Sigh, I have the lotus curse, leaking tub

[addy1]

I have a buried 300 gallon stock tank. Leaking, where no clue, how bad no clue yet.

My big pond was losing water, stream off, only loop ponds running so turned off the feed.

The lotus pond is currently down to soil level, the water.

At this moment no idea how to save them. Growing with out pots for 7 or more year. Can barely dig down the roots are so thick.

And the stock tank has 2 feet of litter in it.

Two thirds of the edge is in the ground. (On a slope) part of the edge is exposed, insulated, expanding foam etc. Wood i was going to replace, rotted.

The pond that feeds it is to the left.

So long story short.....first go oh shit, second...guess attempt to dig out the lotus, not sure can remove whole.

Need a young buck, to be honest this will be pushing what I can do.

Can possibly get my tractor and bucket back there, but it is too heavy to move until empty.

Any thoughts welcome.

@mrsclem

 

[addy1]

And cold is coming

 

[Lisak1]

Oh no! Hired help is my suggestion - maybe a landscape crew has a couple strong guys you could work with. Question is - if you CAN move them where will they go?

 

[j.w]

Oh darn no @addy1 that is a horrible thing to happen to all those nice plants! Me too wondering where you will transfer them to? Any leftover liner around? Maybe just dig a hole for now and lay the liner and dump them in for now.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Is the stock tank a Rubbermaid? If so, I bet it is leaking at the drain valve (plug) area. It is an easy fix if so. Pull the tank, clean and dry the threads and apply a fish friendly silicone sealer. You can even use plumbers tape.

 

[mrsclem]

Ours was only a 75 gallon. We ended up cutting the lotus up in chunks to remove it. With a 300 gallon, not sure if it would even be possible.
Do you have lotus anywhere else? If you can get someone to do the heavy lifting you could possibly throw a liner in and just put a few pieces back.

 

[addy1]

Is the stock tank a Rubbermaid? If so, I bet it is leaking at the drain valve (plug) area. It is an easy fix if so. Pull the tank, clean and dry the threads and apply a fish friendly silicone sealer. You can even use plumbers tape.

If I pulled the tank, new one goes in. But the ability to just pull the tank is bad. Mostly buried, drain buried, heavy etc etc.

 

[addy1]

Oh no! Hired help is my suggestion - maybe a landscape crew has a couple strong guys you could work with. Question is - if you CAN move them where will they go?

I could put them in buckets until the tank is fixed. I don't think I will get many out in one piece.

 

[addy1]

Oh darn no @addy1 that is a horrible thing to happen to all those nice plants! Me too wondering where you will transfer them to? Any leftover liner around? Maybe just dig a hole for now and lay the liner and dump them in for now.

I would bucket them.

 

[addy1]

Ours was only a 75 gallon. We ended up cutting the lotus up in chunks to remove it. With a 300 gallon, not sure if it would even be possible.
Do you have lotus anywhere else? If you can get someone to do the heavy lifting you could possibly throw a liner in and just put a few pieces back.

I could use one of our saw jaws. The stuff is litter, no rocks. Massive amount of roots.

I think the first move trim all plant matter down to the top of the litter.

Then start chopping at the litter. Maybe get a few tubers out safely. It will be literal back breaking work.

Thought about it last night, easy button. well sort of, empty, get a liner, done. I will need to make to outflow water loss proof.

But today, need to mow. See if have the desire to attack after that.

 

[j.w]

I could use one of our saw jaws. The stuff is litter, no rocks. Massive amount of roots.

I think the first move trim all plant matter down to the top of the litter.

Then start chopping at the litter. Maybe get a few tubers out safely. It will be literal back breaking work.

Thought about it last night, easy button. well sort of, empty, get a liner, done. I will need to make to outflow water loss proof.

But today, need to mow. See if have the desire to attack after that.

Wish I was closer as I could help ya! After, we could sit and mend our aching backs. Maybe you could just do the few tubers like you said and after that just do what you can a little each day or whenever you feel the urge. Just take it easy as if you lose some, oh well! Not the end of the world as I know you can save some. Easy is best!

 

[Hound Heaven]

Maybe talk to a local pond store and see if they'd be interested??? You could salvage some for you first of course and then maybe work something out with them???

So heartbreaking. Dammit.

 

[addy1]

Filled the pond 2 nights ago, lost over 6 inches in 12 plus hours.

That is when I turned off the loop ponds feed, which included the lotus tub.

All extra ponds, stream, loop ponds, etc can be turned off without stopping the big pond and bog.

Off in the am, lotus tub drained down 8 inches by mid afternoon. I think it will be a split.

Filled the big pond last night, zero loss.

Too many obligations to tackle until Friday.

This too will pass lol

 

[addy1]

Maybe talk to a local pond store and see if they'd be interested??? You could salvage some for you first of course and then maybe work something out with them???

So heartbreaking. Dammit.

I doubt i will get them out easily, 7 plus years of free growing.

 

[Hound Heaven]

I doubt i will get them out easily, 7 plus years of free growing.

oh no, I meant let THEM dig them out!