CREATING THE OASIS STEVAN’S POND PROJECT

CREATING THE OASIS
STEVAN’S POND PROJECT


THE MASTER PLAN
CHAPTER I



CREATING THE OASIS REQUIRES CAREFUL PLANNING
Here we will cover the 12 points of planning.

THE PLANNING

OVERVIEW:
1.TIME REQUIRED START TO FINISH(WORKING WITH THE WEATHERAND RESTRAINTS)
2.INGROUND OR ABOVE GROUND?
3.PETS AND CHILDREN
4.THE SIZE 25 GAL,50 GAL.100, 200+GAL
5.THE TERRAIN
6.HARD LINER OR SOFT LINER?
7.LOCATION?
8.BORDER MATERIAL(STONE,BLOCK,SOIL,ETC…)?
9.UTILITIES (WATER AND ELECTRICAL)?
10.PUMPS AND FILTERS AND LIGHTING?
11.STOCKING FISH?
12.MAINTENANCE (CLEANING AND CHEMICALS)?

THE TIME REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE POND IS A LARGE CONSIDERATION.

TOO MANY TIMES PEOPLE START A PROJECT OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND EVENTUALLY ABANDON IT, LEAVING A LARGE HOLE IN THE YARD, TOPSOIL PILED EVERY WHERE,OR STARRING AT A MUD-HOLE.

THE REASONS!

IM BURNED OUT
ITS MUCH WORK THAN I IMAGINED
I RAN OUT OR MONEY
THE WEATHER GOT BAD AND MESSED UP ALL THE WORK I PUT INTO IT.

USING YOUR IMAGINATION I’M SURE YOU CAN COME UP WITH SOME EXCUSES OR YOUR OWN: BUT YOU GET THE IDEA!

PLANNING OUT YOUR POND AHEAD OF TIME WILL OBLEVIATE A LOT OF THESE ISSUES SO LETS GET STARTED.


IN THE SOUTH; THE FALL SEEMS TO BE THE BEST TIME TO START A POOL PROJECT. THE TEMPERATURES ARE PLEASANT,THE RAINY SEASON IS FAR AWAY, AND IF YOU ARE RUNNUNG INTO WINTER YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE GROUND FREEZING AND PUTTING YOUR PROJECT ON HOLD.

IN THE NORTH; THE EARLY SUMMER MONTHS WILL BE YOUR BEST START TIME TO START.THE GROUND IS THAWED,THE RAINY SEASON IS OVER AND THE TEMPERATURES ARE TOLERABLE.

NOW THAT THE WEATHER IS TAKEN OUT OF THE TIME FACTORS
THE SIZE OF THE POND IS BY FAR THE LARGEST FACTOR
YOUR BUDGET IS THE SECOND LARGETS FACTOR

THE SIZE YOU SELECT FOR YOUR POND IS ONLY LIMITED
YOUR SPACE
YOUR BUDGET
YOUR IMAGINATION

HARD SIDE LINERS ARE THE MOST POPULAR FOR ABOVE GROUND POOLS AND CAN EVEN BE PLACED ON CONCRETE SLABS WHERE PATIOS HAVE ROOM,
AN ABANDONED GAZEBO,OR CAR PORT SLAB MAKE GOOD SITES TOO.
THEY CAN ALSO BE PLACED PARTIALLY INGROUND,( WHICH IS WHAT I RECOMMEND.)
SITES SUCH AS THIS USUALLY DON’T REQUIRE LEVELING AND CAN SAVE LOTS OF TIME.

SOFT LINERS ARE THE MOST POPULAR FOR INGROUND PONDS. THESE REQUIRE THE EXCAVATION OF SOIL AND TAKE MORE TIME,UNLESS YOU CAN USE (LIMITED BY BUDGET)
EXCAVATION EQUIPMENT, (REQUIRES TRUCK TO TOW WITH)
OR LOCAL LABOR OR DIG IT YOURSELF AS I DID MINE. IT TOOK ONE WEEK OF APPROXAMATLY 4-6 HRS A DAY.SOIL CONDITIONS VARY AND ARE TO BE CONSIDERED.
EXCAVATION EQUIPMENT CAN BE RENTED LOCALLY FOR AS LITTLE AS $100.00 A DAY OR LABOR RUNS ONLY $8.00-$10.00 DOLLARS AN HOUR AND REQUIRES A PICK AND A SHOVELAND WHEELBARROW.

