You may use this image in your ezine or website if you choose to publish my article. Click here to see the picture full-sized.--- David Crimmins

1. Your Question:

Help Dave, I've googled for days and finally found you. I have a 
hard bottom, metal sided, formerly lined pool which has fallen 
into disrepair due to college bills. I would like to convert it 
to a garden pond/swimming pond, whatever. I am intrigued by the 
idea of going natural. The pool is rectangular, 18x36 with wide 
steps at the shallow end. The decking is reinforced concrete. We 
really miss the pool which got lots of use when the kids were 
young. We might be happy to fill in part of it to plant in and 
leave part for a misty fountain or koi pond. I wish however that 
we could still take a dip. My husband and I are older and not so 
active, but our "kids" are still not out of the house and would 
enjoy some water in the summer. Can you advise us? My attempts to 
get a pool guy to help have not been satisfactory, although for a 
million dollars one can get anything one wants, and unfortunately 
we are retired school teachers(ie not millionaires) who are still 
paying tuition. DIY sites? Suggestions? e.mail advice? Help would 
really help. We can afford a reasonable amount of money and the 
present condition is making our house look lousy.

My Reply:

Hi there Karen.

It sounds like you've got a project on your hands, but a 
potentially exciting one.  A naturally filtered pool is 
definetely the way to go.

Is there a way to build a retaining wall in the pool basin to add 
a 'regenerative zone' or planted gravel bed? See my 'swimming 
pond' page for a diagram. If so you will need to redirct plumbing 
to percolate up through the gravel with oxygen, see 'easy pond 
aerator'.  If not how about a conversion style filter as seen on 
my 'pool conversion' page?

Be sure to research everything I have to offer on Pond-Doctor-
Dave.com it should fill in alot of the blank spots in your design 
ideas.

If you want fish you more than likely will need to be okay 
swimming with them. It is difficult to seperate them from where 
you want to swim.

Best I can say is go for it!  Nothing is set in stone if you have 
any problems they can be worked out.  There is an answer to every 
problem.

Be sure to keep me updated and I will gladly answer any questions 
you have as you move along.


2. Your Question:

Pressure Reqiured To Pump Water Straight Up 8"I.D X 40ft

My Reply:

Hi there Mike.

You're going to need at least 40' of head pressure, plus the 
depth of the pond, in combination with the GPM you desire. See: 
http://www.pond-doctor-dave.com/waterfall-pump.html


3. Your Question:

Hi Dave, I have a natural rock face as my backyard fence, at the 
bottom of the rock at the end of my patio is an area in which I 
would like to build up to make a pond and have the water running 
into down the rock face, how do you suggest I do this kind? 
regards Lynne

My Reply:

Hi there Lynne.

If you can dig out below the rock face to install a liner, 
cement and seal the lip of the liner at the base of the rock. 
Otherwise don't use any more concrete than you need.  Use natural 
stone to pile on the other edges to secure the liner and for the 
'look'.

You will need to devise a way to run flex pipe up and around your 
rock face and hide it somehow.

See: http://www.pond-doctor-dave.com/waterfall-pump.html and be 
sure to research pond-doctor-dave thouroughly to get the whole 
picture before you proceed.

It sound like a great project keep me updated. 

David Crimmins is a speaker, webmaster, designer, builder of 
all types of water features including natural swimming pools. 
Pond-Doctor-Dave is a complete resource for all garden 
waterfall and backyard pond enthusiasts. For more information 
see: http://www.pond-doctor-dave.com

Copyright (c) 2005, David Crimmins