Hi Guys

I have been very busy this summer.I did have some time to work on my new water fall.I rebuilt the whole thing.I also lined the wall below with rocks this summer.I did have a problem with the fish hiding behind it but they are coming out more often now.I think I might have the water fall the way I want it now.It is only the 5th time I have built it and taken it down and done it again.
Now I just have to wait for the plants to grow around it and hide the top.

Let me know what you think and any ideas
Good to be back
swampview

Very very nice, Swanpview. Good mix of rock. Great job.

How many gph pump?

Once would be enough for me. lol It's looking good. What's that really wierd looking pink plant?

Wow ! You have been busy. Looks great.I have still got 3 orfes with your name on them if you can make it down.

SadieMay, My guess is for the plant you are referring to is "hens and chicken".

Swampview, looks very natural.

I like the hens and chicks that are growing out of the rocks. I never thought of putting them by the pond.

The last pic in the lower right corner, it looks like an old "Model T" wheel and tire - nice touch! I give it a two thumbs up!

duh.....I grew up with those. lol Never realized them in pink though. Maybe it was just my mom's 'black' thumb. :D

I like the waterfall Swampview! I wish my waterfall gushed like that. Mine just drizzles. I've never seen flowering hen and chicks before. We've bought it a few times but it never survived long. How'd you get it to anchor on the rocks? Do you do anything special to keep it alive?

What kind of foundation does your waterfall filter have? Is the waterfall on solid ground or was it built on dirt from the excavation like mine? My hill keeps sinking because of that ever so slowly. Your waterfall looks pretty sturdy.

Hi Guys

Just a couple of pics to show what I started with and some different water falls.Like you Robyn I got tired of watching the water fall that just drizzles.This year I redid it and bought some new this.
At the top I put a power falls spillway with a filter in it.I also bought a new large pump to use just for the water fall.It is in the pond and it pumps up 5 ft to the top water fall and back down into the pond. It pumps the water at 3000 gph.Great flow with just a 1 inch hose.I also have another pump in the pond for a double filter system.The pond has never been cleaner.Almost no work (HA HA )
I think you will be able to see in the pictures what I started with 3 years ago.
The hens and chicks seem to love the spot their in.I have 100's of them all over the rocks.I don't do any thing to them,just place them on a crack in the rocks or between 2 rocks and they grow.It is very strange how the flower.
The wheel at the corner of the pic is an old wheel from a farm wagon. It is all wood except for rubber on the outside.It is very cool and I have another one in the garden.People want to buy them from me but I don't want to see them.









Powerfalls =$200
large pump + hose = $275
small pump =$100
double filter system =$100
hydro bill =$20 mth more

WATCHING THE WATER FALL PRICELESS
swampview

As you can see from the pictures the water fall has come along way in the past 3 years.I would just like to take this chance to thank everyone on the forum for all the ideas and advice.I have learned so much with the pond and my fish.
I also wanted to let you know I went to the pond this morning and saw I have 2 new babies swimming around.I'm not sure if the are Koi or Goldfish.Maybe you can help me.
About a mth ago I saw one of my koi poking at the larger goldfish.They were acting the same way guppies do before they give birth.Last wk I noticed that the large goldfish was very sluggish and I though maybe it was sick.Now I see 2 babies swimming around the pond.They are brown.Are they goldfish or are the koi babies?What ever they are I will love them and I am so excited about it.This is my first batch of babies in the pond.

I would like to give a special thanks to wayne r for all his advice on pumps and filters.I think it was his pond and waterfall pictures that kept me digging and collecting rocks.I hope I can make it down to your place for the 3 orfes with my name on them soon.I will give them a good home.
How is your garden and did you have the garden tour yet.

Thanks All
swampview

I definitely like the new waterfall over the old although the watering can was an interesting way to introduce the water to the head of the falls. The old waterfall had a lot more exposed liner.

Both goldfish and koi are born brown/blah/gray and slowly get their colors. Koi color up faster than goldfish. Koi have mouth barbels which goldfish lack so as soon as they are large enough to tell if they have those or not, you'll know the species. Goldfish are more apt to spawn in general.

The large, slow goldfish may have been a worn out female after spawning which can be pretty violent. Koi may go after egg-laden goldfish to try to eat some eggs. Rarely, a male koi may try to spawn with a female goldfish (or vice versa). The babies can look like either parent but these "mule" babies are pretty rare. They usually only occur when there is a sole member of one of those species in a pond of the other.

Hi Robyn

Thanks for the info about my babies.I will keep a close eye on them and let you know what they are.I have a feeling that they are goldfish and she was expecting when I bought her.How long does it take for the color to start showing?

