CW's Back Yard Water Garden Begins!

[combatwombat]

Is your bog gravel completely under water?

For now, yes.

What is the depth of the water over the gravel?

It slopes from about 8" in the back to 2" in the front.

How many inches of extra space do you have between the top of the water level and overflowing out the sides of the bog

About 8".

 

[GBBUDD]

OK..... what gives..... thought for sure once you got all your hard worked on pond up and running. That you'd be up on the roof like fiddler on the roof dancing around in suspenders and a boulder hat. yodeling it's done its done........
If your not sharing is due to string algea it's par for the course, share the progress. All ponds will go through their growing pains.

 

[combatwombat]

Sorry, been drinking beers with Greg Wittstock all month. Well, he had iced tea. Guy can drink iced tea.

Kidding. Just been crazy busy with work stuff, toddler stuff, and other house/landscaping stuff. Everyone here has been sick in some form for like 2 months, too. One of us get something, then something else. Been through about 4 boxes of covid tests. All negative!

Anyway, no updates on the pond because no progress! Been telling myself I'd shoot another update once I got the hot tub moved out of the way and could finish the near side edge. And that just happened yesterday, so I guess a new video is incoming...

About 5 minutes after I got things running, my toddler and wife commandeered the pond as a swimming pool and have been using it damn near every day all summer. I jump in with them from time to time, but my eyes still see everything unfinished, so I'm usually too antsy and busy doing little chores while they swim. Trying to get better about that.

Water has been crystal clear all summer. Got hot and dry AF starting a week or so ago (hello forest fires...) an we have a slight tinge of green to the water again, but clarity is near 100%. Pretty cool. Will try to at least grab a photo today.

 

[combatwombat]

 

[YShahar]

Looks great! And seriously inviting on a hot day. You'd have trouble keeping me out of it too!

 

[GBBUDD]

ONE FISH AND IT WILL SLOW DOWN HIS GIRLS. ONE SNAKE AND SHE'LL MAKE HIM FILL IT IN

 

[combatwombat]

Spent the afternoon with my giant harbor freight rotary hammer (best $150 I ever spent) cleaning up the edges of the patio and leveling a few last pieces of urbanite. Think tomorrow will be doing some final grading and cleaning up a section of the liner. The list of to dos is still long, but each item left on the list is a pretty small task.

Looks great! And seriously inviting on a hot day. You'd have trouble keeping me out of it too!

Pool party at CW's.

ONE FISH AND IT WILL SLOW DOWN HIS GIRLS. ONE SNAKE AND SHE'LL MAKE HIM FILL IT IN

Think an eagle is going to drop a fish in the pond this fall.

 

[GBBUDD]

start with some frogs and tad poles . tell her suck it up butercup

 

[combatwombat]

start with some frogs and tad poles . tell her suck it up butercup

We had like 100 frogs move in 5 seconds after I started the pump. Then about a million tadpoles. They were a big hit.

 

[YShahar]

Maybe add some minnows or mosquito fish first, to let folks get used to the idea that it's a living pond. Or a few non-threatening goldfish.

 

[combatwombat]

Maybe add some minnows or mosquito fish first, to let folks get used to the idea that it's a living pond. Or a few non-threatening goldfish.

I’m still trying to figure out what the real hang up is since the pond was full of frogs and tadpoles this summer and she wasn’t bothered by those at all.

 

[GBBUDD]

Get a turtle and you must have bait fish for the turtle.

 

[combatwombat]

Let's take a little tour of the property. Still the trashiest house in the neighborhood!

 

[YShahar]

Let's take a little tour of the property. Still the trashiest house in the neighborhood!

Very cool little tour! I'm liking how that patio is turning out. It's going to look great once the gaps are filled in.

You've inspired me to get out and get some yard cleanup to make the place more presentable for when the offspring come over tomorrow. My big project (aside from finally getting the bog done) is to build a drainage trench running from the patio out to the dry streambed / pond overflow. This is so that rain coming down the downspout onto the patio has some place to go besides into the pond. Fairly big project!

I really wish we had something like those stores where you can buy leftover building material. I would have a blast at a place like that!

 

[bagsmom]

It's looking wonderful! I am at the "clean up all around and finish the area landscaping" stage, too. I'm waiting to get a new burst of steam and enthusiasm!

 

[rubyduby]

Let's take a little tour of the property. Still the trashiest house in the neighborhood!

 

[cas]

Oh my gosh you have a lot of projects going on! The pond looks great. And once all those projects are done, your house is going to be the star of the neighborhood. I can't wait to see all the landscaping.
I hesitate to bring it up, but any more problems with leaks?

 

[combatwombat]

Oh my gosh you have a lot of projects going on! The pond looks great. And once all those projects are done, your house is going to be the star of the neighborhood. I can't wait to see all the landscaping.
I hesitate to bring it up, but any more problems with leaks?

Thanks, Cas. I've been too busy to take regular measurements through the summer, but just got back on it a few days ago. So far, nothing majorly concerning but water loss seems a bit faster than when I quit measuring in early summer. That was before I did the edging on the far side of the pond and I seem to remember noticing a couple wet spots at some point this summer, so I think I may have a few wicking leaks that I need to address. I'll eventually get around to it!

 

[GBBUDD]

It's looking wonderful! I am at the "clean up all around and finish the area landscaping" stage, too. I'm waiting to get a new burst of steam and enthusiasm!

I'm a fool I'm planning on building a 6 foot tall x 12 foot stone wall this weekend . it never ends

 

[SarahT]

I'm a fool I'm planning on building a 6 foot tall x 12 foot stone wall this weekend . it never ends

You mean building a (potential) snake habitat?