and enjoy. Let us know how it works out for you.

You know Spring isn't very far (we hope) and we will be out there Wanting to make our own Bubble rocks.
I'm going to check out those drill bits tomarrow. Concrete bits.

Depending on the type of rock, drilling your own can be easy or impossible. Also, the length of the bit limits how deep of a hole you can drill, but I've done smaller rocks with no problem. Remember to start with a smaller diameter bit to drill the hole, then follow up with a larger size to widen the hole.

The rock place where I have mine drilled uses a very expensive ($900) and long (2 foot) bit. That's why they charge $65 a foot for the holes they drill.

tHAT MAKES SENSE. I am glad you explained how to start out,
I know I would have done it all backwards and used the large bit first.
Here ius some of the rocks I may drill. We live on a hill, so we have plenty
of rocks and these have the " glitter" I can't think of the name.
But they are quite pretty.

I would think your rocks should work just great. Remember, you can pile them up to whatever height you want to let the water flow over the whole thing, making a nice sound and looking great too.

The "glitter" is probably the mineral mica, found in quite a few different rocks depending on the region. Out west, it's more common, even found in large sheets. Used to be used for the "windows" in coal and wood stoves. Also for lamp shades, especially arts and crafts types (still is in quality reproductions).

When you try to drill, you'll know in a few minutes if it's going to work with your type of rock. Around here, granite is almost impossible to drill through, at least with concrete/masonry bits. If it doesn't work out, check out a rock supplier or pond supply place in your area.

"Glitter" is sometimes minute mica particles and is common in a biotite schist. It is a sedementary rock. I have my ponds and waterfalls done all in garnetiferous quartz-muscovite-biotite-schist. Or green sparkly as I prefer to call it. It can also be black or grey. Nice rock. You're lucky to have a free supply, whatever it is.

If it has cleavage planes it's sedementary. No planes, than metamorphic or ingeous.

Before I retired from elementary teaching, each year when we studied rocks, the favorite rock to learn the name of was schist (they had to be able to identify and correctly pronounce the names of 14 types of rocks). Studying the differences between sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks, I did avoid using the word "cleavage". It would have been just too much for fifth grade boys to handle. We used the term "layers".

Layers does sound better. I keep expecting V dips in the rocks.

OK. Layers it is. Kids! They're great. It can be fun identifying rocks and important if you're landscaping around a pond that will hold koi. Runoff from limestone around the pond can push the pH so high that the koi can't tolerate it. Goldfish are only slightly more tolerant.

Hubby says we have mostly sandstone and clay. Limestone in southern part of state so no problem . I have several ponds that I made when I was younger. Can't get out there and dig like I used too. I made those ponds from Concrete and have tp patch them up every couple of years but the frogs and I love them.

Wish we could affordably have concrete ponds here. They have to be professionally installed with rebar and other metal reinforcement plus coated with a special compound. Our winters are too severe ( frost line is 36" ). Concrete wouldn't last one season without serious cracks and leaks. Frog ponds are terrific. While I have the labor intensive koi/water garden my neighbor put in an equal sized pond with just the opposite intentions. His is a minimal maintenance "wild" pond. It's just wonderful. It barely took half a season before the frogs, bull frogs, garter snakes and insect life showed up. I gave him one hardy water lily that he's let the roots loose on the bottom and it's spectacular. He's got some cattails in pots. There are rocks for snakes to sun themselves on and hide under. My four surrounding neighbors are all wildlife lovers and snakes are welcome. He is moving the water but not filtering it - yet. He's undecided about filtration. Maybe next season he will get a bio filter of some sort going using water plants. Being new to ponding he's still got a bit of a learning curve ahead of him. By midsummer next year I predict he'll see the need for some sort of filtration.

I get the can't dig like I used to part. DH and I just both retired. It takes the two of us all day to accomplish what I used to do alone in an afternoon! I'm planning on doing landscaping and garden renovation for hire begining next spring. I'b better get some help for the heavy digging!

But isn't it wonderful to create something like a pond?
Knowing you did it and even tho it was hard work, it was worth it all.
I learned the hard way about keeping plants in pots. In one pond they were trying to grow thru
my pond bottom. Had to completely empty the pond and re cat the whole thing. It is holding water and the waterlilies are now contained in flower pots. I hope they like it. I feel so mean containing their feet...lol But the frogs love to sit on them and they were growing before it got cold. On occasion I do see snakes and we do not try to harm them. They do their job.

