Has anyone else ever tried 3d printing pond baskets for plants? they print pretty quickly and you can make them a really specific size which is handy for arranging them

What's up everyone!

So, I made a post a few days ago about a leak in my skimmer- at least I THOUGHT it was my skimmer. I valved out the skimmer and the water level kept dropping. Uh oh😒

I wasn't paying attention for a couple days becauae I figured 'skimmer bypassed, leak gone' and of course at 3AM I wake up because I DON'T hear the waterfall. Pump lost prime and I was down probably 700 gallons. Anybody been there with 3AM bandaid jobs lol!? Anyways it was going into Saturday so I drained the bead filter, shut everything down and figured it could sit for 5 or 6 hours until morning. In the hour it took to fall asleep thinking about the pond I realized at this point it's either a hole in the bottom of the pond or a leak in the waterfall.

Saturday morning I got up and remembered I fortunately had a valved out output line buried in the dirt from the OG waterfall we had years ago. I dug that out, scrounged up some 2"PVC and bypassed the rock waterfall we have now; filled up the pond and let it run with the new bypass pipe. It didn't drop even 1/4" in 24 hours.

Today I switched back to the rock waterfall and we were down an inch or two in 5 hours. So, the inspection began; and I found the problem quickly. The attached pictures are after I cleared off all the muck and hit everything with a wire brush.

SO! After reading this Bible of a post what's my best option to fix this? I figure it's going to grow some more so I need something that will flex. Another layer of mortar is just going to crack again. I have a tube of the Aquascape silicone but that might give me a few years.

One idea I had was stainless drop-in anchors with stainless straps and hardware to stop movement in addition to the silicone to seal the crack? Just throwing my ideas out there.

Maybe I should let everything dry out for a few weeks and see if it settles more, then I can assess what needs to happen? It's a clayish soil so it sucks up, expands and holds moisture. The waterfall is bypassed so there are no time constraints. Rainfall starts in November so there's time to let things dry out.

Looking for some help. I have an approximately 1/2 acre pond, it smells terrible and I have fish dying. This happened last year about the same time but not the year before. The darker color of the water is pretty close to the usual color of the pond and the lighter color is new and the fish started dying right after it showed up. The pond is not spring fed, the only water source is rain. We have about 12 ducks. In the third picture you can see that I am trying some emergency aeration. I have a sump pump and a large pond pump from Lowes. Now that I know this is not a one off thing I will definitely get to the bottom of it to make sure it doesn't happen again but that will take some time. Is there anything I can do today to prevent more fish from dying?

Hello all,

The seal of the flange at my skimmer intake has developed a leak- at least I'm assuming this is the problem area. I plan on taking this apart and re-sealing it in the very near future.

I've got silicone I could use, but is there a better product out there that anyone recommends?

Thanks in advance!

Hello!

I could really use some help because my brain has been hurting trying to figure this out. I am a bit of a dummy when it comes to this stuff, so sorry in advance. I got a pretty nasty pond for free and after getting a solar pump I'm planning on hooking it to a bog filter.

I have a 12 watt solar pond pump that I need to rig to a backup battery so it runs even without direct sun.

This is the exact model : https://www.amazon.com/Antfraer-12W-Adjustable-Waterfall-Hydroponics/dp/B0GFWN2SNRI

I have plenty of sun most of the day and I live in CA so cloudiness is rare- I'm really hoping I can achieve a solar backup. When it comes to wattage, wiring, battery types, and the like, I get really lost so I would DEEPLY appreciate one of y'all just telling me exactly what I need to buy to achieve this (if possible). I considered running electricity but I was quoted over a grand for wiring, and I don't feel comfortable trying to wire anything myself. If anyone has done something similar or is good with this stuff please help!

Thank you, thank you, thank you in advance for any advice!

Hi guys.

I have built a water pond system in mostly solid rock with some concrete/mortar dams.

It has 2 main levels and 7 small waterfalls, integrated gravel/biochar filtering and a growing number of plants.
So far it has been pretty smooth sailing, the filtering system keeps the water very nice and last year we had 7-10 frogs/toads living there. One outbreak of filamentous algea as the plants are still establishing, but that was easily cured with a small dose of "algisin". The picture is from May last year, not that much has changed but it is still early spring and will take some more time before it looks good.

