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My wife and I are both blue collar and we have no choice but to build our own ponds. We keep an eye out for free local rock and read forums and for ideas and study pictures we take from the local pond tour.
Our first pond (2002) was a tub that we bought from Sams club and we were very happy with this set up. We loved sitting by the pond watching the fish and landscaping the pond. I used a Rubbermaid tub with bio balls and bridal veil for a filter and we always had crystal clear water.
Last summer we decided to go with a liner and used the existing hole from the tub. We moved the rock wall out a foot and made the pond bigger and deeper but not necessarily better. I thought that I could still use the same Rubbermaid tub for a filter that worked for the tub and I didn’t think we needed the expense of a skimmer. Also I did not work hard at leveling the pond and as soon as we filled the pond that was very apparent. The pond looked nice and the neighbors and friends complimented us but we were not happy.
Over the winter we decided to redo the pond and started thinking of different designs. We started with a basic design and started the project and once again moved the rock wall out another foot. With little knowledge of leveling something this big and not having a transit I took a long time trying to get the sides level. Most things will come to me and I usually figure most things out but the whole concept of getting the sides level was a struggle for my wife and me. I bought a laser level at sears and we started the process and after much trial and error we had it down. We studied pictures on the internet and from our past pond tours and started buying products. We bought an aquascape Mico skimmer and the Aquascape micro falls. Amazingly after some thought and not rushing things we got the skimmer and falls set and never had to redo them. We put in the liner and added water rock, plants and fish and the results are in the pictures. Most of the design thought comes from me, and my wife and I discuss the pro’s and cons but we were at a full stall with falls and couldn’t decide how we wanted the final product to look. One afternoon I went for a bike ride and after a couple hours when I came home Deb had the Oklahoma moss rock laid in and the falls were set. We didn’t need any foam to seal things and we (Debs work) have had many compliments on the falls.
The week we rebuilt the pond it rained several times. Each time we tarped and re-laid the old liner in the pond and the pond stayed dry. I have included a picture of the deluge we had that despite the tarps filled the hole with water. Three cities were hit by tornadoes and we had a tornado pass a few miles away but all we had to deal with was massive rain fall.
We have 7 Koi and 6 Comets and the ecosystem is setting up very nicely. I work 24 hour shifts and sitting by the pond in the morning after work is a great stress reliever. This last week we added lights and it has made evening pond sitting all the more enjoyable. We are on our sixth year with a pond and I cant see us ever not having one.
Larry & Deb.
