I like the idea of a nat. gas boiler; we have gas at the house so it would be nothing to run some black or copper pipe out to the shed. Problem is the price; I haven't seen any of those heaters for under a $1000. The lowest the temp ever gets in the winter here is about 40-maybe high 30's; and that lasts a night or two here or there over the whole winter. Summer starts in April practically with close to 80 temps and from there 90 to 95 til Oct!! So maybe I could get away with a cheaper way; an electric water heater for instance on the really cold nights. I could also make some type of arbor (which I am leaning towards anyhow) and have removable plastic panels to keep the heat in, almost like a greenhouse style structure.
Starting the dig...
- Thread starter nero6370
- Start date
Well I made my 1st purchase for the pond today; 2 hardy Lilies from Lowe's. A little pricey though; each one cost $10...
Is that an average price or did I get ripped off?! They are the only ones in this area that carry true pond plants; I may have to search a little more, maybe hit J'ville. I plan on buying an a**load of plants, plus transplanting some of the plants from my 150aquarium. I have been checking prices for the liner and of course that is size dependent; I have been getting different size liner requirements from a few different retailers. Using their calulators, I supposedly need a 20 x 30 liner. But I have yet to find a calculator to account for the odd shelf I want to have; the length is 18', the width is 10', the depth is 4'. But the shelf will only run down one side and across one side; an "L" shelf. The width is 12" and the depth is about 12". Of course I would want to be safe and oversize slightly; but I don't want to waste liner (money)...
Is that an average price or did I get ripped off?! They are the only ones in this area that carry true pond plants; I may have to search a little more, maybe hit J'ville. I plan on buying an a**load of plants, plus transplanting some of the plants from my 150aquarium. I have been checking prices for the liner and of course that is size dependent; I have been getting different size liner requirements from a few different retailers. Using their calulators, I supposedly need a 20 x 30 liner. But I have yet to find a calculator to account for the odd shelf I want to have; the length is 18', the width is 10', the depth is 4'. But the shelf will only run down one side and across one side; an "L" shelf. The width is 12" and the depth is about 12". Of course I would want to be safe and oversize slightly; but I don't want to waste liner (money)...
20 X 30 sounds right w/ a 4' depth. Lay the liner out over the underlayment. Make sure you use underlayment!!! I see to many rocks and roots that can be problematic down the road. A little insurance in my mind, and I will sleep beter knowing you did it 
. You may find the liner is to big, but it may allow for a nice sized extra piece left over. This piece can be used for a stream or bog filter down the road. 
10 bucks is cheap for lilies. I see them retail @ 25-30 here, never checked Lowes or HD. I like your thinking w/a bunch of plants. It will create a super natural look aid in filteration for your pond. My 17 X 8 X 2.5 had 19 plants to start in 05'. Now three years later some are needing to get divided and others have spread and split on their own making it look very full and tropical. I plan to try a few actual tropicals this summer, but not for months. It's 28 degrees this morning and frosty.
. You may find the liner is to big, but it may allow for a nice sized extra piece left over. This piece can be used for a stream or bog filter down the road. 10 bucks is cheap for lilies. I see them retail @ 25-30 here, never checked Lowes or HD. I like your thinking w/a bunch of plants. It will create a super natural look aid in filteration for your pond. My 17 X 8 X 2.5 had 19 plants to start in 05'. Now three years later some are needing to get divided and others have spread and split on their own making it look very full and tropical. I plan to try a few actual tropicals this summer, but not for months. It's 28 degrees this morning and frosty.O.K., good; so I am not getting robbed with the plants...20 x 30 it is then; as far as underlayment goes, I had already planned to use some old carpet I kept for some reason...I also have some thick rubber mats I will use, maybe on the shelf to keep the shape and provide stability if a wayward dog or child steps in...
