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Karalyn
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Saturday, February 01, 2003 - 01:16 pm: |   
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Hi Everyone,
I asked about have a pond and watergardening thread and it is here! Super! I love ponds. Growing up in California,  many of my friends on the block had a pond of some sort. We finally got a waterfeature after I was a teenager, although my folks opted for a pool earlier that was suppose to have a waterfall going into as all the pools we looked at had. That never happened.
I use to go to the local lake and stream and catch minnows and polywogs. They didn't last in my care at the time. What did I know about keeping critters at age 11. One time after visiting Santa Cruz and the tidepools. I brought home some Hermit Crabs. They just ended up stinking up the bucket. But now I'm older and have a place of my own and started digging a water feature, which then turned into a fish pond, and then a home for waterlilies and other interesting plants.
Since 1993, I have enlarged my pond 4 times and right now I'm on the finishing touches of my enlarged Koi Pond. I've been very active in our watergarden and koi club in Idaho and we have annual pond tours and koi shows. I have taken many pictures of which now that I know how to post, I will put some on here that were quite notable.
So I would like to hear what you all have whether it is just a table top water feature vs the huge pond like Reg's. He has a website and you can get the story and the cool pictures on his HUGE pond with Koi I might add. He answered my question regarding Koi. 
Anyway, his pond holds 100 and 50 thousand gallons of water. Reg please correct me if wrong, as I'm taking this from memory which is getting short these days.
Let's put it this way, it makes my close to 5000 gallon pond look like a puddle compared to his HUGE POND.
Please let us know what waterplants you are growing and where. Also, any special filtering systems or pond decor that is full of whimsy or just mostly related to your surroundings. CYA soon!
Karalyn, Boise, Idaho Zone 6 |
Rylaff
My Weather
| | Posted on Saturday, February 01, 2003 - 01:31 pm: |
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My pond is not big, it hold about 200 gallons, but it is big enough for me. My five goldfish are quite happy, and I have a lot of plants growing in the pond. I love the sound of the waterfall. So peaceful. Here, you can see it over in the corner. The Arizona river rocks cost me an arm and a leg, but well worth it.
Rylaff |
Monique
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Saturday, February 01, 2003 - 02:05 pm: |
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Lovely! This is a great topic..I will surely learn alot from all of you.
My tiny pond had 6 goldfish..many plants and will be home to my Spring 2003 Fairy Garden.
I am so glad we have this spot!
M nique Québec Zone 5 |
Rylaff
My Weather
| | Posted on Saturday, February 01, 2003 - 02:35 pm: |
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I hope more will join us.
Rylaff |
Karalyn
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 07:32 am: |
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HI Rylaff,
You pond is very pretty and relaxing. Yes, I know those arizona flagstone can be spendy. I buy Oakly stone and if I want it thick such as 2 inches, that cost a bit too, but I don't think as much as Arizona flagstone.
I like your roan river rock, did you hunt that down or purchase it? It is so good looking. I love your black majic. I don't know if my Black Magic is going to make it this year. I have to bring them inside or they'll freeze. My son got married during the time that things needed to be taken in so I didn't have one of those leisurely autumns.
Hey, where are you from? Looks like you have a banana tree. You can post your screen name and where you are from and zone in the signature spot in your profile.
I love the black purple plants you have too. Refresh my memory as to what they are. Well, gotta get.
Karalyn  Now we just need a clipart of fish.
Karalyn, Boise, Idaho Zone 6 |
Rylaff
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 09:02 am: |
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I live in Northwest Florida in a small town called Niceville (and yes, it is nice) which is right outside of Fort Walton Beach. I had to buy the river rock. Yes, it was pricey.
My black taro came inside for the winter, so it is a green taro right now. Most of my pond plants are inside under a grow light just waiting for a couple more weeks.
The other purple plants in the picture are sweet potatoe vine and wandering jew.
Lisa Tetzlaff Florida zone 8b |
Karalyn
My Favorite Photo
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 12:58 pm: |
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Lisa,
Hmmm....so you live in the cold part of Florida?
I never thought you would have to bring plants in.
But I guess you get a longer growing season. So that is nice.
That Roan River rock is all over here in Idaho, especially near the mountains. When my MIL had part of their land sold for a subdivision, while the diggers were digging, all that rock was dug up. There is one subdivision near her house that has a Roan River stone fence. Really pretty.
I gathered some up near the Salmon river as well as some real pretty turquoise, aqua, teal green and mossy green. These will be used to cover the outside of my raise ponds that spill into my koi pond.
I'll get some pictures of this that is on some fencing at a nice Lodge in McCall, Idaho. It bugs me to see house that have the fake stuff. Especially a BestWestern built right on the Salmon and Little Salmon river. All the stone is right in their reach but it takes longer for a good mason to place them vs the manufactured ones.
This adventure takes a three hour drive or less and maybe a night's stay but it is well worth it. I drop some of my sons off at the Boys Scout camp in McCAll and then go up to Riggins. This where you can float the Salmon river and also the River of NO Return.
I had a pond and waterfall similar to yours when I first started, but then you find out about koi and more waterlilies and I needed more room and a better filtering system.
Karalyn, Boise, Idaho Zone 6 |
Rylaff
My Weather
| | Posted on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 02:05 pm: |
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The only plants I bring in are the ones in the pond. We do occasionally get temps below freezing. So I bring them in until it warms up again. I could just let them die back and come back in spring. Like my bannana trees. They have died back, but will return.
