rebuilding my pond

[toytika]

Hi all! I am in the process of redoing my pond. Adding a bog above the main pool, in addition to a little extra space for the fish, this will connect to the main pond(eventually) so as of right now its two separate pools, main pond has a cascading waterfall(currently broken down) trying to repair a leak. Bog and added finger pool are to the right above the main pond. I had originally dug the main pond to have a bog inside of it but that was lost due to the leak I have had issue with for the past two seasons, I built a side skimmer for the new pond which I finished today! I was about to place it in the whole I had pre dig when I thought I might "kill two birds with one stone" and instead place it where I can't seem to get this leak fixed, since I would have to modify the new liner if I placed it there. Anyway it seems to make more sense. My fingers are crossed and I'm hopeful I will have some success... I am also hoping to do a more self sustaining pond. Lots of natural filtration. I didn't want to put a bottom drain in the bog so I have been using alot of my husbands plumbing fittings and creating my own way of cleaning out the bog. Its an experiment from many different things I have read and realized having had a pond everywhere I have lived for 15 yrs. I will share more once I actually have it up and running. I have a couple issues I have yet to find a solution to. First is I took the waterfall apart this time to fix the leak and because I didn't like how it looked or sounded, last year I made my own outlet with corrugated tubing running through the back of multilevel rock. This year I found my weir and I am looking to use that and build from there. My issue is I lost the faceplate and screws. Its a Beckett weir nothing special. So I'm trying to figure out what I can use to attach it? If anyone has any suggestions I would really appreciate it. Its a 16 inch weir btw. Next is silicone and adhesive that people have actually had success with? Thanks a bunch looking forward to posting some pics soon

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group!

Do a search for beckett face plates on line, quite often you can find parts.

I have used the pl roofing goop at home depot, lowes with success, esp for things not deep in the water, or sealing two pieces of liner together. For small patches, for holes, for edging issues, to install my skimmer, extra level of sealing lol. Let it dry well

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-...e-Roof-and-Flashing-Sealant-1675273/203163733

 

[sissy]

ebay had parts but not sure which brands they had .You can google becket also to see if you can get parts .I would ask , it can't hurt

 

[Big Lou]

Welcome! Wow, you have a lot going on and I agree with Addy's suggestions. Please post photos as you go along.

 

[toytika]

Thank you to all I have checked Beckett and couldn't find anything and I did a search on eBay but probably didn't put the right words so I will check again. @addy1 how long ago did you use it and how far was your hole or was it for seeming? I did purchase some underwater weld putty and some type of marine adhesive so we will see if that doesn't work I am thinking I might just use what is their as the underlayment for that side of the pond and bite the bullet and buy a new liner. My husband has been telling me to since last season and I keep seeing all these liners sitting around from other ponds I have built at previous homes or bought because it seemed a bargain, and well it just seemed foolish not to use them. Last time I bought a liner somehow I ended up with what seems to me even when I had first opened the package to be a tarp. I had made a bad cut in the liner when I was trimming it and the only way to fix it was to add another big piece, angry at myself for being in a hurry I bought a new liner from home depot and I swear its not like any liner I have ever came across. It is now what's giving me hell, I don't think anything I have used wants to adhere to it and its flimsy. I have actually been slowly covering over it with good liner. But that will equal more seams and yea he is right the more words I write I need to just put the fish in the other side and get a whole new piece lol, I will be seeming that to the new side but from my understanding the likeliness of issues when one pool is higher is less so fingers crossed it will finally fix it! I will defy take pics tomorrow of what I have going on I have mad some pretty neat things to help filter the water and hopefully make cleaning debris easier(wont know if either work till its all running though) but I am hopefully optimistic. When its all finished I want it to be a tranquil water garden unique in everything I like which is sure to be very eclectic cause I love the Japanese/Asian style and live in a very nautical atmosphere so blending them with my love for gardening is sure to be unique!

 

[toytika]

(e-mail address removed) where in Frederick are you? Do you know of any places to get pond material, plants, and koi from?

 

[michey1st]

(e-mail address removed) where in Frederick are you? Do you know of any places to get pond material, plants, and koi from?

Addy clued me in to Eatons Fish Farm north of Frederick -- I haven't been there yet, planning a trip in a few weeks, but they have all sorts of Goldfish and Koi as well as plants. http://www.eatonsgoldfish.com/ My understanding is they supply fish to the local (more expensive) places in the area and their prices can't be beat!

