Greetings from Pittsburgh, PA

[Elmo]

Hi all,

I just found and joined the forum. I've been fantasizing about building a pond for literally decades, but have never "taken the plunge". Life always seemed to get in the way...

This spring, I have a contractor lined up to build a waterfall, stream, pond combination next to my house and I couldn't be more excited. It seems all I ever do anymore is look at different pond ideas on the net to try to get more ideas. I might be at info overload, but it seems like there's always something new to learn.

I'm a single dad with 3 teenagers, so this is my therapy. I guess that's me and my pond experience in a nutshell. I look forward to the interesting discussions that happen here.

 

[sissy]

just find out what permits you may need and find out for yourself as 1 ponder just learned on here .I built my own pond and therapy for me .I like to try things myself and really wanted nothing fancy .Remember to double check his references and ask questions and ask how many he has built and if you can see what he has built

 

[Dave's pond Indiana]

Welcome You won't find a better forum

Hi all,

I just found and joined the forum. I've been fantasizing about building a pond for literally decades, but have never "taken the plunge". Life always seemed to get in the way...

This spring, I have a contractor lined up to build a waterfall, stream, pond combination next to my house and I couldn't be more excited. It seems all I ever do anymore is look at different pond ideas on the net to try to get more ideas. I might be at info overload, but it seems like there's always something new to learn.

I'm a single dad with 3 teenagers, so this is my therapy. I guess that's me and my pond experience in a nutshell. I look forward to the interesting discussions that happen here.

 

[Kristi Kelty]

Welcome Elmo! Great site and good info found here!

 

[mtpond]

Welcome Elmo you picked a good site to join. I love this site cause the people aren't as critical of things that you do. They tell you their experiences and let you find your own way. They offer suggestions and aren't affended if you don't take it.

 

[JohnHuff]

I'm a single dad with 3 teenagers, so this is my therapy.

Pros and cons

teenagers - pros - will leave your house eventually
fish - never leave

fish - have to maintain healthy environment in their living quarters constantly
teenagers - close the door to their living quarters and forget about it

teenagers - will want to borrow your car and bug you for their own
fish - can't see above dashboard

fish - feed several times daily with high quality fish food
teenagers - McDonald's

fish - rewards you with offspring which you can sell or give away
teenagers - no sex until 35

teenagers - cost of college
fish - can get degree from Northwest Miltonian "College" based on life experience.

fish = therapy
teenagers = the reason why you need therapy

 

[Lisak1]

Some good advice on making sure your pond builder has experience - make sure you see his work for yourself and talk to the owners of the ponds he has built for others. Lots of people will SAY they know how to do something, just to get the work, but pond building is definitely both a skill and an art. And if they mess it up it's you who is left with the aggravation, heartache, and expense. (Check out "ponds gone wrong" on youtube if you want to see examples of ponds that people paid for that were complete disasters.) Skipping this step could be your biggest regret later.

I would also suggest making sure you and your contractor agree on pond building technique and the theory of how ponds should work and get it all in writing. If he says "well I've never done that, but I'm sure it won't be too hard" find yourself a new pond builder. You don't want to be someone's guinea pig. Those of us who built our own ponds were willing to experiment a bit - my labor was free! - but you're paying for experience... let him learn on someone else. And don't let him talk you into something you didn't agree on once the project is underway. That's a contracting scam - they are all "yes yes yes no problem" until you're halfway in and they know you just want the job done. Then they do it their way... stick to your plan and call a halt to the job if things start to go awry. An unfinished pond is better than a finished one that's badly constructed.

If you are able to be there to watch the pond from start to finish, all the better. An experienced pond builder shouldn't need more than a few days to build an average sized pond and they will welcome you there during the building process. And by watching them work you will A. have a better understanding of what keeps your pond working at an optimal level and B. head off any modifications or shortcuts they may decide to take if you aren't watching. Frequently the guy who sells you on the pond is not the same guy who builds the pond. The people doing the actual labor may not have a clue what they are doing - they are just there to dig and haul. So protect yourself and at the same time have fun watching your dream come true! Take lots of pictures - you'll be a proud pond dad and will want to show off how it all came to be!

Welcome to the world of ponders - we all share your excitement!

 

[Kristi Kelty]

John Huff THAT IS HILARIOUS! Did you write that small "treatise" on Fish vs. Teens? I loved it.
Yes, I was going to share that I thought it will take more than "ponding" to maintain his sanity raising teenagers.....especially 3 of them!
But ponding is a good start~
.....And they eventually grow up and become wonderful friends (both the teens and the fish).

 

[JohnHuff]

Thank you, I'll be here all week.

John Huff THAT IS HILARIOUS! Did you write that small "treatise" on Fish vs. Teens? I loved it.
Yes, I was going to share that I thought it will take more than "ponding" to maintain his sanity raising teenagers.....especially 3 of them!
But ponding is a good start~
.....And they eventually grow up and become wonderful friends (both the teens and the fish).

 

[sissy]

Make sure you get what you want as you are the one paying for it .Geeze here you can buy a house on 4 acres for that amount of money .I vote leave the teenagers there and run for your life .SAVE YOURSELF :cheerful: LET SANITY LIVE ON

 

[Elmo]

Thanks everyone for the welcome, the tips and the laughs. It appears that I've found a really good forum to be a part of! I look forward to sharing progress on my pond. Thanks, Elmo

 

[addy1]

We love watching someone else do the build, we have all been there, made mistakes, fixed mistakes, made more, fixed them...............then you have a pond

Welcome to our group.

 

[j.w]

Elmo
Glad you took the plunge into the pond :biggrinangelA:

 

[JohnHuff]

Well based on tonight, here's two more:

fish - provides hours of fun watching them
teenagers - hogs my tv

teenagers - sullen, rebellious, monosyllabic
fish - follows my fingers

teenagers - clean up after them
fish - clean up after them
at least this one is the same

 

[Kristi Kelty]

Love 'em!
Thanks!