Emily's Pond Build Log

[rainbowcharmer]

We got a lot done today. I have some pics but still on the camera - haven't loaded them onto the computer yet. Probably will do that later this week. I'm so tired right now!! We got up at 7 and started digging at about 8:15. Finished at about 5:30 (had a few breaks in there, but mostly we worked all day). What I didn't realize is how VERY sloped the yard is. I knew it had a slope, but it's an 18" difference from the lowest spot on the edge of the pond to the highest spot. Yikes!!

So that is going to take some work to figure out the best way to handle it. I think we've got a good plan, but it's going to be weeks to get the digging done I think, assuming we work on it one day each weekend. So far the digging isn't too bad. The clay is pretty soft at this point (we got about 3" of rain this week), and the worst thing about it (besides the ridiculous slope) is the rocks. There are quartz rocks throughout the ground - not anything huge, but big enough to stop the shovel pretty often. We are saving most of them to use around the edge of the pond later on, but it is still a pain in the butt to dig around them and toss them out.

Ah well.

 

[rainbowcharmer]

Pics of the Progress from October 30

OK, so here is what went on this past weekend. We still have so far to go!!! I renewed our dig ticket, so we've got until November 17 now, and can renew it again if need be. I think it is probably going to take at least 2 or 3 more weeks of digging before we're really done with the majority of that part of it. Then it will be finishing the dig to make the walls smoother and make sure there are no rocks, then adding the sand on the bottom and then the liner and all that. I think probably we will go ahead and do a liner pad as well, just to be safe. This is a big build (bigger than we started out at in fact). We started out with something in the 1500-2000 gallon range and are now closer to 3000 gallons... LOL. But I think it will be well worth it. I'm really looking forward to the finished product. I think it's going to be great - just a lot of work to get it there.

Anyhow, so Saturday morning started like this:

Note Tray (my other half) in the ditch, and the shelves/stairs still not dug out (pretending to work here I think):

Then as the day went on (me in the hat in this one):

More progress:

THEN we realized just how SLOPED the yard really is. Big bummer, as it means a LOT more digging than we originally anticipated:

The white line spraypainted on is the water level at the lowest point of the pond, so that is where the water will hit when the other end is completely full to overflowing. Which means we have a lot of work to do. And yes I was relatively bummed out in that pic. LOL. Also note all the quartz rock we found along the way. Oh - and we used the "rock with string" idea to help us find the levels. So rock with string DOES come in handy, but only if the string is like 20' long... hahaha

And a view from the patio:

 

[pbeemer]

are you going to have to build a retaining wall along the upslope part (by your porch, i think?) to keep the house from sliding into the pond?

 

[rainbowcharmer]

I hope not.

There's a retaining wall already about 6' away from where the edge of the pond will be that holds up the patio area.

I think it will be alright. I hope so anyhow.

 

[rainbowcharmer]

More new pics after this weekend's work.

So we put in about 5 hours today on the pond, and this is what it looks like now. Still more to do, but we're definitely making progress.

And we put some bracing in while we aren't digging just to be safe. I'm not really worried about it, but now that we're getting a little deeper, I figure better to have a little bit of pressure on the walls, just in case. I know it isn't a pro job or anything, but it can't hurt.

 

[Racersk]

Very nice progression!

I wish I could do the same, but liner is expensive and so is the electricity to run my pump. Someday, but until then, I can enjoy your plans come true!

Thank you for sharing

 

[67chevelle]

WOW! You are digging that all by hand! Nice start!

 

[rainbowcharmer]

LOL, yes all by hand. And I've got the blisters to prove it. Although thankfully this weekend my back was not nearly as sore as it was last weekend. I could barely move after last Saturday's digging session. We put in about 8 hours last Saturday, and around 5 hours yesterday. I think a couple more weekends and we may have the digging done. Now that we're past the layer where there were a gazillion rocks, it's been digging a lot faster. So we'll see how it goes. Part of it is already at the right depth - the part near the stairs, but the rest still needs to go down another foot on one section and 2 feet on the rest. We'll get there. Slowly.

 

[rainbowcharmer]

For those that have built DIY pond filters (i.e. like the Skippy's filter), did you put plants in yours? If so, how did you go about it? I am planning to put plants in that filter to help hide it, but I'm sort of at a loss as to how they are held in place with all the sponges being "tossed in loosely" per the instructions on Skippy's website. I sent them an email and they said just put sponges around it or pot the plant, but I don't really want it potted, and I don't see how loosely packed sponges will hold a plant steady. Thoughts? Also - any suggestions on what kind of plants to use?

 

[frigginchi]

You can plant bare root plants in Hydroton. It's cheap and looks nice.

http://www.hydroton.net/