well this was a surprise! pond down 8 inches this am

[addy1]

My pond level dropped 8 inches over night. So glad we are home right now!

I have a loop of small ponds fed by a slow water flow. 3/4 inch garden hose running constantly, like 1/2 on water flow.

I went out and checked the points that might give me issues, the flows from one pond to the next. On my third quick check spot I see the hose nicely filling the small preform , first pond of the loop and no water flowing out into the second loop pond the 300 gallon lotus tank! It has been in place for around 4 years now.

A day ago I pulled out a big lily that had jumped its pot, left 1/2 of the lily in the small preform. It is the first pond in the loop. Well that lily and the muck it had around the roots must have been plugging a crack.

Once I pulled the lily the water started flowing out, as more water flowed out it sped up, made a nice path down the slope. The small preform is on the down side of the slope on a built up area. The ground is mush where the water has been flowing.

So today, my job is to go buy a piece of liner from lowes, home depot, drain the pond, save the tads, saw some tiny fry in it, eggs pumped in via the hose, (they survived the wild ride through the pump)

I might dig it a little deeper, have nice mushy dirt now. The preform is one of those 4x3 or so size ones. I know the liners are bigger than that at lowes. No room to make it wider/longer, but I can make it deeper. This little pond did freeze solid last winter and the winter before. Must have cracked it

It is now garbage! Last non liner pond, in my ponds except for the two stock tanks. Never again will I have a preform.

This was not on my to do list lol but sure is now. Luckily we have the hose on a brass valve, it is turned off, water being added as I type.

 

[Becky]

Goodness! Like you say, it's a good job you were home and spotted it quickly! Sorry to hear about all the extra work, but hopefully you're putting yourself in a better position for the future.

 

[Tula]

Wow, good you are home and identified the problem quickly. I remember you posting about the lily that had jumped it's pot. Well, once finished, your system will be stronger

 

[addy1]

The last problematic preform with be deleted! The big pond was full last night, when I looked out at 530a and saw the drop it was omg! what happened! I was pumping in enough water to keep the preform full, it is sinking now, so need to get the plants and critters out fast.

Already thinking of maybe making it longer, i.e. touching the bog wall, then a small stone bridge to walk over the edge to get down to the back of the bog. Maybe a bit wider, and deeper for sure. I was surprised the lilies lived considering it did freeze solid to the bottom last winter, took forever to melt. That must be when it cracked. The bigger preform I pulled out a couple years back, it gave me nothing but issues.

I have a ton of rocks to move, plants to move, dirt to move, critters to move................getting the dig a new pond fix over.............

 

[addy1]

Just ran out and pulled the lily, hornwort, a ton of frog eggs, tads, aracharnis it is almost drained out, still 6 inches to go. When it gets lower I will be able to find other tads, saw a green frog I need to rescue. Once you stir up that water it is hard to see anything.
Two hours of big pond filling and it is still not full. lots of water poofed away last night.

 

[tbendl]

Wow, it amazes me when things happen at the right time. With all of the traveling you and the hubby do if it had to break I'm super happy it did it now.
Hopefully your weather cools off and allows you to work. I'm so sorry Addy, what a job you've got!
... I wonder if the job comes with benefits?? lol

 

[sissy]

Always something in a ponders life ,never just a simple easy to fix thing either .There is always something happening .Seems like you do 1 thing and something else shows up as a problem

 

[Nepen]

wow Addy, a new project for you! I'm sorry this happen to you but I think it's lucky enough you are home (from all the trip you've made).

The hardest part is moving the critters though. When i moved I just gave up trying to save them all... just the ones visible. Also I had to get rid of some of water hyacinth and trying to save critters that live in it took so much time!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Sorry to hear about the problem, but at least now you should have peace of mind knowing that you have replaced all of the preformed ponds. They really do not have much in the way of a useful life.

 

[tbendl]

They really do not have much in the way of a useful life.

I don't think you should talk about me like that...

 

[Meyer Jordan]

I don't think you should talk about me like that...

It is amazing what can be done with Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene nowadays.

 

[tbendl]

Almost lifelike..

 

[addy1]

almost tbendl, almost!

Almost lifelike..

Well FIVE hours of filling the big pond, finally full. That was one heck of a bunch of water.

I saved all the critters, found 4 tiny fry, tossed them
in the big pond, put the 100's maybe 1000's of tads in the lotus tub, got the frog eggs on the hornwort in water, lily in water, saved the green frog, tossed him in the lotus tub.

Dug the pond deeper, slightly wider, almost goofed, I can't dig it longer that is my low area for all the rain water to flow away from the ponds. It is on the down slope side of the ponds, the dirt at the end of the bog and the big pond is all sloped to allow run off to flow away. I have to build up the new ponds edges by around 6 inches to make it flow into the lotus tub. The preform sat that high above the ground.

The ground was nice and soft, with it covered with the preform all these years it was still as it was when I built up the area for the new pond loop years ago and being soaked helped too. Biggest issue was the ANTS darn things had a huge nest, they came swarming out not happy with me.

 

[Tula]

Wow Addy, you work fast! Did you dig by hand? You must post pics when you have a chance. I love the idea of a little bridge

 

[tbendl]

Not fire ants I hope I hate those things.
And uh wow, you made short work of that! It looks like you're in the 70's today so thank goodness it wasn't crazy hot like it's been.
Pictures?