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    Thread: Texas Pond build 2009

    1. #1
      KoiDan's Avatar
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      Texas Pond build 2009

      Dig if you will the picture (story)………
      This is a look back at my first pond build in Austin Texas. Inspired by a family pond we had growing up and a neighbors water garden pond in Austin. I will say right now that I hadn't found Koiphen at this point and really wish I had!

      Back yard was nothing but grass and one Yaupon Holly when we bought it. There was to be a swimming pool here, but torrential rain and HOA restrictions on access kept that from happening, so we dug a pond

      We decided on the pond after doing the patio and didn’t want to tear up the patio to build a pond. We did read that you want the pond close to the house where you can enjoy it.
      Summer 2009….at the time(pond revision was hotter), one of the hottest. 100+!

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      Last edited by KoiDan; 09-19-2014 at 10:52 AM.

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    2. #2
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      We chose to remove the retaining wall and a few yards of rock and dirt before beginning the dig!
      We recruited son and neighbor kid to remove the sod…..they didn’t like pond digging much and I don’t blame them.
      We decided to rent a multi tool to remove soil and dig electrical trench….it couldn’t handle the workload and the Texas heat so back to the pick and shovel.
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    3. #3
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      It's always fun to see where everything began.

      --Steve



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    4. #4
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      Thanks Steve. I agree and have enjoyed everyone's builds so thought I would share mine. Is there an easy way to attach multiple pics at one time?

    5. #5
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      If you "Go Advanced" and then Manage Attachments you can load 5 at a time, but once added, you can add 5 more, and 5 more, and.... before posting. There is a problem, and I don't know if it is name related or date related, or if it has a reason, but sometimes they post in their own order, instead of your order.
      Zone 7 A/B
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    6. #6
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      We were ready to be done before we even started the “Hole”…. “Next time we are going to hire someone to do this” We had so many limestone rocks that came out of the hole and we couldn't give them away. Had to get other son involved as well....until he got smart.
      Hammer time! This tool was very heavy but was the only way to dig in our soil (Ha).
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      Last edited by KoiDan; 09-19-2014 at 10:19 PM.

    7. #7
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      My Steel toe work boots bite the dust! This will be an on going saga of the worn out shoes!
      More Rocks piling up! I really wish they were moss rocks as I could have reused them. Nothing like hauling out tons or one, only to replace with another of a different color!
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      Doesn't look like much but I was ready to be done at this point......
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      Starting to play with shapes. At this point we were still thinking water garden and not koi pond. You know, where am I going to put the lily's, I need a shelf to put the pots on....Where was Koiphen when I needed you most?

      Not sure how many 100+ days we are into at this point but the look on my face says it all.

    8. #8
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      Thanks Rich! I will try that/

    9. #9
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      Glad to see another Ponder from the area.

      Keep up the work and rent a jack hammer if ya need too. If you want a koi pond your gonna want it as big as possible. Any layouts of filters?
      Friends now and forever, across a great divide. Fish brought us together, but hearts of one mind keep us together. Joey S.




    10. #10
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      Quote Originally Posted by jonathan View Post
      Glad to see another Ponder from the area.

      Keep up the work and rent a jack hammer if ya need too. If you want a koi pond your gonna want it as big as possible. Any layouts of filters?
      This is a retro post and I haven't gotten to the filters on this revision. I will post more tomorrow as we are at the Lonestar Le Mans today. Great race track if you ever have the time.

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    11. #11
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      So this is where I get anxious and start to rush the project. In my mind, I did a better job of putting in the liner....in reality, wow I suck at it. Savio skimmer going in the lower right corner will feed the filter fall, stream and waterfall.

    12. #12
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      Wow, that soil looks like solid rock!

      And I know your pain of liners and folds... it's funny though how you think back and thought it looked
      pretty good when you did it and then I saw some other KP do theirs... then not so much.
      --Steve



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    13. #13
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      This is where I really started to go into panic overdrive. I wanted to finish and get out of the summer heat. Thought the neighbors were going to start complaining about it as well.....not a peep!
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      I couldn't decide how to do the retaining wall so I pulled the liner up behind the limestone wall to seal off any dirt.
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      Started the water fall and did some water testing. I had a great idea(not really) to have a winter bypass that came out under the waterfall area. I think that is where my pond leaked and lead to part 2....ooops, spoiler alert!
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    14. #14
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      Getting close! Waterfall and stream complete
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      Added a little landscaping as we were entering a "Best" new pond at our local nursery......Didn't realize the winner would be from a professional install done by that nursery....
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      The view from the balcony.
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      The lighted look. Not sure how everyone else does lights but I felt this was hard on the fish having lights and that they became really sketchy, darting all over the place.
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    15. #15
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      Quote Originally Posted by icu2 View Post
      Wow, that soil looks like solid rock!
      It looks like rock because it is . Even planting a small tree can be an ordeal in the Texas hill country.

      Great job KoiDan! Making that hole in the ground without heavy equipment is impressive. My back is sore just looking at your build.

    16. #16
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      Quote Originally Posted by Wolfhound View Post
      It looks like rock because it is . Even planting a small tree can be an ordeal in the Texas hill country.

      Great job KoiDan! Making that hole in the ground without heavy equipment is impressive. My back is sore just looking at your build.
      Thanks Wolfhound! Are you close by? I am in Steiner Ranch area.

    17. #17
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      Quote Originally Posted by KoiDan View Post
      Thanks Wolfhound! Are you close by? I am in Steiner Ranch area.
      No I'm in Bergheim, just north of San Antonio.

    18. #18
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      I missed the stream/waterfall post... Looks terrific!

      Small wonder who won the competition eh?
      --Steve



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    19. #19
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      Unsure of what the future held for this pond, we started with 40 goldfish.....hand picked from Petco......One of them had such unusual markings that I thought it was floating upside down and dead....He lived and we called him Downer, short for upside downer. My son is doing the honors.
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      The bag of crash test dummies! Some of them are still with us. One or two took a spin through the skimmer and pump....

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      The first lily. We really started this as a water garden and not a Koi pond.
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      Here is a view from above. We had to look high and far to find plants that we liked. Through our local club I met a good friend who started us with many Lily divides. That was fun , but man that soil really stinks when you go to repot them!
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    20. #20
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      We started to play around with rocks in the bottom.......Oh Koiphen, where were you? I think these started the leaks that I couldn't find. I think the sharp edges on the rocks and the plastic pots started numerous holes. I just wanted it to look more natural!
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      We received some plants from friends. They didn't know what they were or how to take care of them so we learned as we went along.
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