Trees and ponds

This may be years in the coming, but if by chance liners go on sale around
my birthday - ya never know. The only place we really have, short of
totally full sun is under the canopy of several Live Oaks and Pin Oak.
1) Anyone know rules of thumb about how far away from the base you would
have to be to not disturb the 'tap roots?'.
2) What concerns are there about any trees, shrubs etc puncturing the liner.
3) This exposure would pretty much just be diffused light. Aside from
leaves and slow/limited plant growth any other negatives I'm not thinking
about?
Thanxx
Bill Brister - Austin, Texas (8b)

Bill ... I do hope you get your Birthday pond liner!!

I just wouldn't take a chance on tree roots Not puncturing the liner. I
have a small
spirea that punctured my liner several years ago. The pond had to be
emptied (all
the fish transferred to holding quarters, etc.) and patched. A big
headache all 'round.
Moreover, the leaves are a big minus in putting the pond around trees. All
of the minuses
you can think of and then some.

I would bite the bullet and go ahead and install the pond in full sun. You
can always
buy a sun shelter and they do look very nice... or build a sun shade in the
Japanese manner.
Don't skimp on depth. I would go 5 feet deep at least. ... that way any koi
will be protected
from the blistering summer heat - along with the sun shade you've already
installed ;-)
Also the water lilies will thank you for installing your pond in full sun
.... what else, there
must be more pluses!

Good Luck!

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Newbie Bill" wrote in message
om...
This may be years in the coming, but if by chance liners go on sale around
my birthday - ya never know. The only place we really have, short of
totally full sun is under the canopy of several Live Oaks and Pin Oak.
1) Anyone know rules of thumb about how far away from the base you would
have to be to not disturb the 'tap roots?'.
2) What concerns are there about any trees, shrubs etc puncturing the
liner.
3) This exposure would pretty much just be diffused light. Aside from
leaves and slow/limited plant growth any other negatives I'm not thinking
about?
Thanxx
Bill Brister - Austin, Texas (8b)

Thanks for the thoughts Nedra - I probably am leaning that way. The leaves
are going to be a problem in any case. My little pond is already in the
fartherst location so a new pond would still get plenty of leaves blowing
in. Depth I'm not sure of depth. I know everyone sez bigger is better but
I do like the economies of smaller pumps, filters, water changes, meds etc.
Probably will just have to investigate. May be like that around the country
but around here you pretty much expect to run into rock below about 2 feet -
5 would probably be quite an accomplishment unless a couple of them were
above ground. In fact we just had our pond tour this week end and I dont
think I saw a pond over about 3 1/2-4 ft. Well the creative process has
started anyway.
Thanxx
Bill

"Nedra" wrote in message
link.net...
Bill ... I do hope you get your Birthday pond liner!!

I just wouldn't take a chance on tree roots Not puncturing the liner. I
have a small
spirea that punctured my liner several years ago. The pond had to be
emptied (all
the fish transferred to holding quarters, etc.) and patched. A big
headache all 'round.
Moreover, the leaves are a big minus in putting the pond around trees.
All
of the minuses
you can think of and then some.

I would bite the bullet and go ahead and install the pond in full sun.
You
can always
buy a sun shelter and they do look very nice... or build a sun shade in
the
Japanese manner.
Don't skimp on depth. I would go 5 feet deep at least. ... that way any
koi
will be protected
from the blistering summer heat - along with the sun shade you've already
installed ;-)
Also the water lilies will thank you for installing your pond in full sun
... what else, there
must be more pluses!

Good Luck!

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Newbie Bill" wrote in message
om...
This may be years in the coming, but if by chance liners go on sale
around
my birthday - ya never know. The only place we really have, short of
totally full sun is under the canopy of several Live Oaks and Pin Oak.
1) Anyone know rules of thumb about how far away from the base you
would
have to be to not disturb the 'tap roots?'.
2) What concerns are there about any trees, shrubs etc puncturing the
liner.
3) This exposure would pretty much just be diffused light. Aside from
leaves and slow/limited plant growth any other negatives I'm not
thinking
about?
Thanxx
Bill Brister - Austin, Texas (8b)