EXCAVACION SHOULD ONLY BE 12” TO 16” FOR ANY POND.FISH DON’T NEED ANY MORE IN THE SOUTH, AND IN THE NORTH 16 TO 24 IS A SUFFICIENT DEPTH.
YOU SHOULD CONSULT CITY ZONING AND PERMITS PRIOR TO STARTING ANY SUCH TASK. IT MAY REQUIRE A CHILD SAFETY FENCE AROUND THE PROJECT. IF THIS IS THE CASE RECONSIDER YOUR BUDGET.YOU MAY WANT TO LIMIT THE SIZE OF YOUR POND ACCORDINGLY.
WE DON’T WANT TO PUT CHILDREN AT RISK OR REQUIRE SWIMMING POOL PERMITS JUST TO GET A LITTLE WATER ACTION IN THE YARD.

REMEMBER A CHILD CAN DROWND IS A BUCKET OF WATER.
BUILDING ANYTHING OVER A DEPTH OF 16” INCHES SHOULD BE RESERVED TO THOSE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS, AND THOSE WITH A CHILD SAFETY FENCE SURROUNDING THE PROJECT.
THERE ARE MANY RESTRICTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH DOING ANY TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION AND YOU SHOULD CONSULT YOUR LOCAL ZONING AND CITY PERMIT OFFICE BEFORE STARTING ANY CONSTRUTION ON YOUR PROPERTY.

NOW THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED HARD LINERS AND SOFT LINERS WE CAN MOVE ON. I RECOMMEND YOU LOOK AT SEVERAL LOCAL LAWN AND GARDEN OR LOCAL HARDWARE STORES AT THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR IN HARD SIDED POOL LINERS.

THANKS FOR CHOOSING STEVAN’S POND PROJECT AND WE WILL SEE YOU IN CHAPTER II.


GETTING STARTED
CHAPTER II



1.THE TERRAIN
DOES THE YARD HAVE A SLOPE TO IT OR IS IT FLAT?
OBSTACLES: ARE THERE NUMEROUS TREES IN THE YARD?
WHAT KIND OF TREES ARE THEY?

ALMOST ALL TREES SHED THEIR LEAVES IN THE FALL, AND YOU DON’T WANT TO BECOME A CHALLENGE FOR CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE FOR YOUR POND.
JUST LIKE A POOL; A POND REQUIRES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO MAINTAIN.

DO THESE TREES HAVE ENORMOUS SURFACE ROOTS?

BASICALLY ITS BEST TO STAY AWAY FROM TREES
(AT LEAST 30 FEET OUTSIDE THE DRIP LINE.)
DRIP LINE IS THE FARTHEST POINT THAT THE TREE SPREADS
(OUTSIDE LINE OR BRANCH TIPS) WHEN IN FULL FOILAGE IN THE SPRING.
*NOTE PUMPS CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE AS A RESULT OF LEAVES CLOGGING THEM UP. WE WILL GET INTO THAT MORE LATER.
LOCATE A CLEARING IN THE YARD.
NOW THAT WE HAVE A CLEAR SPOT, LETS CONSIDER THE GRADE OR SLOPE OF THE YARD.
RUN OFF IN RAINY SEASON WILL CAUSE THE POND TO OVER FLOW.

WILL THIS RUN-OFF END UP ON THE PATIO?
BACKPORCH?
INSIDE THE BACK DOOR?
NEIGHBOORS HOUSE?
DOG HOUSE?
WILL IT COLLECT IN A LOW SPOT?

