I finally started my pond

bindian · Feb 26, 2009

Last weekend we got two large posts set for the pier or deck. I say that as it will be a wide short pier or just an 8 x 12 foot deck.

Either way, it should be real nice with middle of the day shade by the cedar and in the sun in the morning or afternoon for sun bathing.

The first photo shows the view from the driveway over the pond. Booger was always nearby waiting for attention, especially when I cranked up the Mahindra.

He always is ready to go for a run when he hears that thing crank up. The photos of the large cinder blocks are what I plan on banding with straps and sinking in the deep end of the pond. I lucked out and found these in Giddings, Texas at Walmart.

They are locally made and are 12x8x16 inches. Quite a bit bigger than the normal 8x8x16 inch cinder blocks. Anyway, they were only $1.43 a piece. So it will be a cheap fish hotel!

hugs, Brandi

rtdiggr · Feb 26, 2009

Looks like you are having fun and making good progress. Hey Brandi what is that thing with the yellow handles in the 2nd and 3rd photos

i couldn't resist.

Shane

EddieWalker · Feb 26, 2009

Hey Brandi,

The pond looks bigger then I thought in your newest pictures. The dock is going to be where everyone goes first. If for no other reason, just to walk out on it and admire your water!!!!

Eddie

bindian · Feb 27, 2009

john_bud said:
You don't. 1 TBS of butter on each side of the fish, some season salt (I also put red pepper), and place the sealed foil packet on the grill. 4-5 min on each side. Open it and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top when melted, serve.

You can put the foil packet on each person's paper plate and they toss that away after eating. No muss, no fuss, just tuck in and enjoy.

jb

John_bud,
Okay, I will give this a try.

Thanks for the recipe.

hugs, Brandi

bindian · Feb 27, 2009

3RRL said:
Brandi,
I've had catfish fillets prepared exactly how John describes and I can tell it's delicious that way. Different than deep frying, the fillets are tender with particularly good flavor. The butter inside the foil sort of broils or fries it but not too crisp. I have a Cajun friend who served his fish like that.

Rob,
You guys are making me hungary just ready y'alls replies.
hugs, Brandi

bindian · Feb 27, 2009

rtdiggr said:
Looks like you are having fun and making good progress. Hey Brandi what is that thing with the yellow handles in the 2nd and 3rd photos i couldn't resist.

Shane

Rtdiggr,
Yeah, Booger makes me have a least one fun spell a day.

Those yellow handles are my lazy, don't want to install the hydraulic auger on the backhoe post hole diggers.

I only had two holes to dig, so I did it the old way.

hugs, Brandi

bindian · Feb 27, 2009

EddieWalker said:
Hey Brandi,

The pond looks bigger then I thought in your newest pictures. The dock is going to be where everyone goes first. If for no other reason, just to walk out on it and admire your water!!!!

Eddie

Eddie,
Your right.

The photos don't do the overall pond view justice.

The deck will be were it is happening.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I am sure Booger will claim it as his sun deck!

PAGUY · Mar 8, 2009

Brandi - Time for an update to see if the pond is filling while you (Texas) are experiecing the worst drought in years.

Pennsylvania is doing all right. Finally warmed up and will be having rain instead of snow and freezing rain.

rtdiggr · Mar 8, 2009

Brandi the rain we had last probably would have filled your pond.

Our house was actually vibrating with all the thunder.

I love storms like that.

Shane

bindian · Mar 9, 2009

PAGUY said:
Brandi - Time for an update to see if the pond is filling while you (Texas) are experiecing the worst drought in years.

Pennsylvania is doing all right. Finally warmed up and will be having rain instead of snow and freezing rain.

I forgot to take a photo of the water level yardstick. It has increased about another inch since the last photo of the yardstick. Instead I was busy installing a water trough supply line through the dam. I was almost finished packing and filling the ditch, when my backhoe stopped working. I guess the quick disconnect backed out enough to stop flow. I didn't think to check these until Sunday morning. I swapped the lines on the remotes and she worked. Then I swapped them back and she worked. So I lost about 3 hours (all in the dark) cracking lines and jacking and securing the boom and both stabilizers so I could finish filling and packing the ditch before the forecasted rains came.
hugs, Brandi

EddieWalker · Mar 9, 2009

Hey Brandi,

Your place is sure greening up allot faster then mine!!!! Is that all rye grass in the background?

We heard about the storms that were going to be here on Sunday all last week. Then Sunday morning, it's changed to Wednesday night and Thursday. I go crazy trying to figure out what they are thinking or predicting.

We're 6 inches below normal for the year here. My ponds are still in good shape, but it won't be long until I start to get worried.

What is the temperature of your water? I've seen quite a few minnows in my pond over the weekend, so it might be getting close to time to stocking some fish.

The dock looks like it's coming along too Looking forward to seeing it with some chairs on it.

Eddie

EddieWalker · Mar 10, 2009

OK Brandi, cross your fingers. The forecast is predicting 3 to 5 inches of rain between tonight and Saturday with a big cooling of the weather. Highs are going to be in the 80's today, but tomorrow we'll only get into the 40's.

I'm not to excited about it getting that cold out, but I'm sure looking forward to some serious rain!!!!! If it happens and we get that much water, my ponds will be overflowing again.

Hope to see pics of yours full before summer gets here.

