#backyardpond — Public Fediverse posts

@HCBunny that's a good point. Looks like #backyardPond has some activity anyway!

Finally managed to weed eat and cut the lawn today and got the last of the gravel moved so that we can get a bobcat in here to level the yard!! Yaaayy!!

Also did some cleaning out on the pond. Turns out the moss is great… until it REALLY latches in and makes space for grass. There was so much into the stream that it was backing up into the top pond, causing it to overflow, and the whole system lose water!

When I pulled up the moss, it pulled much of the gravel with it! So lesson learned. Very light on the moss, no more gravel in the stream, keep things neat and tidy!

In all though, the pond cleared up fast thanks to the barrel filters and all is good!

#pandemicpond #gardening #pondlife #spring #portalberni #backyardPond #PoolPond

You Won’t Believe This Backyard Pond Transformation! 😍🌿 https://www.allforgardening.com/1641661/you-wont-believe-this-backyard-pond-transformation-%f0%9f%98%8d%f0%9f%8c%bf/ #AmericanBackyardIdeas #BackyardGardenDesign #BackyardLandscapingIdeas #BackyardMakeover #BackyardPond #BackyardRenovation #GardenPondIdeas #GardenWaterFountain #GardeningTrends #HomeGardenIdeas #LuxuryBackyardGarden #PondDesignBackyard #SmallBackyardPond #UsaShortsViral #WaterFeatureGarden #YoutubeShorts

#poolpond progress today as we approach spring. Need to clear out the backyard enough so I can get a local guy with a mini bulldozer to soread out and flatten out the dirt mountain.

I came to a realization over the winter that leaving the lining as is in the pool with just a bottom of gravel and nothing on the sides is definitely not an option.

Turns out if the hole is emptied in the rainy season, then water will drain into the gap between the lining and earth... bulging the lining out into the cavity. Nope. Not good. keeping water in it keeps things in place, but realstically winter and spring will be when I want to do cleaning and stuff.

So that means I must do my best rock wall building up the sides this spring once the surrounding ground dries. This was my original plan, but I had hoped to do it without grouting or cement. That was a mistake on my part that I learned in earnest in August.

So now, all the various rock sizes piled around the yard is not going anywhere.... BUT at least with the leftovers from the fence i have material to build some forms to help with the wall building....

So that's why my attention for preparing for spring will turn to reactivating the surrounding yard.

So I need to find a place closer to the house to move what rock is left. Ugh. heavy work. And I realized today that someone has taken our garden cart 😢 boo.

oh well, onward we go! There is light at the end of the project!

#diy #backyardPond #Gardening #portalberni #landscaping

I think I moved about a yard of drain rock into the filter this morning, but I have stopped now due to the smoke rolling in. :(

Probably need 4-5 more cart loads before I switch to the top layer of pebble.
#pondlife #backyardpond #poolpond #bcwildfire #airquality #gardening #portalberni

Done for the day! Got so much done thanks to the much more mild temperatures (22°C with a breeze!)

Pebble and drain rock are complete in the Bay. Brought the pebble to just below the middle holes around the bin. (There is another row of them a few inches below)

The drain rock up to the larger holes so that larger debris can be drawn into the bin.

I was really hoping to get my big shipment of various sizes of rock/pebble this week but the rock place was too busy for little me. They promised Monday!

All the rock has to be clean to act as a good organic filter (dirt on rock means no space for good water cleaning bacteria to attach!) so I am washing as I go.

I try to wash most of it in the hole itself since then I can direct where it gets pumped out. Today the blueberry 🫐 and flower 🌹 garden was the benificiary. Tomorrow maybe the hazelnut tree 🌳

Still very happy with the progress though. Feel like I'm getting into the meat of the project now!
#pondpool #backyardpond #diy #portalberni

Cutting of black pipe complete. Now to fill in the Bay with pebble and drainrock. #pondpool #backyardpond #diy #portalberni

By jove.... by complete coincidence I think the hose will be exactly the right length.

Hole is now made in the yellow milk crate for the pipe to attach directly to the inlet and reach down to the bottom of the pond. The rest of the pipe will attach to the outlet on top running up and out.

#pondpool #backyardpond #diy #portalberni

Milestone!
First cut to length of the quite not cheap 2" supply hose. 😱

These are the scariest moment of this project by far. 😂

I won't be cutting the standing pipe down to size until the wetland filter is full of rock.

Next: The pipe run from the milk crate in the main pond.

#pondpool #backyardpond #diy #portalberni

swiss cheesing complete #pondpool #backyardpond #diy #portalberni

#pondpool #backyardpond #diy #portalberni

Currently turning a very useful and formerly solid box into swiss cheese 🧀 to enable entry of one, and eventually up to two, 2" outlet pipes from the pump(s). This box is both a home for the pump and will act as a prefilter and skimmer. Need maximum inflow from the intake bay of the pond without totally compromising the strength of the box.

I am going to make seven big holes around the top/front and side and then perforate the box with smaller 1/4" holes around the bottom to promote circulation from all parts of the bay.

