I agree. i had considered retroing a bottom filter but settled on a Laguna 2900 gph falls pump in the bottom of my 4' pond, pumping to the falls pressure filter and 55W UV. The 48" uv and the head going to the falls has seriously cut down the thruput so we are going to a 1 1/2" hose to try to increase it without overpowering both filter and UV. Wish I could do it all over again. Your pond looks really cool. very interesting rock work. Will look forward to seeing the water clear up and the lovely flowers and plants going around.
The fun begins!
It is soooo gorgeous. I just love it. I cannot wait to see when the plantings are in.
Jamison - such nice work you and your crew have done!
Dreaming, lalalalala (I've forgot most of the lyrics, but dreaming....lalalaalla) I'm dreaming. What's a wonderful project. Congrats Bea, and thank you for sharing your 'fun project.', and Jamison, please come down South to Alabama upon your return from Down Under. lol.
Wow, what an amazing pond. Good job. I'm learning so much. Mostly, to hire Jamison, lol. I didn't know about the stratification thing, but my pond is only 21 inches deep. Can't wait to see it all done. I bet the fish will be so joyous to be in their new home.
Looking great! It's been fun to watch the progress!
Bea, thanks for putting a link from the PNW forum to this thread. What an exciting adventure and it's so fun to watch the pieces come together.
Jam_session, you did such a great job.
I haven't ever really wanted a pond, but I've seen three great projects this year and have decided that I do want, eventually, to put in a stream bed with a couple of waterfalls that runs through the property. That running water over beautiful rock is just too hard to resist. The birds will love it.
Raccoons are a problem here, as are Great Blue Heron. My neighbor eliminated any graduated shelving for the Herons and Raccoons to sit on and has increased the depth of his pond, as well. he also put rebar at intervals around the edges and strung/strang/stringed (?) a couple of lines of wire that he can keep on full time but easily remove for parties or visits.
It's been cool here in Seattle (gets down to 50 at night) and wet in the PNW this summer, as Bea says, but we all hang outside as much as possible and generally sit by the pond. The lighting makes it a 24 hour possibility.
Wonderful project. I so look forward to seeing it with the plants in.
Beautiful!!! Imagine what it will look like in a year or two when everything gets established. Stunning pond!! Congratulations.
shrubbs
Jul 23, 2011
Quote from jam_session :
Thanks MargaretK, my wife said she would love to come with me to Australia!
mstella, yes, we want to keep circulate everywhere to keep oxygen everywhere. No dead spots. The skimmer circulates effectively to 2 ft. deep, but Bea's pond is 3 ft. deep so we ran an outlet to the bottom. And yes that's like a bottom feeder to the skimmer, just the opposite direction. Besides, I'd rather not cut the liner below water level any more than I have to.
So do you have 2 separate pumps, one running the bottom outlet and one running the biofalls, or do you have an over-sized pump with a ball valve?
I asked because I designed a pond system in which I used 2 pumps in the skimmer box and a ball valve, one for the biofalls and one for an upper pool (ball valve for upper pool).
This message was edited Jul 23, 2011 5:27 PM
shrubbs,
In BeaHive's pond, we have only one pump (Anjon Monsoon 6100), with a T in the line. A 2-inch pipe to the bio-filter/falls, and a 1" pipe (black sched. 40 flexible) with a ball valve, to the bottom. On that line, there are 3 small outlets. 1 pump or 2, same idea.
realsis
Jul 24, 2011
wonderful progress! how exciting! :) keep the pics comming! congrats on the beaitiful koi pond!
shrubbs
Jul 24, 2011
Quote from jam_session :
shrubbs,
In BeaHive's pond, we have only one pump (Anjon Monsoon 6100), with a T in the line. A 2-inch pipe to the bio-filter/falls, and a 1" pipe (black sched. 40 flexible) with a ball valve, to the bottom. On that line, there are 3 small outlets. 1 pump or 2, same idea.
Very cleaver. I never thought about installing a system like that before. As you said - a great idea for circulating the water at the bottom of a deeper pond. Great info to remember for a 3-4' deep kio pond I will be designing soon. Nice job on the pond. Thanks.
Been busy getting some plants in. This is what was accomplished on friday 7/23.
This little one was checking out the menu!!
St.Francis will enjoy the shade of the new maple tree.
Friday evening I enjoyed a glass of wine by the pond. Nice!
More neighbors stopped by to check out the new pond. Must buy more wine & beer if unexpected company keeps stopping by!! LOL!
Tonight... ahhhh peace! Looking forward to the lights going in so I can enjoy the pond after dark!
The fish hopefully will transfer tomorrow. I have been waiting for the water to be all clear before releasing them. The water skeeters have found the pond and have been swimming all around. Not for long when the Koi get released. A tasty treat is waiting for them!!
