Hi Sherry, Thanks for the input. I'd love to see your full list. I "unearthed" the slab of granite when I was digging out the pond. Originally it was supposed to be a modest 5'x7'. Bought the liner for it and everything. But the "pond goddess" had other ideas. I hit "rock bottom" about 8 inches down and had to go out nine feet before the rock dropped off enough for me over winter fish! Final dimension is a half circle about 9'x19' with a depth of 2" to 32" along a little bit of the outer rim Here's a spring pic: http://condor.wesleyan.edu/openmedia/digitization/pond_pics/pond.jpg Volume wise it's around 2800 gallons I think. It took 4 hours to fill it up initially and I saw something somewhere that said municipal water is around 700 gallons an hour, I admit I was expecting to find evaporation but I put a bucket in the pond and filled it to the rim (which was water level). A few hours later the water in the bucket was virtually unchanged but the pond had gone down significantly. I also shut off the waterfall and tested again. Same thing. Water level went down about as much with the waterfall off as on. The cement itself is sealed. Sorry, should have mentioned that. UGL DryLock. best stuff on the planet! It's got three coats throughout and two coats over the new cement we patched this spring. I had it tinted to match the rocks. Imagine the look on the guy's face when I brought several large-ish rocks for his color computer to match! I didn't want to paint the stone bottom, however, because it's so pretty. When the water is clear you can see some of the veins in the shallow spots. I had found some info on liquid neoprene. It's expensive. About $200 a gallon for the clear stuff (which they say isn't really clear) and it would take at least 2 gallons. I noticed that the Sanitred isn't clear. I may have to just deal with the fact I'll have to live with the seep or cover over my rock. Your fern grotto sounds amazing! Care to post some pics? BasilB Here is a link that might be useful:

Email AZStoneConsulting or, possibly, Bill Vincent (he's a tile specialist, but he may know what to do about this as well) via their member pages. I've linked their member pages below. We haven't heard from Kevin (AZ) in a while, but he may be able to help you either here or offline. If he does help you offline, please post his solution here for others! AZStoneConsulting's Member Page (a.k.a., Kevin!) Bill Vincent's Member page

I just picked up my 2x6" Sonoma Stellar tile in the color Dulce de Leche. I am supposed to be DIYing the installation. I've read the threads about sealing and when to seal, and tiles not sticking on the wall, etc...I asked the saleslady at the tile store about it. She was appalled at sealing the tile before installing. She said absolutely not. She said to install it, then wipe the sealer on the tiles with a cloth and wipe off excess. Then grout. I asked about sealing the grout and she said you could seal it again after grouting. I guess that is what I will do an since I am doing it myself, I will let sit a few days before I grout to make sure everything is dry. She ordered the grout & sealer for me. I'm a little nervous about installing, but I think if I take my time it should be OK. My sister in law is going to help me get started since she has a few tile projects under her belt. We have a wet saw.

The leaf loss is likely related to the sudden reduction of light levels and/or the reduction in humidity that usually accompanies the move indoors in fall. The spots are a normal part of the plant's morphology. The regularly spaced white dots arranged with loose symmetry inside and along leaf margins are often misidentified as pests or glands. They are called lithocysts and contain crystals (like a small stone or pebble) of calcium carbonate or calcium oxylate, which are called cystoliths. The lower light levels indoors and over-watering often work together to cause a physiological disorder called oedema, which occurs when the plant's internal water pressure becomes so high it pushes sap through the leaf cuticle (skin) via the pathway of least resistance, which in this case would be through the lithocysts. Something I wrote about Oedema follows, and you should be able to infer what the remedy is by what you read below. If you have questions or need additional input - don't hesitate. Oedema is a physiological disorder that can affect all plants. It occurs when the plant takes up more water than it can rid itself of via the process of transpiration. The word itself means 'swelling', which is usually the first symptom, and comes in the form of pale blisters or water-filled bumps on foliage. Under a variety of circumstances/cultural conditions, a plant's internal water pressure (turgidity) can become so high that some leaf cells rupture and leak their contents into inter-cellular spaces in leaf tissue, creating wet or weepy areas. Symptoms vary by plant, but as the malady progresses, areas of the leaf turn yellow, brown, brown with reddish overtones or even black, with older damage appearing as corky/ scaly/ ridged patches, or wart/gall-like bumpy growth. Symptoms are seen more frequently in plants that are fleshy, are usually more pronounced on the underside of leaves, and older/lower leaves are more likely to be affected than younger/upper leaves. Oedema is most common in houseplants during the winter/early spring months, is driven primarily by excessive water retention in the soil, and can be intensified via several additional cultural influences. Cool temperatures, high humidity levels, low light conditions, or partial defoliation can individually or collectively act to intensify the problem, as can anything else that slows transpiration. Nutritional deficiencies of Ca and Mg are also known contributors to the malady. Some things that can help you prevent oedema: * Increase light levels and temperature * Monitor water needs carefully – avoid over-watering. I'd heartily recommend a soil with drainage so sharp (fast) that when you to water to beyond the saturation point you needn't worry about prolonged periods of soil saturation wrecking root health/function. Your soil choice should be a key that unlocks the solutions to many potential problems. * Avoid misting or getting water on foliage. It slows transpiration and increases turgidity. * Water as soon as you get up in the AM. When stomata close in preparation for the dark cycle, turgidity builds. If you water early in the day, it gives the plant an opportunity to remove (for its own needs) some of the excess water in the soil. * Put a fan in the room or otherwise increase air flow/circulation. Avoid over-crowding your plants. Al