Author Topic: New to the site (Read 2894 times)

reddad35 · « **on:** August 25, 2008, 05:33:36 PM »

Hello all, my name is Jim. I live in southern Indiana. I have already asked a question without even saying hello. so, H I. I stumbled across this site in search of some answers. My question was green water. I got many responses and actually cleaned my filter for the first time the day I asked the question. As it stands now the pond is clearing by the hour. I had bouts with algea and used chemicals. I noticed upon cleaning the filter that the whole system was a big green sludge mess. I have 2 100 gallon home made stock tank filters. I have them both filled 1/3 with plastic media while the other 2/3 are gravel and lava rock. I will be puchasing 2 uv lights soon. I went out this weekend and bought many many floating plants but no one had any submersibles. I will be looking for them as I plan to never pour anything into the pond again. I guess a more frequent visit to the filter will be needed.
I had a pond in florida that cleared up nicely and was a joy. I never had to worry about shutting it down for the winter. Here, our winters are mild yet we still freeze. I have 2 water falls and a seperate old time pump pouring water. I have just purchased an air pump and large bubble stones. (the bubbles are sweet) I have 14 plants on the planting shelf and 2 lillies. I have the many floaters I just purchased. I am wondering what needs to be shut off and what needs to be removed this winter. I was wondering if I built a small pond on wheels if I could keep the plants in it, in my garage for the winter. (small being 5'x5'or something) Do the falls need to be shut off? I have many koi in the pond and wondered if leaving the falls on would make the water too cold.

I know its alot for our first meeting but I can see, after reviewing some posts, this is the place for answers. I plan to have some picks up soon. I would really like to get the decks built before I share though.

Anyone near Evansville or Owensboro that has some submersibles let me know and I would gladly purchase any extras.

Thanks everyone,

Jim

Esther · « **Reply #1 on:** August 25, 2008, 06:45:30 PM »

Welcome Jim.

Jim it is kinda late in the season to put submersibles or add plants that are not hardy for your zone. Be sure to check that out before you spend a bunch. I did manage to over winter some Parrot's Feather but not very well. I put them in a fish trap and layed it on the bottom with the lily pots.

I'd wait on the UV light purchase if I were you. My pond is 6 years old and I've never had one and never had pea soup. Have had String Algae though. When mine starts looking murky, I put filter media (quilt batting is sometimes used in an emergency) in mesh baskets and put them in the waterfall steps besides double layers of media in the filter and wherever the water flows. It's work but it cleans up in a hurry. Just remember whether it is chemicals or UV light that kills the algae, you still end up with dead algae floating around that needs to be filtered out of the water.

You know you are going to stop feeding the fish when the water temp reaches 50 degrees, right? I turn my pump off when I see the ice start to build up in the waterfall steps. I'm too lazy to clean the bio filter when it is so cold. Last year it was near Thanksgiving I think. Hey, I think there's a winterizing thread somewhere here that I wrote. I'll look for it. http://www.americanponders.com/forum/index.php?topic=1019.0

Do you think your pond will freeze over? Maybe your bubbler will keep a hole in the ice. Sometimes if it is cold enough, the ice forms a bowl over the bubbler and prevents the gasses from escaping so beware. I use a DIY deicer but my pond freezes.

Most if not all floating plants are not winter hardy. Check out the tutorial and DIY subforums.

bunny56lbc · « **Reply #2 on:** August 25, 2008, 07:22:31 PM »

WELCOME Jim ! American Ponders is a Great place !

bonnie

Ky Kim · « **Reply #3 on:** August 25, 2008, 08:03:29 PM »

What part of Southern IN are you? You might be right across the bridge from me. There are several on here with in a two hour drive of each other. You may be the closest.

Last year I left my falls on all year, but it was a pretty mild winter. I think there was only 2 or 4 weeks that were just bitter. The year before almost all year. When it gets to the sub temps, I will turn it off and throw in my de-icer. Ice can build up on the falls and divert the water and drain your pond.

Oh, by the way........welcome and glad you stumbled on us.

Kim

reddad35 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 26, 2008, 05:31:33 AM »

Ky Kim, I am in Rockport, just North of Owensboro.

Thanks for the responses and help.

Jim

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #5 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:30:13 AM »

Welcome to the forum Jim. I'm north of you, in the Terre Haute area.
We leave our pumps run all winter and don't remove any of our plants.
If you are ever coming up my way be sure and stop by.

Karen

tweetybaby2005 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:33:28 AM »

Hi Jim,
Welcome to AP. We have a bunch of great people with lots of pond knowledge. Hope you stick around.