This message was edited Jul 24, 2011 7:29 PM
Very nice, Bea. You should be happy with how things have been progressing.
It is just gorgeous. And when the plants grow and soften it, ohhhhh, pond envy.
The fish love their new home. Here is my favorite who I was able to catch on the last day before the move. He/she is so handsome or pretty!
They spent the first hour down at the bottom all huddled together. Then they all surfaced and investigated their home. They ate all the water skeeters too!
Two more expoloring their new digs. They all ate a hearty dinnner tonight. They were so ready to get out of the holding tank!
Bea
They must have been fun to watch when you released them into their new home.
They were. Freedom..they have been swimming all day. They are very happy. Twice last night I heard this loud banging coming from their aluminum metal trough that they have been staying in. I think they were trying to tell me it was time to get out!!
Lovely fish! Your pond cleared up quickly! Do you have any close-up photos of the stream?
Here is a pic of the stream just taken..
Your fish are beautiful. And you have been planting your heart out I see. Really coming along. I bet this is the most watched thread at DG! I know I can hardly wait for new pics.
shrubbs
Jul 26, 2011
Great view of the stream. It meanders nicely through the foliage. It is going to look sharp when the foliage fills in.
Gorgeous, B. So what's with the shed? How do you get into it?
I love your step by step pictures! What a fantastic pond! Enjoy.... :)
Mrs. Ed..through the door of course!! LOL! There is a pathway in front of the shed which will be paved soon. Pond area sits higher than the shed area..two tiers .. Once pavers are done I will take more pictures.
Bea
I loved your previous pond, but this one far trumps that one. Absolutely gorgeous!
OH GREAT ONE (MissBeahive) that is a most awesome, well planned, future blissfull cup of coffee location I have seen. How are you not going to sleep next to it for the rest of the summer? I am glad I have been gone not to have anxiously awaited its final placement of rock. You are the best! May you catch more than fish in the garden of your heart. Loveing a garden is the best soulmate you could have. Yours is truely a work of ART. I have 3 garden water features and cannot leave water in any of them due to misquitos being bred like crazy. My water either evaporates when in Motion or stagnates with lots of Mishatesoos.
I did get some rocks yesterday that I found in an old mine on national forest. Each one is over 1 ton and there are at least 10 more waiting for me to get.
Thanks all for your kind words. Sofer it is a great place for a cup of coffee in the morning, lemonade in the afternoon and of course a galss of wine in the evening. I am not sure about sleeping out there as there are lots of night critters in this new neighborhood. Love the rocks you brought home. What are your plans for them? Hope your GD is doing better and able to enjoy her summer laughing, playing and smiling!
I am making a "fort" with a pond for my grand children. It will be a circle of large bolders with benches inside that they can sit on and play in the water with smooth river rocks on the bottom and large flat smooth rocks to rest their feet on while sitting. Of course my wife and I will use this for our morning coffee to enjoy the warm water and foot soak in our preparation of our garden work day and a glass of wine while we sit and watch the sunset at the end of our day. The water will have several fountains to encourage fresh flow and joyous play in the sun with our grandchildrens screams of joy in chasing the gold fish we will place in there to make them happy. I will be describing this when we get the rest of the rocks from our quarry in the mountains this summer. Don't want to take over this one.
Sounds wonderful! Looking forward to your posts when the project begins.
It's looking wonderful! I'm sure you'll have some new froggy friends in no time at all! :-)
Hey BeaHive, I haven't had my pond fix for the day, at least since the 25th. How's it looking? Your pond keeps my spirits up about the condition of mine.
Will try to get some pic's tomorrow .The planting is on hold now as I am having trouble working the soil.
Jamison if you read this before I see you monday..we need to work on improving the soil around the pond. My rock collection is growing and growing !!
Plan on an extra debris box to remove these piles of dirt & stuff . I do not want to re-purpose it to the front yard as originally planned.. I want some nice, light,fluffy compost to plant in please. My back is killing me. Bring back the bobcat and take this clay- rocky soil away...please... Thanks :)
ROTFL...My landscaper dug up the pond and used that for the surrounds. so I have been attempting to plant in a rock bed also. could shoot him. He but bark on top of it to make it even worse. I have a sieve I built and have been sieving bark and rock. Ran out of places to put it. Plus hauling in bags and bags of soil. I can sympathize. Pond builders aren't always gardeners. No offense Jamison...
I hear you, Miss Bea. I'll plant to bring some compost for the back yard next week. And as for the front yard, we could till compost and sand into the clay, say 1/3 each, and remove many rocks? Such a blend would hold water and nutrients better, and cost less. Or we can take it all away and start fresh. Your wish is my command :)
mstella, No offense taken; you are right. Pond builders are not always gardeners. And gardeners are not always pondbuilders! BTW, was it you who asked how thick the pond liner is? It is .45 mil EPDM rubber.