So the recent rains have helped fill in the pond, and it is finally getting to a height that would allow us to continue planting in the regeneration zone.

To review, the principle behind the sand regeneration zone is that water is pumped from pipes under the sand that have small holes in them back into the main pond area, which then returns over time over the regeneration zone retention wall back to the sand area, down through the sand and into the pipes to repeat the cycle. As the water passes through the sand, good microorganisms that grown on the surface of the sand will digest nutrients and bad microorganisms in the water rendering the water cleaner and safer. Larger plants that grow in the sand consume some of these nutrients, and as they grow they can be harvested to permanently remove these nutrients from the water. In principle, if the nutrients aren’t being supplied back via run-off or other means, then over time algae and other undesirable organisms in the water will die off due to starvation.

Since we didn’t line the pond with a “nutrient proof” liner, it is quite possible we will never achieve this point. But I can say for sure that the pond with the circulation pumps turned on is much more pleasant and obviously cleaner than the foul smelling water that develops if the pumps are off for a few weeks.

And the water plants that grow in the regeneration zone can be as aesthetically pleasing as any soil planted garden, too.

So Praew has begun planting the regeneration zone in earnest recently. We have enough of the tall grasses that grow around here already, so we have been coaxing these guys to grow up against the wall as a kind of net to hold the floating plants in so we can plant the other plants behind them:

It might be difficult to see in this picture because it blends in to the background, but we are also planting some trees in the sand:

In Thai, this tree is called “ton lamphu” (which I believe is some kind of cork tree). It is famous for attracting fireflies into its branches. Since we already occasionally see fireflies on our land, it would be nice for them to come and thrive.

And since I am at it, here are a few photos I took right afterwards showing the storm clouds rolling in:

Weather never looked so striking back in L.A. 😉