Let the rebuild begin!

[texmaster]

When the dust settles I'll take some pics

 

[texmaster]

ok new pic! They are about 95% complete with the stone! woohoo! I had them run an extension cord under the stone for the pump in the skimmer which they put in a pvc pipe and it will be covered by a nice piece of flagstone

 

[addy1]

That looks great!

 

[texmaster]

Had a bit of a setback. I warned them that the skimmer was sitting too high but they didn't listen. Well when they tried to fill up the pond it was too close to the top for an overflow. So they've spent the better part of today digging out the skimmer and lowering it.

 

[addy1]

Glad that got fixed.

 

[texmaster]

Some more pics. Almost done!

 

[addy1]

Nice job!

 

[texmaster]

 

[texmaster]

Finally got the lights right!

 

[texmaster]

Lessons learned.

Watch the workers if you hire them.
If you install a bottom drain make sure to only have 1/2 to 3/4 clearance at the bottom.
Fill the pond, mark the water line without the pump(s) on and wait overnight then check in the morning and make sure you have no leaks!
Then the next night mark the water line and turn on the pumps, wait overnight then check for leaks
Plan out what rocks you want for the waterfalls and measure measure measure

 

[sissy]

That is why I did it myself ,here you have fly by nights who claim they know what they are doing .For 5000 gallons from aquascape it would have been over 10 thousand dollars and maybe more .I can't afford that and if i sell the the house pond would not be an asset here it would devalue the property .Sad to say .

 

[texmaster]

That is why I did it myself ,here you have fly by nights who claim they know what they are doing .For 5000 gallons from aquascape it would have been over 10 thousand dollars and maybe more .I can't afford that and if i sell the the house pond would not be an asset here it would devalue the property .Sad to say .

The original pond I did do myself. Now I had advice on the equipment from Columbia water gardens and I researched heavily but I dug the hole for the pond, dug the channels for the tubing and bought the equipment and stone which I laid myself.

What I didn't trust myself with was the bottom drain. The more I read the more I felt the danger of screwing up and causing a leak for a noob was a real possibility. So I hired a company to install the equipment and they made 2 major mistakes. One was to take the 4 inch drain pipe and put an adapter for a 1.5 inch pipe at the base of the pond liner. The other was to not cut the pipe for the drain to fit the pond leaving a 3 inch gap for fish to get caught.

This time was about hardscaping which again is a limitation on my part. I can't ever get the leveling right. I can put footers in all day but leveling out is not something I can do successfully.

But you are right the cost was large.

 

[texmaster]

Here's a good comparison of old vs new look

 

[addy1]

Very nice upgrade!

 

[sissy]

I didn't do a bottom drain .I felt it was not something I wanted to tackle .Don't miss it ,I just use a pool net .No skimmer either since i really don't need that either .I dug my hole out more times than I want to even remember .First time was to go from 1500 gallons and then to 2500 gallons and then a neighbors dog destroyed that liner and went to 3000 gallons and this last time moles chewed my liner so went to 5000 gallons and would wish none of this on another ponder ever .All dug out by me and only me .I have been in this house since I had dirt and a house back in 2004 .I started with a preformed until I helped build the covered front porch .I am almost done with all the building and rebuilding I ever want to do .Leveling I always use a water level ,it is the easiest way to get level and a string line .