One of these days, I will probably expand my pond, but I am happy with it right now.
Lisa Tetzlaff Florida zone 8b |
4myfamily
My Weather
My Time
| | Posted on Sunday, July 09, 2006 - 09:12 pm: |
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Hi New here... Just thought I'd share a photo of my pond as well... I have really enjoyed browsing through and looking at what you all have posted.And the pics are all amazing. The artisic in all of us comes out with nature.
Glad to see all the frog lovers, too. I have put several tad pols in and they are growing into frogs. Well see, how that goes..
And way my name is Heather, and It's a pleasure to meet all of you. I look forward to sharing and looking and reading your posts.
4myfamily
- MO,
Zone "Zone 5"
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Karalyn
My Weather
| | Posted on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 01:34 pm: |
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Welcome, Heather :)
Your pond is very pretty and I love how the sun is glowing on it. It has an ethereal feeling to it. 
Karalyn Idaho Zone 6 |
Beverly
My Weather
| | Posted on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 06:44 am: |
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Heather,
Beautiful pond. I love frogs. They are one of natures wonderful insect eaters. Thank you for sharing this pic with everyone. We look forward to seeing many more pics of your gardening and pond keeping efforts.
Beverly
SW MO-USA
Beverly
- Missouri,
Zone "?"
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Roders
| | Posted on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 03:02 pm: |
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Hello everybody..I am from England and have been getting my brave up to do a post.
It is very hot here at the moment about 33*c so am doing lots of watering and of course ,taking plenty of fluids myself********
This is a picture my pond surrounded by lots of foliage plants.
Well thats it Iv'e done it..... Thanks Rod.
Roders
- Suffolk,
Zone "?"
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Calvinchi
My Garden
| | Posted on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 03:28 pm: |
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Nice wild nature looking! I'm new to pond and thinking about building one. How deep is it? Does the pond get frozen in winter? Do you take the fish in, or how do you keep them outside? We get -30C in deep winter.
Thanks!
Calvinchi
- Ontario,
Zone "5"
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Roders
| | Posted on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 04:00 pm: |
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 I can't imagine -30c.....We get-8-10.
You will have to take advice from people in your area.
I keep a waterfall going all year ,this stops a small area from freezing and the fish tend to live at the bottom during the winter.
You can buy pond heaters but I don't know much about them.Read as much as you can,talk to others,hopefully you will get some more forum advice.....Good Luck...Rod
Roders
- Suffolk,
Zone "?"
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Karalyn
My Weather
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 18, 2006 - 11:28 am: |
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Rod, I just love your Pond and your koi. I love the edging too. I get torn between, formal and natural and in between. My front koi pond is formal and raised and my back one is raised on two upper pools that are two ft high walls covered with natural stone.
Then the larger koi pond they spill into is surrounded by stone and decking.
You did great in posting your picture.
Calvinchi, zone 5 isn't bad at all for having a pond. The deeper you make your pond the better for overwintering fish and hardy lilies.
There are many pondkeepers that live up north of America and in Canada.
Denver, colorado is famous for their botanical gardens and ponds. Lots of waterlilies and bog plants are grown there. The most important thing of keeping a pond is providing oxygen to the fish. When it is iced over, the pond can't release the gases that are formed under the ice by natural causes.
So that can kill fish. Also, a hole in the ice allows for some oxygen which the fish don't need a lot when the temps are low, but they need some and oxygen is condensed in cold water. So it helps the hybernating fish. Goldfish, the regular comets, etc. are tough fish, the fancy hybrids are not.
Keep on asking questions, I can help, or others. Welcome to the pond feature thread. 
Karalyn Idaho Zone 6 |
Calvinchi
My Garden
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 18, 2006 - 12:16 pm: |
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Karalyn, Thanks for helping.
I'm designing my pond now; plan to build it early next spring, inspiration from this site and the Pond forum. I'm thinking to have a 5ft high irregular rocks with waterfall, onto a 6.5ft long river stone stream crossing an existing stone path, fall into the pond. The pond is about 12ft x 6 ft natural sunken in, min 2 ft deep with levels and stages, a small stone beach, rock and plant edges. I would like to release my common gold fishes from a house tank into the pond. I could take them inside in the winter.
Is this plan ok? A contractor said it could be too small in the future. What would be the volume of water it may contain? I would like to have a volume estimate so to configure for a pump. The pipes would have to run back and forth between the pond and the rock fountain. Any advices are very much appreciated!
Calvinchi
- Ontario,
Zone "5"
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Karalyn
My Weather
| | Posted on Friday, August 18, 2006 - 09:59 am: |
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HI Calvinchi,
Sorry its been awhile since I got back to you.
Your pond plans sound great! If you could make the pond deeper it would be better.
I can't tell you how much volume of water you would have, except that my one raised pond which is 7 1/2 X 4ft x 4ft deep holds around 850 gallons. I had a math guy calculate it for me. But I plan on someday getting me a gallon counter that you can put on a hose.
There might be others that can tell you, maybe Mike in Chicago. But your pond might just hold as many gallons as mine, when you calculate the depth and length are different. I have less length, but more depth.
I am not counting your stream waterflow and holding power when the pump is off. All I know is that for a stream it is nice to have collecting pools so that is looks nice when the pump is turned off.
That is just an opinion, unless your stream is meant to look like a dry one when the pump is off.
Let me know how things are going.
Karalyn Idaho Zone 6 |
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