My water lilies are always in pots. They do just fine. They do need to be divided and repotted regularly. I also feed them on a regular basis. I have the common rubber lined pond so there's no way for lily roots to get established on the bottom. I use the biggest water pots I can find and use cheap, no additives, pure clay kitty litter as the potting "soil". Even though the pond freezes over except for about a one foot open area from a deicer, the water lilies come back every year without any problem. The lily pots are at the 2' depth , hence the roots don't freeze. They are very hardy plants. Thank heaven! Now the tropical water lilies are another story. They wont overwinter up here outside at all. You have to either treat them as annuals ( expensive ouch ) or try to keep them dorment in a bucket of water in a place that stays about 55-60 degrees until late May. For the first time this year I have one in a bucket in an unheated garage that DH is keeping wamer for me with a little propane heater just to keep the garage above 55 but not so warm they come out of dormancy too soon. Right now it looks OK. The crown hasn't rotted and it looks healthy but dormant. I have changed the water once. But it's a long winter up here and I'm not at all sure of success, or if the cost of the propane outweighs just buying a new tropical next year. I am trying to overwinter some tender bulbs for the first time too ( cannas and colocsias). Same story about keeping them dormant but not too warm. I'm not sure it's going to be worth the trouble. Twenty weeks to go. UGH!

The woman that gave me my lily told me to just pot it in plain ol red clay. Some I dug out when I dug the pond. Is there anything wrong with that?
So far I haven't had any trouble. I have three lilies that are all potted in that. Why buy the cat litter, is there a reason?

20 weeks is going to use a lot of propane. We heat with propane. Like everything it used to be much cheaper but nowe it is not. But we go thru a lot to save our plants. I got some kitty litter to use in my Bonsai but it turned mushy, so now I got some OIL_DRI from aauto parts shop. It is not supposed to break down like Kittylitter. Got to try it yet. I don't have to dig up my Cannas down here. I am just getting into growing EE. I didn't realize there were so many. They are so pretty. I have a purple stem that is beautiful.

to me that wouldn't be worth the trouble, not unless I had a gob of them.
Sometimes I find myself doing a ton of work and disliking it very much, that is when I remind myself it is a HOBBY and I am supposed to enjoy it, not kill myself doing it!
But gardening is hard work!

FrillyLilly - Yupper there's a reason! There is no plantable clay here. None - zip- nada. It's all excessively sandy. I use non scented pure clay kitty litter because when it it gets wet it turns to clay and becomes a perfect potting medium for water plants that does'nt spill or cloud the pond water when disturbed. Plus it's cheap. About $2.79 for a 25lb bag at WallyWorld.

I did try oil dry. Whatever brand I used would not form clay, it just stayed gritty. Great for bonsai I'm sure. Not so great for for a tub of water lilies that the koi like to nose around in. It got spilled all over.

Snapple45: I heard of one person who put her tropical water lily in a bucket and used an aquarium heater to keep the water in the pail at around 50º for the winter. He kept the bucket in the "warmest" corner of the garage and the little aquarium heater was thermostat-controlled. Perhaps that would be cheaper than propane warming up the whole garage?

FrillyLily: I've grown hardy waterlilies in kitty litter and plain old Indiana clay. Both do fine with plant tabs for fertilizer. I think the main thing is to not use any soil that floats out of the basket and fouls the water. Klay has lots of minerals for plants and certainly won't float!

I buy "Special Kitty" kitty litter at Walmart for my water plants. A 25 pound bag is like $2.50 and it works great for my water lilies and water cannas.

I have very good loamy soil in my yard that is not heavy enough to use for water plants. I'm kind of glad, too, since the plants in my yard do very well in it. I've dug down more than 3 feet and not hit sand. My house was built before they would come in and remove all the top soil before building.

I've found that plastic coffee cans make great pots for water lilies. The plastic is very sturdy and there is no drainage holes in the bottom. They're a good size, too, for most water lilies.

What is "EE"?
Thanks,
Mike
edited to correct error

This message was edited Dec 23, 2009 10:20 AM

Duh duh duh. Why didn't I think of that! HG - That's a terrific idea. I have an aquarium and a box full of spare stuff, heaters included. I can't thank you enough. I can move the cannas and the colocasias to the crawl under the house where the temp and humidity is perfect all winter for storing bulbs. Just a wee bit of a hassle getting under there and crawling around on hands and knees. I'd better mouse proof the boxes too, just in case.

I'm guessing that EE means Elephant Ears which is a common name for the Genus Colocasia. They are some of my very favorite tropical plants.

Snap,
Of course, am I ever a dope. I have a number of EE's, but I don't usually refer to them as EE's.
Thanks,
Mike

Me either treelover3, at first I thought it was a shoe size width. Took me minute to get it.

