How to Set Up a Pond

 

Very little can trump the beauty and tranquility provided by a pond. Not only is a pond pleasing to the eye, it also can also serve to increase your property value. Unfortunately, the cost of having a custom pond installed outweighs the benefits for many homeowners. If you create your own water garden, however, you'll have a sense of pride and a wise investment.

Choose a location for your pond. The ideal pond location should be close enough to a power source to easily plug in your pond equipment while also providing partial shade. Your pond equipment can inhibit the growth of algae that gives the water a murky appearance and robs it of vital nutrients necessary for the survival of fish and plants.


Call the utility companies in your area to ensure that no water, sewage or gas lines are in the area of your planned pond.


Dig the pond using a shovel. Larger ponds may require you to rent a small excavator or backhoe. Make the pond fairly deep if you intend to keep fish.


Use the shovel to pack the dirt down tightly in the bottom and sides of the pond.


Install a pond liner. You may opt for either a plastic or rubber liner for your pond. Press the liner into the hole as evenly as possible. The liner should be flattened out properly to adhere to the pond hole and remain free of wrinkles.


Fill the pond with processed water from a water purifier or treated with chlorine tabs. Chlorine is deadly to aquatic life.


Install the pond filter and skimmer of your choice. You may choose either a submersible or exterior filter. Should you opt for an exterior filter, it should be located below the water level outside the pond to provide proper water flow to the system.


Provide the pond with beneficial bacteria. Purchase granulated beneficial bacteria at any pond supply store. Beneficial bacteria stabilizes pond nutrient levels, prevents algae growth and breaks down fish waste.


Introduce fish and plant life into the pond. If you opt for fish, allow the freshly constructed pond to sit for several days for the water temperature to stabilize.

Tips & Warnings

Add floating plants or a fountain to increase oxygen levels in your pond water. This is a must for larger ponds.

Limit the number of fish you stock. An overstocked pond will cause stress on your fish and require cleaning more often.

Homemade Water Wheel Generato

 

 

A water wheel is a time tested way to convert flowing water into usable, renewable energy. In times past that energy was used directly to power mills and factories. Today a water wheel can spin a generator, converting water power to electrical current. Regardless of the size of your project, basic strategies will help ensure a successful result.

Water Flow

The amount of power generated by a water wheel is directly related to the level at which water is directed to the wheel minus the level at which water leaves the wheel. This drop, called "head," and the quantity of water carried by the wheel as it turns are key factors in determining potential energy production.

Available head is also critical in determining the optimum diameter of a wheel. Unless your site allows you to take advantage of a natural waterfall, you will have to alter natural flow to provide a man made cascade or flume to drive the wheel. Install a debris boom and/or screen upstream to prevent large debris from reaching the wheel.

Wheel Design

Homemade wheels have been made from large squirrel cage fans, wooden cable spools with paddles added, steel drums with paddles welded on, or built from scratch using wood, screws, bolts, glue and varnish. Commercial wheels incorporating various materials and paddle designs are also available.
If you build your own wheel, improve efficiency by designing the paddles with a curved or "J" shape so that they catch and hold more water. Maximize efficiency and minimize debris-related problems by positioning the wheel so that the water falls over it, spinning it in the direction of flow. This is called an "overshot " wheel. Alternatives include less efficient "breastshot" and "undershot" wheels driven by water flow striking the wheel at or below its midpoint, spinning it in the opposite direction.

Generator Selection and Gearing

Expect your water wheel to spin at 5 to 25 rpm under load. Use pulleys and belts (least efficient), sprockets and chains (better), or a gear box (better still) to achieve a spin rate compatible with your generator. Look for a generator designed to produce optimum output at relatively low speeds.
For small projects, a motor salvaged from an ancient computer disc or tape drive can be used as a low-speed generator. Automotive alternators are designed to work at much higher speeds, and require more complex gearing. For larger projects, consider a wind turbine generator designed for low speed, high output operation.

Basic Electrical Controls

Convert fluctuating power produced by your water wheel into a more usable form by using it to charge one or more batteries. Controls can be as simple as a diode that prevents stored energy from flowing back through the generator/motor, thus discharging the batteries. If there is any possibility of overcharging the batteries, you'll need a charge controller.

Use an inverter to convert the battery's DC power to household AC current as needed. More elaborate controls can be added, but these provide the basics.

How to Create Front Yard Privacy

 

Every homeowner craves privacy in his or her front yard, to be able to move around or do things without prying eyes of the neighbors, passers by on the street or people across the road. If there is just a lawn that separates your house from the road, and you'd rather enjoy gardening, playing with the children in the grass or simply lounging by yourself without curious looks from strangers, it is time you take action. Depending on personal tastes and the amount you want to spend, there are many ways to create front yard privacy.

Build a cedar privacy fence facing the road. These are easily available in home improvement stores in easy-to-install do-it-yourself kits comprised of stakes, simple or latticed sheets of pretreated wood and the essential hardware. Usually over 6 feet high, these provide the essential privacy from outside, without giving the front yard an enclosed and fort-like appearance.

Construct a trellis for a colorful privacy fence. Depending on how high and long you want the trellis, you can construct one from several lengths of 2-by-4 and 1-by-4 lumber. You can also plant climbing vines or plants such as roses, hyacinths or bougainvilleas for an attractive screening.

Plant a line of mature trees for immediate privacy. Although mature trees cost more than young ones and require more care, they provide instant privacy without waiting for them to grow. Make sure the trees suit your climate and weather conditions. Remember to prune the trees when required to maintain their shape.

Use shrubs or bushes in your front yard to create privacy. Hedges such as boxwood shrubs are commonly used to line front yards. However, make sure you trim and prune the hedges frequently, especially during growing season, to maintain shape and appearance.

Plant tall growing grasses for a temporary but cost-effective solution to providing seclusion. There are many varieties of grasses that can grow 5 to 6 feet in height in a matter of weeks and can screen out the view from people on the street.

Use big planters or containers with dwarf trees, large plants or shrubs, and place them along the edge of your deck to create a separation from the street. Shrubs and hedges can also be grown successfully in planters to provide the needed screening, with their bushy and thick foliage.

Hang plants strategically from your balcony or deck to block pedestrians' view of inside.