Really neat. I live in Flour Bluff on the east side of Corpus Christi, and I am wanting to build a natural pond in my sandy backyard using clay and then lining the bottom with white rock and limestone. I want to make the pond look like the Comal River in New Braunfels ( a natural spring fed river) and plant it and stock it with plants and fish from the river. I live in a Zone 10A climate (nearly tropical) with an average annual low of about 31F. I have a tropically landscaped backyard, and I think having a natural spring looking pond would be awesome underneath my jungle canopy I am starting to grow in the backyard. I would like to make the pond about 10 - 12 feet long, about 8 ft. wide and about 4. 5 - 5 ft. deep. with a small waterfall and filtration for the fish and aquatic life. I would like to power this with a small solar panel attached to the fence or the roof of the house (where it can get some sunlight). Any suggestions? Thanks, John

Our fence is 5 feet high and would be too hard to get over even if the kids dragged a chair over. We have a removable fence that also makes it hard to climb over. I am obsessive about pool safety. I work with kids with disabilities - several of whom are post near-drowning. The disabilities they have are catastrophic. I have 5 and 3 year old girls and would never be without my pool fence. I would be concerned about taking the net off, then the kids go inside to eat and are going to go back in after. Are you really going to put the net back on each and every time you get out of the pool, even when they are going back in the pool after lunch? What if the 3 year gets outside while you are fixing lunch. At least that is the scenario that plays out in my head. In Phoenix they used to air a public service announcement called 2 Seconds is Too Long. It is a good reminder that in 2 seconds a child can slip away into the backyard. OK, I will get off my soapbox now.

Hi, I have a pool net and love it. It is by far the safest and most pleaseing to the eye. It is easy to remove and re-install in a matter of minutes. I used kathcakid to do mine. They are very professional and installed it in 1 day. Here is their site http://www.katchakid.com/ The have a alarm system as well that tells you if anyone is messing with the net. here are some pictures of my pool. Jdegid Riverside, Ca Here is a link that might be useful: all my pics

We have an automatic safety cover and while it is expensive I honestly think it is the only sure safety devise. I have seen many young kids scale pool fences unnoticed at kid birthday parties and gates - even self closing - can be left ajar - the spring loosens and you don't realize it. We never have the pool open - and only we can reach the key and we keep it in a a separate locked area when not in use - unless we are swimming and we close it as soon as the activity switches in the yard. No kids who cannot swim are allowed in our pool without a dedicated adult. A comment on teaching kids to swim early and reach the side or float on their backs. Many experts advise against that because it provides a false sense of security. Until about age 4- kids develop at different rates - kids do not have the development to understand they are drowning. Even a child who has been swimming like a fish for years can and will let themselves drown - often silently and without any struggle. I had read about this and did not quite believe it until my 3 yo who could swim the long length of the pool was waiting for his turn with his swim teacher and slipped off the step - I waited for him to swim back up and he didn't! I had to go in a drag him up. He wasn't at all concerned or panicked - his brain simply had not triggered to him that he was going to drown. Adults panic and make a splash when drowning - small children do not. I still believe in teaching kids to swim early because I believe it is a confidence thing and the earlier they are comfortable the better. I think parents just need to be aware that being able to swim and being able to avoid drowning are not the same thing. If there are other bodies of water around obviously you have to take greater precautions. I don't think anyone would argue that allowing kids to wander alone in such circumstances is crazy. I personally would not want to have that set up with kids where the backyard is off limits. Pools can be secured.