We're still waiting for the light fixtures for the roof as well as the fiberglass pots. I did fill the pond though and caught most of the fish - a bazillion guppies mainly - and transplanted some waterlilies. I have a problem with spiral snails, they are death on the pumps and their eggs are so small that they get through the netting I have around the pump. So, I removed all the dirt from the lilies and soaked them for a couple days in a copper sulfate solution to try and kill as many snails and eggs as i could. It's not good for fish at that concentration so it was a one time shot.

These are local tropical waterlilies, the pink is a NOID, the blue/white is Dauben, and the copper leafed one is a pink night bloomer. The copper didn't faze them, they kept right on blooming.



I have a plastic bucket in the waterfall right now because I was checking different ways to have the water fall. I like this sheeting style and that means I need to go to one of the many plastic stores here and find something that will sit over the pipe coming in and direct the water back down into the basin. Then I can add some filter material and perhaps a plant.



I wish the pond would stay this clean but I know it won't. Algae will grow on the sides and turn it dark green, black. It's pretty easy to clean though, it's a good height and easy to reach all parts of it. That's my tumbling composter in the background, I put the old lily dirt in it along with a lot of shredded newspaper and some brown leaves. I was going to say dry leaves but nothing is dry around here right now. It has rained every night for most of the night and on and off in the daytime as well. We are under a tropical storm watch for one that is brewing in the Gulf. It was supposed to pass over us today but they say it is moving very slow. We've had a lot of rain from it, and the humidity is high although the temps are cool. All the wooden doors in the house are sticking and the walls feel damp if you touch them. We can't get the roof walls painted until everything dries out which should be in about a month. I hope. Last winter was weird and it rained at least once a week through the whole "dry" season.

Looking great, Jonna.

Terrific!

karen

Jonna, it's starting to look really good, love the fish tank with waterfall and the lilies.

Wonderful!

The sheet waterfall is so lovely.

Jonna - I have a problem with snails too. They lay their egg gel clumps on my my waterlily pots, on the side of the walls of my pond, and even on some of the undersides of my daylily leaves. I don't have a pump though, so I don't have that issue. But they do put holes all over my daylily leaves and eventually eat the entire leaves. I recently cleaned both my little ponds and replaced all the pots and scrubbed the sides of the pond down and checked all the leaves and used new cat litter to repot the plants in. I am hoping I got rid of the snails for good. Not likely though. I had 2 different species of snail and found about a 100 of them when I cleaned both ponds. Ugh!

I love your new pond. I have a night-blooming pink waterlily that looks very similar to yours. I have no idea what the cultivar is. My water turns dark too. The only time it doesn't turn dark is when I have my ponds in a shady area. But then the waterlilies won't bloom. So ....

Your rooftop area looks so awesome!!!

I was wondering if you were getting any severe weather from that hurricane. Be safe! I hope it passes by quicker than it has been moving. Always something when you live near the tropics.

It's looking great. Don't forget to make time to sit and enjoy it all.

Jonna ~ I have enjoyed following your thread on the renovation. I am sure you will savor your haven for years to come.

You mentioned controlling the algae in the fish pond. There is a fish that we used in aquariums to control the algae and I wonder if you have access to it or have considered adding it to your pond. It is a Plecostomus http://www.fishlore.com/Profil... They are interesting looking, almost prehistoric.

Thanks again for sharing your roof garden adventures.

Thanks Elfie, I enjoyed the link. I do have 3 plecos, one in the indoor pond that is about a foot long and 2 in my other outdoor pond that are similar in size. I may get one for the roof pond as well, they seem to get along with other fish well and they do help keep the algae down. The walls of the concrete ponds still turn dark though, with a very fine layer of dark green algae. The only problem I have had with the plecos is that the Angel fish in my downstairs pond try to breed but the 2 plecos in there come along and suck up all the eggs, the Angels can't defend them against the plecos. I would like more Angel fish so I was kind of bummed when I figured out what was happening. I am considering getting some Discus for the roof pond, so I will hold off on the pleco until I decide on that.

How are you feeling, Jonna?

I'm good, still on antibiotics - low dose once a day for several months. Still drinking a LOT of water every day and keeping track of how much. We haven't moved back into our bedroom yet, the excuse being that they will have to come back to put in the lights one of these days. The real reason is that from the guest bedroom we have a double door that opens over the garden with only trees and birds in view and it is really nice to wake up to in the morning. I think we may start using both bedrooms, one in the rainy season and one in the dry. The down side to the guest bedroom is that the bathroom for it is up 8 steps, and I'm making that trip a lot during the night. We never have visitors from out of town in the rainy season, it's just too hot and humid for most people from the north. So, we may as well use it and enjoy the lushness of that season.

Yep

I'm all eyes with your ponds, Jonna. I am going to take the plunge with some soon.

Here are my 2 old dogs and Cuba relaxing on their new roof playroom. Cuba is the Dobie and about 8 yo, the small black dog is Chica and the brown is her brother Hombre both about 13. The newest, Molly, was running in circles behind the pond.



They finally came for the old pond. Here it is about to drive away. It's going to some friend's land outside the city where it will be sunk in the ground and supply water to some horses as well as a swimming pool for their 8 new ducklings.



One of the lilies had an underwater bloom today, probably because it has been moved and is still adjusting to the new water level.

Awwww doggies

Good re-purposing of the pond.

Jonna - Looks like the dogs approve! I love the waterfall attached to the new pond. Looks so nice. Love all your Plumeria's around the perimeter! Starting to look like home up there!

What a great way to repurpose the old pond! Excellent all the way around. I am jealous!

Love the waterfall too. I must do a pond. I will have to check the local regulations. If beyond a certain depth they have to be fenced.

Most of the lights are in now, still missing 1, and I tried taking a night picture. I really do love the lighting, it isn't in your eyes and it makes it look so magical. I'm still waiting for the fiberglass pots, I think the holidays interfered with getting them made.