Show Us Your Water Gardens ....Big Or Small We Love Them All

Another angle of the bottom pond...

That is beautiful.
where are there more pictures..?
We're the same zone..just a trifle difference in the humidity!

We just built this pond, started it at the end of March. Here is a link to the thread of it being built... it's lenghthy now... but if you scroll down towards the end there are more photos.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/705479/

Brenda

Here's another pic...

Thanks..I'll go look. I like how the catcus contrasts in the back .

Bsavage, Super pond...i agree with rjudd, the arid desert plantings look great with the water. I like the elegant simplicity you have achieved...we are so tropical here in Fla. that we get carried away with our tropicals, as they grow like weeds! I must top up my little ponds at least once a week in our climate, we had a dry season and they would drop 4 inches or more, from evaporation (and i found out pesky racoons going "fishing" at night too!). How often do you top up your ponds in your climate? sue

This week, as it is VERY hot (110+) we are having to add an inch or two of water every 3 days. Right now I'm fighting a LOT of algae... we've been pretty clear, but I just pulled out all of the water lettuce because it was truning yellow from too much direct sun, and poof! The ponds are being overrun with algae. Any tips? We have used the natural "good bacteria" twice (usually it works great, but not much difference this time). Added 3 barley balls yesterday (they take a while to work)...

as for getting carried away, I have 5 new water lilies coming this week and just received 3 purple pickerel rushes that I bought on ebay (thanks for being a fantastic enabler, judy cooksey!). And I can't wait for the plants around the top pond to grow together... and the garden beds surrounding the adjoining patio to fill in!

LOL...Sue is so right...I was thinking of the contrast..from the Jungle to the Desert. Of course during the winter I can't wait for the tropicals to grow.. I have to top my pond off twice a week too, although the past week and half we've had quite a bit of rain.
I have tried the Barley bales that do help, however I think the warmer it is the more drastic measures need to be taken. I've also used pond block, but something about blue water reminds me of something else :), and I like to see to the bottom of the pond. I use an algaecide that is compatable with water plants when the temps get past 90F.

BSavage, i think your new water lilies will do the trick! Once they spread they will "shade out the algae", that is how i combat it, by using all my floating plants, also keeps the ponds cooler for the fish. Of course you know you must keep a small section open for the fish. Algae is so annoying! sue

Thanks for the input! rjudd, do you know the brand of algaecide you use?

I will have to look at the bottle when I get home. I usually get it at the aquarium store, as they tend to handle products that are more eco and live friendly.

http://www.pondliner.com/tetra_algaecontrol.html

this is the main website
http://www.pondliner.com/

My pond isn't in direct sun, sadly..no lillies, so I don't have to use it often. It doesn't affect the dragonfly larvaes or tad poles, and in fact I use it in my rain barrells that also contain tadpoles, dragonfly larvae, snails, and is also where I grow the extra supply of oxygenating seaweed. I keep that dragonfly larvae and tadpoles in rain barrells to eat any would be mosquitios.

This message was edited Jun 21, 2007 12:47 PM

Thank you for the links and information!

Here's ours. We don't have a pond - this is a pondless stream with a bog at the bottom (rock)
We have algae issues too (string and blanket) - I am trying to figure out what to do. I have read all the posts and the filter seems to be mentioned as part of the clean up. We don't have a filter. Just the pump in the vault...where would we hook the UV light to - any suggestions or would it not work in this scenario?

Here is a better one where you can see the green soupy look.
Any suggestions would be appreciated

And another

missingrosie I honestly don't know if you could have a UV light without a filter my is hooked up after the filter. You might try a little peroxide. That may be enough to clear your problem.

Jeri

Thanks
I will try.
Regular old peroxide?
How much to use (I think the water volume in the stream is about 1000 gallons)
No harm to the frogs?
Do I have to pull out all the existing algae or will it disintegrate with the peroxide?
Thanks for your help.

I've never used it but Loretta(Shadowgirl) recommends it. She said 1 pint(16oz) of 3% peroxide per 500 gal. She has a bullfrog named Jeremiah so I wouldn't think so. I know it doesn't hurt fish or plants. She said to dilute it with water at the time of adding it to the pond or in your case stream. I would think that if you can remove some manually that it would only help speed up the process.

She said it was better to add less and then more than too much at first.

I have an aquadyne bead filter and UV light on my pond. Actually it's time to change the UV bulb. My pond is starting to get a little green.

You are aware of the good algae that grows on the rocks. It helps maintain the ecological balance.

All the ponds are just amazing! Yall should be SO very proud of everything you have done! Outstanding!!

This is our first year in our new house so its the first year for our pond also!! Through hard work(Done mostly by the man of the house) and dedication, everything turned out great! We have had problems with algae but most have been resolved since adding a UV light filter. The sunflowers that grow along side the pond were planted by birds that knocked them out of a feeder that we used to have above the pond!! Neat, huh?!?!?!!

An overall view

Very nice, Locstress! Beautiful!

Love those sunflowers!!

I already posted above, but I took a couple pictures today that came out nice.

last one.

Gorgeous, Songsofjoy! Is that a garden shed? It is so quaint, and I love the window box and the blue door!

Lovely landscaping and stream/waterfall/pond! I love the little garden shed, too! You've certainly got an artist/landscaper's eye!

Thanks Brenda and Becky for the comments. My husband built the shed and I did the fun part (final touches). It's on a slope so it actually has a stone foundation and concrete basement floor under the back half. That is where I put my pump and two 55 gallon filters for the pond. The shed itself is currently for storing my garden tools. I have started hanging tools on the walls, trying to organize it a bit. I'd really love to use it as a little cottage where I can escape with a book or something when it's raining.

I would be a nice retreat...

aaahhhhh. makes me want one just like it.

Lovely, lovely, your stream looks so natural, what a paradise...love the sloping shape of the "cottage"....enjoyed your photos! sue

We just finished making a new spitter for the pond.

Nice! Cute froggies!

As we each say our prayers tonight, please include those who have received more rain than can be handled. Lives as well as property are being lost.

Yes, good thoughts prayers, and hope to those dealing with such adversity.

Yes, pretty scary in Texas recently. Let's hope & pray the rain stops soon and things dry out. Many of my DG friends and fellow traders live out there.

They are such great ponds! LOL The frogs are too cute.
Here is ours. Started this year.


This message was edited Jun 28, 2007 7:11 AM

love looking at everyone's pond. here's mine

here's the stream.

here's the top of the stream looking at the pond.

Oh Daylily!! Lovely ponds! But your last picture was outstanding...we will be moving from Fla. to Tenn. in a few years, and i really, really would love a small stream like yours! Your plantings near your stream bed are fabulous...all the plants we can't grow well here in Fla. The extra touch were the farm barns...i almost expect to see Timmy and Lassie chasing frogs in that setting!! (chuckle) Great photos and landscaping! sue