Hi All,

It's been a while, but progress has been made, despite the fact that life gets in the way. We had volunteer time at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, a great local festival showcasing the local agrarian products, and benefitting various charities (shameless plug).

When last I updated, we had a lined pond with a mortared bottom, and built a raised pool to feed two waterfalls, as well as a cinderblock house for the pump and associated accessories.

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At this point, the return line from the pond was already mortared into the bottom of the pond, and had been run up unto the pump house, where there is a 1/4 hp pump to provide more than enough circulation and flow for the waterfalls. Next, I ran the plumbing for the pump connection to the filter, a pressurized tetra 4500gpm w/UV, and from there to the new pool for the waterfalls. There is also a bypass line, so that we can adjust the waterfall flow and the circulation flow, somewhat independently. I put in two water flow meters, so that we know how much water is going where...

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Then I ran the AC power for the pump, UV, aerator, and decorative lighting. No pictures of that, as it mostly was crawling around under the house. We then set about rocking the pump house and edges of the pond. Along the way, we added two "mini-waterfalls" on the pump house, to add some interest, and to provide a convenient place for bees, butterflies and such to grab a drink. It's plumbed off of the supply to the main waterfalls, using 5/8" irrigation tube, and 1/4" dripper line. We buried the liner around the edges, and made it look a lot neater.

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Hopefully, the pump house, in the last photo, is now unrecognizable. I terraced the side, added dirt, and turned the top into a planter as well. There are also little "pocket" planters in the face of the house toward the pond, so that we can add some trailing plants. In the first two photos, there are two breaks in the rock edging for the pond, and that's where the bridge goes! It's due in another two weeks.

Next we need to get the pool fence installed, and we're going to coat the upper pool with pond armor, as there are some small seeping leaks in the mortar. We're also going to mortar the edge rocks in place, and together, so that they are stable in case we get a little shaker (earthquake). We will also add another fish tunnel, consisting of a cinderblock with a rock on top, and we are also going to add an island. I have three submersible LED lights to illuminate the pond, island, and falls.

I also have a low water level switch to install,so that in case something bad happens, the pump won't empty the pond, and an aerator to install. Overall I am happy with the results, though it's taking a lot of work in 100F heat, which is not so much fun. But someday soon, it will look great, really. We are already picking out plants. :D

Any and all comments & suggestions are dearly appreciated, as always.

Mike