Here is an interesting piece of urban landscaping. I have been working on this thing sporadically all winter long. It’s not quite finished, but it is running and I couldn’t wait to post it.

I got the hot tub free on craigslist; the patio stones, bricks, and some of the cinder blocks, were free from craigslist; the sink was found on the property I’m renting, probably been sitting around for 30 years. I bought the mortar, pump, filter, and various piping, fittings, valves, and other random materials. I probably spent about $300 on the whole project, and certainly not all at one time. I’m very happy with how it turned out. I just put some cheap small fish in it, and I’ll add the fish I really want in a couple of weeks once I get a biological cycle going. I still need to add patio to the other side of the pond, fill the seats of the hot tub with river rocks, add pond plants, plant ornamental grasses in the holes in the cinder blocks, etc. I’ll post more pictures later this year. I’m trying to run the thing chemical free. I’m going to experiment this year, and hopefully next year grow tilapia and crayfish to eat.

Enjoy the photos of the whole project, starting with the completed pond.