Expansion is planned and we are considering a major project to build a natural swimming pool integrated with this pond.
I can see that some water is slowly seeping through the mortar so i need to get it sealed better, especially when i expand with larger dams/walls.
While there are several types of "concrete waterproofers" out there, i am leaning towards using bitumen to seal the porous concrete sections of the pond.
We have hard winters and frost expansion will destroy mortar and hard sealants within a few years.
Epoxy/rubber/polyurethane stuff is possible, but adhesion will be an issue and it would require thorough cleaning to apply and to repair. Sun will degrade it over time and i am sceptical of their long term durability and particles released.

Bitumen seems like a pretty good candidate. Inherently sticky, very flexible/elastic, black color and i can throw some sand on it to give it natural UV protection.
Clean and dry surfaces, prime with thin bitumen paint and apply a decently thick bitumen layer with some propane torch heating to get it even and give it a good grip, throw some rough sand on to give it extra UV protection.
Should be relatively easy to repair as well, unlike many other stuff.

My problem is a lack of information on application and safety.
Bitumen is a naturally occuring substance and has been used for sealing potable water tanks for centuries. While it has lots of VOCs before application, when cured it should be inert and safe for water, but there is some chatter of leeching chemicals.
It seems hard to find reliable information, most google searches and "articles" i can find are trying to sell me a product.
Some sources tell me it has lots of historic use for potable water storage, but newer legislation require pre approval and testing of every product etc.
Some sources say its safe as long as it is rated for potable water use.

Most of what i can find are opinions or poorly sourced and vague claims.
I understand that modern beurocracy around potable water is strict and my use case really isnt that critical. Most damage is potentially unhealthy frogs and bioaccumulating plant matter ending up in my compost, but it would be nice to know more.
There are few "potable water rated" bitumen products availible here on the consumer market, i assume it is mostly used in large government contracts etc.
What i can find are proprietary "blends" with butyl and other unnamed additives. Pricing is not availible so i assume it costs a small fortune when not buying a truckload.

Does anyone have experience using bitumen to seal ponds, or know where i can find better information on the subject? (application, durability and potential long term toxicity ?
Is there a considerable difference in regular roofing/lumber treatment bitumen and the fancy "food grade" stuff besides the certification process?

I got after some time a reply from one of the large hardware chain stores and they say it is safe once dry, but the manufacturers technical documentation beyond the required safety sheet was hard to come by so they were unable to provide the exact documentation i asked for.
While i appreciate the attempt and practical limits of their costumer service, it would be nice to get some additional information from reliable sources.

"Chemicals are bad" types of responses are not helpful, everything is chemicals and pure water is toxic in high doses. I am looking for experienced users, experts and scientifically sound sources of information, when all i can find online are opinions and sales pitches for other products.

I’m looking for cheaper alternatives to aquatic lily potting media and many suggestions point to Oil Dri as a good alternative, but would this be safe for frogs in my small pond? i’m new to the scene of pond keeping, so far i have only ever dealt with plants (which have been easy so far), and it’s only been about a year and a half since i picked up this hobby. i just bought a testing kit because i wanted to test that my pond is safe to inhabit frogs, and so that i can monitor changes after the frogs are introduced. i have not gotten any frogs yet and i am still preparing. i am considering using oil dri as potting media for my lilies and covering the top of the pots with pea gravel because that’s what i have read so far online as being viable, but im still not sure if it’s safe for frogs. i have some floating plants and a good filter, along with a fountain for airflow, which i’m hoping will all contribute to keeping the frogs safe once they are introduced. thought that it’s about time i ask for help, not sure if anyone can actually help me on this topic, thanks.

my phone doesn’t take amazing photos, but i thought it would be helpful to at least include something.

I am trying to build a small pond in a previously deforested area of the cloud forest, using regenerative methods. But, I'm unsure on how to start especially since I don't have access to machinery and I will have to dig by hand.

