The little hole that could...

Overview

So like so many others I inherited a big ole hole in my yard when I bought my house.
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3 feet deep with 2 feet of sand and muck and all kinds of crap in it. Build a pond someone said, (probably me but I don't want to point fingers).
So I started digging. Broke an ankle the first year pulling muck out. Tried using a little garden wagon then a rubbish can to haul the sand and dirt and muck out, that didn't work. Finally bought a wheelbarrow! Woohoo I was on my way.
Dug out the sides of the pond, had a near death experience with a snake showing me the huge gaping whole in my liner. Still the thrill of having a pond lingered with the thought of bubbling water and cold beer so I persevered.
Then came the day... I was almost done. Hole was dug, liner was in. Water was a flowin'.
I was ready for the cold bever.... Wait, s&@$ I have to edge the pond and I want a water feature, and how in the hell do I filter this mass of water.
Off to Lowe's for pallet after pallet of rock and edging and stone. Almost done!
Sh$&@ I need a big stack of rocks for my waterfall... Back to Lowe's for, you guessed it, rock. Concrete rock, pea gravel oh and don't forget the big waterfall rock I need... Which Lowe's doesn't carry
Sh$&& now I need plants.... Which Lowe's doesn't carry.
Found a pond store,
Got a lily and some plants planted. Oh until the
Lily decided to float and I was attacked by a vicious mutant frog.
Still no cold beverage but I've moved on to Valium and therapy.
Build a pond they said... I hate they.
And I still wish I had a cold beverage.
Truthfully this has been enjoyable giving up my sanity to this big ole hole in the ground.
I wish someone had said knit a sweater instead.
To all of you who have done this, hats off to you!

Planning and Construction

Planning.....hahahahahahaha, *gasp, *wheeze hahahahahaha. My planning stage included drinking a bunch of beer while bitching about the previous owners inability to keep the %$#^& pond clean. Then I joined this forum and got some rough idea of what my options were, (which basically means still no planning but it was a narrower path to wander down).
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Construction went like this:
Dig, Cry, Dig, Swear, Sweat, Dig, Cry, Dig, Yell, Dig, Hit Bottom, (not the drunk, sell your kidney for another drink bottom, but the pond bottom),

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Do the happy Dance,
Do the sad Dance since I still have this left

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Dig, Throw in my liner, Fill it with water,

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Moved rocks, Sweat, Move Rocks, Sweat, Move Rocks, Sweat, Cry, Move Rocks, Buy Rocks, Cry, Move Rocks

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Move Rocks, Plant Plants, Move Rocks, Plant Plants, Sweat, Move Rocks, Sweat, Plant Plants

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And this is where I'm at now, not done but I cry and swear less.

Bog Update:
My hubby and I built this for the bog this weekend:

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I used 3/4 pipe, heavy duty hose, and now have a connection to be able to hook up a garden hose and water my plants out of the pond. Very happy with how it turned out.

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I also brought the edging of liner up over the waterfall rock and put some smaller rock on top of it. No roofing glue used yet but I like the look of it.

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I also made a filter box for my pump so it won't suck up any bottom plants.

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And it is flowing:
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Fish / Plant Stock

I have fishues so no fish.

Plants Thus far:
Blue Rush
Corkscrew Rush
Water Hyacinth
Water Lettuce
Parrot Feather
Creeping Jenny
Something tall and grassy
Two somethings shorter and spikier

Dragonflies
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Pond information

Added by
tbendl
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