"Gill Passman" wrote in message
...
cat daddy wrote:



I built a pond for my mom (she was from Beckenham, in Bromley, btw) back
in the 80's. I kept it up and improved it, but it was well established
by the time I found this group, so I mostly lurked and left the advice
to the experts.

Don't know Bromley myself, but hubby went to Ravensbourne so knows it
very well. I tend to be a lurker myself, there always used to be good
information just to read as much as anything else. Some great people on
these groups as well - hopefully they will come back in droves to the
moderated group. I used to love reading the stories like the ones about
Gary's Koi (Walter) and other's musings - the gentle banter with nothing
being taken personally - oh well, hopefully those days can return.

As do I. The best part about the group was people sharing their
innovations and creative solutions and inspiring the newbies and regulars
alike.

What ponds do you have right now? I seem to be eternally in the planning
stage since draining my pond a few years ago when the little one was
toddling about and my fear of her drowning was greater than my desire to
keep the pond going.....it was pretty though and had started to mature
nicely so it was a great shame to see it go. It did also have a siting
issue - the garden has a lot of trees overhanging it - and keeping up
with the leaf clearance was quite a task....even with netting.

Gill

Much the same here with the eternal planning. Up until recently, my
mother's pond (which is 50 miles away) required whatever attention I could
give, so that served to fill any ponding urges. I vacillate between making
the huge commitment build a pond complete as I've envisioned, or build in
stages, which as noted here repeatedly, would be less than satisfying once a
stage is complete.
Changing circumstances, both with my time (I volunteer to make
improvements at a local park) and available cash always delays that
commitment. I do have a hole in the backyard, where I excavate dirt needed
elsewhere, but I ultimately need to rent a machine to complete that work.
I also live on a lake, have a resident Great Blue Heron, other water
birds and raccoons, and a Labrador, so the design has to take into account
those issues. I do have a view of water, so there's no urgency to provide my
own. And, with drought and water woes here, my interest lately has been in
the ecological and biofiltration aspects of watergardening and how it might
incorporate water conservation.
Well, that's enough for now......

cat daddy wrote:


As do I. The best part about the group was people sharing their
innovations and creative solutions and inspiring the newbies and regulars
alike.

Well let's hope that it will be again.....the other thing that would be
great is an environment where if someone has a different experience they
won't get shot down in flames for suggesting what works for them.....but
if they suggest this in an inflammatory manner then it is a different
matter....it is a great shame that people cannot see the difference
between discussion and personal attacks.....on a moderated group it has
to be said, that the fire will be taken out of the posts....it might not
get quite as lively but certainly will promote civil discussions and
exchanges of ideas....



Much the same here with the eternal planning. Up until recently, my
mother's pond (which is 50 miles away) required whatever attention I could
give, so that served to fill any ponding urges. I vacillate between making
the huge commitment build a pond complete as I've envisioned, or build in
stages, which as noted here repeatedly, would be less than satisfying once a
stage is complete.

Oh, the planning is most definitely fun.....I can spend countless hours
mulling over information and trying to make the best decision....this
doesn't just apply to ponds or fish tanks but other things as
well....savour the pleasure while you can is my motto....of course, the
implementation, and be able to say "I love it when a plan comes
together" (as per the A-Team, which of course I have never, ever,
watched in my life) has it's pay offs as well....sadly with me it is
also a precurser to yet another plan....IIRC don't you have tanks as
well? - might be wrong but I seem to remember seeing you giving advice
on the aquatic groups although it might have been Snooze....



Changing circumstances, both with my time (I volunteer to make
improvements at a local park) and available cash always delays that
commitment. I do have a hole in the backyard, where I excavate dirt needed
elsewhere, but I ultimately need to rent a machine to complete that work.

I can appreciate that one.....my pond went because I had a little one
and it just wasn't really safe enough....as she grows up the
circumstances change again.....Unfortunately, we do not have a passage
way large enough to get a decent digger down the side of the house....so
, just like with the original pond, it is going to be me with a
spade....hubby might help, but doesn't have the same motivation as
me....he'll help set up a tank quickly enough - building cabinets,
plumbing etc. but kind of draws the line at digging holes.....but that
is fine by me....afterall, you sure burn off a lot of calories digging - lol



I also live on a lake, have a resident Great Blue Heron, other water
birds and raccoons, and a Labrador, so the design has to take into account
those issues. I do have a view of water, so there's no urgency to provide my
own. And, with drought and water woes here, my interest lately has been in
the ecological and biofiltration aspects of watergardening and how it might
incorporate water conservation.

