# My current small formal pool



## Ian L (18 Nov 2019)

Hi everyone

I have just joined this forum and was challenged by EdVet to evidence the biocenis baskets that i said were my next project.
Well this is not it - yet! I thought I'd show the preliminary build up both for dramatic impact and to wear you into submission.
I have had a pool everywhere I've lived since age 12 when I found some frogspawn and dug my first puddle with some greenhouse polythene and its gone from there. Generations of tadpoles have travelled with me all over the country since.
We had recently dramatically downsized and naturally like all new householders needed to knock old walls out and put new ones somewhere else.
The idea was that the outside the extension would be a terrace and so anywater feature would need to fit a small area and and suit a formal setting. It had to take a fountain as I bought that for Mrs Logan as a wedding present.
You can see the pool in the corner of the garden in its final stages of constructionfrom blocks and bricks i had left over from the extension.

It's an acute version of (not quite) 90 Degrees and about 1.8 metres sides with a curved front wall - my first time building a curve so not quite the radius I hoped for.Its approx 20+ inches deep and hold around 500 gallons.
We fitted the fountain before filling for ease of access to position and level.

Ill add more detail of what next when I locate the photos, assuming of course there's interest meanwhile Im off to get some cat litter.












Regards

Ian


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## MJQMJQ (18 Nov 2019)

Nice its already starting to look great!Excited to see what it will become!


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## Ian L (18 Nov 2019)

Thanks

I didnt make clear this was August 2016. These were taken this morning as I was clearing leaves. Earlier this year I connected 2 containers (one isto the left of the tall  one with a box plant in it) and is connected to the main pump . It holds a about 25-30cms water level through a stand pipe
There are 2 raised baskets of Pseudocorus Iris and I put some Veronica Becabunga into the tops of these which you can see cascade down and cover the return pipe.



Here you can see the second container which is also connected More iris with forget-me-nots top planted.
I also addedd some gravel into the tiers of the fountain and tried planting that with veronica as well with mixed success.

I know it needs a tidy  but this is the reality of how it looked this morning. Surprisingly the Veronica is still growing fast and i regularly trim this back. The Iris have doubled in size and have a deep green healthy look. The water has been consistently clear all year, you can see the bottom of the pool although its not obvious. I do still get string algae which you can see on the side of the pool draining.

I have 3 Lilies, Wilfron Gonnerre, Gonnere, Odorata Sulphura,  Water Hawthorn and Arrowhead all of which are past there best. The fish are thriving and number around 80 now - from initial 10.
I run a c.800 gPH pump continuously through the 2 planted tanks and have 2 small power heads providing extra flow. the fountain also has its own pump and is only used intermittently - Mrs L would be rushing to the loo otherwise.
I use pool water to fill the watering can for our other containers and refill the pool from the tap. I was going to set up an automatic watering system for our garden containers this year but have decided to reverse this and water containers directly from the pool via a new pool pump i have yet to buy and run tap water back to the pool to top up. That will wait for next year.
The aquatic plants are planted only into gravel, with the aim of pulling as much nutrient from the water as possible so I am going to try the biocenis basket idea but with plants; both in the containers under flow and in the pool itself for submerged plants - I have some sagitarria which you can jut make out front and centre( or is it Val) which grows steadily but needs to anchor its roots.

I have some photos somewhere of the lilies flowers from this year- they were stunning - I'll see if i can find them and upload. 

Cheers

Ian


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## frederick thompson (19 Nov 2019)

I like it a lot ian. Looks good. I have a koi pond. A top pond and lower pond. All my plants grow in top pond. And none in lower pond. As the koi just ravage them
I grow all my plants in baskets with just cobbled stones. Works great. And it does a good job on my nitrates and nitrites.
Love the fountain. 
Fred

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## Ian L (19 Nov 2019)

Thanks Fred

I have really enjoyed reading your project thread and hope your enjoying retirement.

If I remember correctly your filter outlet goes through a gravel bed? or do you just use the top pool for planting because the koi cant get at the baskets?
In this pool I'm playing with the external planters as a way of seeing what difference a "wetland" type filter makes but Im not sure this really qualifies as one.

My flow rate is too high for the small size of these planters to be effective at settling solids - as so often this was unplanned; it wasnt till these planters arrived that I saw they were waterproof and thought Hmmn i wonder if....? and got my plumbing box out.

They have only been connected from the beginning of this year and I can say that the pool in general and fish in particular look far healthier but I suspect this is more to do with flow rates.

This was taken early summer this year. 







 



Better view of 2 Yellow flowers - "N. Marliacea Chromatella" - The first yellow water lily - created by Marliac for the Paris show in 1910. Most yellow lillies have mottled leaves.

This Is "N. Madame Wilfron Gonnere"  - a Marliac hybrid characterised by double peony type flower

N. "Gonnere" - double flower white




 

We will need to move house again though i need more room.
At our previous house which had more room I  hired a digger for a weekend (best fun blokes can have) and built a large wildlife cum watergarden which i filled with Marliacs lilies; great fun!

I will find the photos and post if theres interest.

Cheers 

Ian


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## frederick thompson (19 Nov 2019)

Ian L said:


> Thanks Fred
> 
> I have really enjoyed reading your project thread and hope your enjoying retirement.
> 
> ...


Hi mate I have a flow rate of 13000lt going into my top pond with the plants. It's a 15000ltr pump. But with friction loss and a couple of 90 swept bends. I lose say 2000 ltr. I don t use the top filter as a gravel filter.
I have baskets with pebbles in for the plants. And it works great. Even my Lilly's are in pebbles. Alot of neutrants in my pond. As koi are poo machines. Haha.
I feed them up to 8c as in tempreture. And with my cover on the pond it stays at about
In between 8c and 10c. We have just had 2 days of -1 to -3c and it has stayed at 9.9c
So well chuffed.
As far as retirement is going I am loving it.
Wish I had done it a couple of years earlier now.

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## frederick thompson (19 Nov 2019)

Ian L said:


> Thanks Fred
> 
> I have really enjoyed reading your project thread and hope your enjoying retirement.
> 
> ...


Always interested when theres photos lol

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## MJQMJQ (19 Nov 2019)

Looks really gorgeous hehe unfortunately here in singapore theres a lack of space!


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