Sandy - I disagree with your comments on a philosophical level and am contrasting my thoughts in the honest commentary you ask for. Flowers, with standards of color and arrangement and whatever, are not ponds. The original post here was mean-spirited in its sardonic and sarcastic presentation, but it sure was a no-holds- barred critique of someone's pond that stimulated responses. I don't agree with the poster's attitude, but in looking at the pond when the pictures were available, I can say that while I wouldn't build that, it is interesting as an expression of an individual, perhaps of class and culture. The owner probably takes as much pleasure as I do with mine or you with yours. Any pond is inherently interesting to me as a personal expression. Nowhere that I have seen has anyone said a pond must be artistic or a work of art-some turn out that way by design or accident. Not everyone has your aesthetic, background, creativity or ability and we just muddle along making ourselves happy (and obligated to change in the future of course). I have never seen a poor pond by a poor pond builder or pond keeper-only ponds that don't suit my location or desires. To critique a pond based on very subjective criteria isn't fair; helpful comments or a pat on the back just for the hard work and money is all anyone really asks, if they ask. To me the key is the concept of appreciation in the broadest sense--to look at and learn and understand there is always something to be seen and to learn from. To judge (poor pond) or apply a personal judgment that is not some universally accepted view (bad ponder - and we have no standards for that)is negative rather than constructive, constructive being hard to do, an art in itself. Anyway, that is my point of view, philosophy that diverges from yours in some ways. I really enjoy your posts, we have had some interesting back and forth on some topics, and hope that continues because it is instructive and especially, fun. This is an obscure post in a less well traveled part of the forum I suppose, but do hope you see it as well as others. Hopefully some will respond and there can be more discussion on the idea of looking at and commenting on what ponders submit. My two cents today; like you I have too much time on my hands and find myself getting old, err, maturing. Mike

I have always used the galvanized tanks. I have two very large ones that were used when I got them. They had pin holes in the bottoms but my husband soldered them all up and then he sprays the bottoms with the spray on rubberized undercoating that you can buy at auto parts stores. That seems to work pretty well to help them last. I have had people tell me that doing this will only make them rust out faster but so far that has not been the case. The two tanks have been going for almost 3 years now and they have not sprung any leaks. I don't like the look of the poly tanks and don't really want to spend that much buying landscape blocks or something to cover it up. I spray painted the outside of my galvanized tanks a light tan/dirt color and they blend into the area better. The galvanized tanks will eventually spring leaks but if you can fix them yourself its not that big of deal. The poly tanks may or may not last longer, it just depends. Sometimes they will crack if the tank isn't real level and the weight of the water isn't even. Sometimes they will crack if something hits them pretty hard, such as a rock thrown by a lawnmower.

Counterpoint :) Look up wicking garden beds. Here's an example: http://www.instructables.com/id/Wicking-Beds/ Basically, you'd turn your stock tanks into large self watering containers like Earthbox or others. You just fill up the bottom with lava rocks or gravel until it's slightly above the water spout. Add dirt and water as you normally would. Water wicks up into the garden soil and keeps it nice and moist while the drain keeps the soil from being waterlogged. But there's always an inch or so of water in the bottom available to wick up into the plants. Wicking beds are gaining in popularity since there's no wasted water. Here's my wicking bed done with a bed of lava rock and fabric bags. They never get watered from the top, only soak up water from the bottom:

If the surface remains nicely moist because you have a lake underneath, you've got a problem. As Dave said, root rot is then pretty much assured. I'm not sure how you're judging that the bed is drying out. Sure, the surface is going to get dry, if you don't have that lake underneath. That would be completely normal. If the surface stays moist, things are probably too wet. I can't imagine that several inches down it's drying out, however. That's where you want the moisture.