Eddie

Airic · Mar 10, 2009

Been following your thread as you make progress. Looks great. I'm a little confused by your water trough supply line. Is this an over flow drain? I'm not sure I would dig through for this as you may compromise the integrity of the dam. I've seen siphon drains that when the water hits the top end of the siphon pipe it will drain. (drain is set low, pipe bends up to top of water line and then bends back down and routes down the hill). I think I got that right? That elliminate the need to run a deep trench.

I say this but, did the same as you for mine but, I'm utilizing it as a clean out and supply for my irrigation as mine is on a high flow surface spring. I can drain and two days later it will be full again.

bindian · Mar 12, 2009

Eddie,
The greenery behind my dam is mostly Bermuda with native grass and weeds thrown in. I haven't checked my water temperature yet.
I am counting the minutes to when the storms get here. I should be at the house in an hour or so. My overflow pipe will go in on the 21st. It can not get full before that!
hugs, Brandi

bindian · Mar 12, 2009

Airic said:
Been following your thread as you make progress. Looks great. I'm a little confused by your water trough supply line. Is this an over flow drain? I'm not sure I would dig through for this as you may compromise the integrity of the dam. I've seen siphon drains that when the water hits the top end of the siphon pipe it will drain. (drain is set low, pipe bends up to top of water line and then bends back down and routes down the hill). I think I got that right? That elliminate the need to run a deep trench.

I say this but, did the same as you for mine but, I'm utilizing it as a clean out and supply for my irrigation as mine is on a high flow surface spring. I can drain and two days later it will be full again.

The water pipe will gravity feed to a water trough. I elbowed the 1 inch pipe down and went to 2 inch PVC with a PVC shower drain on the end and numerous 5/16th inch holes every inch around the diameter for about a length of 7 inches so it shouldn't get clogged easily. This will allow me to pump out water at a lower level if needed for livestock. I am thinking of adding a solar powered pump for that. Mainly just thinking ahead. Behind the dam is my driveway, so I needed to "plant" the pipe through the dam and under the driveway. Believe me, it sure was hard starting that ditch through the dam. I kept saying........what am I doing? Then the deed was done.
hugs, Brandi

firefighter9208 · Mar 12, 2009

Brandi,

Did you put a collar around the pipe where it went through the dam??? When they built my pond we did the same thing with a 1" schedule 40 pipe for livestock watering and a 4" pipe for a drain hooked to a standpipe. They built a collar out of 1/4" steel about 2' square. They then cut holes in the collar and ran the pipes through it. They used roofing tar to seal between the pipes and the steel collar. They really slopped it on. Probably used 1/2 a 5 gallon bucket. My pond builder said that this keeps water from seeping through the dam around the pipes.

He then packed the clay in 6" lifts over the collar. It's been 6 years and not a leak yet. Thank God.

Chris

bindian · Mar 13, 2009

firefighter9208 said:
Brandi,

Did you put a collar around the pipe where it went through the dam??? When they built my pond we did the same thing with a 1" schedule 40 pipe for livestock watering and a 4" pipe for a drain hooked to a standpipe. They built a collar out of 1/4" steel about 2' square. They then cut holes in the collar and ran the pipes through it. They used roofing tar to seal between the pipes and the steel collar. They really slopped it on. Probably used 1/2 a 5 gallon bucket. My pond builder said that this keeps water from seeping through the dam around the pipes.

He then packed the clay in 6" lifts over the collar. It's been 6 years and not a leak yet. Thank God.

Chris

Firefighter9208,
Yes, I added a collar made from a plastic water meter top. I added a whole tube of waterproof silicone sealer around the pipe and hole. At the bottom of the slope where the pipe comes out of the dam, there is 2 feet of 6 inch thick concrete tamped in good. We layered clay over the pipe in about 4 inch layers and hand tamped with pointed 1x2s. Then I finished each layer with my backhoe bucket wiggling it's weight down on the clay.
hugs, Brandi

firefighter9208 · Mar 13, 2009

bindian said:
Firefighter9208,
Yes, I added a collar made from a plastic water meter top. I added a whole tube of waterproof silicone sealer around the pipe and hole. At the bottom of the slope where the pipe comes out of the dam, there is 2 feet of 6 inch thick concrete tamped in good. We layered clay over the pipe in about 4 inch layers and hand tamped with pointed 1x2s. Then I finished each layer with my backhoe bucket wiggling it's weight down on the clay.
hugs, Brandi

Brandi,

Great!!! So many people miss this important step. Glad you did it. Your pond is looking great!

Chris

bindian · Mar 16, 2009

The recent storms have the pond water level a boost. It is now up to 13.5 inches. This puts it around 6 feet deep in the deep end. I need to move the yardstick as it is almost out of reach.
hugs, Brandi

radioman · Mar 16, 2009

bindian said:
The recent storms have the pond water level a boost. It is now up to 13.5 inches. This puts it around 6 feet deep in the deep end. I need to move the yardstick as it is almost out of reach.
hugs, Brandi

Looks like your pond is coming along now. you need to move the yardstick

- have fun swimming- water must be cold

right now.
Is the yardstick reachable with your backhoe and thumb ?

these threads like yours and eddies makes me itching to build my own pond. Problem is snow has just melted here and I am waiting for the soil to dry out some so I can drive on it without getting stuck in the clay and do a test hole dig and see if it even feasible.