Risk of shelf collapse from rain?
- Thread starter combatwombat
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Yeah, we have a generator that isn't quite 'whole house' but definitely keeps the necessities (automatically) running in the event of a power outage. When we were designing the build of our house, we knew we would, eventually, have a pond & that would need to be taken into consideration. There was a dedicated circuit left blank in the generator panel for what would eventually become our 'pond circuit'.
It doesn't run my heat pump, so I might be cold when the power's out, but my fishies aren't going to suffer! (Priorities, ya know...)
It doesn't run my heat pump, so I might be cold when the power's out, but my fishies aren't going to suffer! (Priorities, ya know...)
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yeah, when I only had gf and they were small, I didn't really consider the 'what if' re power, and we lose it often around here. Now that I have koi, and lots more fish, it is on the top of my list to do--get a Generac backup generator. I have it scheduled, hopefully, by next summer. The price was astronomic, compared to what I thought it would cost, so have a few more pennies to save. I'd put the whole thing in myself but don't really want to work with the elect feed from the pole nor do I want to cut into the gas line. Everything else, I'd be comfortable with. I'm hoping to find someone who'll 'work with me'!
Sorry for more hijacking, CW; as Lisa said, back to your shelves!
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Hey, conversation is dynamic. As long as we eventually meander back to what matters most in the world (me and my shelves), then it's all good. 
Finally finished the dig today and liner should be here in the next week or so.
I think once the liner is in, there's less risk of collapse from the weather. As a newbie pond builder, though, I think I messed a few things up about this dig that I am now going to have to figure out how to fix. Primarily, I think I dug the first shelf way too deep. To keep this conversation on track, I've discussed this over in my build thread.
Finally finished the dig today and liner should be here in the next week or so.
I think once the liner is in, there's less risk of collapse from the weather. As a newbie pond builder, though, I think I messed a few things up about this dig that I am now going to have to figure out how to fix. Primarily, I think I dug the first shelf way too deep. To keep this conversation on track, I've discussed this over in my build thread.
One of the hardest areas to cover is right where the water and the rubber meet at tge surface. A nice large flat area only in a inch of water is the best this way the edging is on a nice flat surface and it sits in the water looking totally natural suggestion to you is grab some of your rock and try to stack it and hide the liner as you have it now apply a tarp or something to simulate the rubber
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I'm currently in the same boat. I'm basically done digging the pond but now it's rained for the last 2 days. We have had some serious downpours and luckily there haven't been any washout. My trenches for plumbing probably aren't as deep as they were but I can live with that.
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I don't have any rock yet. Have been hemming and hawing over what size to order. Will end up with a mix of different sizes. After re-watching some of my favorite Team Aquascape videos, I notice that they're using some very "slab like" boulders. Large boulders that have two pretty flat sides—like a pancake—and are maybe 6-8" thick. Makes a really beautiful, low-profile edge. Don't think we have anything that comes out of the ground/side of a hill naturally like that around here. Can get similar shape in basalt (think they're often split/cut to shape) and quite expensive, but maybe worth it to pick up a few of them for specimens.
How's your soil? Pretty clay like? Loamy? Sandy?
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It's surprisingly loamy but slightly sandy. The house I used to live in less than a block away and uphill had pure sand under the grass.
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@Jeremydmeyer76: Good looking stuff. I live in clay country but, somehow, live in the one block in the whole region with big ol' sand patch. Looking at my soil structure, I cannot imagine having shelves without rock against them to retain them. Wouldn't last a month!
Oh wow took the long way around on this thread but that picture of the shelves and hole brings it all back. Really looking great, man! Seems like just the other week I was watching the video of the old yard. Keep up the good work!
Also, just to stir... one and done here: underlayment and 45mil epdm all the way. No problems in 3 weeks and counting :fingers_crossed: With the size of your project, it'll be worth it. One thing I was really paranoid about though was having the underlayment in without the liner on top of it. I didn't want it soggy and was worried if it was water logged or whatever without the pressure of being filled it might help my pond collapse. In the end I think I was worried about nothing though.
Also, just to stir... one and done here: underlayment and 45mil epdm all the way. No problems in 3 weeks and counting :fingers_crossed: With the size of your project, it'll be worth it. One thing I was really paranoid about though was having the underlayment in without the liner on top of it. I didn't want it soggy and was worried if it was water logged or whatever without the pressure of being filled it might help my pond collapse. In the end I think I was worried about nothing though.