I'm building a pond - is my plan ok?

Discussion in 'Water Gardening' started by clueless1, Dec 24, 2012.

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  1. clueless1

    clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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    Its dug out, most of the surrounding floor has been put down, but snow stopped played for now.
     
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      clueless1, Jan 24, 2013
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    • Freddy

      Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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      Can't you send the boy out?:biggrin: :sofa: :biggrin:
       
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        Freddy, Jan 24, 2013
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      • clueless1

        clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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        After months of doing nothing on this project, over this weekend I've finally cracked on with it.

        I decided to line the whole thing with cement. What a chore that's turning out to be. Next time I do a pond, and there will be a next time, I'm going to dig a big hole, chuck in a preformed pond, and back fill.

        Anyway, to get the depth I want while having shelved sides on the 'beach' side, all while keeping it small, I've ended up with some steep vertical sides. I've been having to build it up in patches, wait for it to dry a bit, and add a bit more. Being an L shaped pond has also proved awkward when doing the corners.

        I devised a cunning plan. I ripped up an old pair of jeans and draped fabric down the steep sides. I then sort of painted in very wet cement onto it.

        Its still not done. I'm thinking I should have taken a different approach to making it watertight, but it is what it is, so I'll find a way to make it good.

        I didn't use pond liner because of L shape, so I'd have had flaps of liner with nowhere to go, or I'd have had to cut it, defeating the purpose of it. But now I reckon I've got enough cement on to make it almost watertight. I was thinking of using PVA glue to stick old newspaper all around it, and then paint over that with something waterproof, either paint or very runny cement.

        What do we think?
         
        clueless1, Jun 2, 2013
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      • Jenny namaste

        Jenny namaste Total Gardener

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        make it almost watertight
        Whoa Clue - ITS GOT TO BE ABSOLUTELY WATERTIGHT.
        Nightmare if not...
        Jenny
         
        Jenny namaste, Jun 2, 2013
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      • ARMANDII

        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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        To be honest I don't know why you've not used liner. It is easy to use, folding it is not a problem and you hide the edges of it under stone or turf.....not a problem. I guess the use of the word "almost" was a slip of the fingers as I know you've got your head screwed on and you would even think of building anything that wasn't right.:snork:
         
        ARMANDII, Jun 2, 2013
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      • clueless1

        clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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        I'm not convinced its watertight, and I'm not convinced that if I continue with my original plan it will ever be watertight. Hence me panicking now and considering alternatives that hopefully don't involve me smashing it all up and starting again.
         
        clueless1, Jun 2, 2013
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      • ARMANDII

        ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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        Use a liner...........mine has been in since 93 and was so easy to use and you can't tell it's not really a natural pool now...........plus using a liner guarantees it will be water tight and saves you all the stress of worrying.:snork:
         
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          ARMANDII, Jun 2, 2013
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        • clueless1

          clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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          Too late to use a liner now. I've cemented it all up:)

          I'm doing no more on it now for a few days, while I let the cement set properly. Then I'm going to fill it up, watch it break, say a few words to the world at large, drain it (somehow), and then re-evaluate.
           
          clueless1, Jun 3, 2013
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        • ARMANDII

          ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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          You could still use a liner over the concrete.:dunno::scratch::snork:
           
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            ARMANDII, Jun 3, 2013
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          • Jenny namaste

            Jenny namaste Total Gardener

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            I would line with sand first though I think Armandii,
             
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              Jenny namaste, Jun 3, 2013
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            • ARMANDII

              ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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              Sand is good but won't stay on the sides, so maybe something like old carpet will work fine, Jenny:dunno::snork:
               
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                ARMANDII, Jun 3, 2013
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              • clueless1

                clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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                I wish I'd thought of the old carpet trick. Even with the cement plant, I could have painted the cement onto the old carpet :ideaIPB:
                 
                clueless1, Jun 3, 2013
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              • ARMANDII

                ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                To be honest, Clueless, using a carpet underneath a liner is an old trick. They don't rot like some people think and mine has been there since '93 bearing the weight of the liner and up to 4' of water. Some people have used newspaper and again some say it rots but I know of ponds that were lined with it long ago and are still going strong. Concrete is much more susceptible to cracking over the years and, to me, isn't all that attractive. I just dug a hole, which took me and my son-in-law 4 days of 12 hours a day to complete, checked for any stones. laid the old carpet in place and then placed the liner on top of it. I had about a foot over on the edges and placed soil and turf onto it..........you couldn't see the liner then or now!!
                 
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                  ARMANDII, Jun 3, 2013
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                • clueless1

                  clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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                  That's what I'll do next time.
                   
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                    clueless1, Jun 3, 2013
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                  • ARMANDII

                    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                    If you do, then don't forget to make shelves as you dig around the sides about 8 inches wide and about 8 to 10 inches down from the top.:snork:
                     
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                      ARMANDII, Jun 3, 2013
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