Once Again, I'm Putting in a Pond!

I've done 2 prior to this but unfortunately not on the same property and was not able to move either one when I changed residency.

NOW, I own 5 acres and moved here in early December. I can put in a new pond without having to worry about moving again. I am here to stay!!!!!

We needed to haul some dirt to fill another area of the yard so decided to start digging here as this would be a good place for a pond.

Friday I bought a round 300 gallon Rubbermaid Field Trough and we'll be setting it into this hole in the ground. They will deliver it on Monday along with some fencing materials for the back yard. We have a lot of work cut out for us next week.

The arbor is off to the side of the pond area. It has chairs in it and will be a good viewing area.

I am hoping everything will look better when spring gets here and things start growing again. This is my first winter in 30, spent out of zone 10a.

Molly
:^)))

Looks like you're gonna have fun! Keep us updated! What kind of filter do you plan to use? Will there be fish?

Wow! Big project but big satisfaction when you're done. Keep the pics coming.

Fish, my last pond was a stillwater and it did quite well. I had a lot of oxygenating plants in there, plenty of anacris to clean it and about 7-8 goldfish. Not to mention papyrus, lotus, lily etc.

I'm checking into a solar fountain now to put in there. Yes, I hope to do goldfish again. I am very fond of these fish.

C'mon Monday!!!!

Molly
:^)))

Molly, how do you do it all? I just keep getting amazed....time and time again.

Hap

Nancy, I'm not working (for profit that is) at the present time. So, I work here on the property. I guess I should make a plan...............maybe Tuesday.

Molly
:^)))

Goooo Molly, I'm cheering you on! I want to see your pictures as your labor progresses. I've had stillwater ponds for quite some time, but then added the solar spitters and fountains...they worked well and kept things flowing (some pun intended)
Oh to have 5 acres....sigh......
:)
MerryMary

They delivered the pond/watering trough Monday morning.

We leveled the hole and set the pond in. Seems the hole was larger than the container.

Since this pond has no shelves in it for plants, I decided bog buckets would do nicely. I had originally planned on 5 gallon paint buckets but these water jugs with the tops cut off look much better.

There is a drain hole on one side, so we put the 4x4's in to keep the soil away from the opening. If we needed to access the plug, we need only pull the 2 center boards out.

This message was edited Feb 8, 2006 12:52 AM

Yesterday when we put the pond in, we planted the grasses, sea oats, purple fountain and mexican feather and placed the pots of Black Magic on the sides.

I planted the Dwarf Japanese Maple that I bought for this area. Now that the deliveries to the house were pretty much finished, I planted the second Eastern Red Cedar in the old driveway to screen the pond and house from the road.

Today we went to town for fish and pond plants.

We got 5 various sized gold fish taken from an outdoor pond so they were already accustomed to the outside air temperatures.

In the bog pots we got several LA Iris, Medusa, acorus, celery and fl crypt and gold stripe. In the pond we put dwarf papyrus, giant sensitive vine, parrot feather, hornwort and anacris.

And here's some of the fish.

Mary, I should be getting the solar fountain very soon. The one with the panel in a fake rock. While I was at it, I ordered 24 solar powered lights. I'll put a couple by the pond, some will sparsely line the driveway and I will scatter the rest around the gardens.

We'll need to bring up more pine needles to cover the ground for mulch and to keep the sand from eroding. I will be putting more ground cover plants in to fill the areas around the pond to the arbor.

Just waiting on some of my plants to wake up from their winter sleeps.

Oops, I forgot, there is a hardy lily down in the bottom of the pond. One with variegated leaves and will have yellow flowers.

When these plants grow up a bit, the grasses will soften the edges of the pond. A storm just hit my brain. If I can find some salvage, I could put some stack stones up the edges to make the rim disappear completely. I better get over to freecycle and keep my eyes open. But for now, we'll just have to wait for the plants to grow up.

Molly
:^)))

Molly, good grief woman, you are really cranking this thing out! Congratulations on all of your hard work, it's really taking shape!
The solar lights around your pond, will draw nighttime moths/etc, which will infact draw frogs and toads....Having tadpoles in your pond will keep your plants healthy and a great deal of your algae at bay.
Where did you find someone with outdoor fish? I've really had a hard time finding too many pond suppliers here in Florida, which seems silly, when we have the kind of weather that keeps a pond healthy all year long! Just FYI, there's a person on Ebay, that sells sarassa goldfish (the red and white ones) that look like koi, but are much less destructive and much more temperature fluctuation friendly. I have never recieved a dead fish from her yet. They usually come in groups of 4 or 5, and her shipping price is around $15 which is unheard of for fish shipping!
Keep the pictures coming! I love seeing your work of art in progress!
:)
Mary

Molly - Thanks so much for posting the pictures : ) It is looking lovely and you did it so fast!