Rubber mats also make good "rock mats" inside the pond. If you are going to place a few big (18-24"+) character boulders through out the pond, the mats are good under boulders. I know of an electrician that does work on high voltage. They use rubber mats in there cherry pickers. Anytime one of the mats gets a tear or somehing spilled on them they have to be retired. Thats how I got mine
If your wanting plants for filtering, start looking around the ditches for cattails . Dig them up, rinse the roots and plant them in pea (or larger) gravel these pond baskets
https://www.pondmegastore.com/shop/product.php?productid=16280&cat=286&page=1
https://www.pondmegastore.com/shop/product.php?productid=16281&cat=286&page=1
I say gravel and the above baskets (HD carries them too) since you want the water to circulate thru the roots for the plants to feed. Cattails are one of the top filtering water plants and the cheapest for most of us, they use use take up ammonia, nitrates and excess nutrients w/o the need for dirt so the water stays cleaner. Also fish love to dig (what else have they to do?) and they can't move the larger gravel so they can't eat the plant roots. The weight also stabilizes the plants.
The more of these you can incorporate into the pond and a filter bog the better off you are.
If heating in you area consider a DIY solar panel or two. Depending on your heating needs, just a labaryth of 3/4" PVC pipe painted black (I've used this several times) and put on the shed roof or high tech like this http://www.greenupandgo.com/renewable-energy/beer-bottle-solar-power/
Well you are in Georgia 
, I have to figure out how to use seashells.
Oh, and tell your help if they do a good job on this pond they can help with the front one TOO!
Dr Joe
.
https://www.pondmegastore.com/shop/product.php?productid=16280&cat=286&page=1
https://www.pondmegastore.com/shop/product.php?productid=16281&cat=286&page=1
I say gravel and the above baskets (HD carries them too) since you want the water to circulate thru the roots for the plants to feed. Cattails are one of the top filtering water plants and the cheapest for most of us, they use use take up ammonia, nitrates and excess nutrients w/o the need for dirt so the water stays cleaner. Also fish love to dig (what else have they to do?) and they can't move the larger gravel so they can't eat the plant roots. The weight also stabilizes the plants.
The more of these you can incorporate into the pond and a filter bog the better off you are.
If heating in you area consider a DIY solar panel or two. Depending on your heating needs, just a labaryth of 3/4" PVC pipe painted black (I've used this several times) and put on the shed roof or high tech like this http://www.greenupandgo.com/renewable-energy/beer-bottle-solar-power/
Well you are in Georgia , I have to figure out how to use seashells.Oh, and tell your help if they do a good job on this pond they can help with the front one TOO!
Dr Joe
.
Carpet can make a good underlayment if you get the right stuff. Some carpet rots faster than others and dissipates. I still use it for temp ponds (2yrs or less) but I don't have sharp rocks here.
Dr Joe
.
Dr Joe
.
I like the bit about the cattails; plenty of em around here!! The solar heat idea is also a very good one; as long as I can make it pretty for the wife-all that pvc would be an eyesore to her I imagine all it would take would be a small pump, the pipe of course, and a ball valve for when it's not needed. As far as the carpet goes, it's fairly decent; berber with a rubber/foam type backing. It rained pretty good yesterday, so I may or may not dig some more later...yeahhh, I'll probably dig...
I imagine all it would take would be a small pump, the pipe of course, and a ball valve for when it's not needed. As far as the carpet goes, it's fairly decent; berber with a rubber/foam type backing. It rained pretty good yesterday, so I may or may not dig some more later...yeahhh, I'll probably dig...nero6370;1669834; said:I like the bit about the cattails; plenty of em around here!! The solar heat idea is also a very good one; as long as I can make it pretty for the wife-all that pvc would be an eyesore to her
When in doubt dig
I was too young to help when my dad did the first one, when that got replaced with the larger one I did the some of the digging and all of the planting, soo cold 20 years ago. I was old enough to help out with the extension too it and the ground here is pure clay and when in doubt dig, because you can't did clay for too long it hurts so much
Noting special just cold water koi ponds. When I got married we got a house and started to dig again but it didn't work out, I wanted to go with the full on system at the time as newlyweds something we just couldn't afford so it fell into disrepair. Thankfully no fish were added but I'd forgot the simple joy a pond can bring.
Keep up the old fashioned hole digging
