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pondscaping a dream pond
Let's say you talked your spouse into another pond...
or you moved to a new house and had an unlimited budget and the use of several football playing teenagers for free labor (minus pizza and pop). What pond would you plan and build?? Koi pond, goldfish pond, plant crazy pond, wildlife pond, streams, waterfalls, fountains, a whole backyard pond, a pond that is both inside and outside, 20 feet deep, fixed with underwater cameras, something that could be seen on google maps, bridges, islands, beaches, sunken ships, mermaids, submarines? k :-) |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Sat, 5 Apr 2008 16:22:19 EDT, kathy wrote:
Let's say you talked your spouse into another pond... or you moved to a new house and had an unlimited budget and the use of several football playing teenagers for free labor (minus pizza and pop). What pond would you plan and build?? Koi pond, goldfish pond, plant crazy pond, wildlife pond, streams, waterfalls, fountains, a whole backyard pond, a pond that is both inside and outside, 20 feet deep, fixed with underwater cameras, something that could be seen on google maps, bridges, islands, beaches, sunken ships, mermaids, submarines? k :-) You about covered it all there. And for the geeks, lots of computer control gadgets to make it all work. ;-) ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
pondscaping a dream pond
actually, I am working on a veggie filter for an indoor tank so there is basically no
maintenance. and I am going to get my DH to make it since he now has access to a "shop" due to teaching robotics. INgrid On Sat, 5 Apr 2008 16:22:19 EDT, kathy wrote: Let's say you talked your spouse into another pond... or you moved to a new house and had an unlimited budget and the use of several football playing teenagers for free labor (minus pizza and pop). What pond would you plan and build?? Koi pond, goldfish pond, plant crazy pond, wildlife pond, streams, waterfalls, fountains, a whole backyard pond, a pond that is both inside and outside, 20 feet deep, fixed with underwater cameras, something that could be seen on google maps, bridges, islands, beaches, sunken ships, mermaids, submarines? k :-) |
pondscaping a dream pond
I would put together a series of streams and pools and bogs
and it would be a wildlife pond so that means moving someplace where wildlife can walk in and out of our yard. I'd build decks here and there, some with shade, for viewing. Lots of bird feeders and squirrel feeders and salt licks and hidden brushy areas and trees. I'd have a yearly cleanup with my *free* labor. I'd also live in an area so the water could stay fairly open during the winter - like it usually is here except for the occasional COLD winter like we had (having) this year. k :-) |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Sun, 6 Apr 2008 11:10:41 EDT, wrote:
actually, I am working on a veggie filter for an indoor tank so there is basically no maintenance. and I am going to get my DH to make it since he now has access to a "shop" due to teaching robotics. INgrid Cool. Looking forward to the pictures on that. ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Sun, 6 Apr 2008 13:47:52 EDT, kathy wrote:
I would put together a series of streams and pools and bogs and it would be a wildlife pond so that means moving someplace where wildlife can walk in and out of our yard. I'd build decks here and there, some with shade, for viewing. Lots of bird feeders and squirrel feeders and salt licks and hidden brushy areas and trees. I'd have a yearly cleanup with my *free* labor. I'd also live in an area so the water could stay fairly open during the winter - like it usually is here except for the occasional COLD winter like we had (having) this year. k :-) And you better add, far enough from neighbors that move out into the wild, yet expect the wild to move away or at least, not make noise. You'll have to do research on plants deer hate. My sister has been doing quite the dance on keeping the deer out of her property. One area is okay where she has those electrical posts, but others she's been buying a lot of wire fencing. That can't be fun. This was a heavy snow year for them also and about a 50 deer herd came out of the hills. Many of the neighbors' yards have been stripped clean as it is a young neighborhood and the bushes & trees had not grown tall enough. ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
