Lessons you learn the hard way

13 years ago

I swear. I could write a book on all of the pond stuff I learned the hard way AFTER reading all the books on the subject AND building one based on what the books said.

For example-

I wanted to be able to use my pond water to water plants. So when I built the pond, the outflow from the pump goes three places- the biofilter, the top pond, and a water hose bib.

If I want to do a water change, I just turn on the water hose and water my plants with it. I have about 150 roses, and 2 acres of various plant collections.

There are backflow valves on the lines going to the biofilter and to the top pond, so if I want to clean out the biofilter I can turn off the pump, open the drainline from the biofilter, and open the water hose spigot and use that water for my plants. It'll be gravity fed instead of pumped, but that's ok cause the biofilter is a little more elevated than most of my plants.

Or at least that was the plan.

Turns out, I should have used a ball valve or something instead of a spigot. Cause gunk clogs up the water hose spigots! And the plumbing is so tight in that area that there is no way to cut off what I've got and install a ball valve instead.

Little stuff like this is a big deal but isn't mentioned anywhere.

The bad thing is, all the books and all of the forums said to go bigger. So my learning curve is based on a pond with over 11,000 gallons of water!

Oh well. One day I'll use this knowledge somewhere... Maybe a bigger and better pond in a different part of the yard.

I'm starting to realize though that the energy to build this monster garden and monster pond and everything else just isn't there as you start to get older..

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Comments (3)

pondbucket
13 years ago
When people ask me, "whatever possessed me to install this near 2000 gal pond?" I answer CHANGE. I cannot live without it. And the pond is an extension of that; it will never stay as it is.

The rock will be moved. The plants. Everything. I'll probably redesign it all again. So nothing is set in to be too permanent. I want to be able to move it around so everything is installed loose. Brick, no mortar. Few glued/permanent connections. The fewer tools required, the better.

Look at it this way, if you do have an 11,000 gal pond you also have the foundation dug for your new house!
goodkarma_
13 years ago
Keep the pond water at least at ground level (liner bubble before rebuilt pond). Use a check valve between the filter and the pump. NO rocks in the pond- did I ever tell you about the man made ones I had on a shelf that degraded, were sharp and almost cut my hand to ribbons?
No plant shelves. Do not believe the pond is a big natural ecosystem that will balance itself. See the 5 cute little fish.........next year see the 500 cute little fish. You do not need to do 10% water changes every week. Commercial pressure filters are not better then DIY. And so much more..................
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garyfla_gw
13 years ago
Hi
my experience has been just the opposite .lol I'm an aquarium freak so built a pond not as a water garden but a place to store rainwater for my fish tanks . You can build an entire pond for half a collection of rain barrels.
But followed this path Have mosquitoes get a few fish. herons ate the fish. Get a few plants for fish to hide . Plants consumed the entire storage area lol. Obviously if you have fish and plants in it you can't draw all the water. so end up filling with the garden hose anyway.
Built this in 1982 still have no filtraation or pumps except for a portable to remove water for irrigation.
Got another "lesson this winter. "florida is not necessarily warm enough to maintain tropical fish."lol
Wiped out the whole stock lol First time in all those years !!!
BTW still had to add a couple of "rainbarrels " because the water is not clean enough for aquariums. Which was the original purpose lol
One thing that has proved invaluable . Don't have to hide this rain barrel as it's far better looking than the rest of my garden lol. The down spout connection does make it self cleaning UNLESS you get a 30 inch rain .Then the fish move to better neighborhoods !! At the opposite what is REALLy needed is a way to make it rain on order .
Oh well Has been a lot of fun over the years but still nowhere near the "Perfect" setup. gary

Lessons you learn the hard way

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pondbucket

goodkarma_

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