Hey Everyone! I just wanted to post these pictures of my first outdoor pond. I live right outside of New Orleans near where the Battle of New Orleans was fought. It isn't very much of a pond at 4' X 4' X 16" but it is a labor of love to me. I have been an avid aquaria keeper for over 20 years both tropical and marine. This is my first trip to the outdoors to set up a water eco-system under the sun. Gee is that a different thing altogether. It is absolutely amazing the tremendous influence the outdoors has over a pond versus an indoor aquarium.
This pond is made from a rigid HDPE plastic liner framed in Old Cedar fenceboards. The inner frame is pressure treated 2X4 lumber. The old weathered cedar lumber gives the frame a more rustic look.
This
small waterbell ( which was installed at the request of my 10 year old
daughter Kirstie) is driven by a 450 gph magnetically driven pump.
It gets its' suction through a bio-filter consisting of polyester floss
and 10 pounds of 2mm gravel. The filter is contained in a 12" X 12" X 8"
deep HDPE filter box.
The large Square cedar box on the rear deck encloses a 25 gallon bio-filter which drains into the lower 25 gallon half drum pond. The lower pond then drains into the main pond itself. The upper filter contains water lettuce and hyacinths floating atop polyester floss and 150 pounds of 2mm gravel. The filter is bottom fed by a 1200 gph centrifugal pump. The Tiki was brought to my Mom back in 1957 by my uncle on one of his visits to Hawaii. It looks a little tacky, but I couldn't have it without placing it near the garden pond. The pond also contains Anacharis grass planted in pots. This pond receives about 5 hours of direct sunlight a day. 4 Comet Goldfish and 2 Calico Fantails all under 3 inches happily cruise about in my pond.
I recently added 2 water lillies to the main pond. I have a friend that raises them commercially so I got them for free!
I would like to hear from you with comments.
