With the decision to convert our pool to a pond made, we just stopped adding chlorine. It was supposed to be simple, except it wasn’t.
Trials and Tribulations
To give our future fish some hidey holes and to provide platforms for water plants, we added rock-filled gabion baskets in. The fish and plants came next and the chlorine seemed to disappear. The fish seemed content, but when the water plants started to look poorly, we figured it was not going to be that simple.
We decided to taste the water and it was ever so slightly salty. We ended up having to empty out 2/3rds of the water and refill it. For a while it resembled a swap.
My vision of a idyllic, if slightly eccentric back yard pond with artfully placed reeds and lilies growing just like in nature didn’t quite eventuate. Richard had a more serious approach involving aquaponics, grow beds, filtration, pumps and so on.
He used old spa baths to construct his beds, experimenting with various types of media to create an algal environment. After much trial and loss, it turned out that rough clay blobs with the texture worked best. He experimented wildly with all sorts of plants. It was a war of attrition. Blueberries aren’t much good (too alkaline), but anything that likes wet feet will be pretty happy.