pondscaping a dream pond
Since I have unlimited funds..... I'll leave the majority of
my estate natural and have an old fashioned, huge, glassed in livable greenhouse attached to one section of the house with raised beds, a fountain, lounge chairs, stone veranda, outside kitchen and play area for the grandchildren. You're invited for tea and lemonade in the afternoons. k :-) |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Mon, 7 Apr 2008 02:03:06 EDT, kathy wrote:
Since I have unlimited funds..... Dreaming again I see. I'll leave the majority of my estate natural and have an old fashioned, huge, glassed in livable greenhouse attached to one section of the house with raised beds, a fountain, lounge chairs, stone veranda, outside kitchen and play area for the grandchildren. You're invited for tea and lemonade in the afternoons. k :-) I'll be there, it is a short trip to my imagination. ;-) ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
pondscaping a dream pond
In article
, kathy wrote: Let's say you talked your spouse into another pond... or you moved to a new house and had an unlimited budget and the use of several football playing teenagers for free labor (minus pizza and pop). Sounds more like another kind of fantasy ;-) -- To reply by email, remove the word "space" |
pondscaping a dream pond
Sounds more like another kind of fantasy ;-)
ak! Not when you work in education, it isn't!!! Tis a sad day when the youngest laborer toddles off to college. In addition to pond duties he also doubles as neighborhood computer genius, fetcher of things off tall shelves and all around good egg. k :-) |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Tue, 8 Apr 2008 02:04:13 EDT, Kurt wrote:
In article , kathy wrote: Let's say you talked your spouse into another pond... or you moved to a new house and had an unlimited budget and the use of several football playing teenagers for free labor (minus pizza and pop). Sounds more like another kind of fantasy ;-) I think it went to total make-believe when she typed the first line. For some a dream, for some spouses a nightmare. ;-) ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Apr 5, 2:22 pm, kathy wrote:
Let's say you talked your spouse into another pond... or you moved to a new house and had an unlimited budget and the use of several football playing teenagers for free labor (minus pizza and pop). What pond would you plan and build?? Koi pond, goldfish pond, plant crazy pond, wildlife pond, streams, waterfalls, fountains, a whole backyard pond, a pond that is both inside and outside, 20 feet deep, fixed with underwater cameras, something that could be seen on google maps, bridges, islands, beaches, sunken ships, mermaids, submarines? k :-) Hi everyone! I think somewhere I may have indicated that I would be 'fixing up' my pond this year. :-) Update: Bottom drains are installed, skimmer installed and plumbed into the bottom drain lines, settling tanks are in and plumbed, as is the 150 gallon rubbermaid bio-mech filter. Waiting on a kinfe gate valve to come in this Friday (5/30/08) so I can finish with the plumbing and put in the liner. I hope to have it filled by this Saturday. So far, so good, and not a whole lot of work. Almost like puttering around the house! LOL I will get some pictures posted in the near future and post them he http://home.pcisys.net/~muaddib/ It will look just a little different than my last pond. W. Dale |
pondscaping a dream pond
Congrats! Sounds like fun.
