I love my all rocked pond

[waynefrcan]

I see about 3 or 4 topic threads talking about bare bottom ponds or not, with the majority posts slanted towards no rocks below the water level.

This topic is for those that have all rock ponds, bottom, side wall & edge and love it :luxlove: Like me!

I know me and jbjabber are not the only ones. Share your opinions/photos & also talk about the rocks that that you love :luxlove:

I will have my completed pond pics soon.

 

[waynefrcan]

There are many of us garden pond lovers that can't stand the sight of a wrinkled, folded black rubber bare bottom pond. To us a water feature has to look good below the water level as well. A rocked pond can be accomplished and made to look good at all times if certain conditions are met. What I'm wanting to share is my experience and that of other rocked pond owners who are successful in maintaining beautiful ponds. I am not an expert in the pond field, so if I left any important points out, fill them in no worries. I also don't have the time to go into mega detail on everything. Just the basics.

 

[waynefrcan]

A pond skimmer box with a collection basket and bio filter pad is extremely important. It skims the surface of the pond and collects 85% of all floating debris that would otherwise sink or have to be scooped up by hand. And these babies work 24/7 on auto pilot. Yes they have to be cleaned out. That is our job lol.

A waterfall weir that contains bio media and filter pads to collect the good bacteria.

A pump powerful enough to circulate the entire pond volume at least once an hour. This helps to build and maintain the good bacteria balance.

Pond bottom to consist of light layer of small rounded gravel. This is something that can be cleaned easier and will hold & hide less crud then larger rocks.

On big ponds once a year pond draining and cleaning. Can't get around it if you want it to look good and be healthy. Smaller ponds, maybe can be cleaned with with shopvac or other pond vacs with a lowered water level.

There are do's and don't of pond cleaning as well. No powerwashing is just one example. All the rest of good pond pointers still apply. Plants, don't overstock the pond with fish, etc.

 

[cajunmeme]

I do not have any rocks in my pond at this time. I have a flexible liner. I have seen rock ponds in the local pond tours and love how you can really see your fish. I have been hesitant to put rocks due to the build up of leaves and twigs. My pond is directly under a very large oak tree. Does algae cover the surface of your rocks to the point they become totally green. My liner is covered with a fine layer of algae. If the rocks have this algae on them in the same manner as the flexible liner, can I see the fish any better. I guess I probably can answer this with 'until I try I will not know'.

 

[ididntdoit99]

I see you have two ponds, do you do the draining and cleaning at different times of the year so you can move the fish from one pond to another, and then wait for the pond to cycle before putting the fish back in that pond?

 

[waynefrcan]

I do not have any rocks in my pond at this time. I have a flexible liner. I have seen rock ponds in the local pond tours and love how you can really see your fish. I have been hesitant to put rocks due to the build up of leaves and twigs. My pond is directly under a very large oak tree. Does algae cover the surface of your rocks to the point they become totally green. My liner is covered with a fine layer of algae. If the rocks have this algae on them in the same manner as the flexible liner, can I see the fish any better. I guess I probably can answer this with 'until I try I will not know'.

Thanks for your interest. My smaller pond 2500 [gallery] & my large pond 6500 have never developed a layer of green algae. Check my gallery photos for 2003 pond. One photo shows what the rocks look like and that was after 2 years in operation. Rocks just get covered by a layer of browish film. I would guess that is the bio or bacteria layer. NO plant or tree cover either. I did run a UV sterilizer. Could be up here we have less algae growth as the pond runs from May to September only and not all year round as in some hot places in USA.

 

[cajunmeme]

Yes, the climate here is warm to hot a very large portion of the year. We very rarely have freezing temps. Our summer has been hot and rainy. I think I will try with a few fair size rocks to see what happens. I don't want to go thru the expense of rocking the entire pond. Just checked out your pond. Looks awesome. I really like the waterfall.

 

[waynefrcan]

I see you have two ponds, do you do the draining and cleaning at different times of the year so you can move the fish from one pond to another, and then wait for the pond to cycle before putting the fish back in that pond?

Hello, my 2003 pond was in our other house which was sold. I have no pics yet of my new pond.

I have several large plastic tubs, 100 gallon I use most. Fish stay their until cleaning is done and temp matches. You can wait a day until clean city water temp matches tub temp within 2 degrees and release them. Or I use 5 gallon pails and just set them in the water until temp matches within 2 degrees. You can also add city water gradually to the tub as the day goes on.

I never wait until pond cycles. Thats like 4-6 weeks?

Finer points:
Tub is filled with pond water and an air pump used.
Tub has to be netted, koi hate small enclosers and will jump.
Tub should be placed in the shade.
Make sure declorinator is used with any city water.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Hey Wayne
Was this picture taken after two years or after just after putting the fish in?

