A Few Pics of the Pond this Year -

Hi folks - After everyone's advice for the skimmer/filter, the algae, the fish - goldfish and koi, and the plants - I couldn't resist putting up a few pics of the ponds and stream this year. Because I followed your advice, I believe it is twice as beautiful and healthy for animals as last year. Thanks so much - hope I don't bore you -

First, a view of the bottom pond with the fish, the plants beginning to grow, and please note the clearness of the water due to the skimmer/filter I installed with your advice -

Here is one looking down at the lowest level of stream to the bottom pond. Using the hydrogen peroxide has sure worked to keep the string algae at bay, and costs pennies compared to what I was spending last year -

Geeze Dax, Its a stunner! And that island thingy, wish I had thought of that! :-)

Here is the middle section of stream - I've got some stones with moss that are gorgeous, accented by the parrot feather -

And here is the falls now that the hosta has grown in - the water is completely clear and always looks cool and sounds heavenly -

As a final pic, thought I'd show you how the animals all love it too - they are quite a show as they drink and bathe in the water. This is a cardinal just getting ready for his daily bath -

Thanks for your time and all your great advice! Dax

Hi, snapple45 - thanks so much for your advice - as you can see, I followed it pretty much to the letter, and I'm SOOO happy. I picked up the floating island at a pond show we had here. It looks great and gives the fish a shady place since the plants aren't full grown yet. Plus, it gives a place for the frogs to hang out. randbponder is experimenting making one of his own and I think he's almost got it perfected - Russ? Are you there for some advice on the island for snapple45? Dax

Yep. still stripping a gear or two in my brain.
I was trying desperatly to get everything done. and needed to get the lotus in the pond and didn't have time to wait till I got the new stream bed and biological filter bed ready for them. So I got the idea to float the tub in the pond. I had a tub that is 17" deep 21" across. I cut a hole in a piece of styrofoam that was 6" thick, then trimed smaller till I got it floating as low as I could. Have holes in the tub to let water exchange but not the Koi. I still need to camoflage the styrofoam around the tub. I'm thinking some spagg moss and some small plants and some small rocks. Have a resin frog that might go there too. This is suposed to be a temp solution. as unfortunatly I caused myself a lot of work on some pond repairs. Oh hey Becki we got bran new babies hatching. I need the magnifyer to see um. sent you a D on that. I took one pic of the tub contraption. will wait till I get some stuff on it for another. don't have a digital so have to wait to develop them.

It's beautiful, dax. I like the flat surface the waterfall spills onto and then the way it spills again into the pond.

Thanks, Fireant13 (very interesting name) - and Russ, saw your d-mail before I read this so of course you've already done it - Will wait for the pics - Dax

Dax, it has all turned out beautifully!! And I love the little island. Is it anchored or does it move around the pond?

Just love your pond. I bet that was a lot of work! But I am sure it was well worth it.

Guess I promised a pic of my emergency planter for my lotus. tub is a livestock mineral feeder. cut hole in center of styrofoam block. then had to keep cutting down the ring to get the tub to go lower in the water. Sorry don't have pic with any camoflage.

And one of water fall I am rebuilding, after part of it fell down while I had the pond drained for cleaning.
I now have the water running as of 4:30 this afternoon. Took pics but need to be developed yet.

Thanks for the kudos, and trunnels, yes, it's anchored to the deepest part of the pond with a brick. It can only move about a foot in each direction, which makes it much more stable. Hi, Russ, sent you a response in d-mail. - Dax

verrrrrrrry impressive, one of the best designs I have seen from someone not a professional landscaper.........don't cha just love the mineral tubs? I am growing tomatoes and herbs in 7 of them this year......and use one filled with water and mosquito eating fish as a nursery for new water plants in the greenhouse during the winter...and one filled with willow stems which has something in them that help to root cuttings

OK - you've got my interest and my best friend's - mineral tubs? What are they? How do they work? Do you put them together yourself? I want to know ALL!! My friend is very much into herbs, and some vegetables and is hanging over my back right now in excitement! Please let me know more - THanks! Dax