Overview
We started out last year by turning a strange little "shrine" into a small pond. The "shrine" was a 4' x 4' cinder block base, with a white picket fence around it, a statue of Mary, 2 Asian elephant statues, a bunch of tacky plastic flowers, and a creepy doll head (not kidding). We cleared ALL of that out, and had a usable focal point in the yard, but did not want just another planted garden. I had kept a small koi pond a few years back, in Tucson, and really missed the joy and relaxation of it. We measured, and were able to squeeze in a 50 gallon pre-formed pond liner. We also added a small waterfall piece, which was leaky and a complete failure. With thriving lilies and growing fish, we outgrew the 50 gallon in a matter of months, so... we started to dig again! Out came the pre-form, and we dug 3 feet straight down. Ended up with 4' x 4', and 3' deep, so about 360 gallons. The end of summer brought an oxygen depletion tragedy upon us, so we added a second pump and filter, plus a waterfall, plus a good aerator. We've been able to get the water really nice this year, adding a UV. Today we are upgrading to a 2100 gal pressure filter so we can stock a bit more. Really looking forward to buying our own home in a couple of years, so we can go nuts and have a larger pond!
Planning and Construction
Here are the progress photos, from starting with the tiny pre-form, to digging out the 360 gallon pond.
Fish / Plant Stock
Currently enjoying 3 koi, 1 Shubunkin, 2 Ryukin, and 4 trap door snails, plus 2 lilies and a bunch of hyacinth.