"Newbie Bill" wrote in message
. com...
Thanks for the thoughts Nedra - I probably am leaning that way. The leaves
are going to be a problem in any case. My little pond is already in the
fartherst location so a new pond would still get plenty of leaves blowing
in. Depth I'm not sure of depth. I know everyone sez bigger is better but
I do like the economies of smaller pumps, filters, water changes, meds etc.
Probably will just have to investigate. May be like that around the country
but around here you pretty much expect to run into rock below about 2 feet -
5 would probably be quite an accomplishment unless a couple of them were
above ground. In fact we just had our pond tour this week end and I dont
think I saw a pond over about 3 1/2-4 ft. Well the creative process has
started anyway.
Thanxx
Bill

If you are unsure of the depth to bedrock at your location, but have reason to
believe that it is shallow, you can do one of two things cheaply. First, you
can pick up a piece of scrap metal re-bar somewhere and drive it into the ground
with a 3 lbs mallet or a sledge hammer until it will go no farther, and measure
the depth. Alternatively, you can rent a hand auger at a tool rental shop and
auger down as far as you can go, then measure the depth. I prefer the second
method, as you can see the soil and weathered rock as you auger down and make a
better estimation of when you've reached bedrock. In most cases you will likely
encounter weathered rock before you actually encounter bedrock, but you should
be able to reach within a foot or less, so these are good, cheap ways to make an
estimation before you decide to build. Good luck.

The deepest section of my pond it 54". If the clay had not been so
hard, my arms killing me, and my neighbors looking at me down in that
hole and just shaking their heads with pity in their eyes, I would have
probably gone to 5 feet. It sometimes get really cold here in Colorado
and the pond is in full sun. However the nice greenish water adds some
protection for the residents. :-)
W. Dale

Newbie Bill wrote:

Thanks for the thoughts Nedra - I probably am leaning that way. The leaves
are going to be a problem in any case. My little pond is already in the
fartherst location so a new pond would still get plenty of leaves blowing
in. Depth I'm not sure of depth. I know everyone sez bigger is better but
I do like the economies of smaller pumps, filters, water changes, meds etc.
Probably will just have to investigate. May be like that around the country
but around here you pretty much expect to run into rock below about 2 feet -
5 would probably be quite an accomplishment unless a couple of them were
above ground. In fact we just had our pond tour this week end and I dont
think I saw a pond over about 3 1/2-4 ft. Well the creative process has
started anyway.
Thanxx
Bill

"Nedra" wrote in message
link.net...

Bill ... I do hope you get your Birthday pond liner!!

I just wouldn't take a chance on tree roots Not puncturing the liner. I
have a small
spirea that punctured my liner several years ago. The pond had to be
emptied (all
the fish transferred to holding quarters, etc.) and patched. A big
headache all 'round.
Moreover, the leaves are a big minus in putting the pond around trees.

All

of the minuses
you can think of and then some.

I would bite the bullet and go ahead and install the pond in full sun.

You

can always
buy a sun shelter and they do look very nice... or build a sun shade in

the

Japanese manner.
Don't skimp on depth. I would go 5 feet deep at least. ... that way any

koi

will be protected
from the blistering summer heat - along with the sun shade you've already
installed ;-)
Also the water lilies will thank you for installing your pond in full sun
... what else, there
must be more pluses!

Good Luck!

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Newbie Bill" wrote in message
.com...

This may be years in the coming, but if by chance liners go on sale

around

my birthday - ya never know. The only place we really have, short of
totally full sun is under the canopy of several Live Oaks and Pin Oak.
1) Anyone know rules of thumb about how far away from the base you

would

have to be to not disturb the 'tap roots?'.
2) What concerns are there about any trees, shrubs etc puncturing the

liner.

3) This exposure would pretty much just be diffused light. Aside from
leaves and slow/limited plant growth any other negatives I'm not

thinking

about?
Thanxx
Bill Brister - Austin, Texas (8b)

"Newbie Bill" wrote in message
. com...
Thanks for the thoughts Nedra - I probably am leaning that way. The leaves
are going to be a problem in any case. My little pond is already in the
fartherst location so a new pond would still get plenty of leaves blowing
in. Depth I'm not sure of depth. I know everyone sez bigger is better but
I do like the economies of smaller pumps, filters, water changes, meds etc.
Probably will just have to investigate. May be like that around the country
but around here you pretty much expect to run into rock below about 2 feet -
5 would probably be quite an accomplishment unless a couple of them were
above ground. In fact we just had our pond tour this week end and I dont
think I saw a pond over about 3 1/2-4 ft. Well the creative process has
started anyway.
Thanxx
Bill

If you are unsure of the depth to bedrock at your location, but have reason to
believe that it is shallow, you can do one of two things cheaply. First, you
can pick up a piece of scrap metal re-bar somewhere and drive it into the ground
with a 3 lbs mallet or a sledge hammer until it will go no farther, and measure
the depth. Alternatively, you can rent a hand auger at a tool rental shop and
auger down as far as you can go, then measure the depth. I prefer the second
method, as you can see the soil and weathered rock as you auger down and make a
better estimation of when you've reached bedrock. In most cases you will likely
encounter weathered rock before you actually encounter bedrock, but you should
be able to reach within a foot or less, so these are good, cheap ways to make an
estimation before you decide to build. Good luck.