Kuan

KatFish · « **Reply #7 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:47:08 AM »

Welcome!

reddad35 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 26, 2008, 04:51:43 PM »

The pond is far from finished. I just wanted to share our jouney thus far.

Getting started

Going down

Refreshing

Got the falls in place

Here comes the Pergola

Some plants added

Added my maple

We plan to add a deck around 2 sides,a mini pergola over the filters and possibly a bog area.

karen J · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2008, 05:38:41 PM »

Very nice! I love your waterfall with the Red Maple draping over it. That must have been one invigorating swim after all that work. Looks great!

tranquility · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:14:18 PM »

You did a great job

....Glad I'm not the only one who insists on the first swim once I get a new one built.....
Lawanna

Esther · « **Reply #11 on:** August 26, 2008, 06:27:23 PM »

Are you sure you want a tree overhanging the falls? The falling leaves have only one way to go and that is down. It looks nice butttttt. Sorry.

You have done an amazing job, making your pond, pergola and landscaping.

Jerry · « **Reply #12 on:** August 26, 2008, 10:14:17 PM »

Nice job!

tweetybaby2005 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 27, 2008, 05:50:52 AM »

Your pond looks great!!!

I wish I have all the land/space you have so I can have a bigger pond. I should have taken a dive into the new bigger pond but I didn't. May be next time. All your hard work is paying off now. Love the plants and your waterfall. I hope you have a skimmer to get rid of the falling leaves in the Fall.

Kuan

KatFish · « **Reply #14 on:** August 27, 2008, 07:08:30 AM »

Very, very nice!! Welcome!

perplexed ponder · « **Reply #15 on:** August 27, 2008, 03:22:43 PM »

Hi Jim!

Welcome, and your new pond looks fabulous!

We are in Michigan and we shut our falls down in the winter. The last few years we used a floating de-icer. Last winter was so awful and it failed. I lost my big koi. So I am getting a big aerator this year for sure. Which one did you get? Which stones too?

I've never had much luck overwintering plants. Someone else here will be able to help you.

reddad35 · « **Reply #16 on:** August 27, 2008, 06:15:45 PM »

Hi everyone.

Ester, I do not have a skimmer yet. I am over budget as it is. I convinced my wife that we could do this for $1000.

, a month so far might be about right. I actually wish I had built it nearer to my 2 big trees for more shade. I plan to take care of the leaves and get a skimmer at some time. I love the maple there and I guess I have to just hand skim it every day. Thanks for the comments.

Kathy, thanks for the kind comments. I purchased a O.M.I. AP 50 air pump and 2 20 inch stones from a local pet store. I did not do any research, as usual, I just saw it and bought it. I did get to use one of my wifes favorites on her. But honey, it was on sale.

I do like the surface spread it is giving and love the mini bubbles. I actually saw a couple fish

swim through them. I guess their fear is gone.

Esther · « **Reply #17 on:** August 27, 2008, 06:47:42 PM »

Some times I think the fish like the feel of the bubbles on their bodies. I see mine playing in the waterfall or when the hose is filling the pond.

My skimmer didn't cost very much. Do you know a plumber who could get a damaged laundry tub at his supply company, for real cheap (free). My Dh is a plumber and I got mine for free. Laundry tubs at Home Depot are around $25. The first tub in the thread I'm attaching is a $7 Rubbermaid, I think 32 gallon storage tub. I used that for maybe 4-5 years and it sits inside the liner on a ledge. I know, it's too late unless you lower your water. http://www.americanponders.com/forum/index.php?topic=3697.0 But at least you'll get an idea.

marla · « **Reply #18 on:** August 27, 2008, 06:55:41 PM »

reddad35, /welcome... fantastic job..and if the dates on the pictures are right you worked hard and got alot accomplished in a very short time. We dug all of ours by hand also. The falls are great and you have a good amount of plants in already. You didn't say dimensions.....I find that in pictures the ponds always tend to look smaller to me, do you mind if I ask the size? Do take a good look at Esther's link...she and her DH are the best of the DIY'ers....I modeled a DIY rubbermaid skimmer/filter after one she posted....but I will need to update it next year, her laundrytub one would be much sturdier.

perplexed ponder · « **Reply #19 on:** August 28, 2008, 05:10:24 AM »

Hey, guys can't use that sale line! It belongs to us!

