*some people have chicken poop, or rabbit poop or horse poop -- we have fish poop
Bucket of rain water or tank water, net, and of course the get up and down stool. Turn the power off. Pull the pump filter boxes out, pull out the filter material. Rinse well. Replace. Water edible plants.
We've had droughts, monsoons, leaky external filter connections, leaky fountain, water under the liner, expanding roots, rocks sliding down - down - down. All good stuff.
Things I've learned? Don't cut your liner until you've cycled. If you are new to this whole water garden concept, maybe just don't cut it at all. Fold up the sides and tuck it in.
Don't skimp on plumbing parts. Go for rigid or semi-rigid. Glue and/or cement your fittings.
Plan for electrical expansion. Figure out how you want to hide your electrical but keep it above monsoon level. Hint! Casa Depot has some very realistic looking fake hollow rocks you can order. Can you spot ours?
You will need more filtration than you thought. Just sayin ....
You feel like a bad parent when your baby fish have babies. But OMG - they are so cute. There are 3 or 4 (I think) different aged babies in the pond right now that must have been born here. Imagine that .....
This is Green Smoke. I'm so glad I got this. Outstanding. Even not in bloom, the large variegated leaves have so much character.
I have one lily in a typical black plastic pond planter, the other in a re-purposed clay orchid planter. I like the clay better. Less tipping over. Oh, and speaking of clay .... All clay non-clumping cat litter is not created equal. Target brand is not so good. Wally World 'Special Kitty' for shizzle. Non clumping, no perfume.
"I think having a water feature, like an aquatic garden, is a lot like owning an old house. You're always in the middle of a work in progress, and at the same time the end target is somewhat changing -- you see things a little differently over time and plans change." Pondbucket via GW
Umm, I would have to agree with that.
Room addition? Check. Removing plant shelfs? Check. Rearranging rocks and plants and planters? Check.
** I wrote that part yesterday. Today this part of the pond has changed just a teeny bit. You see, there were these rocks on clearance. Really nice rocks. Just perfect for this spot. No, I wasn't looking for rocks for the pond ....
Where was I????
Oh yea, fixing things. So, yes I have fixed a few things. The latest project was working on the stretch along the sidewalk. Why can you never find out about these small little problem areas before you start????
My latest go-to fix was laying a course of brick for stabilization. And to pull the liner around and over the brick. So far, pretty good. One spot is giving me grief. Which means it will need to come out and be fixed better.
Sitting the concrete block on top a folded up piece of liner was NOT one of my better ideas. Catches junk like crazy. But the goldfish minnows sure seem to like it.
Oh, and note to hubs - water levels itself - always. And an un-level fountain basin drives your bride batty.
Fall is in the air. Leaves are falling like crazy into the pond. I really don't want to put a net over it, so far its not too bad. The pond is small after all. I can see how come spring pollen time I'll need to do something. Will a net even catch pollen??
Normally there is a bunch of oxygenators in the pond. Around the fountain basin, and scattered amongst my miles of water hose. I guess it is the tadpoles tearing them up like crazy right now. I've moved them into a tub. If they don't recover by themselves I'll need to get some more. Probably a good idea to keep a tub growing all the time anyway. Just in case .....
** yet another long break. Think I'll just post this time. Easier to find!
As of mid-September, I have confirmed 10 fish in the pond. 5 of those were born in the pond, so they are very small. By my calculations, this is about 6 fish too many. Oh, and I'm adding pond plants. More lilies. There is another set of tadpoles that have spawned. And I need more water coverage. Plus, water lilies are suppose to help reduce evaporation. Any lily overgrowth can go to the rain tanks.
Foutain
Henri Studios 'Spiral Fountain' - two part cast stone - 40" tall - 24" basin
Cabomba
Hornwort
Aquatic Onion
Green Smoke Tropical Lily
Panama Pacific Tropical Lily
Water Poppy
*new
Mameaw Tropical Lily
Yellow Dazzler Tropical Lily
Miami Rose Tropical Lily
Plants on the margins of the Pond:
Black Gamecock Louisiana Iris
Variegated Sweet Flag
Society Garlic
Mondo Grass
Oxalis - Red and Bi-color
Impatiens
Calla Lily
Black Stem Colocasia
Dwarf Colocasia
Horse Tail Rush
Terrestrial Pitcher- Sarracenia
Juncus effusus 'Spiralis' - lesser corkscrew rush
Rabbit Foot Fern
Resurrection Fern
Fishtail Fern
Birds Nest Fern
Tillandsia
Mondo Grass
Caladiums
Black MagicTaro
Mojito Colacasia
Dwarf Antherium
Siam Lily
Collard Greens
Swiss Chard
Pineapple Lily
All the connections are glued with PVC glue. Additionally, the thru-wall fitting is sealed with Silicone Sealant on both sides. Inside the pot, the threaded union lets water out into the bottom of the pot. I've thought about adding a venturi to get more oxygen in the water. Or, maybe just screw on a T fitting with 90's facing opposite directions. I've also thought about adding a check valve. Having the gunky water back flow into the pump when the power is off is not a great idea. Note, the check valve needs to be a swing check valve, not a spring. Insufficient PSI for a spring. And PVC check valve is preferred.