Mike, EE is Elephant Ears. I guess you mean the large coffee cans, right? When I have to write several people and talk about the Elephnat Ears, I finally abbrevated them similiar to other folks. i forget Each forum is a little different, I am sorry, I didn't mean to cause any confusion. Do they even make shoes in EE size anymore?? So I shall try to write colocasias, see I know I can't spell all these wonderful names correct, but I'll try.
RRM

Oh no, no, no. EE is just fine. I got it. I think in the tropical forum that's used a lot. I just use the genus Colocasia or Alocasia, depending. I volunteer at a botanical garden and work a lot in the greenhouses. They always use the Latin Genus and species there so you sort of get in the habit. There are some plants for which I don't even know a common name, only the Latin botanical name. Once you get the hang of it, it's actually much easier plus there is absolutely no confusion over which plant you're talking about.
My DH wears a 5E (that's EEEEE) or 6E, so yeah, they make shoes that wide but boy are they ever hard to find. I think they run off a few pairs once a year and you have to go on a hunt to find them. They are also made mostly by expensive shoe companies. Ouch!

Fat fee doesn't pay, for the wearer☺ It has been a very long time since I went to a real shoe store. I have a short Fat foot, so I know how difficult to get the right size. I have an African Mask, the leaves are not pretty, they are turning yellow, i got some Lava rocks I am thinking of planting them in, but I looked in the pot and there is a baby, i don't know anything about it but I do know I think they are beautiful. Guess I just put off the re-potting. I sure don't want to lose it. I believe it is an Alocasia. such a beautiful plant.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2574/ Be sure to page down to the Gardeners Notes about this plant. There is a lot of good information there.

That is a gorgeous plant. Have you tried the Tropical Plants forum? There are plenty of folks there with good informaton.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/tropicals/all/

Thank you so much, I will try to stop bothering you.
I want to make one of these rock fountains next
year but it will be above ground. Very insprational
people here at Dave's and so helpful.

Bother?! Really? No Way! This is what DG'rs do. Share information. If you like tropicals ( or any other specific plant ) get into that discussion forum. I hop all over the place looking for that nugget of information from folks who have a lot more experience than me. I learn something new every single time. I'm going to use bits of HG's plan next season myself when I redo a fountain that's developed a leak and needs a total rehab. I'm glad he took the time to share his expertise. Good Holidays to you ridesredmule.

Developed a leak, That is what happened to my ponds. This Spring after it warmed up I repaired the two that I had made. The worse part is getting all that water out but used a pump in the deeper one and that helped a lot. I re surfaced the inside of both ponds. Tehn keep a sheet of plastic over them so they could cure. I hope it last another 10-20 years. ☺ But they sure are holding water now. I have to keep a frame over them to keep my dogs out. I don't want them in there , especially when I put my fish in. Happiest of Holidays to you Snapple45

Thanks for the info and no reason to change the way you write out plant names. (:o)

Yes, I use the large empty coffee cans for my water lilies. So far, so good.

Yes, shoes are still made in "EE" size. I buy EE since plain E is way too narrow for my foot. Now I can say, I don't have wide feet, I have Elephant Ear feet! (:o)
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Mike

Wonderful!!!! Glad I help set you straight..lol

HoosierGreen - have you created any of these bubble rocks using solar-powered pumps? If so, can you recommend a specific pump? I was thinking of trying this project but it would be in an area that doesn't have easily accessible electricity.

I was looking at the rock and wondered if you took a bowling ball drilled a hole in it and then covered it with chicken wire and cement , leaving the hole open,youd have a modern version of your bubbling rock.. you could even color the cement or add texture to it

GardenSox: I'm sure you could use a solar-powered pump, but I've had no experience with them at all. Let me know if you find anything out.

blkraven2: I bet that would work, and be really interesting too. There are some really beautiful bowling balls, all swirly with neat colors. You might even not have to cement it at all, just have the water come out of all three holes. You'd have to drill a hole in the bottom though. It would be a novel fountain for a bowling enthusiast, for sure!

I've used solar pumps in the past, but not for this particular thing. They are usually fairly weak, and the higher the outlet, the more power it loses. Although they are more, I'd try one with a larger solar panel (7watt minimum) You can find them on ebay.

so I don't know a thing about bowling balls, but what are they made of? could you drill a hole through one without the expensive bit?

with that said, why not mix up some concrete and make your own 'ball' or rock or whatever with a hole in the middle?

Would be way cheaper than paying alot for the drilling...

I would imagine drilling a hole in a bowling ball wouldn't require an expensive bit...probably a masonry bit would work. Aren't bowling balls made of some sort of plastic composite? And, if you already have one, it would be a "special" water feature. You could definitely make your own concrete ball, but the bowling ball would be more weatherproof, possibly.

HG, That is a great step by step and your Bubble Rock looks great.
Here is a picture of my Blue Ball water feature. We put this in a couple of years ago and I get a lot of pleasure from it. Makes a nice accent by my front walk and a nice relaxing trickle sound when sitting out on the steps and enjoying the garden.