Two questions

[Bullfrog]

Pond liners don't exist here so mine will have to be made from concrete. Are there any special concerns about using concrete? At least there will be no liner to hide and it will be all stone, bottom and sides.

Plants, I can't just go buy them to get the nitrogen cycle going as there are none for sale here. How about just getting some from the local lagoon? They might not be pretty, but will do the job.

 

[dieselplower]

Koiphen would be a much better place to ask about concrete ponds.

 

[j.w]

Can't you order over the net Bullfrog? Lots get their liners from there. Also there are clay ponds that hold water. I don't know anything about how they do it but others here might. Here is a concrete one from the Koiphen site: http://www.koiphen.com/forums/showthread.php?23518-cement-pond-build
Oh and for the plants you can stick any kind of plant in there that will grow in water. Just experiment. Might want to make sure no leeches or ? are stuck on them when you add them to your water.

 

[addy1]

All I know about concrete ponds is they need to be coated with something to make them water tight. I have see people use a rubber type paint on coating.

 

[Bullfrog]

Thank you. These people invented concrete, they built the pyramids and are masters of cement. They can make it waterproof with a paint on coating, if it seeps a little, it rains here every day so water replacement will be ongoing. I'd really not have a liner if I can use cement as it will last forever. Shipping anything here is not cost effective as not only the freight is horrendous but you also pay taxes on anything new not purchased here. I'm sure I'll find some water plants growing wild here. I'm going to ask to see the lagoon before I haul the kayaks here.

I was going to sell my scuba gear but there are miles of underground cenotes and caves filled with water to explore. Vast cave systems. They have actually found skeletons hundreds of yards inside of these caves underwater. How they got there is still a mystery as once filled with water, they do not dry out, water is what made them. They have also found jade and gold artifacts that the indians threw into the cenotes as a gift to the gods of the underworld they believed lived there. I'd go nuts if I found an unexplored underwater cave and didn't have my scuba gear.

Even if I find nothing, cave diving is beautiful.

 

[j.w]

Oh boy you will love the hunt and don't throw out your gear as you never know when you might need it. Sure is pretty and the water is so clear under there and so calm. Looks like they can go pretty darn deep. And if one doesn't scuba dive it's even a neat place to just have a swim or photograph cool looking fish. Does Gloria scuba dive too? What an adventure for you!

 

[Bullfrog]

The water is the clearest anywhere, filtered by limestone. Gloria wanted to learn in Paamul and probably still will, it will be months before the house is built. I would be concerned about her diving a cave, it is an overhead environment with no way out should something go wrong. That is why you see the divers using redundant everything, tanks, regulars, flashlights, etc. If anything fails way back in the cave, you are dead, it is that simple. There are fossils of whale vertebrae and many other ancient animals fused into the walls that the running water has exposed. It is fascinating.

 

[j.w]

So beautiful but dangerous. I think I would just watch and enjoy the pictures. Lots of neat stuff to find. Be careful if you do it. Wonder if you have to watch out for pirates trying to steal what you find