The pot sits in a basin that is about 6" deep or so. The basin slopes towards the pond. The basin, and the back ledge is fully lined. Actually, the 'fully lined' was added later, so it is sort of layed in precisely to flow over the pond liner. The pot, with all it's plumbing apparati on the bottom is sitting on top a few bricks. The pot is tilted ever so slightly towards a rock that will splash semi equally into the pond or into a very small bog garden. Around the pot sitting in the basin, I have added mondo grass, variegated flag and horse tail rush. The idea is the water will filter slowly through the roots of these plants back into the pond.
*Since I've started on this post, I've added more plants! Just love to find things that work great for this garden.
I'm starting to plan on the next remodel. Because after all, there has to be - doesn't there? I can't believe I started off thinking I wouldn't need much filtration, and now I'm planning a remodel around filtration. Well, too I've figured out how to get the water to flow over the basin of the fountain and into the pond. Really pretty simple now that I know more.
So I'm thinking that after the spring pollen fall I'll move the plants and fish into temporary quarters and break everything down. Hubs will have a fit. I'll put up a sign that will say - "It will be better than great when it is done."
Goals:
- Build a brick retaining wall under the edge of the sidewalk for the sidewalk edge of the pond
- Build a brick retaining wall for the path side of the pond where the pond is up to the path edge
- Eliminate most of the slopes down gradually sides and make the sides vertical down
- Add an external pump/filter box and move all pumps into it
- Pipe the fountain from the main pump
- Create a designated pond overflow spot for flood control that can not flow back into the pond, nor under the liner
- Try to get the pond deeper where sewage pipes, oak tree stumps and huge roots don't interfere
- Eliminate the inward bend on the spitter side
- Minimize the inward bend on the electrical side (old stump in ground)
- The more I think about it, the more I am convinced to put in the PVC pipe under the sidewalk at this time. It will make the pond extension to the other side of the sidewalk that much easier. Not having any idea of the depth of a full grown comet goldfish, I'm guessing a 6" Sch 40 PVC pipe should work. I'll cap both ends after it is under the sidewalk. Then expansion will be easy-peasy. Well, the connecting the new and the old part that is. Not the digging of the hole. And the determining the combined level of the water. I digress - all of that - except the pipe under the sidewalk - is for another brain bending session.
All-righty then .... lets do some planning...
The pond is roughly pie shaped, and will be at least one straighter side. The near side; with the electrical. can be shelved down to about 12" where the stump remains & sewer pipe start. The fountain is 40" tall and sits atop an 8" concrete block. The best I can calculate currently has the pond around 300 gallons. Straightening out the sides and eliminating the interior slopes I should be maximum 700 gallons, probably less.
Pump - Mag Drive
Pondmaster Mag Drive 18 I think ... or should I go for the 24/2400 gph?
"1800 gph pump with 18' cord. 145 watts; 1.50 amps. 1200 gph @ 5', 900 gph @ 10', 575 gph @ 15'. shut off 20'. Powerful ceramic magnetic impeller is the only moving part which makes these pumps extremely energy efficient. Pumps can be used inline or submerged. 3/4" FNPT intake and 3/4" MNPT discharge. Includes pre filter. Limited 3 year warranty.
6.4"L x 4.5" W" x 4.6"H"
End result? One pump to feed (1) fountain (2) bio-filter drip fall (3) spitter and (4) not currently used. Maybe a bamboo water drip.
EPDM Liner -
Koi clubs calculator recommends 23 x 18. Ouch.
External Filter/Pump Box
A Matala Bio Filter 10 is 23.2" x 12.4" x 20.2" (L x W x H)
I can buy sheet Matala Filter Pads and cut them to my own desired size ....
hmmm ....
Will this work? Actually, with the pump being in the top box I should not need a check valve. I think.
While all this is peculating around the brain cavity, lets think on how to put up a respectable appearing screen for future spring pollen drops.
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