For Every Pump And Filter Purchase: Fill & Download for Free

1. Make a box from lawn timbers (railroad ties) on level ground; small pond would be 4'x4' and 2.5' deep. Purchase enough pond liner (45 mils thick, at least) to fit inside and up the walls in one piece. This means you'll have to trim some off, but you want one, continuous piece. Fit the liner into the box, overlapping at corners. Overlap top rail of box (you'll cover this with potted plants and rocks, hopefully) and fasten in place with heavy-duty staples. Place large rocks/small boulders in box on top of plastic, closer to one edge than the others (ease of reach and pleasing asymmetry) and place pump and filter in box, running tubing from pump up into boulders to create a waterfall effect. Fill with water.2. Purchase one of these:Dig a whole the proper shape and depth, stick the liner in the ground, wire up pump and filter, et al, and ta-da! You've got a pond.3. Dig pond shape. Using timbers, make a frame following shape of pond about 4" from the sides- sort of a scaffolding idea- and cover this frame with 1/2" plywood. Then, pour concrete between dirt walls of pond and framing. Allow to harden, then pull off plywood and framing. Allow concrete to cure. (You can do the same thing using rocks and concrete either in ground or above ground, but the concrete must cure). Add pump and filter, etc.Now, decisions, decisions. If you want fish, you need to be careful what you add to the water because most chemicals kill the fish. But ponds will grow algae, and, while some algae is healthy, algae doesn't stop at some; the only ways to control the algae are shading the water, constant cleaning, or chemicals. So, pick yer poison.Algae grows in the sun, so shading the water helps discourage overgrowth of algae, but not always enough. If the water turns green and scummy, the pond needs to be drained at least 3/4 of the way, and a lot of the algae removed, then refill and start over. You can use lilypads (I've had no luck with them, but my Mother had a slew of them in her ponds. She could grow spectacular roses, too), cattail reeds, or other plants you find along the edges of a "natural" pond. Plants the roots or tubers in buckets, fill with gravel and sink to the bottom of your pond. Many houseplants that you can root in water will grow the same way in a pond. Arrowhead ivy's a good one for this.You MUST use the pump and filter or the water becomes stagnant and that's exactly the kind of water mosquitoes look for in a nursery. Circulating water discourages mosquitoes.Your pond will need water added every so often because of evaporation; this is no big deal unless you have fish, then you must be careful of the chlorine content. However, if you have fish, you only need to feed them at the beginning; soon bugs and other small critters will drown in your pond and feed your fish. For algae control, you can try a few algae eaters (ugly sucker-like fish) but they do not do well at temperature extremes and you will have to replace them often. Good thing they're cheap. The best fish for a pond are carp.The bigger the pond, the more work, but the sooner it becomes self-sustaining in all weather. A very large pond, say 30' in diameter, with good native plant growth becomes a small lake ecological system.Our first homemade pond was in Oklahoma- had no idea what we were doing, but it seemed to work. Added some carp, a few very small bluegill the boys had caught while fishing, and one tiny trout who jumped on a hook. Two years later, pond's doing well, the carp had been eaten by a 'coon, the bluegill had died, and the trout had grown to eatin' size. We let him go into one of the lakes on Post.

BMWs are very reliable, but as a high performance vehicle, require more regular and more consistent maintenance.If you are going to buy a 4–5 year old BMW, the first thing I’d ask is if the cooling system has been overhauled. Cooling systems just wear out around the five year mark and typically require replacement of all the hoses, the radiator, the coolant pump and thermostat. For a 3 series, this will cost you around $1,200.00 in parts. If you aren’t doing it yourself, then get a quote from the stealer, er-r-r-r I mean dealer. It’s a tough job on a 3 series. Easier on a 5 series.You will also need a new battery, but be aware; more recent models require a software recalibration of the voltage levels, which requires an expensive scanner. You can get the dealer to do this, but not for free.The next things to go will be the coil packs (expensive, but easily replaced by owner) and spark plugs (cheap). You’ll be amazed how how good the engine sounds and runs.Then you’ll need to replace the various engine sensors. These generally average about 100 dollar each, some less, some more. There aren’t very many, and they are installed very easily. What isn’t easy (specifically for the 3-series) is getting at them. For example, the crank sensor on an e90 is under the starter, which is under the intake assembly. You will need to remove the entire intake assembly to get to the starter, which you must also remove to get to a sensor that is held in with one bolt. When and if you replace the starter (yeah, that happened, but usually when the car gets to the decade mark…), replace the sensor. You don’t want to have to do this procedure twice.Then there are shocks and wheel bearings, depending on how hard the car has been driven. Another grand for the whole car.Finally, and perhaps most importantly, flushing the transmission should be done immediately! Bimmers have complex transmissions and while BMW refers to the transmission fluid as ‘life-time’, it’s bull (that goes for all makes). If you want to drive your bimmer for more than 150,000 miles, change out the fluid and filter every 40K. If you buy a used one and this hasn’t been done, do it right away. It’s relatively cheap.Do all this, and the car will drive like new for another five years, after which you can decide to repeat the process or just move on…In my opinion, used BMWs are a bad investment if you are just looking for a daily driver. You may look cool, but you will pay exorbitantly for the privilege.On the other hand, if you have the skills and can get one for say, 8–12K, another 3K in parts with some sweat equity, and you’ll have a nice hobby car.I still have my 2002 530i (purchased new…), whose transmission I’m currently rebuilding. It will never be a daily driver again, but I’m emotionally attached to it and when it hits its second decade, it will officially be a classic ;-)My wife’s 3-series is slated to be sold (update—is sold). I’ve done much of the work I’ve described above on this vehicle. Fun car to drive, but I’d never buy another one. She now drives a late model Honda and I’ve moved onto a Ford F150.Quite honestly, the only people who should buy a BMW are those folks for which a 100K is lunch money. For people who actually have to manage their financial life, it’s not a wise purchase.ADDENDUM: The issue of reliability has come up a few times with respect to this answer. Reliability is more related to predictable performance than it is to never breaks. Low profile, speed-rated tires will wear out faster because the design favors a certain operative performance over durability. Things are going to wear out on a BMW than on a Ford F-150 for the same reasons. BMWs wear-out in predictable ways, which means that with proper maintenance, they can be kept running and enjoyed for what they are.

