Working on the Pond

This last week we finally got the equipment we needed to circulate and clean the water in our pond.  It's a fairly large pond - about 10x14 and 4.5' deep at its deepest.  We definitely have too many fish, but haven't resorted to eating them yet - which was a suggestion the owner of the water garden nursery had for us!  It would be very nice to be able to sit by the pond and watch the fish, though, so over the last two days, we set about making that possible.

Filter & UV at the potting shed.

First, we set the filter into the ground at the front of the potting shed.  It does stand out, but perhaps I can make a small flower bed around it to make it less obvious.  It was the best place to put it.  Then we mounted the UV system on the side of the potting shed.

Pump ready to go into the water at the far end of the pond

Then we pulled up a water lily at the far end of the pond and repositioned it at the front of the pond, so the pump could go in its place.

Electrical joint covered from elements - it'll soon be hidden

With the components in their appointed spots, we could now put in the hosing and electrical to the pump.  The cord on the pump wasn't long enough and so where it joined to a heavy duty extension cord, it was encased in a tin can, wrapped thoroughly with duct tape and hidden under a pot.  The cotoneaster which creeps down the wall will soon cover the pot.
The cord was taken up the rock wall and around to the bottom of the stream where it joined the hose, which took the low road at the base of the rock wall.  We carefully covered the hosing with rocks.

Tucking the hosing and wire under the top side of the stream

Both were then tucked under the stream liner on the high side and taken up to the potting shed to join up with the filter and UV equipment.

The flow is just enough to create lovely sounds and stay in the stream bed

Then for many trial runs!  There has to be a secret for joining flexible hosing to smooth pipe!  We haven't discovered it yet.  All our joins leak to various degrees.  We will find a solution - silicone sealant? PVC cement applied generously?  It'll happen.  In the meantime we can put up with a little leaking until the solution presents itself.

Stream at the bottom just about to enter the pond

Now we have to do some landscaping - covering the liner where it's now exposed.  Rearranging the pebbles and rocks in the stream so that we still hear the lovely rippling noise of the water coursing down, but that they don't force the water outside the stream liner.  Happily, we're now a lot closer to having that pond we've always wanted.  One that fully satisfies the senses of sight and sound.  Beth - just look what you started!