Hi from Athens, GA

[philodox]

Hello everyone!


I have over a decade worth of experience in saltwater and freshwater aquariums. However, my latest adventure takes me into the outdoor water garden arena.

I just finished construction on my first pond. Did everything myself, digging it out was a pain! It's 6 1/2 feet long and on average 3 1/2 to 4feet wide. The deepest part of the pond is just shy of 3 1/2 feet deep. There are ledges around with an average depth of 8 to 10 inches and 10 inches wide before going to the deep parts of the pond. All in all, I figure it's about 550 gallons when I take into account the waterfall box volume and plumbing

I have a copious amount of photos that I can attach, but that will have to wait until later.


I am using a 45mil EPDM liner with an underlayment that's doubled over itself for twice the protection from roots, rocks, etc. I am using an EasyPro 2200gph pump along with a skimmer and waterfall. Skimmer box and waterfall are also made by EasyPro. Thank craigslist for my being able to afford them, got all three for under $250 new as opposed to over $1k at a storefront. I also have a check valve in line from the skimmer to the waterfall box so water doesn't back fill the skimmer blowing decaying crap back into the pond.

For plants right now I have a couple heads of Water Hyacinth. I know, it's invasive and cannot be relocated to water ways. I know that it grows like wildfire, so extra heads that try to take over the water surface will be put in my mulch pile in the back yard


I have 5 Shubunkin's in the pond. They average 4 inches long. 2 of them are blue skinned with black eyes! only paid $6.50ea for them. Guess the fish store didn't realize the blue scaled ones are the more prized coloration.

Anyhoot. Thus far I am enjoying it. The waterfall is quite relaxing.

The pond gets an average of 5 hours of direct sunlight each day. The rest of the day it's shaded. It's been 2 weeks and I have a detectible amount of nitrate in the pond, and no ammonia. So I think the cycle is well under way of being established. I am using lava rock instead of bio balls in the waterfall box for the nitrification bacteria to live on.

I have small river rock (2 to 4 inch) stones lining the shelves of the pond. I don't have any rock in the deep section of the pond.

I ditched the plastic fake rock coverings on the waterfall box and skimmer box for some cool looking flagstone. The outskirts of the pond is surrounded by large river rock with elephant ears planted randomly for a good looking back drop.

I'll post some photos and maybe a link to a youtube video when I get a chance to get them uploaded to photobucket and youtube.


Anyhoot. Thanks for having me. Have a good one!

 

[sissy]

welcome and would love to see pics since it sounds like you are having fun ,share the fun .Besides we are terribly nosey .I think most of us here dug our own ponds and found more satisfaction from doing it ourselves .We also like building our own filters which you might want to do next .There are a few fish farms all over the south that sell fish for ponds cheap also ,google your area

 

[gardengirl]

Welcome!! I live next door!!! lol . Ok next state over!! You will find lots of good advice, ideas, pics....... here.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Very excited to see the pictures once you are ready, I have fish tanks too, none are salt, just freshwater. Sounds like you have knowledge of fish and that will help you along nice.

I am from Canada, and will never get to that side of the world cause I am "dug in" with three connecting ponds in the back and a small pond in the front yard, plus the yard keeps me busy, as do the puppies.... so I will indeed be waiting and excited, to see what the ponds in Athens look like!

Welcome! Nice to have you here!!!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Ops.... did not know there was an Athens in GA!! Duh Me!!! Hahahahaha.... still nice to have you here!

 

[sissy]

geeze colleen I think you did not drink enough coffee today

 

[sissy]

moved philodox to Greece

 

[philodox]

Well, as promised, here are some photos.

I noticed that when I was taking these that the water hyacinth was growing like wildfire. It's been in the pond less than 5 days and already there are 4 new heads sprouting. I know it's great for keeping the water clean, but I may have to find something else that needs little direct sunlight to stay healthy as I don't want to have to harvest half of it every week. Though, that would be a good reason to fiddle with the pond


Here are the photos. Sorry, but the shubunkins were a bit shy. They have been in the water only 4 days and still want to hide under the hyacinth for the most part.

 

[callingcolleen1]

Awe, it's just a sweet little river rocked pond! Love the rounded river rocks, they look so natural next to the water. The floating plant's look real nice and healthy and I am sure they will have that water crystal clear in no time !

Love the pictures, thanks! That pond will just get more beautiful as the plants growing beside fill out, nice elephant ears too! I love them but they don't seem to grow good for me, I think our seasons up north here are too short. This moring is much cooler at only 54 degrees, and I can feel the chill in the morning air now that August is just about here in Canada.....

 

[sissy]

cool here nice breeze but looks like rain pulled weeds after rain stopped yesterday .Yep that is a nice pond but you need to add in a banana plant ,bet that would grow nice there .You need a black elephant ear it would look great against the brick .Those look like red stemmed elephant ears .Do they have white running down the leaves .What variety are they I can't find any that look like that on Florida hill nursery.com ,at least not so far

 

[sissy]

gosh healthy water hyacinth look at the roots ,wish I could grow them like that .I can't believe your having trouble with them ,I'm jealous

 

[philodox]

.Yep that is a nice pond but you need to add in a banana plant ,bet that would grow nice there .You need a black elephant ear it would look great against the brick .Those look like red stemmed elephant ears .Do they have white running down the leaves .What variety are they I can't find any that look like that on Florida hill nursery.com ,at least not so far

Yup, the red stemmed elephant ears do have white running down the leaves. I'm not sure of the exact variety, found them at a specialty plants store. I can find out though by making a phone call. They aren't open on Sundays though. So I'll let you know in a few days.

I'd send you some of the water hyacinth if it was legal for me to do it. Hyacinth is on a restricted list in Georgia and you can only buy it from a dealer, and the dealers are not allowed to buy it from suppliers anymore. So, the only way to get it is to find someone who has it and grab it from them yourself, or find a dealer who has some in stock and hope they are letting it reproduce in their store.

Great stuff, but can really much up a waterway if you let it outside of a controlled environment, i.e. a water garden.

 

[sissy]

yeh know what you mean I have that problem ,but this year it is not growing as well ,but last year geeze with water lettuce it gets out of hand.I planted black and green together in the elephant ears .That's why I think they would look great against your brick

 

[addy1]

Very nice pond, great job

 

[philodox]

Well, uploaded a YouTube video. Not that long. Excuse the background noise. Neighbors were having the grass service come cut/trim their yard.


Make sure you use 720p or 1080p or it's kind of blurry.