I think someone has instructions on a DIY skimmer on this site. Check that section of the site. VERY clever people here and if I would have found the site sooner I could have saved a ton of money. $1000~

She fell for that one huh? We added a new pice of expensive equipment each year. That helped us a bit. I am not patient though, so it had to LOOK good from the start. We got the savio skimmer and pump first and last year added a pressurized filter. The price of rock is what killed us. We didn't have access but to a few rocks for free, so we had to buy stone and rock. I think it cost more than the rest of the pond put together. I still need more, so I goto the local rock place a few times a season and have them load 5 or 6 more. DH is getting really tired of moving heavy stuff! He has taken to dragging me away from "oooooo, nice rock!" by my hair! haha!

reddad35 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 28, 2008, 05:28:57 AM »

Esther, I saw your link. Really neat ideas. You however have just gotten me in trouble again. I can't stop thinking about building one now. I will use your ideas and start walking the aisles of lowes. I will do this at lunch time today. If my wife says anything I will show her your link and tell her to sign up to voice any complaints.

I am going to go through the liner on the opposite end of the falls. I already have a submersible that will fit in it nicely and probably just attach the outfall to the old looking pump in the photos. there is going to be a deck on this side so I will make a door in the deck for access as it seems you have done. Thanks again for the link and ideas.

Esther · « **Reply #21 on:** August 28, 2008, 07:04:59 AM »

Haha. Join the club of DIYers.

Now, "through the liner" made my hair stand on end. Do you mean you are going through the liner above the water line? I hope so. I am terrified of cutting through where it could spring a link sometime later. I don't know if you read my horror story about the leak I had. It went on some all last summer and continued this summer but then got terrible about 2 months ago. We finally found it and fixed it. I was relieved though that it wasn't in the pond itself or waterfall. It was between the bio filter and where the liner attached to it. There was caulk across a hole/dent about the size of a quarter. When the water was leaving the filter, it pushed the caulk down like a flap and when the pump was shut off and I was looking for the leak, the flap layed perfectly in place so of course I overlooked it several times. Finally I began pushing my finger on/in between corners, crevasses, cracks, looking for someplace I hadn't noticed before and when I pushed on that caulk

I FOUND IT. My DH mixed up some sloppy Quikcrete and I dug out a kitchen funnel. First he poured just the dry Quikcrete down the hole and then he finished up with the mix. IT did the trick.

You'll notice the frame guide in the laundry tub. That is plastic quarter round from Home Depot. It cuts easily and screws into place easily too. Being Queen of PVC, I used PVC to make the grate/frame that slides in the guide. The idea is to keep the filter media from being sucked into the pump. I did have a mesh basket in there before I started using the brushes. I like the brushes VERY MUCH. They catch the larger crud and boy do they clean easily. They just hang on another piece of PVC.

Typically, I use the brushes closest to the inflow opening, then a piece or course media, and then a piece of media with two types of finer filter.

Could you sit your tub on something inside of the pond? Trouble is, nobody likes to see it. You could spray paint it with black first. It would help. But still you'd want to maybe make a kind of dock or some way to cover it. Mine hides under a boardwalk. We left 2 sets of 2 boards loose or you could hinge it. Then I just pick them up to get at the tub. It also cuts down of the pump sound if it is noisy.

Bang around in the DIY sub forum. You may find some other interesting things to make your wife crazy.

Julles · « **Reply #22 on:** August 29, 2008, 06:48:20 AM »

So, you've been to the pond store several times recently? Ahhh,,, Jim, looks like you've caught the Ponding Bug!

Mikey · « **Reply #23 on:** August 29, 2008, 08:07:33 AM »

Looks Great!

reddad35 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 30, 2008, 06:51:24 AM »

Quote from: marla on August 27, 2008, 06:55:41 PM

reddad35, /welcome... fantastic job..and if the dates on the pictures are right you worked hard and got alot accomplished in a very short time. We dug all of ours by hand also. The falls are great and you have a good amount of plants in already. You didn't say dimensions.....I find that in pictures the ponds always tend to look smaller to me, do you mind if I ask the size? Do take a good look at Esther's link...she and her DH are the best of the DIY'ers....I modeled a DIY rubbermaid skimmer/filter after one she posted....but I will need to update it next year, her laundrytub one would be much sturdier.

The pond is 17 x 15 and 5.5 feet deep at the deepest.

Rick40 · « **Reply #25 on:** August 30, 2008, 08:58:18 AM »

Welcome aboard Jim. I love the waterfall and th cascading stream that is next it. Hmnn,that gives me a idea for mine next year.

Looking forward to see more pix of your pond as it progresses.

Rick

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #26 on:** August 31, 2008, 04:48:56 PM »

Welcome Jim! What a great job you've done so far! That is a big pond to dig on your own. I don't envy that as I just dug a new lily pond not too long ago. I won't be digging another like that without professional help...ever! I don't think my back has even recovered from it

Love all your plants too. Your design is very nice! Yo have been duly bitten...by the pond bug.