New Pond In Progress

(apparently, Bonnie, we're all livng THROUGH your accomplishements!) Take that as a compliment! :)

Pictures! Pictures! filling the pond is very exciting.....

Went out in the rain just for you. Can't get Charlie to go out and work in the rain. Can you believe the new waterfalls is exactly like my old one. It was on closeout so guess no more stock.
Came this afternoon.

No wrinkles on the bottom or in the corners. Corners have 45 degree fold very neat. Charlie and Jeff did them. Falls came with 3" bulkhead which will have to be reduced to 1 3/4". If we don't get enough flow the plumber is going to have to replace it all with 2" pipe which is what I wanted to begin with. We are trying to conserve $$. I figured it up this morning so far it has cost us $535.60 including falls. I already had skimmer and pump and UV so thats a huge help.
Hope weathers good for a while tomorrow maybe we wil get it all running. YIPEE

Wow! You are going to have so much fun!

Oh goodness!! I love it! Great job Bonnie!!! Let me know when it's time for fish!

Looking great! You will be enjoying it soon!

Forcast is for rain on and off all coming week. I'm not a sugar cube so I won't melt (I wish) and will work in the rain, just have to convince husb. Charlie.
Have to devise some type of frame to hold waterfalls that allows it to spill over into pond. Don't want this one buried into ground. Too backbreaking to clean out. It came with filter pad and 3 new spat bags to hold other filtration medium. I have cut another thicker mat and also cut up material and filled bags. He will probably telll me stay out of his way so I can start leveling up area for walkway. I have a good laser level from my drapery workroom and it sure comes in handy. Matter of factly many of my workroom tools have been utilized. My largest staple gun and compressor to staple liner onto 2 X 4's all around the top.
Went out early this morning and saw water moving in pond and found 3 large brown frogs. They have to go cause they do BIG poops. I frequently have frog poop on my carport and its huge.
Well times a wasting. Well begun is half done. Will report back later.
Thanks for all your encouragement. Bonnie

LOL. I would have loved to see the frogs swimming around in your pond. I can understand not wanting them, but they are such funny creatures. Never heard they have large poop. But then my little froggie is only 4" long when extended.

Big poop = 1,000 less bugs! Keep up the good work!!!

Came in for a break: it is so sticky outside. Right now I am setting post back into ground to mount UV on. I have a simple mind so I stick to doing the simple things.
Jeff is coming over sometime today. His wife tole him he was spending too much time over here so I told him we didn't really need him. To which he replied "Ma a lot of me went into the pond too" and I want to see iit finished. He wants to build a larger pond of his own on his lanai. He has many good ideas but of course expensive. I will certainly help him all I can.
M. Mary how deep are you making your new pond or are you modifying an old pond to be larger?
If I remember right didn't you have a stream bed running into one. They are lovely.
Bonnie

I've taken out 2 smaller ponds thusfar (which is why my backyard is a nightmare with junk EVERYWHERE!) The one 7x9x 2 1/2 deep, will remain in between my decks. The last smaller pond will be taken out as I build the 2nd cement block wall. I'm waiting until the last minute, because it still has fish in it.
So by the end, there will be only 2 ponds, the 7x9 and my new one. The new one "should" be somewhere around 18 x 20 x 3-ish, with an upper level that will fall into it, that will be somewhere around 7x10. No more mowing for me!

Bonnie, I have a 48" 55W UV that I wanted to set up vertically on a post also, but I got out voted. It lays on a 4x4 now (attached of course) and I keep it out of the sun as much as possible. Don't know if sun affects them or not.

M. Mary don't feel bad about your yard being junky. Remember thats beauty in the making. My front yard where ponds are look like a construction crew came in and ruined what little bit of grass I had. When all is said and done I'm going to bring up some loads of cow poop compost and just spread it around yard. Someting green usually grows from it.

Oberon,
You brought up a good point. I will call the company I bought it from and see what they say about having it in sun cause here we really have hot sun. Ours is mounted on a post on 2 brackets that came with it and I can always dig it up again. It's sittiing actually almost on the ground and today I planted mondo grass all around it to help conceal it. Thanks for the thought.
Better to be safe than sorry. If your UV is mounted horazontally wouldn't it be easier to conceal with plants. Or maybe you have to take it in every winter.