I will back fill around the box with pebble and 1" drain rock before concealing it with large rocks and flat slate.

@ottaross it's 25 at noon and will feel like 31 today. I’m late getting outside so will probably only do a couple wheelbarrows of rock in the #backyardpond #poolpond.

I think I'll wash the dust from the dirt road off the car instead. This seems inherently less sweaty work :)

It’s already 25°C and I am dripping with sweat… but a slight modification had to be completed! Made a shelf in the main #poolpond area to hold a milk crate, which will hold one of the pumps.

I decided it was critical to have circulation from the bottom of the pool including taking water from the bottom to send to the filter. But since the main pump area is in the intake bay/skimmer I would have had to bring a pipe up and over the wall and down into pool. (The pumps must be submerged in at least 6” of water at all times)

This would be inefficient and potentially have air lock problems… so I pulled back the three layers of liner and cloth and excavated a little nook in the already semi hidden back corner.

This will have to do. :) the sun was already coming over the house. The rubber liner gets very hot 🥵. Glad it didn’t take too long.

There will be a rock or some sort of wall below and in front of the crate to further support and hide it.

Oh, and now that the liner and stuff is all back, the 🐜 ants can go back to their regularly scheduled ant-ing.
#diy #backyardpond #hot #ants #gardening #homeimprovement #portalberni

Pond plumbing dilemna. Any plumbers out there?
The pond will have two strong pumps moving water through the bog filter and around the pool.

One pump will be dedicated to the filter (long black pipe).

The 2nd pump will split duty between the filter and providing water for 3 to 5 emitters in the bottom of the pool and around the edges.

The main piping is black 2” flexible pipe plus some PVC Sched40.

Plumbing Question: Should I reduce diameter once (as pictured badly lol) when branching from the mainline and then have valves for each and long runs of smaller 3/4 or 1/2" line to each sprayer.

Or keep it to 2" throughout and reduce at the outlets?

The reason to reduce is mostly cost. This is a big space, long runs. I’ll be needing a good 200-300ft of pipe

I would rather have the valve controls centralized than have them spread about where the sprayers are (obv not an option for the bottom ones anyway)

#Pond #DIY #Plumbing #PoolPond #PortAlberni #Home #BackyardPond

Video evidence. Tree actually went in first but Ill just post mine out of respect. 😆 #backyardpond

So today in the world of our #backyardpond I went out and trimmed most of the excess pond liner, leaving about a metre or so around the edges and an area for the stream connecting the filter pond and swim pond... while I was doing so, I lost track of where the edge of filter pond was and stepped down onto liner that was actually floating.... resulting in a quick dunk up to my thighs.

The water was surprisingly not frigid.

So we went for a dip.

It was, in fact, frigid. Ill post a video. 😂

Guys. I have a very large pond. 😱 😁 💧 #pandemicpool #backyardpond #gardening #diy

It's official. The pool is full and overflowing in only the right place. #pandemicpool #backyardpond #gardening #diy

as the intake bay and the main pool come to a common level, the barrier between is being just barely over topped as desired. 👍

#pandemicpool #backyardpond #gardening #diy

Where is the overflow going to be? Right about there. #pandemicpool #backyardpond #gardening #diy

Time to raise the berm. #pandemicpool #backyardpond #gardening #diy

this will be the most water the system will ever hold since the next job after adjusting the levels this first time will be to bring in literal tons of rock, pebble and sand to fill the intake bay, the bog filter and line the pool.

#pandemicpool #backyardpond #gardening #diy

reaching and filling...

The rains stopped for the past few weeks and the pond waa only about 90% full so I decided time was getting short bedore spring. Filling it to the brim now and will work on getting the final edges just right this weekend. Overall though the water staying mostly where it should and not where it shouldnt.
#pandemicpool
#backyardpond
#gardening
#diy

Yesterday I repaired the pond waterfall channel. It was hard work and I'm not even sure the repair is going to work because it turns out I am terrible at this kind of thing. Fingers crossed I don't find out the whole thing is going to just crumble away. If the concrete actually sets, I think I'm going to supplement with some pond waterfall foam.

#BackyardPond

The pond continues to look fantastic and the three fish that survived the disaster are flitting about the way healthy goldfish do.

Today I will repair the waterfall stream and at least get started on fixing the channel between the soon-to-be bog and the pond.

#BackyardPond

As suspected, our pump was not sufficient for the task and it was not in the optimal location. It is now! The pond guy gave me great instructions on the new filter and how to make the repairs to the stream. I have everything on hand and I'm ready!

I'm also looking forward to stocking some new fish when everything is settled down.
2/2

#BackyardPond

Yesterday, the pond guy came to clean out our pond and replace the filtering system. They rearranged the fish hiding spots and to be honest it looks fantastic. Our three remaining fish have been using it. Today I will rebuild part of the waterfall stream that recently started leaking so Adventures with Concrete! 1/2

#BackyardPond

This morning, the pond PH is finally in the safe range, and the water is clearer. Still planning another water change today though. It's cool out right now so I'll check the PH again in the afternoon.

#BackyardPond