I appreciate everybody having their own opinion of what they want their pond to look like, if people like to see rocks on the bottom that's great! I also appreciate you listing a complete draining of the pond every year to clean out the muck as one of your yearly maintenance chores "if you want it to look good and be health". That is the main reason most people don't want rocks on the bottom of their pond, so they can avoid that annual chore. So it's good on you for list that ongoing chore while advocating rock bottom ponds.
Personally I like ponds with tons of plants and you can't see the bottom, or any liner, at all, or at least not obviously. The video I linked to in the other "bare bottom" thread featured one of my favorite ponds (Cliff and Joan's). If you review that video you'll notice you can't see any liner at all, anywhere. Not on the sides, not along the edge, not on the bottom, nowhere, and yet the water is very clear and the fish are very visible (when they want to be). I have tried to do the same thing with my pond, although maybe not a successfully as Cliff and Joan's pond.

 

[waynefrcan]

My next topic will be the best way to clean the pond and the equipment used. Just not now, as the sham wow guys says, I can't be sitting at the comp. all day lol

 

[ididntdoit99]

Oh yes, I remember that from another thread now. I clicked on your profile and it said 2500 and 6500 gallon pond and I was thinking you currently had two. You said your pond only runs May to Sept. above, do you winter the fish in the pond then? or inside?

I am still contemplating a smaller pond in the front yard of my house, Since it will only be a couple of hundred gallons (maybe 500 tops) I might do a complete rock pond for that, as it will be more of a water feature and not really for fish, and could easily be drained in the fall and cleaned out. I just couldn't ever see myself doing that work of a complete drain and clean on the big pond each year. I commend you for the diligence to keep such a beautiful pond though.

 

[waynefrcan]

Hey Wayne
Was this picture taken after two years or after just after putting the fish in?

Well not after any cleaning that's for sure. The city water would be clear. I also made changes to that pond after photo taken. Re-did the rock edging to show no liner. With the flat quartz stone I set in concrete as mortar broke apart too easy.

Again, this topic thread is about people that choose to have rock lined ponds, not to hide the bottom with plants etc. We want to see the rocked bottom, it adds to the beauty.

 

[waynefrcan]

Yes, the climate here is warm to hot a very large portion of the year. We very rarely have freezing temps. Our summer has been hot and rainy. I think I will try with a few fair size rocks to see what happens. I don't want to go thru the expense of rocking the entire pond. Just checked out your pond. Looks awesome. I really like the waterfall.

Thanks, that pond only got better with age. I re-did the edge stones, added more rocks and inpond plants. But I didn't take photos before we moved. Yes it is more money and work to rock it. The colored round rock are Montana rainbow river rock. You should be able to get it cheaper then us up here. Depending on your design, maybe you can get away with partial rock lined and still look great.

 

[waynefrcan]

Oh yes, I remember that from another thread now. I clicked on your profile and it said 2500 and 6500 gallon pond and I was thinking you currently had two. You said your pond only runs May to Sept. above, do you winter the fish in the pond then? or inside?

I am still contemplating a smaller pond in the front yard of my house, Since it will only be a couple of hundred gallons (maybe 500 tops) I might do a complete rock pond for that, as it will be more of a water feature and not really for fish, and could easily be drained in the fall and cleaned out. I just couldn't ever see myself doing that work of a complete drain and clean on the big pond each year. I commend you for the diligence to keep such a beautiful pond though.

YEs I wintered the fish. That's a whole nother ball game lol.

Yes I would rock the front pond.

I have found a unique way to clean the pond. I will post it soon.

 

[fishin4cars]

I would like to see some more recent pics of that pond. IMO, It screams out needing more plant life. But that's me. LOL, I like the water fall wall, The rocks on the bottom are pretty, but not natural looking. I think If I do another fully rocked pond, Personally I would want to look into going themed as in Rocky Mountain Look, Or Ozark Mountain look, etc. Even in my own pond I have basically four types of rock. All four not natural for what they are being used for and all four from different local. I stand back and look and they stand out like sore thumbs now that the pond has been completed. The pond pictured above is pretty in it's own right but it too has three distinct types of rocks. Mountains have lakes with rocks that can bee seen so I would think the use of actual lake mountain rocks would give the more natural look. Shale, fractured rock etc. Tumbled rock or River rock are found in fast moving streams. Flat rock comes from mountains and for waterfalls and sides a choice most will always do. The Big Grey rock are dug from quarries, usually no where near water. I know you like the look of the rock. Take a look into natural rock settings and you may find a whole new world to explore. I appreciate rocks, I like mine above waterline so I can enjoy their true beauty.