A New Garden Pond in the Pocono Mountains

[MoonShadows]

I don't see any rocks in your first pics. WHY????

We expect progress pictures by Sunday.....

Don't worry, I found them as I started to dig. Rocks! PA's #1 crop!

Definitely! Pics to follow.

 

[waretrop]

Really looking good....

 

[MoonShadows]

No, ran right past the corner of the cistern towards what used to be a back porch before it was closed in to enlarge the kitchen. I imagine it dumped the rainwater from the main roof and porch roof down into the field.

 

[lcertuche]

 

[NH Homesteader]

That looks awesome!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Way cool! You did great and it looks fantastic!

 

[waretrop]

I must do a bldg inspection soon....lol

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I can't remember if you said you were going to put fish or plants or anything in it?

 

[MoonShadows]

Normally, cycling a pond...going through the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate cycle can take anywhere from 4 - 8 weeks. And, while people do, you should not add fish during this time. A lot of people do...to ponds and aquariums...but if the ammonia is more than 1ppm (part per million) their gills can become irreversibly damaged, and this weakens the their entire immune system. You can jump start it by adding a percentage of household ammonia upon setup, and then the nitrite and nitrate appear sooner. I am going to use Fritzyme, a liquid bacteria. It was supposed to arrive Friday, but it got caught up somewhere and will not arrive until Tuesday. Once I add that, the bacteria action will multiply faster, and since I only have 4 small comets to start with, I'll probably add them once the water hits 60-65 which is what their aquarium temperature is right now. The well water I pumped into the pond yesterday afternoon was so cold I could only keep my hands and arms in for a short time before they began to hurt. I expect to add my fish sometime next week. I have already added some plants.

 

[Mini Horses]

Nice job!! Water can be a soothing sound (or NOT)....we had an indoor rock waterfall in the entrance at our log cabin, under a stairwell. It was very calming to listen to the gentle flow. One of our mini poodles loves to play in one of the ponding areas, however. At first I thought a leak -- then, I caught him playing in it with his paw and slopping water around. Sure better than a leak!

Enjoy the pond! I'm sure the goldfish will be happy.

Soon we should have some "I'm done" pics, rocks, flowers, plants and all the trim.