YOU GET THE IDEA, NOW YOU SHOULD STAND IN THE AREA YOU HAVE IN MIND AND EXAMINE ALL THESE POSSIBILITIES. VISUALIZE WHERE THIS WATER ENDS UP AFTER A 1,2, OR 3 INCHES OF RAINFALL.
SOME PEOPLE SELECT THE FRONT YARD IN AN EFFORT TO SHOW OFF THEIR PONDS OR THEY HAVE A SWING OR BENCH AREA THEY WANT TO ACCENT.
KEEP THESE THING IN MIND AS YOU SELECT YOUR LOCATION.
IT IS CRUCIAL TO HAVING A COHESION BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR POND AND WHOM-EVER YOU HAVE MAINTAINING IT.
SOME PEOPLE HIRE A PROFESSIONAL TO DO THE MAINTENANCE; JUST AS IN POOL CARE; CHARGES WILL BE DIRECTLY PORPOTIONAL TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND WORK RQUIRED TO KEEP YOUR POND NICE.

TWO MORE FACTORS TO CONSIDER

1. ACCESS TO ELECTRICAL(FOR PUMP AND LIGHTING)

WILL I BE USING AN EXTENSION CORD?
(NOT RECOMMENDED FOR PONDS OVER 250 GALLONS OR PUMPS RATED FOR 200GPM W/WATERFALL FEATURES).
EXTENSION CORDS CAN INCREASE YOUR ELECTRICAL COSTS TREMENDOUSLY IF RUN AVER LONG DISTANCES.PLUS THEY ARE A TRIP,MOW, AND PET HAZZARD!

CAN THE ELECTRICIAN ACCESS THE ELECTRICAL PANEL WHEN BURIED UNDER GROUND?
(DO WE HAVE TO DRILL UNDER A CEMENT SLAB; SUCH AS A DRIVE-WAY? OR DIG THROUGH TREE ROOTS? OR GO AROUND THE GAZEBO?)
THE DISTANCE FROM THE POND AND OBSTACLES ARE THINGS TO BE FACTORED IN FOR TIME TO COMPLETION AND COST!

2.ACCESS TO WATER

MOST PEOPLE WILL UTILIZE A GARDEN HOSE TO FILL A POND. EVAPORATION WILL DEPLETE THE SUPPLY OF WATER YEAR ROUND; BUT ACCELERATE THROUGH THE HOT MONTHS ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHERN ZONES.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND A FLOAT SYSTEM PLUMBED TO A NEARBY FAUCET (IN THE SOUTH) AND PLUMBED INTO AN UNDERGROUND SUPPLY LINE (IN THE NORTHERN ZONES)
THE NUMBER ONE MISTAKE WHEN RE-FILLING A POND DEPLETED BY EVAPORIZATION IS
*“TURNING ON THE HOSE AND FORGETTING ABOUT IT !
MOST OF US MAY HAVE DONE THIS WHEN WATTERING THE LAWN.THE PHONE RINGS,A VISITOR COMES TO THE DOOR OR A NUMBER OF OTHER DISTRACTIONS OCCUR.
Q:SO WHAT IF I OVERFILL MY POND?(I ALLOWED FOR OVER-FLOW WHEN I SELECTED MY LOCATION)
A:IT WILL KILL YOUR FISH!!! UNLESS YOU ARE USING UNDERGROUND “WELL WATER” THE CHEMICALS USED IN MOST PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS WILL KILL YOUR FISH!!!THE NUMBER ONE CHEMICAL IS CHOLORINE.
GO AHEAD AND SAY IT I WILL NOT LEAVE THE WATER ON TOO LONG OR ADD TOO MUCH AT ONCE.
KEEP IN MIND SOME FISH ARE VERY ,VERY EXPENSIVE AND THERE IS NOTHING WORSE THAN PLACING 10 KOI FISH IN YOUR POND AT 4 INCHES LONG AND THREE YEARS LATER FINDING THE HOSE RUNNING OVER THE POND AND EVERY FISH IS FLOATING!
WORDS OF ADVISE FROM BEEN THERE DONE THAT, OK YOU’VE BEEN WARNED.

“LINK TO ARTICLES AT FORT WORTH BOTANICAL GARDENS JAPANESE KOI POND”