Two types of generators fit this application. Standby (Home Backup) Generators are designed specifically for extended outages like those that occur after a natural disaster such as a hurricane. Portable Generators bring electrical power wherever needed.Both portable and standby generators will provide power for weeks (or months if necessary) with the proper maintenance.Standby generators run automatically and run in any kind of weather—even a hurricane. They are permanently installed and connected to the home’s gas supply. Most will run off either natural gas or propane and diesel models are available for locations where gaseous fuel is unavailable. When a power outage occurs, they sense the outage and within seconds, start and run and automatically begin supplying power to the home. Within seconds.Automatic is a big advantage. So is having power to your central air conditioners and furnace, and other hard wired appliances. They start at about 7.5 kilowatts up to 22 kilowatts for air cooled models, and 15 kilowatts to 150 kilowatts for liquid cooled. The vast majority of homes don’t need more than 22 kilowatts, but luxury homes, large estates, businesses, and agricultural operations do often do.Something else to consider. Even if you are not home, an automatic backup generator runs your sump pump and your refrigerator or freezer, and it will keep your home warm so the pipes don’t freeze in the winter.Liquid-cooled generators in hot climates perform better and experience fewer temperature related shutdowns than air-cooled generators.With natural gas, you won’t have to store fuel or run down to the local filling station to stand in line waiting to buy gasoline—if it is even available. Shortages are quite common after hurricanes and other disasters.As another answer noted, nothing will kill your generator faster than running out of oil. The oil should be checked daily and topped off as necessary.Every 200 hours (about 8 days) of operation, standby generators need an oil and filter change. (Manufacture requirements vary, check your manual.) Everyone who owns a standby generator for an emergency such as this should keep a supply of maintenance supplies on hand.If 200 hours sound too frequent, compare it to driving a car for 200 hours without stopping. at 60 MPH, that is 12,000 miles. Most automakers now recommend changing the oil every 7500 to 10,000 miles.Oil and filter changes take about ten minutes. You shut the generator down and disable it from accidental starts, then perform the maintenance. Most people contract a service supplier to do this whenever it’s needed, and most generators can notify them and you when service is required. Or you can do it yourself, but you must be diligent. In the aftermath of a disaster, chances are good that you will have to perform maintenance yourself.Portable Generators are not automatic, but a good generator will last years. Contractors run them eight to twelve hours a day, five or six days a week, for years. Portable Generators for Emergency Power are a good option.On the plus side, most cost less than a standby generator and you can use them for other purposes. Camping or RVing, or whatever you need. When buying one for use during an outage, buy a brand name generator with a minimum of 3500 running watts, though 5500 - 7500 watts is better for a home. To run hard-wired appliances you’ll need a manual transfer switch with an inlet box. If you want your Central AC to run, choose one of at least 7500 watts or more.On the downside, portables don’t like the rain and are not made to run without a shelter in bad weather. An open canopy is best, but you probably won’t have power during the hurricane. That probably means going without power for 12 hours or more unless you have a sturdy, protected location set up in advance.They can use a lot of fuel. Most communities restrict residential gasoline storage to 25 gallons or less. A mid-sized portable will use 2/3rds of that in one day.Portables are not made to run next to a house. Choose a location at least 10 to 20 feet away, or carbon monoxide becomes a real danger. Never run one indoors. Ever. For any reason. That is how people die. Follow all the safety rules for portable generators given by the manufacturerMaintenance schedules are usually shorter than standby generators, but if you keep up, a portable will give you years of service, including the occasional continual service interval after a hurricane. Expect to change the oil every 50 to 100 hours of use, but check your manual (and probably a good idea to check before making a purchase.)How to Use a Portable Generator for Emergency PowerBottom Line The key to a long life and extended use is maintenance. Generators use an internal combustion engine to create electricity by turning an alternator (generator). Like any other internal combustion engine, they need care. New spark plugs, oil and air filters, and regular oil changes are key to a long, useful life.Standby generators were made for emergency power during an outage, regardless of how long the outage lasts from a few hours to a few weeks, and in some cases, a month or more. They run automatically in any weather, including hurricanes, and don’t require refueling.Portable generators can also run for weeks if needed and if the maintenance is kept up. They are not automatic and need protection from rain, snow, and ice. You probably won’t set one up during a hurricane. Using them to power furnace and air conditioners, and other hard wired appliances requires a similar installation as a standby generator.Portable vs Standby: What you should know.