There is also another pond store east of Frederick somewhere (wanna say it's closer to Baltimore) but i've never been, although it was recommended here.

I have been to Lilypons in Adamstown, and they are nice to visit, but are $$$. Love to feed the koi in their huuuuuuuuge mud pond!

I've also had luck at aquarium stores (there's a really good one down here in Rockville -- congressional aquarium). It's where I got my 2 shubbies last year and the staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. But I certainly paid for that.... $15 each for 2 4" shubbies. Thought one disappeared on me after 2 days, but he surfaced 10 months later (hooray!)

I tend to buy most of my pond supplies online as I tend to research, read reviews, etc.

 

[addy1]

We are on the north east part of Frederick, near 75 off old Annapolis.

Most of my plants were from on line, other ponders , shared plants here.
Lilypons is not cheap. Has nice plants. Fish are pricey.
See you are in Pasadena, about 1 hour from us

 

[toytika]

I did find the hatchery you are talking about last week when I did a search, defy want to check them out. Have you actually been @addy1
I know lillyponds and yes they are pricey. I am also finding the internet to be a great source except for fish cause the shipping is outrageous.

 

[addy1]

I did find the hatchery you are talking about last week when I did a search, defy want to check them out. Have you actually been @addy1
I know lillyponds and yes they are pricey. I am also finding the internet to be a great source except for fish cause the shipping is outrageous.

I went to there, a worker (that usually just installs ponds) told me to not buy there but to go to eaton, since they supply the fish for them. So we did!
Beautiful inexpensive fish and a lot of nice looking koi if you are into koi, which I am not.

 

[sissy]

most of the liners in the big box stores are pvc and I use them for under my filters so if the filter tanks leak they leak into the liner and go right back into the pond .But great thing about pvc it is flexable bad thing is that it does not have a long pond life .I had 1 and it only last 7 years and started to crack .I got my EPDM liner from dr foster and smith online with free shipping .

 

[toytika]

I found a koi dealer local to me @addy1 she also sells some other mosquito fish but she was great and has awesome prices, but your not into koi can I ask why not? So I have everything ready for the new liner looking forward to putting it in! Just made it a bot deeper and leveled out a few things

 

[addy1]

but your not into koi can I ask why not?

I like easy to care for fish that are not as fussy about the water, they do not get diseases as easy. And I love plants, koi in ponds and plants don't always get along.

We love to travel around I can leave the pond for months without even thinking about it. The fish take care of themselves. When I built this pond I researched monster pond building sites, based a lot of my build on what I read. Totally filtered by a huge bog, water quality always excellent, clear, fish healthy happy

Our pond freezes with my gf I can easily keep them alive without running a high electric use heater all winter, or trying to keep the filters going etc. My pond is run by one pump, no bottom drain, no filters to clean. Ease of care was my goal.

The first picture is a 2.5 foot deep stock tank bottom, the others pictures are in the 5-5.5 foot deep area of the big pond.

And I LOVE THE COLORS of my fish.

 

[Mmathis]

Just curious, but what is this (circled in red)? It shows up in several pictures.....

 

[toytika]

I think its a part of the sidewall @Turtlemommy, not really sure though if that's what your talking about
@addy1 are your goldfish big like koi or is the photo deceiving me? As for how far along I have gotten, its been a rough couple weeks. Brought home a piece of grass my son found floating at the beach and a piece of driftwood(our local river beach) didn't even think about it really but either it had a parasite or who knows anyway woke up every morning to a medium sized koi floating. Checked the water, did changes in the water even though the parameters weren't concerning. Finally I pulled a comet out and stuck him in a small tank and treated the water with melafix and some salt. I probably lost 10 to 15 fish mostly all my medium sized koi. So now I have decided not to let the temporary wall down that comes from the new area into the existing pond. Not right now anyway maybe next spring or something. I have separated the koi from the comets and will have to either add a small bog area to the main pond or just wait. That's TBD at a later date. As far as construction had to replace the smaller pump to the bog it died on me. Bought some more round rock for the main pond made some changes to the existing look of the main pond such as a really cool fish cave or two and the liner although I have to admit was alot harder to work with and really reminded me of a heavy contractors bag is doing well! Built a deck or boardwalk with built in chaise lounge into the bog side. And now I am working on the skimmer and waterfall. Plus I am building a scaled down version of a tea house or what I can fit into a 6 by 4 Ft space at least!