Today I finally attacked the natural swimming pool project with considered success within my reach.I had been dealing with a major water quality problem but after I not only got plants but also Creek Guppies to live in my adjusted water I am now ready to proceed.The main task is to generate enough plant life to cover one half of the pond surface area. This is the quotient that will purportedly ecologically cleanse the water of nitrates and algae. Because of our situation in the sub tropics I will also need to add fish -- probably a variety of Australian Rainbows -- to combat mosquito breeding. Rainbows are voracious mossie hunters and are better in that service than imported species --such as Guppies.Along with aquaculture in way of growing fish the added advantage to this setup is the production of edible plant life. Water chestnut, Kangol and watercress are handy larder supplements grown in this arrangement and all of the beautiful Sacred Lotus water lilly is edible (flowers, leaves, and tubers ).I'm not certain as yet, but I may consider introducing table fish into the pond. The problems is that these would require active feeding and may displace other species. For instance I could grow barramundi if that was my want!On top of all this you get to plunge into the water on hot days as fancy dictates and this pond generates its own micro climate in a way that the very chlorinated version of it did not. I hope to grow bananas and pawpaw around the pond. I grow a great crop of papaw there already.I guess I need to christen it. So what's a good name for this waterhole? Near where I live - Nundah -- the name refers to 'chain of waterholes' and mine is the new one on the block/chain.

[ Tue, 02 Oct 2007 01:27:09 -0500 ]

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