Mini frog pond construction part #1

[@RC-Flight]

Great video! For smaller ponds like this one in your video, do you put fleece cloth under the rocks on the ledges? My small pond that I’m doing has 45mil thick Firestone rubber liner with the fleece cloth underneath the liner.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Hi there- yes, I always sandwich the liner between a layer of fleece-underneath the liner to protect from sharp objects,roots etc and inside the pond any materials being placed onto the pond liner-rock, gravel etc will always have a protective layer of either fleece or liner off cuts to protect the main pond liner. Just me being overly cautious but for such a little expense my thought is why wouldn’t you want to over protect the most important aspect of the pond- the lining itself? Thanks for watching and your comment! Best, Ed

[@chrislynam2096]

Hi Ed, I've only just come across your videos and I'm impressed with your knowledge and passion for both the construction, design and planting of the ponds, great work! Based on your videos I'm changing the design of the small wildlife pond I'm building to incorporate a rock edge and was wondering what's the best type of place to buy the stones from, do you have some suggestions?

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for your kind words! Most landscaper centres will have a selection of natural stone to use for general garden projects-I typically use a local centre called ‘Lindsey Clark brothers’ based in Churt, Surrey. Horsham stone, based in Broadbridge Heath, West Sussex and Stone scapes in Cranleigh, Surrey are also great for Rock. Hope this helps! Best, Edp

[@thegretnaexperiment2.021]

I’ve been binge watching all your videos in preparation for building my pond! I appreciate all your information and tips 💗💗💗

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thank you so much for your support and awesome comment!

[@naturalrestingface1884]

The sound is coming through the left speaker so you need to set it to stereo to come through both left and right. I don't think I notice a difference between the then and now vids but I'm not tuned in to the audiophile channel!

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for the heads up! Constant technical issues with sound quality currently…. Thanks for watching! Best regards, Ed

[@LGSDoktoru]

Not good Very good 🎉

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thank you! Best, Ed

[@deborahdunn7844]

More initial volume, please. Does not play well on mobile. Thanks.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

My apologies Deborah-sound quality-especially in my earlier videos- is pretty terrible-it does improve with my later videos though!! Thanks for watching, Best, Ed

[@Maggie_1957]

Hi Ed another brill informative video i have now subscribed to and watched several videos of yours I am going to be moving house soon and want to put in a small frog pond ( aswell as a sep fish pond) Love the walls on the shelves but could you please explain why you use the foam inbetween the rocks please, and is it special gravel for the plants and there is no soil for the plants

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Hi there Maggie, Thanks for watching and commenting! The expanding foam used (specialty aquatic foam) is there to provide stability in the rocks, ensuring that the rock edging, cascade etc is stable and the rocks held firmly in place. It can also be used to some degree in cascades and streams to ensure water flows where it should- over spill stones for example, rather then under. As for the planting gravel-nothing special here, just a regular 10mm shingle (topped with a layer of 20mm if larger fish are present). If you’re feeling fancy and want to splash out a bit (!) a 10mm Gil mil gravel or pea gravel has a more rounded shape and so is perhaps a little more liner friendly! Hope this helps. Best, Ed

[@Maggie_1957]

@@CrystalClearAquatics Thank you

[@ofcv1238]

12:43 basic English: expanding foam discolora skin upon contact…it is skin that falls away and NOT the foam discoloration!

[@rossboyer3277]

It's recommended to leave the foam cannister attached to the foam gun until it has been used up so just needing the nozzle to be sprayed with the solvent.Great vid

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Good advice thanks!

[@patrickh5294]

Great sound after the initial cutting out. Thanks for sharing so much good information.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for your comment-weirdly when I watch it back there’s no sound cut outs....I wander if it’s because it was recorded in mono/single channel (mistakenly!) hopefully sound will keep improving!!

[@annarubino901]

sound is much better!

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Best, Ed

[@linseyvanochten2926]

Super happy to see this video, I want to make a simular size wildlife pond but don't like the look of the 'standard' wildlife ponds this size. I was afraid I would overengineer my little project but seeing this makes me confident it will look very good! Big fan of your channel. Thanks a lot!

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks so much for saying so! Best, Ed

[@laobai9041]

Seems like the sudio is only on one channel.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

You’re right-hopefully have changed this for the next vid! Best, Ed

[@laobai9041]

No pond here, and likely never ... and not in the UK, but still yours is a great channel and hugely informative! Please keep making videos.

[@WhippetOut]

Sound is much better, other than the one channel which you know about. The sound of kids in the background earlier distorted the sound, but you can’t legislate for that, LOL.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Ha ha! Thanks very much-yes the kids were rather loud-sounded like they were having a good time though!!

[@miless2111sutube]

much better sound. Levels were a bit low and mono but simple enough to turn you up. Putting links to the stuff you use in the video (expanding foam etc) would be useful and might give you some affiliate links etc :)

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for your comment! Links to products and other relevant videos I’ve created is something I’d love to include, however I’m afraid to say I havnt a clue how to create these active links!!! Any you tube specialists out there who can help I’m all ears.....!!