Today Charlie had a very difficult time finding the reducing fittings for the waterfall. PVC threaded on both sides and 1 at 2" and then 1 at 1 1/2". Boy they don't come cheap but when you need something you need it. He built a 2X4 frame all around the bottom of waterfall box. It has to fasten to a 4X4 pressure treated to be really stable. It will overhang the pond the front to back dimensions of the spillway. Remember I mentioned I wanted this one on top of the ground to save my back. (for more shoveling LOL). If all goes well I will be laying pipe to waterfall against side wall and then backfill over it. Then cobblestones on edge of pond and bring in more compost to put plants in. I'm scrounging plants from other places in my gardens. I don't want to get too far ahead of him cause if 1 1/2" pipe doesn't give enough flow to waterfalls, UV and a fountain it will all have to be pulled out and replaced with larger PVC. Heaven forbid. I won't say I told you so cause men all think women are not too smart at those things but it will be hard to keep my mouth shut. It's always better to go larger than smaller I think.
Got to hit the sack cause if rain holds off like it did today we should get someting accomplished by late afternoon.
Nite all.
Bonnie

Here we go again. Pond dropped 2" overnight. Must be leaking around skimmer face plate. I'm going to try that milk test someone talked abouta while back but I'll bet thats where the leak is.
Charlie put waterfall in and its waist high so it can have a bottom drain. Up on 2 X 4's. How on earth to hide it all I don't know yet. I do have plenty of rock that is around 7" ea. Spillway overhands the pond so nothing under it to place any rock on. We'll come up with something I'm sure.
Got to get ready for church. Raining here now due to Debbie tropical storm I'm sure. Our canal has come up for which I am very thankful. Needs lots more to ever bring it back to normal which it hasn't been for years now.
Have a good Sun. all.
Bonnie

I don't mind the rain either, we're still very much behind for the summer! I'm looking at a skimmer that doesn't go through the liner, but sits inside the edge of the pond. I'm going to try and avoid all leaks if possible. Do you think the wide 6inch pond sealing tape all the way around the edge could possible seal it without doing much work?
I have some purple stemmed tara (elephant ears) if you want something tropical around the things you want hidden. They grow fairly fast and large, and even if you step on them, they usually sprout back up. Let me know if you need some of those, or umbrella palm rush. I have a few canna too, but they will die back in winter, exposing the waterfall box again.

Charlie is going to loosen screws on faceplate and load it up on both sides with the sealant. You are wise to try and avoid leaks. We happen to have on hand the 6" sealing tape so maybe we'll use both.
Right now I'm looking for plants to go around that long side of pond opposite walkway. I will put cobblestones there also but plants betwen them will make it look better. Can use some taro and umnbrella rush. I have a tub I started some in cause I knew I'd need them. I do have plenty of canna. Actually they are crowding out a patch of lillies and I need to get them out of there.
This morning Charlie said how about I tile all around the waterfall with some tiles we have on hand. I said no but I would like tiles with the koi on them. I've seen them and they are beautiful. I will wait to hear from Jeff cause I told him he could play architect on that part. The top of the waterfall is up to my waist for easier cleaning so he will have a challenge. Charlie wants water to spash stright down into pond. Personally I don't really care as long as its running. And this from a guy who could have cared less about ponds 2 years ago. Amazing.
We have really gotton the rain today and I'm sure you did also. It was raining when I got up at 6:30AM and still is. Sometimes light and sometimes heavier. Debbie is really being good to us.
Take care,
Bonnie

They said tonight that Debbie isn't going to move for 2 days, so things should fill up all around the area! I know it's slightly annoying, but after a 3 year drought, I'm more thank thankful!

It's hard to imagine a drought in Florida. I think of it as wet and steamy and well, dripping water.

It's one or the other.....the intense heat gives...and the intense heat takes away.... My lake is down 6 feet, so the boat is sitting on sand (we didn't get it pulled out in time) Hopefully we'll get enough rain to float it again, and get it out and on the trailer (unless we get enough rain to refill the lake for the year. The jetski dock is a floating dock, and it's grounded too, so we can't get them off either.

Holy cow. It is really hard to realize that your weather varies so much. Ours is actually pretty boring. Not much fluctuation. More snow, less snow. More sun, less sun. But nothing drastic.

