This is my water garden

[Incredible Bulk]

Good deal Bro!!! It looks relaxing.

[goliath]

Originally posted by Incredible Bulk
Good deal Bro!!! It looks relaxing.

sure - if you can get passed the cars driving by since it's in the front yard. :rofl:

[Shibby]

How do you keep people from fucking with it. I know there are at least a few kids that like to throw rocks in there. Or even worse coins. I know coins can fuck things up.

[Puddles]

I love water gardens! I've wanted one in my back yard but I'm afraid the wildlife (raccoons, alligators, wild cats, etc.) will get the fish. :(

What's the maintainence like on yours?

[Timber]

Well I don’t have alligators so I couldn't help you with that problem, I do however have Raccoons, Cats, Fox, Coyote, but the biggest fear are Crain's. But they can be dealt with. When you design your pond you don’t want to make it easy for wildlife to access it so you make the walls of the pond a shear drop into the water. Wild life wants to wade into the water the really don’t want to go swimming.

Maintains is rather simple really. Basically do nothing and let the pond take care of itself. The only thing I do is back flush the filter every 2 weeks or so and skim crap off the surface if needed. The pond goes through phases with algy blooms and fish breeding that muddies the water but that's life at work. Set up is the key.

You need a good filtration system one outside the pond so you don’t have to go into the water to clean it. A pressurized system like a pool filter but made for a pond with a built in UV light to sterilize the algy growth. If your gona have Coi you need a filter that can handle double the amount of water you have in your pond. Coi are very active and destructive but this is also why they are popular, they are very visible.

In the fall I put a net over the pond so the fall leaves don’t fill the pond and then I put a small pump under the surface to keep the ice open in the winter. The decay of organic material at the bottom will create methane gass and kill the fish if it can not escape. I pull the filter out of the ground and put it inside. In the spring I clean the pond floor, install the filter and waterfall pump and add a bacteria culture to the filter. add some kosher salt to the water and some stress coat and let the cycle begin again.

Now its just arrange plants and feed fish and enjoy

[blm]

You're a pretty handy lumberjack Timber.

[Timber]

Originally posted by Shibby
How do you keep people from fucking with it. I know there are at least a few kids that like to throw rocks in there. Or even worse coins. I know coins can fuck things up.

I have never really had a problem with the kids. The only problem I had was they would ride there bikes up on the lawn and erode the hill so I put up the post and rail fence. The other thing with kids is they like to hang over the edge of the pond to see everything going on and that is a problem because the loosen the rocks.

The pond is in my front yard and I am a very social neighbor and I was a really rotten kid growing up so I know how to handle them. the best way is to involve them. They are fascinated with the fish and I let all of them participate with feeding and what ever. Kids are funny if you don’t force them away they mess with you. although I have experienced the sling shot through the windows. I know all the kids and I get along with all of them. I have been hear for 20 years now so It doesn’t pay to not be friendly to me. I can do a lot of things and I help all that ask.

[Timber]

Originally posted by blm9376
You're a pretty handy lumberjack Timber.

See that and you thought I was just another pretty face

[blm]

Originally posted by Timber
See that and you thought I was just another pretty face

Ummm yeah, that's it.

[Puddles]

Great info! Since my yard doesn't have trees that will loose their leaves and we don't have to worry about freezing here in FL your explanation of how easy the pond is to maintain is really encouraging me to think more seriously about making one. Thanks, Timber! :)

[Shibby]

Originally posted by MrsPuddlesFL
I love water gardens! I've wanted one in my back yard but I'm afraid the wildlife (raccoons, alligators, wild cats, etc.) will get the fish. :(

What's the maintainence like on yours?

Bwahahaha. Aligators.
*happy gilmore*
"Give me the ball you stupid gator. You have one eye. Chubs. You stole Chubs hand" :rofl: :rofl:

[dreamgirl]

I have always wanted one of those fish ponds in my yard... I'll have to ask you when we eventually install one. Yours looks great

[batteryreqd]

Originally posted by MrsPuddlesFL
I love water gardens! I've wanted one in my back yard but I'm afraid the wildlife (raccoons, alligators, wild cats, etc.) will get the fish. :(

What's the maintainence like on yours?

I would have to find a way to keep my black lab out of the water...he would lay in it all day long to keep cool...lol. He did the kids wading pool years ago. Had to wind up changing the water all teh time

[SEXYMAMA]

That is very nice...great work....

[njjuicer]

timber put turtles in there! turtles are cool!