| Roz and Chuck's Pond |
| Before and After |
| Cleaning and Removing the Rocks |
| The Pond Before |
Oh boy! Let's see if I can list all the things that were wrong
with this pond on one page! First, the "pond guy" who dug this
pond, installed it with sloped sides, so you couldn't set any
plants in it without them (and you) sliding to the bottom.
Second, he filled the pond with river rock, pea gravel and
rocks. Third, he used the excavated dirt build a "hill" for the
waterfall and set a very small, inadequate "filter" filled with
lava rock on top of the loose dirt. Fourth, I think he just
backed a truck up and dumped the rocks on the waterfall,
because they were all helter-skelter and by the time I got
there, most of them had collapsed back onto the fence, which
made it impossible to even get to the inadequate filter to
clean it.
with this pond on one page! First, the "pond guy" who dug this
pond, installed it with sloped sides, so you couldn't set any
plants in it without them (and you) sliding to the bottom.
Second, he filled the pond with river rock, pea gravel and
rocks. Third, he used the excavated dirt build a "hill" for the
waterfall and set a very small, inadequate "filter" filled with
lava rock on top of the loose dirt. Fourth, I think he just
backed a truck up and dumped the rocks on the waterfall,
because they were all helter-skelter and by the time I got
there, most of them had collapsed back onto the fence, which
made it impossible to even get to the inadequate filter to
clean it.
The fish safely moved to temporary housing, we began removing the rocks. All that black filth on the rocks is what is caused by
anerobic bacteria and the accumulation of decomposing organics. You want to talk about SMELL?? The stench was
overwhelming! Do you see that black rock to the left of the fish net? That is NOT the original color of that rock. It is stained
black from the rotting gunk at the bottom of the pond. We did ultimately utilize the pea gravel behind the newly constructed
retaining wall to the back of the pond for a walkway, and I think after it bleached out in the sun for a couple of weeks, the stink
went away.
anerobic bacteria and the accumulation of decomposing organics. You want to talk about SMELL?? The stench was
overwhelming! Do you see that black rock to the left of the fish net? That is NOT the original color of that rock. It is stained
black from the rotting gunk at the bottom of the pond. We did ultimately utilize the pea gravel behind the newly constructed
retaining wall to the back of the pond for a walkway, and I think after it bleached out in the sun for a couple of weeks, the stink
went away.
To the left, the pond
as it was before any
work was done. To
the right, the same
pond after we were
done. Roz & Chuck
were on a limited
budget, so we
corrected the
problems with this
pond in stages. Phase
I included the
removal of all of the
rocks inside the pond
removing all of the
rocks and most of the
dirt around and
behind the waterfall
area, installing a
mortared retaining
wall behind the filter,
adding a gravel
walkway behind the
filter tank for easy
access, and terracing
the exposed dirt
around the falls for
planting.
as it was before any
work was done. To
the right, the same
pond after we were
done. Roz & Chuck
were on a limited
budget, so we
corrected the
problems with this
pond in stages. Phase
I included the
removal of all of the
rocks inside the pond
removing all of the
rocks and most of the
dirt around and
behind the waterfall
area, installing a
mortared retaining
wall behind the filter,
adding a gravel
walkway behind the
filter tank for easy
access, and terracing
the exposed dirt
around the falls for
planting.
Phase II included installing a bottom drain,
cutting in plant shelves, a new skimmer box
and home-made filter system. The water is
now crystal clear. Also, we did not lose a
single fish over the course of these two
renovations. Phase II was done in the
summer of 2003, so please look for
additional photos soon.
cutting in plant shelves, a new skimmer box
and home-made filter system. The water is
now crystal clear. Also, we did not lose a
single fish over the course of these two
renovations. Phase II was done in the
summer of 2003, so please look for
additional photos soon.
| Audio sounds provided by www.Freesound.org 38391- volivieri water flows over rock.wav 72722 - Manuel Calurano - Conversation between a nightingale and a frog.mp3 |
| Write me at: pondgal@gridcom.net |