DIY Fish & Frog Pond

While we were constructing our own home there were periods of time when I couldn't contribute much to the process. Landscaping (keeping the chaparral cut) kept me busy; but local fish ponds were so much more appealing than brush cutting that I began to read Sunset articles proclaiming that fantastic ponds could be built in a weekend. We discussed and discarded the idea of commercial liners, bought Sunset's pond book and laid out the area. I volunteered to do the digging. Two summer vacations later, I had pick-axed the required depth through a decomposed granite boulder and we were ready for cement blocks. David laid the blocks for the rectangular 4 by 8 by 4 deep pond, holding a bit over 400 gallons of water, coated it with a masonry product, and I sealed with specialty coatings . After hearing stories about saving fish in the driveway during a raging monsoon storm, we created an overflow in our pond. The overflow has seen our fish through many a flooding rainstorm. We filled the pond to check for leaks and waited a month before subjecting any plant life or fish to any toxins the new masonry products might emit.

The pond has been a source of delight for me as we continued the long time-frame that the construction of Badboulder has taken for one person--David. We were the grateful recipients of twenty or so large fantailed gold fish and one huge Koi when a neighbor moved . Old Spot, the Koi, soon came to have his head petted while consuming his twice daily feedings of pellets. It was a sad day for us two years later when we learned the dangers of herons (guess it might have been a hawk). A horse training ranch 4 miles away boasts a "lake" complete with herons.

Through the years, I have rescued tadpoles from becoming crispy critters when their small pools of water began to dry. Frogs are such ingrates and usually hop off, but a few remain loyal to sit in the pond and be admired. We can now sit on our deck and hear nightly croaking from a bog that we recently created.

Our water lilies have been spectacular this year. We started with only two, gifts from a neighbor in return for a week's pet sitting. She also supplied us with water plants that keep our pond clean. Through the years David has re-potted the newly propagated lilies and we now have all our pond size permits.

Please enjoy these pictures.