[@MrStevebeech]

Looking good. Nice to see you using the rocks and gravel

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thank you sir!

[@miless2111sutube]

is the foam sufficient to glue a lip of small rocks around the edge of a planting shelf to allow the shelf to be filled with gravel for planting without baskets?

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Hi there, thanks for your comment; so in this video the retainer constructed from natural stone to hold back the gravel on the marginal shelf was fixed using the oase foam fix-and it’s done the job perfectly. However the foam is not as strong as a mortar mix and much of the strength lies in the weight/bulk of the rockwork itself, so foam would be less effective if your were using lots of small rocks to create the retaining wall. Hope this makes sense! Best. Ed

[@steviekehoe]

I really like your attention to detail and that you explain the detail. Just to let you know on the sound, I'm using headphones and found the remote Mic to only be in one ear, right side at the start and it changes to left later on.

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for your kind words and also for your feedback! I must be recording in mono!! Will have to see if I can record in stereo...thanks for letting me know!

[@ahigherorderofart]

what is the white substrate beneath the black pond liner?

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Hi there, the white material is the protective pond fleece, used to cushion the pond liner and help prevent possible punctures from roots and other sharp objects. A layer or two of fleece in my opinion is essential. Best, Ed

[@cjcharlton]

I thought you were more of a 2 wheeled barrow kinda guy? ;)

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Ha ha! Indeed I’m well acquainted with a wheel barrow...and a spade!!

[@stevesmith6022]

Another great video Ed I look forward to watching your work do you travel would you take on a small project in Hertfordshire...?

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thank you so much for your kind words! Part #2 (completion) will be released next week. I afraid you’re a little too far out from me to offer my services for now. If I can help out remotely in any way feel free to get in touch. Best, Ed

[@stevesmith6022]

@@CrystalClearAquatics Oh that’s a shame Ed thank you so much for the inspiration you give through your videos...👍🏻

[@MrCameronsterling]

I’m enjoying watching your videos, I’m subscribed now and will be watching and learning how to build whatever pond I decide to do thanks

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks very much for your kind words and for subscribing!

[@ianmorgan7534]

Hi Ed, the 1st vid was producing sound in my right earbud only and this vid sound is left earbud only. Still a great vid tho👍👍

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Thanks for your comment! Not sure which vid you mean by “1st” but this one certainly looks to have been recorded in mono, hence only producing sound from one speaker I guess....will haves tinker on the next vid!!

[@rogerkerslake4472]

Ed The sound was spot-on on this video

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Excellent-thank you! A bit crackly in places but an improvement from previous vids I think....! Thanks so much for your feedback!

[@brendavanryswyk4565]

Ummm...for me there is no voice sound until the view changes to the handheld(?) at 1 min mark, then at 2:10 no voice sound again until 5:40 (very confused by the other two comments! Is it just me? I tried two browsers...) I have intro music and can see you talking in the intro and such but no sound until well into the vid....after 5:20 its good, I can hear you from then on. (Love your vids though, great techniques!)

[@CrystalClearAquatics]

Oooh err....not sure why that’s happening to you! Must be an issue with something your end I’m afraid......hope you’re able to resolve it.

[@brendavanryswyk4565]

@@CrystalClearAquatics Indeed it was, my right speaker seems to be dead. Dark_stevie's comment helped. When sound is from that side only I don't hear it. I viewed it on the laptop and indeed I could hear you there. Guess I need to get new speakers to enjoy your vids in full. ;)

[@bigpimpinbig1]

Great video! The best and more detailed on youtube for me. Looking forward to part 2 of this. I am actually building a small wildlife pond (1.5x1.5 meters) myself because of these videos! Getting the liner tomorrow. I have built a shelf for the rockwork/plants at around 30cm depth like you usually do. This should hide the liner nicely. The pond then drops to 60cm for the second and last depth. I noticed you didn't put stone work on the bottom of this pond. Is this to save some space? I did find it will be a tight squeeze to put rocks all along the ledges on the bottom and it would take up quite some volume. However, I was afraid the liner would be quite visible otherwise?

[@miless2111sutube]

I am also building a pond which is 1m deep at the lowest end with steps of c. 20cm down to it. After watching these videos I am expanding the shelf to allow for some rocks but I don't really want to cover everything in rocks from the cost perspective but also this will be a wildlife pond so the black in the middle will work OK however I am interested in the idea of gravel on the planting shelf. How would you retain the gravel without having rock "walls" going down to the bottom of the pond?

[@bigpimpinbig1]

@@miless2111sutube What I did is slope the shelves slightly outwards, so chances of gravel falling down is a bit lower. I think I will also try creating "planting pockets" with some bigger rocks lying on the inner sides, this will eliminate the need to put a 10cm layer of gravel everywhere on the shelf (in other places I will keep it at 3cm or so). I think I will end up putting SOME rocks on the bottom. Try second hand market places online.