busy, thankful, and about done!

[brokensword]

Well, it's been a busy 6 weeks or so but I think I'm finally, maybe, able to sit back and start relaxing by the new pond. Though I haven't been participating on the forum, I've been reading and taking your advice for this project. Other than getting a permanent water source (a hose line) hooked up for pond top-offs and watering the interior flora, and painting the whole structure white, I think I'm more or less done! I've included some pictures of the process, for anyone who's interested. What I envisioned was a patio/pond that was screened in. That's what I accomplished. Total room is 20x20, and the pond is roughly 16' at its longest and 9' at each end with the middle about 6'. Total depth is about 42", total gallonage is 2800 or so. I have painted turtles on the right (waterfall side) and goldfish on the left (plant side), with a divider to separate the two different fauna. I ended up using addy's bog recommendation, so that's my filter system. I really appreciate all the threads/help/diy type advice I've received from the forum's knowledgeable deniziens; thank you! Now just have to pick up the patio table and chair set (my wife's favorite part of this whole ordeal!) and I can begin cursing the fact that summer is just...about...over! (didn't think it would take this long, but I didn't have much help and temps were in the mid 90's during the digging, wheelbarrowing, flagstoning, and bog building phases!)



Michael

The pics show; closeup of interior (don't mind the odd stitching of the back wall), a view from the southeast, a view from the west, a view from just inside the doors with the wide angle lens, a mid construction shot showing the exterior wall framing and pergola-style roof in place, first wall raised, patio finished and pond dug, and last year's pic of the back of the house without a pondhouse in existance! Thanks for looking!

 

[j.w]

That is a dream come true and just gorgeous. Man you did a wonderful job. I want one!

 

[jupiter1]

Excellent ! Nice work and in 6 weeks too. Intersting how you divided betweem turtles and fish and combined 2 intrests .I need somethig like that , skeeters are overwhelming at night here .Looks bigger than 20 x 20 in the photos .

 

[addy1]

Beautiful job, Love your set up. Love the screen room, we don't have that many skeeters here, my birds, plants, frogs seem to have them under control.

Jw bet he would come and build you one lol!



Yeah now time for this!

 

[taherrmann4]

Nice screened in pond. Looks good.

 

[sissy]

thats not a pond thats a room addition LOL Matches your house also .Thats one heck of a pond and patio .I like the way you landscaped the outside area instead of just letting grass grow up to it .Would like nice with some boulders out there too

I see you had a couple on that one corner but they are peek boo behind what looks like lilies

 

[j.w]

I might be able to get my DH to build me one of those..........I know he could do it..................it's just the getting him to do it part. Sure do love it Michael!

 

[stroppy]

very very nice have you thought of covering it in plastic for the winter ? then you could enjoy it all year

 

[addy1]

very very nice have you thought of covering it in plastic for the winter ? then you could enjoy it all year

The snow load would probably bring it down, they are in michigan..............lots of snow

 

[stroppy]

oh maybe not such a good idea addy .. still its a neat pond very different

 

[taherrmann4]

I was wondering about the snow thing as well, if you have a screen for your roof won't the snow accumulate on that and bring it down?

 

[brokensword]

jw;

thanks for the kind words and glad you like. I'll admit, the 'view' was nicer before I enclosed the pond/patio, but it had to be; had to make it kid safe, raccoon safe, heron safe, and most of all mosquito safe or I'd never sit and enjoy after a day's work, ya know?

I'm sure if you add a lil honey, your Honey will indeed find a way to build one too. I was learning the pond angle on the fly as I already had construction savvy, but from the threads I've read, your DH already has the knowledge! I'd go for it as it sure is nice to sit back and not get bit by bugs, listening to the rush/gurgle of water while I idly contemplate exactly how many fish I can shoehorn into the pond!

Jupiter;

seemed large enough as I was raising 24' roof joists. I'd rather have had a larger pond but planning the enclosure AND incorporating a patio made 20x20 the limit. Costs of wood over 20' go up when you do and this cost enough. Thanks for looking and commenting. The divider I made from plastic hardware cloth and fiberglass screening, tied to a pvc conduit frame. I wanted something strong enough to withstand the turtles claws (hence the hardware cloth is 'turtle-side') and something small enough to keep any gf fry from wandering over and becoming sushi for the turtles (hence the fiberglass screen is 'gf-side'). I overlapped the mesh(es) so that when in contact with the pond walls, the extra takes care of most of the non-linearity of the sides. I did have one fish find a way over into the turtle side (prior to installing the turtles). I had to find the 'leak' and put some foam as an added deterrent. So far, fish on one side, turtles on the other. I'm actually more worried about the turtles finding a way over the rocks and into the 'snack bar'. Only been two days for the turtles so they've not misbehaved yet. I'm watching them though...


addy;

Thanks for the accolades and I see that for once, jw was 'out-animated-giffed', huh? Hard to imagine EVER having skeeters under control, but I water my lawn and gardens even when it doesn't rain, so there is much about my yard that a skeeter would like. Been this way ever since I moved in and I knew I'd never sit in the back yard in the evening without a defense against them, so this is my solution. Hope it works as when I was messing with the fauna divider, a whole mess of larvae scattered as I moved, ending my misconception that skeeters like to lay their eggs in still water. I've had the pump running since I first filled the pond so no self respecting skeeter should have done such a heinous crime. Go figure.



taH;

thanks for looking and your nice words. It was an ordeal but the light at the end of the tunnel has been broached! And re the snow; I hadn't thought that one out, so I'm hoping it won't be too flimsy (as noted to addy, I have 4x4 sections of aluminum screen held with 1x6 womanized wood laid out in a gridwork), but I'm glad you've all brought this to my attention and I'll see to reinforcing the idea that the roof will be intact next spring! Thanks!


stroppy;

As a matter of fact, I have. I was going to do it more to protect/keep the pond warmer in the winter as well as I read that it extends the pond season (which I approve of). I don't think I could keep the temps up high enough to forestall hibernation by the critters, not without some auxiliary heat, which sounds too costly of an idea at the moment. We'll see. I've read of plastic covers etc on the net, so I figure I've already got the structure; just need the plastic covering. Thing is, 20x20 is a large area to 'heat/keep moderated' so I'll monitor how it goes this winter.

And thanks for the kind words!


addy:

not sure if it will or not; I'll admit to not planning on that contingency. The top is aluminum screen, fastened in 4'x4' sections, so I'm not sure exactly what will happen. Usually, snow is light until it gets warm and begins to melt--that's where I expect to have issues, though I'd think the water melting would seep through the screen and I'd lose that weight. Still, it's a concern. Plastic sheeting on top might actually help as it adds another layer. Worse case scenario, I cover it with planking I've got in the garage, just to add rigidity to the roof. I'll ask a remodeler friend I know what he thinks...





Sissy;

Well, I'm a landscaper so that part was a given; got lots of garden and flowers, so much of what you see came from catches/divisions of my own yard. And I did get some good deals from the nurseries as this time of year, plants are very much on sale. If I'd have had extra boulders, I'd have definitely used them in the outside landscaping, but I barely made it with my original estimate. In time, I probably will augment the garden with boulders. Ties in the interior and exterior better. I did use some on the inside landscaping, but didn't have much to work with there either, space or rock. Thank you for looking and the kind words.

 

[addy1]

We put that clear rippled roofing on a shed, for natural light, put it on at a slight angle maybe 5 inches. Have had some heavy snows, so far it has held up well to the snow load, just slides off. but yours is a lot larger footprint than our little shed lol.