Above ground timber pond

[sissy]

I made window screen pockets to hang plants over the edge of my pond .Sewed screening with fishing line by hand and left a tail that goes under a rock sitting on top of the board

 

[Ianpond]

I made window screen pockets to hang plants over the edge of my pond .Sewed screening with fishing line by hand and left a tail that goes under a rock sitting on top of the board

That's a similar method to what I've done, it's simple and cheap but has the disadvantage that it would be harder to move plants around especially with more of them. If you're firmly decided on which plants go where then that is a good solution.

 

[Ianpond]

Ingenious. I have a similar design and haven't been able to figure out how to introduce plants that can't just be placed 2.5 feet deep on the bottom (like water lilies) or floaters. I wanted to add a suspended shelf a few inches below the surface but figured a piece of wood would just rot.

I've been thinking about this plant shelf.

Same as you, timber is out and so is any type of metal. Then had an idea: http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Black-Squareline-Gutter-Length-2000mm/p/158859 in an L shape with http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Black-Squareline-Gutter-90-Deg-Bend/p/158891 in the corner.

I may have to cut off one side of the gutter to make it into a shelf if it isn't wide enough.

What do you think?

 

[CeeJayH]

I think you may need quite a number of supports because guttering isn't that rigid, but in principle I think it could work.

 

[sissy]

You can make those window screen plant pockets any size and all that is holding mine in place is a rock that sits on top of the tail piece .Even plastic gutters won't work well because they are not very deep .I put plastic gutters on the back of my shed last year and they needed lots of support brackets and it was only 24 feet long .It said on the install paper to use supports every 12 to 18 inch's .

 

[Ianpond]

Couldn't think of anything more suitable so went to have a look at the guttering this weekend. It is much more rigid than the usual half-round stuff so I bought some.

The cable tie slots were made with a red hot nail, less chance of splitting than when being drilled.

There has to be a perpendicular shelf so that they keep each other from tipping forward.

http://s604.photobucket.com/user/beekeeper_hornet/media/IMG_8747r.jpg.html

Installed: http://s604.photobucket.com/user/beekeeper_hornet/media/IMG_8748r.jpg.html

Quite pleased with the result as it is not very noticeable and also relatively cheap.

 

[CeeJayH]

Good job. it blends in very well. Once the plants get established and spread, it will be hardly visible.

 

[Ianpond]

Thanks!

I do have a few more plants in now http://s604.photobucket.com/user/beekeeper_hornet/media/IMG_8752r.jpg.html (ignore the bit of string, that's for the thermometer.) Should I split them up into several pots or wait until they are a bit bigger?

I also got a Nymphaea Marliacea Albida lily which is growing rapidly.

Hopefully the fish will be going in this weekend.

 

[Ianpond]

At last, the moment we've all been waiting for, well I have at least! The difference in temperature between the tank and the pond was 4°C in the morning so time to go...

They have no idea: http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt125/beekeeper_hornet/IMG_8755r.jpg

Ready? http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt125/beekeeper_hornet/IMG_8756r.jpg

Go. http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt125/beekeeper_hornet/IMG_8759r.jpg

 

[Ianpond]

cont.

They were floated in the crate for an hour or so, gradually swapping water from one side to the other http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt125/beekeeper_hornet/IMG_8761r.jpg

Released: http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt125/beekeeper_hornet/IMG_8762r.jpg

The anti heron/cat patrol is on maximum alertness: http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt125/beekeeper_hornet/IMG_8763r.jpg

The view from the kitchen: http://i604.photobucket.com/albums/tt125/beekeeper_hornet/IMG_8766r.jpg