Hello new friends Kalamazoo Michigan

[Lisaebetten]

Hi all, I started my pond dig in the fall of 2013 until it got to cold to enjoy. Quickly I threw the liner in to see what it would look like before closing down for the winter. Well my liner is huge and my dig way to small and looked like an ice cream cone. Just left everything in place and watched the snow fill my pond full. Now in spring 2014 I have redug and will soon be done! I think my pond will hold 600-700 gal. I will buy a meter to get exact gallons (I'm just that way)!! I have a waterfall and stream bed. I copied this idea from Wedel's garden center's smaller pond. I spend hours at their store staring at their ponds. I also stare for hours at my clay hole in the ground and love it!! I've been collecting rocks like crazy and love it. This forum is my new addiction, who needs facebook!!!

I am currently researching about what type of materials on the cheap to put in my falls box. I am starting with some bio balls and have a filter mat. I know the good bacteria need lots of surface to attach and thrive.

Thanks for teaching me the ways of the pond!

 

[addy1]

to our group! Another addict!, we offer group counseling...............

 

[sissy]

yep welcome and we are not just ponders but we have become family and friends who just happen to be addicted to a drug called ponding .I use lava rock in my filters ,it is old fashioned but it worked for my dad so why change things that work .I bought dollar store laundry bags to put them in and just have to once in awhile change out the bags .They come 3 or 4 for a dollar so cheap to do .If you decide on bio balls you can do that also .it will help keep them in check .Dollar stores have a wealth of stuff you just have to look at it with a ponders eye .i use the dollar store finer mesh bags for my crushed oyster shells and my activated charcoal .quilt batting for the finer algae cells .crushed oyster shells help stable ph

 

[j.w]

Lisa

 

[haver79]

Hello and welcome.

 

[Lisaebetten]

yep welcome and we are not just ponders but we have become family and friends who just happen to be addicted to a drug called ponding .I use lava rock in my filters ,it is old fashioned but it worked for my dad so why change things that work .I bought dollar store laundry bags to put them in and just have to once in awhile change out the bags .They come 3 or 4 for a dollar so cheap to do .If you decide on bio balls you can do that also .it will help keep them in check .Dollar stores have a wealth of stuff you just have to look at it with a ponders eye .i use the dollar store finer mesh bags for my crushed oyster shells and my activated charcoal .quilt batting for the finer algae cells .crushed oyster shells help stable ph

Where did you get the oyster shells? What order do you layer? I have 100 bio balls I will use instead of lava rock for now (next time) and I'm very interested in using charcoal!

 

[j.w]

I got my oyster shells from a feed store. They are usually sold for chickens. I got the crushed kind also.

 

[Becky]

Hello and welcome aboard!

 

[Fishylove]

Welcome, welcome' welcome!

 

[Lisaebetten]

yep welcome and we are not just ponders but we have become family and friends who just happen to be addicted to a drug called ponding .I use lava rock in my filters ,it is old fashioned but it worked for my dad so why change things that work .I bought dollar store laundry bags to put them in and just have to once in awhile change out the bags .They come 3 or 4 for a dollar so cheap to do .If you decide on bio balls you can do that also .it will help keep them in check .Dollar stores have a wealth of stuff you just have to look at it with a ponders eye .i use the dollar store finer mesh bags for my crushed oyster shells and my activated charcoal .quilt batting for the finer algae cells .crushed oyster shells help stable ph

Thanks sissy for the help I am using all of this in my pond!!!! I need to order some oyster shells as my PH is 8-9, possibly because I have river rock walls, but no gravel.

 

[addy1]

Our ph is low, our well sits around 5.4 or so. I use the oyster shells to keep the ph stable at a consistent 7.8 or so. When I first built the pond I lost some test fish due to our ph level, I did not know it was so low, dummy me did not check. I do add around 100 lbs every spring to the bog.

 

[Lisaebetten]

Our ph is low, our well sits around 5.4 or so. I use the oyster shells to keep the ph stable at a consistent 7.8 or so. When I first built the pond I lost some test fish due to our ph level, I did not know it was so low, dummy me did not check. I do add around 100 lbs every spring to the bog.

My ph has been testing 8-9 from the begining so I think I will do a small water change to see if that helps. The fish are slowing down but I think that is due to is being COLD!!!

 

[addy1]

I have often read if the ph is stable that is more important than the actual number, if it is not way high or way low.