Oberon,
We have a canal that runs full length the back of our property. Pretty wide. During drought a few years ago 20 feet of water dried up. All I saw was cracked ground and bones of fish and tutles, gators took off looking for water elsewhere. Cubensis seencis (weeds) took over and had it started back to a utrophic stage which means back to land and trees. Actually one tree is growing right in the middle now. Just broke my heart. Thats our cows water source and cool off place. They go in right up to their necks. I will put up with tornado warnings as we have right now to get the wonderful rain. Our pool cage 42 X 62 went down twice from tornado but it can always be built back as it was. Both Merry Mary and I I'm sure are so thankful for all this rain TS Debbie is bringing us. Past few hurricanes didn't drop any in our area just went aruond us.
My pool is up almost to the top and we can see the canal again from our kitchen window (about 400 feet from house) so I am so thankful. My husb. was pointing it out to me this morning.
We have been slowed down on new pond work but thats OK. This morning rain stopped and we ran out and hooked up waterfall just to check it and also UV clarifier. I planted a few plants around 1 side of new pond and put some cobblestones in place. Then heaven opened up and I came inside.
Our house is almost 80 yrs, old. All iinside walls are cement block poured full of concrete with plaster and lathing and then tongue and grooved cypress for finished walls. We feel fairly safe inside. We have a generator if we loose power for freezer etc. My kids always say if it gets bad Ma we are coming home. Smart kids.
We are not afraid we are prepared. There is no place perfect but Heaven.
M Mary stay safe and I know you appreciate this wonderful rain we are getting.
Have a good week all.
Bonnie

As my dad would say your house sounds "hell for strength.' I can see why you would feel safe inside through almost anything. It must be cooler inside too with those walls. Well, hope the rain keeps up for you. Oh. Did you figure out the leak in the pond? Was it around the skimmer you think?

Typically, skimmers, waterfalls and streambeds are the first place to look for leaks.

Bonnie - did you get to try the milk before the rains started?

I have been watching the news about the weather in Florida as I have family down by Orlando. I am hoping things will settle down soon. Stay safe.

Carolyn,
Weather isn't as bad as news depicts it. We have been thru this kind of weather many times.
Plan to try the milk idea today if rain holds off for a bit. Got to get it fixed so I can put good stuff it to get it set up.
Here are pics of the new waterfall. We will think of something to hide it all. Now I can flush out the whole thing with a hose. Note red lever on bottom to open drain.

that is magnificent. You had a wonderful idea and I love that little red lever. Where does it dump to? Do you have another fitting for an exhaust hose? That waterfall is really beautiful. Can hardly wait to see how you decorate(hide) the legs. You have done such a great job on this pond. Your fish will love it.

Oh my goodness Bonnie! I love it! Now I'm rethinking that YOU need the fake rock wall from Habitat for Humanity! I think it's fiberglass, and your hubbie could cut it with a saw, to make 4 sides for your frame, making a rock pillar for the water fall. The purple stemmed taro I have for you will also get that high by the end of the summer. Or maybe a combo of them both?

LOVE IT!!!

Oberon,
I will reach underneath and turn little red lever and I will dig small ditch and put pipe on coupling and let it run out into nearest flower bed. Fish detritis (poop) is great for plants.

M. Mary I called Habitat and they don't own that fiberglass rock piece and its not for sale. Very sad.

Right now we are at a standstill due to weather. Finally talked Charlie into going into pond and regluing the skimmer faceplate. I dried it with my hair dryer first. After he finished I put 4 thickness of construction plastic over it all just in case rain starts again. 24 hrs. to dry. I dropped the water level first of course below skimmer so will take a lot of water again to refil. I sure am praying it own't leak this time.

Jeff was here this morning. We were brainstorming someting to cover all mechanical stuff including top of falls. Everything we thought of was very expensive to construct. One tile 11 X 14 on internet was $55.00. We could use that as a focal point in center on front and then our white tile all around that. BUT then what to use on side and back that would compliment front.
I still like the fish shack idea Jeff had but we couldn't decide what to make it out of as wood deteriots so fast in our climate. My brain in tired from thinking.

Bonnie

Grrr.....I'm going up to Hasbitat in the morning to see if it's still there....You called the Habitat on Dillard in Winter Garden, right?