BUILDING A ROCK POND AND GARDEN: Phase 10 Setting The Big Falls

Building A Pond With Very Little Money

I have to start this with a toast! A toast to everyone that has given me donations to build a pond with very little money and this is how you do it..
#1
Go find some rock you like and use what ever means it takes.Dig it up,take road trips, ask people if they need it removed from there property be resourcful.
#2
Be ready to work hard and I mean hard.
#3
Have some friends that now people.It's not what you know, It's who you know
#4
Find some one that does not need what they have in there back yard or lot. Like cinder block.Thanks to a man by the name Roger Rines he donated all the block I needed it was going to the dump any way, so we have to help him out and take it for him.
#5
Drive around and locate things you think will help you build what you want. I found rail road tyes and used them for my corner.Just another example.
#6
One of my buddies I paddle with hooked my up with some liner for the falls. It just so happens I also bought some rock from His friend and he gave me a great price on river rock that you see.
#7
This item will cost you but if you know some one that can help reduce the cost this will help a lot thanks to Brian Jones, I got my 15x20 liner for only 131 dollars
#8
Finding a good pump 85 dollars for a 3200-gph with a 18ft. lift with a 2 year warrenty.. total 112 dollars.
#9
The filter system "Skippy Filter" Thanks to Sheb Majors he has given me the tank and filter padding to create a Keen filter system.Still have to buy parts to make a cool filter system.Parts will be PVC pipe some fittings and some patience.

I have 2 pumps..............................................................$225.00
I have a liner..................................................................$131.00
I have rock.....................................................................$215.00
I have hose kit...............................................................$045.00
I have some plants........................................................$050.00
I have some tiki torches...............................................$020.00
I have a bird bath spitting water................................$015.00
I have a light system ...................................................$060.00
I have a bird house "yard sale"...................................$003.00
Total cost out of pocket is a little over 764 dollars at this time.
Pond estimate at $4,500-5,500 when complete

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Phase 10 Setting The Big Falls

OK, well I got some of the rock in place and now I have to figure out the best way to create a good flow of water, I have played with some of it but ran out of time.So I will post my progress as soon as I get the rest of the parts I'm making to finish the falls. Then the next step will be to create some disappearing falls a "pond less pond" on the right of the big falls, I think I'm going to run a 1" line out of the filter tank and Bring it to the big rectangular rock on the right and set a 1' PVC pipe and drill some 1/4 inch holes in it and let it run off the top so it will give the rock a wet look at all times will see how that works after the big falls gets complete.

Experimenting with the back.
So now you can see what I've tried to do and we now know what has to be changed.Building a pond can be a lot of work for the rookie pond builder. but I enjoy coming up with better ideas so now we move on to getting some different rock I will set some flat stone and then build it up to the tank and see what we get with that. I have got some different features for the back such as plants and some fixtures to blend in it I think this will turn out pretty cool see ya soon.

AW !!
Here is a close up shot I found of the Black Widow under some stone I was moving, love some of mother natures best.

The Cardinal in flight,Man that was a Hard picture to get he's moves pretty fast that guy!

Saturday I'm out working on the pond and I see the Cardinal was flying close by.So off I go to see the nest and good gosh the little birds have stepped out and are hanging out on the limbs next to the nest.man those little boogers sure do grow fast, last time I looked they were tiny guys.

So now we have another nest and I will keep an eye on these three little critters.I found this nest in the pear tree while giving it a trim. Well see how fast this takes I give it 5-6 weeks and they be flying away.It appears to be a red Robbin this nest.