Finally Getting Around To Pond Building

[qclabrat]

here's a better pick of why I've been digging for over 20 hrs
my hands are so sore from striking rocks with almost every blow. Good thing, I'm almost done. I could never bury a body, too much work...

 

[addy1]

That looks like my dig! I had layers of shale and rocks. I used a tractor, mine is all in ground.

Slowly you are getting there, good job!

 

[qclabrat]

good progress this weekend, unfortunately it was too warm here.

I kept track of my digging and it totaled about 30 hrs by hand. In retrospec, I would have had someone dig for me, but I really didn't know what I wanted and had to experiment and reflect along the way.

this is only about a third of the rocks i dug up

started with the deep section which will be about 4 ft. 2-3 inches of gravel first.

then mortared two courses of concrete block but still lots to do. I should be able to get the liner in next weekend and start up the canister filter. While the filter is going, I'll move on to finishing the bog filter.

 

[Nanner]

Looking good...labor of love...that's what I remind myself when the bones and muscles are hurting.

 

[addy1]

By digging it yourself you will be able to say.................look what I did! Looking good!

 

[tbendl]

I'm a fan of the build it yourself. I think you get so much more satisfaction in the end. Looking good!

 

[Lisak1]

Holy Rocks, Batman! That's a tough dig you're doing there! Kudos to you for sticking to it - you'll be filled with pride when your pond is filled with water!

 

[Gordo33]

here's a better pick of why I've been digging for over 20 hrs

wow thats crazy . I thought digging through clay was rough. Clay is no comparison to what you are digging through.. Looking good

 

[Gordo33]

In retrospec, I would have had someone dig for me, but I really didn't know what I wanted and had to experiment and reflect along the way.

IMHO that is what makes ithe build and the pond more rewarding

 

[qclabrat]

one good thing with all the rocks is that I don't need to buy rocks by the pound for landscaping
mine all have a brown coating which is ferric in composition. Are they safe for fish and plants or should I just keep it away from the water

 

[sissy]

Darn and I was going to ask you to help me bury a body ,GEEZE

 

[qclabrat]

going to rain again this weekend, worked till 11pm tonight under the lights. Surprisingly the squitos didn't maul me. My daughter's having a party next weekend so have about 7 days to get the liner down and first set of fish in the pond. Should be okay unless I run into an issue.

anyway, finished two courses of the main walls tonight, slow but steady progress, but beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

funny thing is that I left my masonry trowel in a bucket of mortar last time accidentally and I had to chisel it away to get to it

 

[sissy]

I don't think you shoul put fish in right away .Even though I saved most of my pond water in the rebuilds I still waited to put my fish in and tested the water every morning and every night .I also tried to filter some of the water from the stock tanks the fish were in into the pond .storm coming bad one off i go

 

[qclabrat]

I was low on energy after working on the pond during the week. Took two days off then back to pond work today. My wife and kids left me to be on Father's day, which is what I needed to make good progress. Still no liner though, but getting close. Was able to mortar all the blocks I had but came up short about a dozen of the landscaping blocks. Will get more tomorrow so I can finish up on Tuesday and hope to get the liner in on Thursday.

one question, the retaining wall blocks have a good amount of void between each block, should they be filled in before adding the liner?

also, can basalt be used for my water features? It is native my area and is very hard. However most of it has a ferric coating from being underground

 

[sissy]

You can clean basalt off with vinegar and baking soda and a stiff brush .