New bonsai garden, including koi pond!

[leatherback]

Such a cool project! Would love to see it in real one day. Slightly jealous maybe.
(We just said no to another property we visited with a near hactera of land; Keep looking for more space)

 

[Adair M]

So, besides giant rocks, what else can we put in the pond for decor?

Don’t ask me... I’m stumped!



So, yesterday, the pond guy asked me if I knew where we might be able to get some stumps and driftwood. Well, it just so happens, I know a guy who has a sawmill, and he gets all kind of trees. The irregular stuff he can’t use for lumber, he chips up to make shavings and bedding for chicken houses.

My son and I brought home those two stumps, and a couple of logs.

It was one of those adventures that are “once in a lifetime events”!

 

[Adair M]

More rock work. There’s a large flat “feeding rock” that going to jut into the pond. And a fish cave under it.

 

[Housguy]

That is sick, awesome layout Adair!!!

 

[Paulpash]

Adair I want a fish over rock style, STAT!

 

[Adair M]

Adair I want a fish over rock style, STAT!

You mean like this?



This tree works better:

 

[Adair M]

Here’s a picture of the fish cave:



That one is shallow, under the feeding rock. There will be another in the deeper part on the pond.

 

[choppychoppy]

This is really going to be amazing sir.

 

[Carol 83]

It's really coming together quickly. Can't wait to see the finished product. I'm sure it will result in "new bonsai garden including koi pond" envy.

 

[Nicholas Box]

One of the coolest parts about pond installs, in my opinion, is after you've finished "your" end of the work. You get to watch the bugs, and microbes, and frogs, and etc start moving in. It goes from "nothing's happening" to an oasis that everything wants to visit! Similar feeling to seeing seeds sprout imo.

 

[JudyB]

You mean like this?

View attachment 255536

This tree works better:

View attachment 255537

LOL, can't believe you wound up with that stand....

 

[Adair M]

LOL, can't believe you wound up with that stand....

Me neither! It’s actually Boon’s. He wanted it.

But... he also said if I sell it, we’d split the proceeds! So...

There is a koi show at the end of September, and the Atlanta Bonsai Society has a small bonsai display. So, I figured I might offer it up for sale there. If it’s going to sell anywhere, it would sell there!

 

[Cadillactaste]

It's really coming together. Will be a joy to sit out and enjoy it once it's all done.

 

[Adair M]

It's really coming together. Will be a joy to sit out and enjoy it once it's all done.

More construction:

 

[Adair M]

Here are a few pictures I took showing the locations of the water circulation valves. So I can find them later if I need to adjust the flow, and/or direction of flow.

The in-pond pump will circulate the water and send water up and into the bog. The pump in the skimmer will send water into the biofalls.



That black box in front of the box the pump is in is there to create a body of water so the pump won’t be pulling a really strong current directly into the pump.

 

[Arcto]

Here are a few pictures I took showing the locations of the water circulation valves. So I can find them later if I need to adjust the flow, and/or direction of flow.

The in-pond pump will circulate the water and send water up and into the bog. The pump in the skimmer will send water into the biofalls.

View attachment 255670

That black box in front of the box the pump is in is there to create a body of water so the pump won’t be pulling a really strong current directly into the pump.

View attachment 255671
View attachment 255672View attachment 255673
View attachment 255674View attachment 255675

Haven’t built a pond for years. Nice to see how the the materials and knowledge base have evolved. Fun thread.

 

[Cadillactaste]

The level this is being creative...and executed is amazing.

 

[justBonsai]

Cool pond! I look forward to seeing the end product.

 

[Adair M]

Beginning to fill the bog with gravel:



They’re standing on two layers of “aquablocks” that serve as a reservoir. Water is pumped up from the pond into the reservoir under the gravel. It’s pushed up, slowly, from the bottom. The bottom has large gravel, there’s going to be a medium size layer, and finally a smaller size layer. Water will “seep” up thru this medium, acting as a “natural spring”. Plants will be planted in the top layer to absorb the nutrients, then it will return to the pond over the waterfall, which oxygenates it for the fish. The idea behind this is the plants in the big will absorb the nitrates that contribute to algae growth.

The pond rocks will naturally develop some algae, that’s not what we’re trying to control with this system. We’re trying to keep the water clear instead of having green water.

(Of course, it will be brown when I first run it because of all the dust and fines. After a week, it should start clearing up.)

 

[Adair M]

Cool pond! I look forward to seeing the end product.

Julian, you’re welcome to come visit anytime! Bring Kaya with you.