wrennflint
05-25-2016, 12:02 PM
Pond size: 100x50'. Depth ranges from 1' around the edges to about 15' in the middle, depending on the time of year and how much rainfall we've had. We still have some digging to do on one end, and we are getting FIL's backhoe soon for that task.
My pond was little more than a hog wallow (literally) and erosion control retaining pond for many years before I moved into the house. I've been there about 10 years, and 4 years ago my dad dug out the pond with a trac-hoe. We put in bluegill and redear, which have done very well. It is inhabited by all manner of turtles, frogs, snakes - everything one would expect from a natural pond in Mississippi. We had 5-8 wild diving ducks that visited during the winter this year. That was nice to watch from the dining room with coffee in the morning. Haven't seen any gators yet, but it's not unheard of here. They mostly stick to rivers so they can migrate in colder weather, but people have a bad habit of turning out pet baby gators when they outgrow their aquariums. :uggg:
We've had various floating fountains over the last few years, and have put in a floating sack of barley this year to control the algae. It seems to be working, as the algae is nowhere near as bad as previous years. We also have an alligator weed problem. A bad alligator weed problem. There is a small leak on the levee that has likely been caused by a tree root or a gravel deposit. I have bentonite ready to apply when the water goes down a bit. We can't really drain the pond entirely, and the leak seems to be near the water line. Wish me luck.
Recently we put in a few koi and shubunkin in. They are of a size that the bream haven't bothered them, and they are lovely to watch when they deign to appear. Feeding them has helped get them used to seeing us on the bank. They are strictly for our enjoyment, and I'm hoping they might help control the alligator weed. I'm considering getting a grass carp or two for that task, but I have water lilies I'd like to keep. Not sure if the grass carp eat those. Not many plants around the perimeter, because we've been trying to clean up all the trees, grass and weeds that came from years of neglect. Replanting a few select things has been nice.
We have decided to put in a much bigger pump and waterfall feature, and I'm super excited for that. A small deck will be built beside the waterfall. The side it's going on is a straight 4-5' drop from the yard, so it's pretty perfect. Again, we will need the backhoe for this task.
I promise to come back with pictures, but I'm sneaking in a post at work at the moment. I just wanted to say hi and tell you guys about my current setup.
My pond was little more than a hog wallow (literally) and erosion control retaining pond for many years before I moved into the house. I've been there about 10 years, and 4 years ago my dad dug out the pond with a trac-hoe. We put in bluegill and redear, which have done very well. It is inhabited by all manner of turtles, frogs, snakes - everything one would expect from a natural pond in Mississippi. We had 5-8 wild diving ducks that visited during the winter this year. That was nice to watch from the dining room with coffee in the morning. Haven't seen any gators yet, but it's not unheard of here. They mostly stick to rivers so they can migrate in colder weather, but people have a bad habit of turning out pet baby gators when they outgrow their aquariums. :uggg:
We've had various floating fountains over the last few years, and have put in a floating sack of barley this year to control the algae. It seems to be working, as the algae is nowhere near as bad as previous years. We also have an alligator weed problem. A bad alligator weed problem. There is a small leak on the levee that has likely been caused by a tree root or a gravel deposit. I have bentonite ready to apply when the water goes down a bit. We can't really drain the pond entirely, and the leak seems to be near the water line. Wish me luck.
Recently we put in a few koi and shubunkin in. They are of a size that the bream haven't bothered them, and they are lovely to watch when they deign to appear. Feeding them has helped get them used to seeing us on the bank. They are strictly for our enjoyment, and I'm hoping they might help control the alligator weed. I'm considering getting a grass carp or two for that task, but I have water lilies I'd like to keep. Not sure if the grass carp eat those. Not many plants around the perimeter, because we've been trying to clean up all the trees, grass and weeds that came from years of neglect. Replanting a few select things has been nice.
We have decided to put in a much bigger pump and waterfall feature, and I'm super excited for that. A small deck will be built beside the waterfall. The side it's going on is a straight 4-5' drop from the yard, so it's pretty perfect. Again, we will need the backhoe for this task.
I promise to come back with pictures, but I'm sneaking in a post at work at the moment. I just wanted to say hi and tell you guys about my current setup.