"joe" wrote in message
...
Lee Brouillet wrote:

However, it would still get overgrown
with algae, so you wouldn't see it anyhow, so why go to the trouble?

I've heard others say that too, but I have rocks on the bottom of my pond
and I can see them fine and dandy.

Joe

Same here, Joe. I have a small pond (600 gal), liner, and the bottom and
sides are covered in marble-sized river rock. I have a PondSweep skimmer
system and waterfall. The pond is 3 yrs. old. I have not had any issues
dealing with collected crud. I have 4 fish, and my water lilies (2) and
anacharis are rooted right into the bottom of the pond under the gravel.
They are doing very well...the anacharis has grown a foot and is sending up
blooms almost daily. I had no idea it would do that, but this is the first
year we rooted it into the bottom.

I do lots and lots of "Ponding No-No's", according to the accepted
practices, but my pond is balanced, crystal clear, and my fish are happy and
illness-free. Two of them have been in the pond since we first established
it, and they have wintered over each year here in zone 5b. I guess one
Ponding Rule is the overriding one he If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

NJ