Partly I would find having a lake a bit of distraction in my
plans......why attempt to create something artificial when you have
nature sitting on your doorstep? Do you own the lake is it just
something bordering your property? Watching the wildlife and nature at
work is what I would be attempting to create artificially having no
interest in commercially breeding fish.....

I, for one, would be quite fascinated, in your thoughts on ecological
matters and bio-filtration.....water conservation is also a real big
issue over here in the UK...Of course, I would totally understand if you
do not wish to discuss these things on rec.ponds at the moment in view
of the games going on, so perhaps you might drop me an email - address
is pretty easy to decipher and yes, it is valid....

Gill




Well, that's enough for now......

"Gill Passman" wrote in message
...
cat daddy wrote:


As do I. The best part about the group was people sharing their
innovations and creative solutions and inspiring the newbies and regulars
alike.

Well let's hope that it will be again.....the other thing that would be
great is an environment where if someone has a different experience they
won't get shot down in flames for suggesting what works for them.....but
if they suggest this in an inflammatory manner then it is a different
matter....it is a great shame that people cannot see the difference
between discussion and personal attacks.....on a moderated group it has to
be said, that the fire will be taken out of the posts....it might not get
quite as lively but certainly will promote civil discussions and exchanges
of ideas....
================
If the disagreements remain RESPECTFUL there should be no problems. It was
the lack of respect for those who were disagreed with that caused so much
flaming and hard feelings over the years here. Being called an a$$hole (and
worse) simply because you have a different viewpoint is absurd and
guaranteed to either flare tempers or drive people away. Either way the
group loses.
--
ZB....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~~ }((((({*

Zëbulon wrote:

================
If the disagreements remain RESPECTFUL there should be no problems. It
was the lack of respect for those who were disagreed with that caused so
much flaming and hard feelings over the years here. Being called an
a$$hole (and worse) simply because you have a different viewpoint is
absurd and guaranteed to either flare tempers or drive people away.
Either way the group loses.

Whatever has happened has happened.....however, this is an on-topic
discussion between two people - granted I hijacked the thread to
actually talk about ponds and that may very well be deemed off-topic by
some at the moment...but in the words of my teenage sons
"whatever"...so, unless you have something constructive to add to a
discussion about ponds between two people - go hijack your own thread
and leave this one to those of us that want to have a gentle on-topic
pond chat

Gill

STFU asshole..no one is interested in yur pathetic phoney crap anymore
carol Gulley. Take it to some place that gives a rats ass........I can
assure you no one here does care one bit! Why not take it to the reef
group, they may lend you a shoulder to cry on! Carol Gulley the
dumbass asshole, without morales!



On Sat, 17 Feb 2007 15:17:49 -0600, Zëbulon
wrote:


"Gill Passman" wrote in message
...
cat daddy wrote:


As do I. The best part about the group was people sharing their
innovations and creative solutions and inspiring the newbies and regulars
alike.

Well let's hope that it will be again.....the other thing that would be
great is an environment where if someone has a different experience they
won't get shot down in flames for suggesting what works for them.....but
if they suggest this in an inflammatory manner then it is a different
matter....it is a great shame that people cannot see the difference
between discussion and personal attacks.....on a moderated group it has to
be said, that the fire will be taken out of the posts....it might not get
quite as lively but certainly will promote civil discussions and exchanges
of ideas....
================
If the disagreements remain RESPECTFUL there should be no problems. It was
the lack of respect for those who were disagreed with that caused so much
flaming and hard feelings over the years here. Being called an a$$hole (and
worse) simply because you have a different viewpoint is absurd and
guaranteed to either flare tempers or drive people away. Either way the
group loses.



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

Hey,. I would have a pond even if I lived on an island allto my self.
Look at the place I have here. Its inundatedw tih numerous small water
features of 225 gal preforms down to multiple half barrel setups, all
over the place, three laarge naatural type mud ponds, a nice stream, a
barnfull of assorted aquariums and a gazeebo lined with varius tanks
and a new gazeebo in the works which will also have built in
tanks.......Give me water over grass any day!

