So, the building of the pond begins......

[lilmissruffcountry]

Now that I got a line on a pump.....its time to start digging. Here is the general layout of the ponds. Of coarse they will not be that high, but at least these show the general positioning of them. I will try to take a good amount of photos along the way to show the progress. Once they are in the ground and running, the area will be framed and screened in (fenced first due to the kids). I plan on bricking in a walkway, and placing a bench or two in the area between the pond and the house. I will need some help from yall on ideas on how to "landscape" them once I get it all in the ground, including some "bog" plant ideas as well. Its a little cramped, but this is the only space in the yard that has more shade then sun, and will allow for sit veiwing, and for window viewing. So what do ya'll think?

[armthehomeless]

Nice! I like the layout . . . what window looks out onto the ponds? Due to the positioning of everything . . .it looks as though most of the viewing will be done from outside. Is this correct?

[lilmissruffcountry]

Nice! I like the layout . . . what window looks out onto the ponds? Due to the positioning of everything . . .it looks as though most of the viewing will be done from outside. Is this correct?

The window is the one in the living room. Most the viewing will be from outside. I wanted to make it "wrap" around in a way I could make a little sanctuary out of it. A nice little peaceful spot in all the chaos that life presents. Its always shady except for in the morning...it gets about 2 hours direct morning sun, the rest of the day it is shaded either by the big oak tree, or the tree and the house. I have all the framing for the screen room, and most of the screen. As of right now, the big pond hole is about done being dug...just finishing up on a few of the edges and depths. Then its on the the medium pond. The small one with the waterfall/river will be the almost all the way above ground, which makes it right at viewing height for the bench. Thanks for the compliments...I am still a little leery about the layout, hoping it will not look too cluttered.

oh ya, and my back is KILLING me...I am doing by myself with a shovel....ugh. But I want to get it set up, so I can start scaping it!

[cichlid1409]

nice layout. keep us updated on the progress.

[lilmissruffcountry]

So, the big and the medium are in the ground. Big one is off level by like an inch.....so we are filling them and seeing if the ground will settle some, then draining and refilling if needed. Here's the picks of them in the ground, and the huge piles of dirt....good grief I hurt.








moving right along....or at least for the moment

[ssrprelude]

Hard work will surely pay off for you. Great start.

[fshfrk]

NICE!!! I love it. That shade is perfect so the algea does not take over. you might dig a little more out and put a sand base in. It's kind of self leveling. old carpet cushion or even old carpet make a nice base over the sand. Looks great! Can't wait to see the end ponds!

[lilmissruffcountry]

NICE!!! I love it. That shade is perfect so the algea does not take over. you might dig a little more out and put a sand base in. It's kind of self leveling. old carpet cushion or even old carpet make a nice base over the sand. Looks great! Can't wait to see the end ponds!

I dug it out more then what was needed, and the ground is a sand/clay/red dirt mix. So I back filled some to get a good "cushy" layer. I used a piece of angle iron and a level to try to get it as level as I could all the way around. Measurements this morning are off by about 1/2 inch, instead of 1 inch. So at least it settled some overnight.

Good grief my back hurts this morning, just making coffee was painful.

Hard work will surely pay off for you. Great start.

Its paying me off right now. It looks great already, but dang does my back and legs hurt. I feel like I just got back from riding at the rodeo, and got stomped by a bull.....Thank God for tylenol and coffee!

[lilmissruffcountry]

This is them full this morning. Settled pretty good. Only off by a half inch now. And this is the most light it gets, except for what it get between branches of the big oak tree.

[Gene D]

Looking good, interested in seeing the final results. There are a world of possibilities for rockscaping around those things. John's front yard comes to mind. So what are your stocking plans for the finished product?

[lilmissruffcountry]

Honestly....stocking, I am still kinda up in the air about. My hubby has become fond of some of my swordtails, and thinks they need to go in there. I thought something funny like angels, but worry about them as I have ever seen them in a pond. Don't want goldfish, coons are an issue out here, so what ever goes in has to be small, or quick. Of coarse a few plecos will go in, thought of cutting a few of my L144 pairs loose in there just to see what would happen with that much space. Landscaping is going to be fun. I already have some of the flat rock, a bunch of petrified wood pieces, and tons of pink granite, and rose quartz. Contemplating on putting a driftwood set up half in half out of the water in the big part...kind give it a island in the middle. Maybe that will help the fish to stay centered and not be at the edges for easy fishing for the wildlife. It's all still up in the air. Main thing right now is to get it going, and the pump set up. Once I get it all in place and water flowing, the landscaping and stocking will come into play....hell maybe I can find something to put in it at the auction.

[fshfrk]

daum Ruff Iv'e been wanting a swimming pool can you come digg it for me? I'll make the coffee. I like your pond!! Are you going to put down a crushed granite bed with some flagstone around the ponds?

[Mzungu]

Contemplating on putting a driftwood set up half in half out of the water in the big part...kind give it a island in the middle. Maybe that will help the fish to stay centered and not be at the edges for easy fishing for the wildlife.

That would be awesome!!

[lilmissruffcountry]

daum Ruff Iv'e been wanting a swimming pool can you come digg it for me? I'll make the coffee. I like your pond!! Are you going to put down a crushed granite bed with some flagstone around the ponds?

I have some flagstone, and some big slate pieces. Was going to outline everything, make a pathway, and backfill with peagravel.

Oh, and NO....I am done digging for awhile. Next time, I will go get the tractor with the front end loader and dig it that way....I still hurt. Coffee sounds great, but at this point Whiskey makes me feel better!

[lilmissruffcountry]

Update: got all three ponds in the ground. Most all the dirt work is done, landscaping bricks have been place as a retaining wall around the top pond with the waterfall/river. All are filled up, and I have hooked up a 2217 and started filtering it. Dosed it with Prime, and AQUA salt. I will be doing the last of the dirt work, and a few more rocks and get some new pics for yall. But its going along nicely. Even had a little frog take a swim last night, and a toad that decided to explore the edges...he didn't jump in like the frog did. I will be going out tonite to look for a few good wood pieces for making my "island" center piece. I got a few guppy culls that have been nominated for testers for the pond. And they will be put in there tomorrow night. So far the water temp has been maintaining a temp of about 78-82 in the heat of the afternoon, and first morning temp is about 76. So temp wise it is doing great!