I had a bad experience with a knife valve a year or so ago and changed all mine out for ball valves. Basically, I had a line coming from the bottom drain to my pump and my builder had put knife valves on either side of the pump. I'd power down, shut the valves, clear the leaf basket in the pump, reopen and start things up again. Until... a pebble decided to travel to the pond-side knife valve and lodge right in the bottom groove of the valve. I couldn't shut the flow off completely anymore, so I couldn't open the pump basket. I should mention that this pump is in my basement, in a "wet-ok" area, but not an area where I could let the pond dump for several minutes while I tried to clear the stone. And, if things went really wrong and I couldn't plug the flood, I'd end up with 15,000 gallons of pond water all around me. I ended up having to go in the pond (6' down), remove the bottom drain cover, put a compression plug in the pipe for the drain, drain the line water by undoing the plumbing after the knife valve (sweating that the drain plug was tight enough since water flow continued), and finally reaching in and pulling out the problem pebble which was less than a 1/4" in diameter. When I put it all back together, I added a ball valve after the knife valve since there was no easy way to get the old valve off. I use ball valves all around now even though the knife valve is still on there. One tiny pebble caused so much grief. I hope your experience is better than mine in that respect. : ) Dave |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Sat, 31 May 2008 09:27:03 EDT, Pond Addict
wrote: One tiny pebble caused so much grief. Dave Hmmm, the Princess and the Pea. The Ponder and Pebble, if you suffered sleepless nights would that make one a prince? ;-) ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Jun 1, 12:20 pm, ~ jan wrote:
... Hmmm, the Princess and the Pea. The Ponder and Pebble, if you suffered sleepless nights would that make one a prince? ;-) ~ jan Yes, indeed. My various titles include "Pond Prince," "Resident Groundskeeper," and of course, "OMG, My Dad, the Crazy Fish Guy. *sigh! *" Dave |
pondscaping a dream pond
On May 31, 7:27 am, Pond Addict wrote:
Congrats! Sounds like fun. I had a bad experience with a knife valve a year or so ago and changed all mine out for ball valves. Basically, I had a line coming from thebottomdrain to my pump and my builder had put knife valves on either side of the pump. I'd power down, shut the valves, clear the leaf basket in the pump, reopen and start things up again. Until... a pebble decided to travel to the pond-side knife valve and lodge right in thebottomgroove of the valve. I couldn't shut the flow off completely anymore, so I couldn't open the pump basket. I should mention that this pump is in my basement, in a "wet-ok" area, but not an area where I could let the pond dump for several minutes while I tried to clear the stone. And, if things went really wrong and I couldn't plug the flood, I'd end up with 15,000 gallons of pond water all around me. I ended up having to go in the pond (6' down), remove thebottomdrain cover, put a compression plug in the pipe for the drain, drain the line water by undoing the plumbing after the knife valve (sweating that the drain plug was tight enough since water flow continued), and finally reaching in and pulling out the problem pebble which was less than a 1/4" in diameter. When I put it all back together, I added a ball valve after the knife valve since there was no easy way to get the old valve off. I use ball valves all around now even though the knife valve is still on there. One tiny pebble caused so much grief. I hope your experience is better than mine in that respect. : ) Dave Thanks Dave. I hope I never have that problem! Sounds like a real head ache! I do have a question though: How necessary is it to put cement around the bottom drain to keep it from shifting? I have read a few tips on installing them and they all say to put cement around the drain to keep it from shifting and putting pressure on the liner. What are your thoughts? W. Dale |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 15:07:41 EDT, W Dale wrote:
I do have a question though: How necessary is it to put cement around the bottom drain to keep it from shifting? I have read a few tips on installing them and they all say to put cement around the drain to keep it from shifting and putting pressure on the liner. What are your thoughts? W. Dale Our club's Pres. first install he didn't use cement. It settled and the liner stretched..... but thankfully didn't give out. He discovered it the next year when he decided to remodel and used cement. ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 15:07:41 EDT, W Dale wrote:
Thanks Dave. I hope I never have that problem! Sounds like a real head ache! I do have a question though: How necessary is it to put cement around the bottom drain to keep it from shifting? I have read a few tips on installing them and they all say to put cement around the drain to keep it from shifting and putting pressure on the liner. What are your thoughts? I'm not Dave, but I would like to offer my opinion about knife valves and bottom drains. I have mostly knife valves, but also a couple ball valves. I probably would agree if I were a few years younger and a bit stronger, but ball valves have become a challenge to me and I sometimes have to use an extension (Adjustable wrench, usually.) to operate the handle. Knife valves otoh can be moved much easier with fingers alone, even in difficult to reach places.. I must plan and place the valves in a higher point on the line so a pebble doesn't stop at that point. When I installed a bottom drain, the instructions called for a 5/8" gap around the perimeter of the drain dome/cover. That seemed excessive, so I did some measuring and planning and set the gap somewhat closer. I did a good job of packing in the clay, took several days of wetting packing and checking. Bottom line, over the years the drain did move slightly. Not enough to be a problem, but if I were to do it again, I'd do the measuring, planning and pour concrete around the pipe into a hole made in undisturbed clay, because that is the better chance of it moving less. Pipe contact with the earth is small compared to the amount of surface contact with the glob of cement poured around the pipe. -- Hal Middle Georgia, Zone 8 http://tinyurl.com/2fxzcb |
pondscaping a dream pond
I'm not sure of best approaches to installing a bottom drain, but I'd
adopt the attitude that it *will* shift and leak unless you do everything to prevent that. That way, you've probably done all you can. It's probably the last place you want a leak. Hal, I totally agree with you about the difference in effort to work a knife gate vs. a ball valve. I suppose I could have just added a ball valve at the supply side (where stones might enter) for emergencies, and a knife gate after that for routine use. I really felt the need to have a positive shut off on the supply line, and then I switched out my other valve for therapy. Dave |
pondscaping a dream pond
Our ball valves are hard to turn as well. Didn't think about knife
valves when we built. Too bad. Jim |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Jun 3, 9:57 pm, ~ jan wrote:
On Tue, 3 Jun 2008 15:07:41 EDT, W Dale wrote: I do have a question though: How necessary is it to put cement around the bottom drain to keep it from shifting? I have read a few tips on installing them and they all say to put cement around the drain to keep it from shifting and putting pressure on the liner. What are your thoughts? W. Dale Our club's Pres. first install he didn't use cement. It settled and the liner stretched..... but thankfully didn't give out. He discovered it the next year when he decided to remodel and used cement. ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds:www.jjspond.us Hummmm .... Ok... My neighbor installed a bottom drain, did not use cement, and says that his is doing just fine. However, I suspect that mine may move a bit so I will keep and eye on them as I did not pour the cement around them but packed them down pretty tightly. We will see. Give the comments I see here, I am now worried just a bit. I will keep you posted. W Dale |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Jun 5, 2:52 pm, Phyllis and Jim wrote:
Our ball valves are hard to turn as well. Didn't think about knife valves when we built. Too bad. Jim I just turn my ball valves ever so often to keep them easy to turn. Seems to work. Pond liner update. Official: I have a leak some where in the liner. losing about 2 inches of water per 24 hours. I turned the water fall off just to make sure and sure enough, the water level in the 150 gallon stock tank has dropped only about 1/8 of an inch (if that) in the past 24 hours while the pond has gone done more than 2 inches. Bummer! Guess I am going to have the most expensive under layment in ponding history! Rather than taking the BTL-24 liner out and replacing it with EPDM, I will use it as and under layment if I cannot find and repair the leak. and I have that sucker filled up too! W. Dale |
pondscaping a dream pond
I hope you can find the leak. Let it go down to where the descent
stops. Add about 1/4" and begin dropping milk around the edge. You should see the milk be pulled through the liner where a leak is. It may not be the only one. May you find the leak at the top of your area! Jim |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:57:09 EDT, W Dale wrote:
I just turn my ball valves ever so often to keep them easy to turn. Seems to work. Glad it works for you. -- Hal Middle Georgia, Zone 8 http://tinyurl.com/2fxzcb |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Jun 17, 8:45 pm, Phyllis and Jim wrote:
I hope you can find the leak. Let it go down to where the descent stops. Add about 1/4" and begin dropping milk around the edge. You should see the milk be pulled through the liner where a leak is. It may not be the only one. May you find the leak at the top of your area! Jim Thanks Jim, I will do that. It would be a real bummer if it is around the bottom drain. :( Oh, well. :-) |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Jun 17, 8:45 pm, Phyllis and Jim wrote:
I hope you can find the leak. Let it go down to where the descent stops. Add about 1/4" and begin dropping milk around the edge. You should see the milk be pulled through the liner where a leak is. It may not be the only one. May you find the leak at the top of your area! Jim Still going down slowly, today Jim. So far it has dropped 5 inches (1036 gallons) and the stock tank has lost only 3/4 of an inch. So, I know there is a leak somewhere. It may be next week sometimes before it stops dropping as this one seems to be a really slow (but not THAT slow) of a leak. 5 inches in 4 days - not good. I guess this is where patience will pay off in the long run. LOL. In the mean time, anyone out there with a used non-leaking 31' X 36' EPDM or PVC liner they would like to sell or pawn off??? :-) W. Dale |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Jun 17, 8:45 pm, Phyllis and Jim wrote:
I hope you can find the leak. Let it go down to where the descent stops. Add about 1/4" and begin dropping milk around the edge. You should see the milk be pulled through the liner where a leak is. It may not be the only one. May you find the leak at the top of your area! Jim June 21. Water level is still descending but much slower. My neighbor, two doors down, says he is loosing LOTS of water to the wind and low humidity. He thinks I do not have a leak since I have lost less water over the same period of time as he has. I wonder? So far I am down about 7 inches over a 6 day period. Humidity to day is 50% and has been in the teens most of the week except for the past few days when we had T-storms. The level is dropping so slowly that I wonder now about the "leak". At the rate it is going, it may take weeks for the level to stop dropping and then again, *sigh*. The level in the stock tank is down almost 1 inch now. So, if I use that as a comparison, there MUST (so it would seem) be a leak in the pond. What do you all think? Have a great weekend! W. Dale |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Sat, 21 Jun 2008 12:01:05 EDT, W Dale wrote:
June 21. Water level is still descending but much slower. My neighbor, two doors down, says he is loosing LOTS of water to the wind and low humidity. He thinks I do not have a leak since I have lost less water over the same period of time as he has. I wonder? So far I am down about 7 inches over a 6 day period. Humidity to day is 50% and has been in the teens most of the week except for the past few days when we had T-storms. The level is dropping so slowly that I wonder now about the "leak". At the rate it is going, it may take weeks for the level to stop dropping and then again, *sigh*. The level in the stock tank is down almost 1 inch now. So, if I use that as a comparison, there MUST (so it would seem) be a leak in the pond. What do you all think? Have a great weekend! W. Dale I think there is a leak in your pond and.... your neighbor's pond. ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
pondscaping a dream pond
Seven to one is a pretty steep contrast between the pond and the stock
tank. I am interested that your neighbor has lost more than 7"! That would cause me to rethink my loss rate...or his. Does the pond have a stream or falls to increase the evaporation rate? Have you noted where the change in rate happened? It might be interesting to check for milk-pull-through at that level. Jim |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Jun 22, 3:36 pm, Phyllis and Jim wrote:
Seven to one is a pretty steep contrast between the pond and the stock tank. I am interested that your neighbor has lost more than 7"! That would cause me to rethink my loss rate...or his. Does the pond have a stream or falls to increase the evaporation rate? Have you noted where the change in rate happened? It might be interesting to check for milk-pull-through at that level. Jim I turned off the waterfall (to decrease evaporation rate as you mentioned) to see what would happen. It still went down but very very slowly. That the stock tank has still lost less than 2 inches in 8 days, cause me decide to look for the leak. I think I may have found them in a couple of patches that were seeping EVER so slowly but enough to get my attention. I am using Beckett's patch instead of the stuff that came with the BTL liner as that patch material is not keeping the water in as I think it should. I hope to complete the repairs this afternoon and begin refilling the pond. Humidity today is 11%. W. Dale |
pondscaping a dream pond
State of the leak.