On Sat, 17 Feb 2007 21:04:39 +0000, Gill Passman
wrote:

cat daddy wrote:


As do I. The best part about the group was people sharing their
innovations and creative solutions and inspiring the newbies and regulars
alike.

Well let's hope that it will be again.....the other thing that would be
great is an environment where if someone has a different experience they
won't get shot down in flames for suggesting what works for them.....but
if they suggest this in an inflammatory manner then it is a different
matter....it is a great shame that people cannot see the difference
between discussion and personal attacks.....on a moderated group it has
to be said, that the fire will be taken out of the posts....it might not
get quite as lively but certainly will promote civil discussions and
exchanges of ideas....



Much the same here with the eternal planning. Up until recently, my
mother's pond (which is 50 miles away) required whatever attention I could
give, so that served to fill any ponding urges. I vacillate between making
the huge commitment build a pond complete as I've envisioned, or build in
stages, which as noted here repeatedly, would be less than satisfying once a
stage is complete.

Oh, the planning is most definitely fun.....I can spend countless hours
mulling over information and trying to make the best decision....this
doesn't just apply to ponds or fish tanks but other things as
well....savour the pleasure while you can is my motto....of course, the
implementation, and be able to say "I love it when a plan comes
together" (as per the A-Team, which of course I have never, ever,
watched in my life) has it's pay offs as well....sadly with me it is
also a precurser to yet another plan....IIRC don't you have tanks as
well? - might be wrong but I seem to remember seeing you giving advice
on the aquatic groups although it might have been Snooze....



Changing circumstances, both with my time (I volunteer to make
improvements at a local park) and available cash always delays that
commitment. I do have a hole in the backyard, where I excavate dirt needed
elsewhere, but I ultimately need to rent a machine to complete that work.

I can appreciate that one.....my pond went because I had a little one
and it just wasn't really safe enough....as she grows up the
circumstances change again.....Unfortunately, we do not have a passage
way large enough to get a decent digger down the side of the house....so
, just like with the original pond, it is going to be me with a
spade....hubby might help, but doesn't have the same motivation as
me....he'll help set up a tank quickly enough - building cabinets,
plumbing etc. but kind of draws the line at digging holes.....but that
is fine by me....afterall, you sure burn off a lot of calories digging - lol



I also live on a lake, have a resident Great Blue Heron, other water
birds and raccoons, and a Labrador, so the design has to take into account
those issues. I do have a view of water, so there's no urgency to provide my
own. And, with drought and water woes here, my interest lately has been in
the ecological and biofiltration aspects of watergardening and how it might
incorporate water conservation.

Partly I would find having a lake a bit of distraction in my
plans......why attempt to create something artificial when you have
nature sitting on your doorstep? Do you own the lake is it just
something bordering your property? Watching the wildlife and nature at
work is what I would be attempting to create artificially having no
interest in commercially breeding fish.....

I, for one, would be quite fascinated, in your thoughts on ecological
matters and bio-filtration.....water conservation is also a real big
issue over here in the UK...Of course, I would totally understand if you
do not wish to discuss these things on rec.ponds at the moment in view
of the games going on, so perhaps you might drop me an email - address
is pretty easy to decipher and yes, it is valid....

Gill




Well, that's enough for now......





-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

On Sat, 17 Feb 2007 21:04:39 +0000, Gill Passman
wrote:

circumstances change again.....Unfortunately, we do not have a passage
way large enough to get a decent digger down the side of the house....so
, just like with the original pond, it is going to be me with a
spade....hubby might help, but doesn't have the same motivation as
me....he'll help set up a tank quickly enough - building cabinets,
plumbing etc. but kind of draws the line at digging holes.....but that
is fine by me....afterall, you sure burn off a lot of calories digging - lol

Speaking of digging, I'm beginning to get the feeling I'll be doing similar
to get my lily pond filter put in. Luckily I'm in a very sandy location,
but still, I'd rather have someone else do it. ;-)

Partly I would find having a lake a bit of distraction in my
plans......why attempt to create something artificial when you have
nature sitting on your doorstep?

We visited a pond where they had the whole Columbia River to look out
within about 50-100 feet of the house. Kind of made the pond seem out of
place, and even though it was a large pond, as ornamental ponds go, it seem
puny compared to that big river. ~ jan