The deepest section of my pond it 54". If the clay had not been so
hard, my arms killing me, and my neighbors looking at me down in that
hole and just shaking their heads with pity in their eyes, I would have
probably gone to 5 feet. It sometimes get really cold here in Colorado
and the pond is in full sun. However the nice greenish water adds some
protection for the residents. :-)
W. Dale

Newbie Bill wrote:

Thanks for the thoughts Nedra - I probably am leaning that way. The leaves
are going to be a problem in any case. My little pond is already in the
fartherst location so a new pond would still get plenty of leaves blowing
in. Depth I'm not sure of depth. I know everyone sez bigger is better but
I do like the economies of smaller pumps, filters, water changes, meds etc.
Probably will just have to investigate. May be like that around the country
but around here you pretty much expect to run into rock below about 2 feet -
5 would probably be quite an accomplishment unless a couple of them were
above ground. In fact we just had our pond tour this week end and I dont
think I saw a pond over about 3 1/2-4 ft. Well the creative process has
started anyway.
Thanxx
Bill

"Nedra" wrote in message
link.net...

Bill ... I do hope you get your Birthday pond liner!!

I just wouldn't take a chance on tree roots Not puncturing the liner. I
have a small
spirea that punctured my liner several years ago. The pond had to be
emptied (all
the fish transferred to holding quarters, etc.) and patched. A big
headache all 'round.
Moreover, the leaves are a big minus in putting the pond around trees.

All

of the minuses
you can think of and then some.

I would bite the bullet and go ahead and install the pond in full sun.

You

can always
buy a sun shelter and they do look very nice... or build a sun shade in

the

Japanese manner.
Don't skimp on depth. I would go 5 feet deep at least. ... that way any

koi

will be protected
from the blistering summer heat - along with the sun shade you've already
installed ;-)
Also the water lilies will thank you for installing your pond in full sun
... what else, there
must be more pluses!

Good Luck!

Nedra
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pines/4836
http://community.webshots.com/user/nedra118

"Newbie Bill" wrote in message
.com...

This may be years in the coming, but if by chance liners go on sale

around

my birthday - ya never know. The only place we really have, short of
totally full sun is under the canopy of several Live Oaks and Pin Oak.
1) Anyone know rules of thumb about how far away from the base you

would

have to be to not disturb the 'tap roots?'.
2) What concerns are there about any trees, shrubs etc puncturing the

liner.

3) This exposure would pretty much just be diffused light. Aside from
leaves and slow/limited plant growth any other negatives I'm not

thinking

about?
Thanxx
Bill Brister - Austin, Texas (8b)

"Nedra" wrote in message
link.net...
Bill ... I do hope you get your Birthday pond liner!!
snip
I would bite the bullet and go ahead and install the pond in full sun.
snip

My two cents...

My neighbors pond gets almost full sun. He has a mechanical filter and a VF.
My pond has only a VF, and get partial shade. His is pea green. Mine is gin
clear to four feet.

BV.

The well traveled "your neighbor" rises yet again heh.
Unfortunately I dont have much of a choice. Because of the way my trees and
house are sitting, a new pond will either be in shade under the trees or sun
not under. If we really trimmed the lower limbs back (not desired) we could
manage to have after - noon sun under the trees. Actually my current pond
get sun after about 10am and it is pretty clear, but certainly not gin
clear.
Thanxx
Bill

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 15:22:34 -0400, "Benign Vanilla"
wrote:


"Nedra" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Bill ... I do hope you get your Birthday pond liner!!
snip
I would bite the bullet and go ahead and install the pond in full sun.
snip

My two cents...

My neighbors pond gets almost full sun. He has a mechanical filter and a VF.
My pond has only a VF, and get partial shade. His is pea green. Mine is gin
clear to four feet.

BV.


Mine is full sun, pressurised filter, crystal clear.

I rarely feed the fish and have lots of plants.


Mike Patterson
Please remove the spamtrap to email me.
"I always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific..."