First pond - beginner questions

Thanks, that's really good to know!!

 

Pavlov’s experiment with fish. I tap at feeding time

 

You dont need to raise it above ground. In fact you might provide better heat retention by sinking it below ground level. The ground here is rock hard so digging was not easy and I wanted about 1000L volume at least. The cinderblocks provided a way around that.

I think you can find sheets from a building hardware store. They normally sell them as insulation. Although I remember battling to find some when I did my solar project.

@RABUBI 's idea looks spectacular though.

 

Omg, call me stupid, but I only just figured out now what you meant when you said you raised your pond off the ground using cinder blocks. As in, literally built the pond out of cinder blocks in the same way that I'm using the wood to build the pond structure.
For some reason, when I first read it (and the 6 or so times after that) I thought you meant you had put the cinder blocks UNDER the pond structure to raise it higher.
I just could not get this to make sense to me lol.
Was just rereading this thread to check on pond liner details, which led me to reread this post and all of a sudden understanding turned on like a lightbulb

 

I was just at Namibian hardwood and asked 3 different people for these, even showed pictures, and they all had no idea what it was and said they don't sell it.

 

I have seen leca balls at a garden shop near blue route mall. It is in the main road on the left hand side. I know it is on a corner but for the life of me can't remember the name of the place. I am trying to check google maps history but no luck yet

Edit: look like the place is Super plants Tokai. I was there almost 2 years ago so should be safer to phone and ask for clay balls to use for drainage layer in a hydroponic or get a WhatsApp number to send a picture to. They were very helpful when I went their

 

To add some options, I bought my Leca balls at a place called Folha, off of Strand St in town.
I know they sell online here too: https://hydroponic.co.za/hydroponic...qvEQT1AjIcFj3ryvJg_9E0oLghapAd_xoC5RYQAvD_BwE