I still have the watering can hooked up to a small pump going into the pond.All the frogs get on the plants and go around the pond with the current.When they reach the watering can it is like they are under a shower.They seem to love it.

swampview

Our goldfish babies are starting their color changing now. At first I thought just the 2 inchers, but the smaller ones are starting too. Told hubby that Pigboy must be the daddy of the first group..bodies are big and the heads are small. lol <_<

Hi SadieMay

How old are your baby goldfish? I think mine are a 1 mth old.

swampview

I'm not sure. We're on the 2nd week for our UV lite and that's when we noticed the babies. We've been serious thick green all summer. Since we have 3 definite group sizes, then I'd say 3 month ( 3 out of 4 changing color ), 2 month ( 1 out of the 5 ) and 1 month ( no changes yet ).

Most goldfish start to get their color when they're about an inch long. The age at which they are an inch long varies with temperature, food, competition, etc. Some baby goldfish might be an inch long at 2 months old while others could take 6 months. Some goldfish may not get color until they are 2 or 3 inches long. I had one bronze goldfish who was 8 inches or so before he all of a sudden decided to get color! Goldfish whose parents were bronze/blah/brown/gray/natural may remain so all their lives.

Hi Robyn

Thanks Robyn and SadieMay for the information.That's very helpful

swampview

Hi Swampview,
No wonder it took you awhile to get your waterfall finished. It is so beautiful!! You can tell you have spent alot of hours working on it. And it has paid off. It is soooo beautiful. Do you put dirt between the rocks so you can plant your little plants? And the wagaon wheel...what a perfect touch. You did an awesome job. Wish you could come to TN and do mine!!! BEAUTIFUL JOB!!!!!
Ellen

Hi Ellen

Thanks Ellen.
I do spend a lot of hours out at my pond.As far as working on it I don't call it work,I call it playing at the pond and gardens.I'm not finished the waterfall because there are still things I want to do at the top to hide the spillway.I have plans for that but I have to wait until next season to do the planting.I think I am going to get the new ground clematis to cover it.That's my plan now but that could change AGAIN.
I do have some soil between the rocks for some of the plants but the hens and chicks I just place on or in any crack in the rock and they seem to grow.

swampview

Wow Swamp, gorgeous! What I wouldn't give for a waterfall and pond that size! I envy the room you have!
Any chance you can cover up the black thing that the waterfall starts from with rock? I think it would look more natural then. Otherwise, it's just perfect :)

Mary Anne

Hi MaryAnne

Thanks.
I do have plans for the spillway at the top.I know it sticks out like a sore thumb and I have a hard time looking at that.It will be hidden when I am finished.
I say finished but are we ever really finished changing our ponds.There is always something new to do or a better idea pops into your head.

swampview

Hi Everybody

I am looking for some ideas to cover the spillway at the top of the waterfall.

swampview

You could spray it with waterfall foam or put some aquarium epoxy on it and then stick pea gravel or whatever kinds of small rocks that you want into the stuff before it hardens. I don't know how long it would last but it might give you something to look at aside from the black spillway.

My biofilter has loose rocks around the top and over the spillway so the water can't even be seen. The animals (deer, etc.) keep moving the rocks and often cause minor diversions. The neighbors huge dogs twice created major diversions that nearly pumped my pond dry twice a few years ago. I wish I had something more stable but the dirt hill has settled in 10 years so there's no foundation on which to build. I don't have the skills to build anything.

Swamp, some ideas for the top, besides more rocks, are: Large potted elephant ears, a bamboo hut, (you could put statues in it, monkeys, etc), a large planter set on top with lots of trailing vines, flowers, etc. Cut out the bottom of a washtub and fashion it around your spillway on its side. A half barrel on its side also. Hmm...how about a half barrel sitting on top of the spillway with a dwarf alberta spruce in it and some trailing wave petunias?
Ah, if I only had the money and stamina for all of my ideas.... :)

MA

Hi

WOW. All great ideas.I have started building gardens around the water fall and have some trailing plants.Still looking for that something special at the top because it is the focal point of the whole pond.If it's a plant it needs to be able to take a lot of sun and heat.

swampview

I've got some vinca minor ( I think it's the minor) that I have trailing into my pond to cover the spaces. Transplanting is sensetive ( I've lost a few sections of it ) but it'll even grow into the water with no problems. It vines out as one big bushy/viney ground cover with tiny purple flowers in the spring. How about one of those fake boulders...on MY wish list.

Hi SadieMay

I never thought of vinca for around the pond.That's another good idea for next year. I am always looking for perennials.As far as the fake boulder goes where I live it is all rock.I can get any size or shape I need for free.All I have to do is drive the back roads and look for them.If it's to big then I call my friend with the tractor and he will get it for me and put it where I need it.
Robyn and MaryAnne also have some great ideas and yes MaryAnne I am running out of steam.

swampview

I have two nearly colorless goldfish that are at least two full years old (fin tips just started turning light, and just a couple spots). It's kinda funny; they're huge, bigger than others who have already received their color.

Okay, I'm confused. Reading about baby gold fish/color on swampviews new waterfall post. I click "submit post" and it ends up here; where discussions are about vinca and fake boulders.

Must be time to go home; been a long day.

Oh, just figured it out. I'm replying while on the first page, not realizing there's two pages to the thread. Sorry. Like I said, long day.