Home & DIY
Backyard ponds, kitchen remodeling, tools, appliances and home-improvement projects based on things I have actually bought, used or worked on.
Some older store notes come from my own Google Maps reviews. Product availability, prices and service can change.
What I Learned Building and Fixing My Backyard Pond
My roughly 1,200-gallon pond has been an ongoing DIY project involving pump sizing, UV clarification, mechanical filtration, plants and waterfall circulation. These guides are based on the problems I actually ran into and the equipment I bought to solve them.
Backyard Pond Filtration on a Budget: What I Learned With My 1,200-Gallon Pond
My real-world setup using a pond pump, 36-watt UV clarifier, 3-way bypass connector, cut-to-size filter foam and hornwort. I explain what worked, what caused problems and what I would build differently today.
Pond Pumps
Sizing the pump for actual pond flow, filtration and waterfall height instead of simply buying the largest GPH number.
UV Clarifiers
What I learned about green water, UV contact time and using a bypass to control flow through the clarifier.
Read the UV guide →DIY Filter Media
Cut-to-size foam, mechanical filtration, biological media and lessons from using a simple 5-gallon bucket filter.
Plants & Pump Intakes
What hornwort taught me about strong pump intakes, plant placement and keeping debris away from the impeller.
What I Bought, What Worked & What I’d Skip
Our kitchen remodel involved new cabinets, appliances, ventilation, lighting and storage hardware. These reviews are based on products I actually bought and the problems I ran into while putting the kitchen together.
Frigidaire Gallery GDPH4525AF Dishwasher
Why I chose this quiet Frigidaire Gallery dishwasher from Lowe’s for a two-person household and what mattered most during the remodel.
Read the dishwasher review →Broan Mantra 36-Inch Range Hood
The stainless 36-inch hood has worked well in my kitchen and fits the look I wanted without turning ventilation into an oversized project.
Read the range hood review →Enbrighten 24-Inch Under-Cabinet Light
A simple plug-in light that added a nice accent to the finished kitchen without creating another major electrical project.
Read the lighting review →Rev-A-Shelf Girasolo Blind Corner System
A clever solution on paper, but in my blind corner cabinet the mechanism took up more usable storage space than I wanted to give up.
Read why I didn’t keep it →Wholesale Cabinets RTA Kitchen Review
What went right, what went wrong with the upper-cabinet sizing and what I would verify before ordering RTA cabinets online again.
Read the cabinet review →More From This Kitchen Project
I’ll continue adding reviews and lessons from the kitchen project, including countertops, backsplash materials, plumbing changes and other products as I get enough real use to know whether they were actually worth the money.
Home Improvement Stores & Suppliers
Short notes from places I have personally used while buying tools, paint, flooring, furniture and appliances.
Harbor Freight (Kenneth City)
Worth it, with a caveat ★★★★☆
Harbor Freight is consistent. This store’s layout changes made it easier for customers. Good for tools you will beat up. Not every item is a lifetime buy.
The Eastwood Company
Worth it, with a caveat ★★★★☆
The site was well laid out and easy to navigate. Cart and checkout worked smoothly. I will shop here again.
Lowe’s (Pinellas Park)
Worth it, with a caveat ★★★★☆
Clean and well stocked on that visit. Still compare prices on big-ticket items.
Sherwin-Williams (Pinellas Park)
Worth it ★★★★★
Quality paint and service. Worth the money if you want the job to last.
Furniture Outlet by Matter Brothers
Worth it ★★★★★
Salespeople let you look without hovering and were quick to help when asked. Decent prices for good-quality furniture.
Floor & Decor (St. Petersburg)
Worth it ★★★★★
Large selection and helpful staff. Plenty to choose from.
Best Buy (St. Petersburg)
Worth it, with a caveat ★★★★★
Shopping for appliances was quick and easy on that visit. Still price-check before you buy the floor model story.
Worth it, or skip it.
Store notes are not the same as a product test. Use these to decide where to start, then read the full project guides and product reviews before you spend.