At home, while Ron builds a pond, Summer 2011
Where the pond will go, on the south side of the house in the L made by sitting area and the new addition. We've had a small perennial garden there. This photo was taken on 27 May 2011, before Ron began any digging, but after months of reading and thought, considering equipment, and planning and discussing design.
2 July 2011. The first hole is for the big unit (on the left) that houses the pump and the skimmer. The rectangular opening is at water level, the water goes in and is skimmed to remove debris, then pumped out again.
2 July 2011. Ron wanted a waterfall at one end, and this is the framework he built to hold some of the dirt that will support the rocks and waterfall.
4 July 2011. The skimmer has been set into its hole.
4 July 2011. A trench for the pipe that carries water from the pump to the waterfall.
11 July 2011. Beginning to dig. The pond will be 24-28 inches deep - that means a big hole! Ron used the dirt from the hole to build the waterfall. On the top is the black weir unit that gathers the water for the water fall and a clam shell shape that the water will spill from.
14 July 2011. The hole gets bigger. The liner will lap over shelf below the edge and then across the top edge, with rocks on both edges to hold it in place.
16 July 2011. The pond is fully excavated, and leveling of the shelves and edges has begun. The wider second level shelves will hold potted water plants.
19 July 2011. Unfolding the underlining. The underlining is a fibrous material that cushions the rubber liner and keeps things from puncturing it.
19 July 2011. Under-liner in the pond.
20 July 2011. A second piece of under-liner covers the waterfall area.
13 August 2011. The rubber liner for the pond is installed, and Ron has begun to place rocks, collected from our fields and woods, around the edges. Thanks to our neighbors, Jeff and John, for helping to unroll the very heavy liner and maneuver it into place! The separate piece of liner for the waterfall will be added later.
28 September 2011. We had a couple of heavy rains in late August and early September that filled the pond - leading to the discovery that there was a leak somewhere. Ron finally figured out it was leaking around the faceplate on the box holding the pump and filter, and had to tighten it multiple times before it finally seemed to hold. Here the pond is being filled with a hose putting water in at the top of the waterfall.
6 October 2011. The waterfall is working!
6 October 2011. The waterfall is working and the water is not leaking out.
28 October 2011. On 28 October we bought fish (3 butterfly koi, 3 fantail goldfish, and 3 golden orfe) and some plants (2 waterlilies, a golden club, and a variagated bamboo) and added them all to the pond, along with a pickerel rush a friend gave us. That night we had a little wet snow, so here is the pond at night with plants and fish and snow. You can see one of the fish near the top edge between the water lily and the wall.
29 October 2011. The view from the sitting room window.
29 October 2011. Just a little snow left on the railing, but it has turned much colder - temperature just above freezing. The fish are all hanging out in the turbulence under the waterfall. We're told they won't do much swimming around once the water temperature gets really cold, which it now is.
This is how things look as of 29 October 2011. We are happy with the results! Ron will trim off the extra rubber and move more rock to finish the edge and surrounding area. Next spring we'll add more plants and fish.
Where the pond will go, on the south side of the house in the L made by sitting area and the new addition. We've had a small perennial garden there. This photo was taken on 27 May 2011, before Ron began any digging, but after months of reading and thought, considering equipment, and planning and discussing design.
2 July 2011. The first hole is for the big unit (on the left) that houses the pump and the skimmer. The rectangular opening is at water level, the water goes in and is skimmed to remove debris, then pumped out again.
2 July 2011. Ron wanted a waterfall at one end, and this is the framework he built to hold some of the dirt that will support the rocks and waterfall.
4 July 2011. The skimmer has been set into its hole.
4 July 2011. A trench for the pipe that carries water from the pump to the waterfall.
11 July 2011. Beginning to dig. The pond will be 24-28 inches deep - that means a big hole! Ron used the dirt from the hole to build the waterfall. On the top is the black weir unit that gathers the water for the water fall and a clam shell shape that the water will spill from.
14 July 2011. The hole gets bigger. The liner will lap over shelf below the edge and then across the top edge, with rocks on both edges to hold it in place.
16 July 2011. The pond is fully excavated, and leveling of the shelves and edges has begun. The wider second level shelves will hold potted water plants.
19 July 2011. Unfolding the underlining. The underlining is a fibrous material that cushions the rubber liner and keeps things from puncturing it.
19 July 2011. Under-liner in the pond.
20 July 2011. A second piece of under-liner covers the waterfall area.
13 August 2011. The rubber liner for the pond is installed, and Ron has begun to place rocks, collected from our fields and woods, around the edges. Thanks to our neighbors, Jeff and John, for helping to unroll the very heavy liner and maneuver it into place! The separate piece of liner for the waterfall will be added later.
28 September 2011. We had a couple of heavy rains in late August and early September that filled the pond - leading to the discovery that there was a leak somewhere. Ron finally figured out it was leaking around the faceplate on the box holding the pump and filter, and had to tighten it multiple times before it finally seemed to hold. Here the pond is being filled with a hose putting water in at the top of the waterfall.
6 October 2011. The waterfall is working!
6 October 2011. The waterfall is working and the water is not leaking out.
28 October 2011. On 28 October we bought fish (3 butterfly koi, 3 fantail goldfish, and 3 golden orfe) and some plants (2 waterlilies, a golden club, and a variagated bamboo) and added them all to the pond, along with a pickerel rush a friend gave us. That night we had a little wet snow, so here is the pond at night with plants and fish and snow. You can see one of the fish near the top edge between the water lily and the wall.
29 October 2011. The view from the sitting room window.
29 October 2011. Just a little snow left on the railing, but it has turned much colder - temperature just above freezing. The fish are all hanging out in the turbulence under the waterfall. We're told they won't do much swimming around once the water temperature gets really cold, which it now is.