I love my all rocked pond

[callingcolleen1]

Addy I would not be too worried, your winters are very mild, here my bottom pond the ice gets to be so thick I can walk over it, and I am NOT a small person at all! (Big but quite fit). Wayne might have a big air pump so that just could be fine, over the heater. Just cause I don't know any people who had success with air pumps, does not mean they don't work. Some of the people I know may have not been checking the pond every day during extreme cold spells, maybe they forgot that in the winter there can be lots of evaporation and let the water level get to low? When the air temperature gets very cold, combined with open water created by a heater, then you get the "pot of hot water in the stove effect", so lots of evaporation happens when the air is - 40 and the water is zero and warmer, around the open water holes. You can see the stream rising when its cold, so I run a hose out the bathroom window and top the bottom pond off twice a week for sure in the extreme cold, if not more!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Dear Wayne, I used to work at a greenhouse and sold lots of water garden stuff. We did have de-icers and air pumps that we sold, (about 12 years ago) and lots of people complained about dead fish in the spring, now that was a while back, hopefully they have better stuff now, don't know off hand about the air pump you have, but keep the heater close to the air pump just in case, good to keep the water moving around the heater so that the water is heated more evenly.
PS... sometimes you can't always rely on "salesmen", did you ask if he uses the pump in his pond?

 

[waynefrcan]

LOl "dear Wayne". YEs he has proven results with these pumps. Not just the pumps, it's the air stones used and layout of tubing etc.

 

[callingcolleen1]

I think Wayne that some of the air pumps back then were quite small, but I would use the heater too for sure.

What is this "sinking" 1500 heater? Does it actually sink right to the bottom? Did you use that last year? How much was it and where did you get it from dear?

 

[waynefrcan]

I'll answer the wintering question in the wintering forum, more helpful to others.


https://www.gardenpondforum.com/topic/8317-location-of-winter-circulation-pump/page__st__15

 

[waynefrcan]

Update: regarding the pond cleanout.

I followed my method of cleaning the rocks using the 2 pump method as I described earlier in this topic.

Conclusions:

It works great! Lol did you expect me to say anything else? The pump cleaning the rocks with water volume is 10x better then power washing or hosing. It really pushes all the dirt, sand, black mud etc out of the rocks towards the large pump for extracting from the pond.

It did take me about 3 washing and rinsing times due to the thick layer of topsoil blown in past 2.5 years. Plus my little Island beach sand area was a dud. 2 inches thick sand at the bottom. So flushed that all out as well. Also had way to many rocks and cement blocks which hindered the process. So I ejected 500lbs of it, and still maintaining the all rock look.

As I knew already, very little black mud, algae, debris in the pond, due to the superior skimming and pump power.

I'm filling the pond up as right now and will post cleaned pond photos.

The next cleanout in 2014, I will cement some base rock at the bottom, so when pond is empty the rock sidewalls don't move around. It did take me more time then first thought, and this will help speed the cleaning.

I'm still glad I designed the pond with rock. I'm happy with the look.

 

[waynefrcan]

Cleaned pond pic.

 

[Sunshine]

Love it !!!!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Looks like you "polished" those rocks too! Rocks all by themselves are just "gorgeous" I love rocks, got lots too in the rock garden, just not so many in my pond, cause we all "play with rocks" in different ways, and that's what makes looking at your pond so pleasing, cause it gives the pond a whole different look, like a rocky stream right out of the mountains!

 

[waynefrcan]

Thanks, all my hard work over 2.5 yrs is paying off now, just wait until I have all the trees, shrubs, flowers, inpond plants in, well that's next year for most.

 

[addy1]

Nice rocked pond! looking good.

 

[waynefrcan]

Thks all, well it's not all rocked now. Liner shows everywhere now after removing 1/4 ton, but I don't care. It will be easier to clean next time without a 2nd and 3rd layer of rock at the bottom.

Forum boss lady likes it too!!! Now I'm really happy. :luxlove:

 

[Becky]

Forum boss lady likes it too!!! Now I'm really happy. :luxlove:

It looks good!

 

[waynefrcan]

Thanks much Becky!

 

[callingcolleen1]

Hello Wayne how is it going? Long time no hear from you! Hope all is well and just want to show you all the rocks that I laid down and cobbled my path around my pond this summer.