Well, I found those suckers! The patch material sent to me by BTL did not do such a great job at sealing up. In spite of making sure the liner was clean and dry, after applying the patch material and putting the liner in the pond, filling it with water, the water found a way under the patches and was slowly seeping out. I repaired the leaks with some Beckett's liner tape (I have used it before with excellent results.) I hope this solves the problem. I reapplied the patch material supplied by BTL, then edged it with a 1 1/2 inch strip of Beckett Liner tape and then covered that with a cut to fit piece of EPDM liner. Think that will hold it? I know I sure hope so! :-))) W. Dale Time to refill the new pond; all 17' X 21' X 4.5'. |
pondscaping a dream pond
W Dale wrote:
Humidity today is 11%. How's it feel to be so humid? If we get above 10% here in Phoenix during May-Aug we feel sticky. Aug-Sept we get the "Monsoon" season and can reach as high as 25%-35%. Chip |
pondscaping a dream pond
the fact that you have such a high humidity in a desert is to me a crime
against the environment but i'm not going to get on my soap box and rant against the insanity of phoenix requiring people to grow lawns... we have had 100% humidity and temperatures above 90F on long island - further south that is much more common and with higher temperatures. I have tried to convince my spouse that 120 in southern california is far cooler than what we get here and that it is all about the humidity. he won't buy it. in the desert when you sweat it cools you off - out here it just increases your misery. i feel so sorry for my fish when the water gets too warm. i envy you your 10%. donna "Chip" wrote in message ... W Dale wrote: Humidity today is 11%. How's it feel to be so humid? If we get above 10% here in Phoenix during May-Aug we feel sticky. Aug-Sept we get the "Monsoon" season and can reach as high as 25%-35%. Chip |
pondscaping a dream pond
On Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:43:08 EDT, "DKat" wrote:
we have had 100% humidity and temperatures above 90F on long island We call that rain. ;-) Prior to agriculture I'm sure our humidity was similar to Phoenix way back when. Now we're use to anything under 20%. We don't get sticky till it hits 30%. ;-) Sounds like hubby needs to take a vacation in a desert. Low humidity one can work out in the shade in the high 80's to 90F w/o noticing sweat (unless you're hot flash prone, when only a stiff breeze helps). And then at higher temps one can turn on overhead misters and actually feel cold when a breeze comes up. ;-) ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
pondscaping a dream pond
DKat wrote:
the fact that you have such a high humidity in a desert is to me a crime against the environment but i'm not going to get on my soap box and rant against the insanity of phoenix requiring people to grow lawns... I'm confused??! The high 25-35% is due to the jet stream patterns bringing Gulf of Mexico or Gulf of Cortez moisture during the monsoon season. Nothing to do with lawns. Required to have lawns, never heard of it in the 15 yrs I've lived here??? They are doing their best to have them torn out and replaced with zeriscaping with low moisture planting. Now we do have a lot of lawn (people from back East seem to insist on it) and golf courses, but that has little to do with the humidity. Majority of yards are like mine, gravel-80%, small lawn for dog-10%, pool-10%. I'm converting most of my lawn to patio and my pool to pond and veggie filter. Chip |
pondscaping a dream pond
Triple digits here this weekend too.
DH is spending his second weekend camping with the scouts down on a river delta. Last weekend we had a fierce thunderstorm move in on them, this weekend they get the triple digits. k :-) |
pondscaping a dream pond
more rain as I look out the window. the mosquitoes are hellatious and I dont think
we have seen more than a couple in nearly 10 years. we had about 10" when the floods were hitting the midwest. And yesterday was our first 85+ day all year. we are 6 blocks from the big puddle (L. Michigan) and it is humid nearly all the time. Happily, I like humidity, my skin likes humidity especially after the freeze dry of winter. sigh. school starts next week. time to gear up. Ingrid |
pondscaping a dream pond
|
pondscaping a dream pond
just shy of 2 hours 3 times per week. in the morning done by 11:30. got a TA to
teach the lab. 8 of them. They are all women and all seniors for some reason. I do like teaching to small groups, quite different than the 100-150 I have in fall and spring. Ingrid On Sun, 29 Jun 2008 15:52:03 EDT, ~ jan wrote: On Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:21:50 EDT, wrote: winter. sigh. school starts next week. time to gear up. Ingrid Now that's a crime.... Teaching summer school, I hope the hours are shorter. ~ jan ------------ Zone 7a, SE Washington State Ponds: www.jjspond.us |
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