I just put in my first small pond - a 60 gallon preform from HD. I added watercress from my local nursery, a black gamecock iris I had in the greenhouse (actually an old ramshackle structure I built many years ago... "greenhouse" gives it a dignity it doesn't deserve!), a canna out of the garden, and a waterlily from ebay.

Mary - I just put in a couple of small goldfish from the pet store... is that a no-no? They've been in there a couple of weeks now and are much more active and seemingly happier than they were in the aquarium they came out of.

Diane, south of Tampa

Diane....actually the normal "fish store" goldfish are some of the hardiest fish around. They're just fine and dandy in your pond. They can take hot or cold water, aren't nearly as succeptable to diseases, and CHEAP! I had one live in my wheelbarrow for 3 years while I worked on my pond, got sidetracked, worked on my pond, got sidetracked, worked on my pond...well you get the idea.....I went out one day and the water had evaporated down to about a half inch, don't know how long it had been that way, but I got the hose, refilled it, and he was happy as a clam once again! I never even fed him, mosquito larvae and a few tadpoles who found their way in there kept him fat and happy.
Of course now I treat my fish like they're children!
You can get other fish from the fish store to add to your pond if you have warm water. Mollies breed quite easily, and the little peach colored feeder fish both survive very well.
MerryMary

It is looking great Molly! When things warm up here, I'll load you up with pond plants. You better start a postage fund. I'll have lots of goodies for you. LOL

Merry Mary Mary, okay ya got me hooked on the solar stuff. I bought a solar fountain that only works in the sun. But I picked up 24 yard lights that only work at night.....perfect.

I've been picking up a thing here and there for my pond. Some grasses for the sides as well as some things for the bog bottles.

We put in white fountain, muhley grass and some umbrella plants today. I've been looking for pots that are busting out. Price of a gallon pot with dividable plants.

The fish are doing well despite the 17 we had 3 nights ago. We are in a (hopefully) 15 day warm spell now. Trying to get as much planting as possible done.

My papyrus suffered that freeze though. All growth above the water line got frost bit and turned brown. I guess I should have just sunk the whole pot and it would have protected it over night. But what do I know. I haven't been in freezing weather in years.

Any advice on that papyrus? can I cut off the brown and wait for more green to rise and grow? It is still green below the water level.

Molly
:^)))

So I did cut off the brown on that papyrus and there is new growth showing now. But that's not all.

I have a lot of algae but I am not going to concern myself with it too much. I went and bought a good sized pleeco (sic) and he's been in there feasting away for a week or so now. Haven't seen him, but that water is pretty murky in green.

The pond sits in full sun so the algae was inevitable. I know I need at least 50% of the water surface covered with plants etc. Well today we have almost that much so Mr Pleeco will be able to catch up eating it now.

I added a LA iris to the pond. Some of the grasses got freeze bite and we had to cut them back, but things are looking good, they will return.

What's that you say? What is that thing right in the middle?

I am so excited. Found him today. And we have made friends with each other. He can't figure out how to get out of the pond because of the vertical sides. So I gave him a ramp. And yet, he's still not too interested in exiting the pond.

Here's another view of my new friend.

Chele, I'm going back to Lauderdale for work so I can earn some more postal money. I hope your pond is doing well through the winter. It's almost over now!!!!!

Molly
:^)))

Molly, I'm SO happy youre hooked on the solar "thing".....
What a cost effective way (especially in Florida) to get your yard up and running! No pulling permits, no wiring, no concerns about electricity and water, it's free, and it's portable!
Thanks for posting the pics, I love seeing other ponders as they progress.
Looks like some of your algae is the surface floating kind, and can be net skimmed off. The toads and frogs in your pond will help immensely with the algae problems. Once spring rolls around, you''l have plenty!
:)
MerryMary

I just found this thread. I haven't been checking water gardens for a while with limited online time. I love your pond and plants. What a good idea with the bog plants.

My pond is still going, and the fish are still swimming, though I need plants. New projects often turn out catastrophic for me, but it's nice the pond is still running. Thanks for your advice last summer.

After that day of the photo, the frog disappeared, but then so did that layer of pond scum.

I knew without 50% surface shade, we would have algae. Not a big worry to me. As soon as that lily grows some bigger pads, that problem will be solved. In the meantime, more food for the pleco.

Mary, thanks for your advice on the solar driven items. It's a great way to go. The floating and underwater plants are doing a fine job and fishes are healthy.

Nancy, nice to see ya here. Glad your fish are doing well too. Things always get better.

Molly
:^)))