This was a really fun project for me. It combined all of the things I like about Urban Sustainable Living and allowed me to be creative with nature on so many levels. From the workout I got moving sand and stones, to placing and planting 90% of the bed with plants I started from seed, to the small pond water feature and frog fountain, it was a blast. In the video I did it all myself to show that it can be done by little ol' me. But installing your own pond is a great project to do with the whole family. If everyone in the family can contribute in some way to the overall outcome, it will be that much more rewarding and enjoyable for everyone.

Click play on the video; and I hope you all enjoy the video and are inspired to install your own, this spring.

To complete and finish the pond that I installed in my raised bed garden last year I decided to cement the stones into place. By waiting a year, the soil in the bed compacted nicely giving me a pretty good surface for cementing my stones into place. Working with cement, mortar or concrete isn't as hard as it seems. The key is proper mixing of the cement. If it is like super strong cake batter, than it is right. Humans have been working with cement for thousands of years, so it isn't rocket science. Be neat, because when it dries it is permanent. But don't worry, it is very inexpensive so if you don't like it, re-do it. Once you get comfortable working with it, it will be like second nature.

To make sure that your plants and animals are living in the proper aquatic environment, you will need to test the water' pH level from time to time. I test my pond's water, at least 2 times a year or more if there there is a problem such as too much algae, that I am treating. Water testing kits are readily available wherever you get your pond supplies or at your local pet store where you buy fish. Be sure to follow the directions enclosed. Make sure you wash your hands right away after using the test kit. Depending on the type of fish you have, you will want to make sure that the water's pH level is ideal for the species. The pond that I use in the video is only operational from Spring to Fall and fish must be moved indoors for the winter before temperatures go below freezing. For larger ponds that have a depth of at least 3 feet, fish remain dormant under the top layer of ice.

Its always a bummer to wrap up the garden for the winter except for any cold hardy crops in a few beds. Now my winter days aren't so gloomy with my indoor aquaponic set up. Its been so successful that I started harvesting mesculin greens in two weeks! The first thing you need to know is what is aquaponics. Aquaponics are a way of growing plants by circulating fish waste water to fertilize your plants and filter the fish water without using soil. This is not to be confused with hydroponics, where nutrients are added to the water to fertilize the plants also without using soil. I'm using a 55 gallon fish tank, a small fountain pump, plastic tubing and galvanized bins. The growing medium I'm using is perlite and I am using florescent tubes balanced for plants(5200K) to simulate sunlight. Both the lights and the pump are set to timers that come on periodically. Though the complete system is not a "set it and forget it" project, I've spent a total of 7 hours in the last month on setting up and maintaining the system. Part one of my aquaponic system is the set up. This is a perfect thing for all of you vegan and raw food eaters. It's compact and has stunning results! Just make sure that where ever you put yours, that it is at least above freezing and able to get wet if the system fails. A garage or enclosed porch can be great places. Because it is winter I have planted cold hardy lettuce greens, but try other edibles like culinary herbs.

Click on part one of my Aquaponic Video. I hope it's helpful!