Going for it! phase one 12,000 gallon pond.

[sissy]

You must have good soil because it looks like pretty easy digging .Just think the early start means early satisfaction

 

[GBBUDD]

You must have good soil because it looks like pretty easy digging .Just think the early start means early satisfaction

Fortunately the soil is LOADED with cobbles and boulders you can see all the dark Connecticut brown stone in the back of the picture that's all that came out of the hole that wasn't gathered up to make moving around at least manageable. Good for digging by hand not so much but soil that will hold it's own for 4 months without collapse yes good soil.

Early start just means I have little patience. My yard is destroyed at the moment from bring in all the rock for this project. I'd love to get the falls and pond done by June and still have a chance of making the growing season.

 

[GBBUDD]

Firestone EDPM 45 mil liner 40' x 50'. NITTO 120 air pump and 15' x 300' 8 oz underlayment have arrived. Two more big boulders one is about 4'x 3'x2' a tree stump, some moss and birch logs with toad stools. I'm running out stuff to keep me busy . just in time for a nor easter tomorrow UGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!

 

[Lisak1]

Are you gonna have any ROOM left for the pond?? haha! Just kidding... I'm drooling over that moss!

 

[sissy]

I dealt with shale and our red clay so anything looks better and easier to me

 

[GBBUDD]

Are you gonna have any ROOM left for the pond?? haha! Just kidding... I'm drooling over that moss!

I'm starting to question if I will have any water in the pond. I could easily fill the excavation of the pond with all the rock I have. I'll be building rock walls and walk ways for years to come. My luck I came into some beautiful darker shale today browns maroons blacks tans silver copper you name it this rock has it quartz veins granite blended in it's got a little of everything.

 

[sissy]

Yep the deeper you get the never know what you may hit .Darn shame it is not gold or diamonds .That would give me motivation then

 

[GBBUDD]

A break in the weather allowed me to get a lot done the last couple days. if the weather would hold out I may even get the liner in this weekend but mother nature seems to have a few days of weather coming. Though the pond looks really round in this photo it's truly not by the shore line per say. With the excavation having been dug back before x mass the wash in has changed the over all depth I could have shoveled out more of the wash in but I opted to raise the bottom of the pond. finish depth should be about 6'-6" if anyone who has built there own ponds already see an issue with what I have so far please speak up and let me know. I have many questions that only building can answer. or someone who has already built theres

 

[ShawnInfirmity]

Looks pretty good to me so far, but I'm not an expert. Do you have any recent updates or pictures of your pond, @GBBUDD ??

 

[GBBUDD]

Mother nature has put the brakes on the project up until today, where I was able to peel back a corner of the tarp from under the foot of snow that fell last week and we are looking at 6" to 12" tonight. At least I was able to install some footings/ bond beams but these aren't at the edge of the pond as much as they were for the 7 foot tall wall half way down. I plan on using mortar on the tall wall and building buttress wings so that the wall is curved and will have a couple bump outs for two reasons. 1 to secure the wall so if someone climbs up and out at this point the wall doesn't fall in on them. And the second it will allow for a planter. Hard to explain But i'll be sure to include a phot when it gets built.

 

[GBBUDD]

A large boulder in the side wall below the existing patio. instead of trying to pull it out and god only knows how big it was going to be as it did not want to budge . It got left and I built it into the bond beam / footing

 

[GBBUDD]

Once again you have to love the weatherman, OOPS SO SORRY um the Meteorologist is that the correct term these days. Any way you slice it the foot of snow that they had everyone all staying off the streets and no one going to work. We ended up with a whole 3 inches of snow. But I did get the pump underway nothing is glued as yet but the floor is opened up and the main drain and skimmer pipes are just a couple feet away. starting to feel like we are getting some where. I guess I should add what's what in the photo. left to right and top to bottom.
1. The red handle is a manual 3' ball valve that leads to the main bog and falls.
2. Then there is a 3" check valve. normaly there wouldn't be the need for a check valve here but my bog is going to be higher then the pump and higher then the pond.
3. Then there is the 2" line branching off the three inch on the top heading toward the right this is the return for the pond to push water toward the skimmer and I plan on having a small bog on the left side of the pond . not shown is a splitter of the 2" line where both will have a ball valve so the flow rate can be regulated.
4. Then coming out the right side of the pump is a 3" check valve.
5. The second 2" line in the middle of the three lines is from the skimmer and it too has a ball valve to regulate the flow. with a 12,000 gph pump an d the floating Helix wear I believe I will have to slow the flow rate down a little.
6. Then there is the second 3" ball valve that is for the main drain. but once the plumbing gets past the 3" ball valve the line widens to a 4" pvc to lessen the pressure draw on the main drain.

 

[addy1]

Nice plumbing, hubby would love that, straight lines, looking good. Mine never looks that professional...................

I hope those red handle ones work well for you. I started using the american, ball valves Don't always need to ability to remove it via the joint. But they are the only ones that I have found that turn real easy. I have broken many red handled ball valves, the handle snaps off trying to open or close them.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/AMERICAN-V...C-x-1-1-2-in-Socket-PVC-Ball-Valve/1000339533

 

[GBBUDD]

Nice plumbing, hubby would love that, straight lines, looking good. Mine never looks that professional...................

I hope those red handle ones work well for you. I started using the american, ball valves Don't always need to ability to remove it via the joint. But they are the only ones that I have found that turn real easy. I have broken many red handled ball valves, the handle snaps off trying to open or close them.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/AMERICAN-V...C-x-1-1-2-in-Socket-PVC-Ball-Valve/1000339533

Thanks Addy,
That's why everything has a union whether white, red, grey. or black they're mechanical and they will all fail in time. They all came from the internet the three inch I checked the manufacturer the 2 inch I did not I missed that. The three inch are schedual 80 and quality. the two inch not so much.

 

[addy1]

the two inch not so much.

I have only loss one, it is on a pipe I removed for the winter, I pull the pump and this one pipe gets removed also. Left it outside, well had the ball valve shut the tiny bit of water retained ruptured the sucker.

They all still open and shut beautifully.