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This picture illustrates how digging the lowest level (24 inches deep) created the 2nd shelf (16 inches deep). As we finished one level we used the spray marking paint to outline the next shelf.
In this next one, the shelves are becoming much more defined. You can also see the plant pockets Marilyn has dug in the shelves. These will be used to plant our plants in the pond withoutusing pots. Once the liner is in, the plant pockets are filled with t)
opsoil, a layer of kitty liter (no deodorizers or other additives) and then a layer of gravel on top of that.
You can also see the skimmer at the bottom of the picture. It looks like it's already in the hole I dug for it. The water flows into it through the rectangular opening, through a net that skims off leaves and other floating material. The pump also goes in the skimmer. It is rated to pump 6000 gallons an hour -- that's about 100 gallons a minute! Everything for the pond except the gravel, rocks and boulders is from Aquascape Designs, Inc. Their philosophy is, "to work with Mother Nature and not against her." They believe in developing an ecosystem that doesn't require dumping an assortment of chemicals into the water.
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Once we got the shelves and everything shaped and to the depth we wanted them came the underlayment and then the 45 mil EPDM liner. The pond is 16x20 and the liner was 20x25 to allow for it to fit the contours of the hole we dug. Marilyn and Rocke are standing in the deepest part. Note the red 2 wheeled dolly we used to move the boulders from the driveway to the back yard.
Next came placing the rocks and boulders along the face of the shelves, starting at the lowest level:
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