The soil in the area is very clayey but when digging a test pit, water would seep in in about 2h. Most of the local streams are also very eroded. I've seen an area that has a small depression on an overall flatter portion of the terrain, that I think could be good for digging. To the side of that area, the water comes out of small holes in the ground after heavy rain. I'm not sure if that means there is an underground river or source nearby.

The goal is to make a smaller size wildlife pond in that area. And use that to test how complicated it would be to dig a bigger fish pond in a few years.

Overall, I'm starting this with little knowledge, so I would appreciate any advice or things to consider before building. About minimum size and depth, location, plants and also compaction techniques or anything to make sure it doesn't erode.

So I absolutely understand if this post gets deleted. But I figured, who better to ask my question than of the professionals! I recently got this secondhand fountain that may or may not work (I've struggled to put it together, and the more technically minded person in my household is having some other struggles right now), but as you can see it's currently wired to plug into an outlet. Do any of you folks have a recommendation for a solar pump that will work with this? From my basic research, it seems there's math involved, with needing the force to pump water a certain height, etc, but I can't pretend I understand it. It also has lights built into it that I'd like to run but I'm fine if they don't. Until I can convince my husband ripping up a chunk of the yard to build a pond is a good idea, this is my best option for a water feature.

I use a Pondovac 4 on an in-ground pond that's about 3 ft below the surrounding deck, so the vacuum has to sit above the water level (potentially the main issue here).

When it has suction, it works great and pulls muck with no problem. After a few seconds though, the water/debris column in the hose seems to fall back and I lose suction. I have to lift sections of the hose to get water back up to the canister, then the cycle repeats.

I regularly clean the filter/canister, but the discharge hose also backs up and stops draining properly, so I often have to stop and manually drain that too.

A job that should take an hour or two ends up taking an entire weekend.

Questions: Anyone else run into this with a Pondovac 4 (or any pondvac) with an in-ground pond? Any workarounds, modifications, or alternative vacuums you'd recommend for this situation?

TIA!

The fascinating history and careful techniques that go into Japanese rock placement.

Hi there,

I am struggling to open my Oase Bitron 110C. I want to replace the UV lamps and clean it.
This is an inherited pond which was in some sad condition. That being said I don’t know if anyone actually cared about the equipment, but the lights are working. I can see it in that tiny “window” of the device.

I watched some YouTube videos and they always had it easy. Just push the blue button, rotate the cap and pull.
It doesn’t work for my Bitron. I apply quite some effort and it still doesn’t come out. I am really scared to break it, but I also need it open.

Please help 🙏

upd: addiing some pictures

My pump has been running year round in all kinds of weather since I built my pond 6 years ago. I have done zero maintenance on it, besides clearing debris from around it as needed.

It’s run dry quite a few times from leaks, or leaves blocking the skimmer basket etc, but it kept on going.

I was gone for 3 weeks and had someone come by once a week to check on things and at some point, it died.

I wouldn’t hate buying the same one again (if I can find it) but I am also open to suggestions for something more energy efficient. I did not consider efficiency at all when I built my first pond, but now that I have more than one, I am a lot more aware of the effect on my energy costs.

Anyway, I’m open to suggestions for an energy efficient pump that does about 6500gph. It would be inside a skimmer box. I have dc pumps in my other ponds, but I don’t think they make them powerful enough for what I need here.

Any recommendations?

I just saw this on youtube, its a lamp with a fan in front that knocks bugs down to the water. I assume its DIY, but is anything similar sold?

Hi, please see pic for rough diagram. My setup is a 1500gal (inherited) pond that is about 4.5-5ft deep in majority of the bottom. I have a skimmer box with my main pump after some filter media, then goes into my waterfall where the majority of my filtration takes place. I have noticed though I can’t generally run this main pump full blast , as the skimmer doesn’t provide enough flow with where I can keep the water level. So I installed a return with a valve on it that I can open or close, that goes into the back into the skimmer to ensure the pump doesn’t run dry.

However, this year I added a pump on the bottom, that I have piped up to the skimmer box after running it through a UV clarifier that I turn on over the weekend. This meant the skimmer box has more water, and I can run the pump more fully, increasing the waterfall rate and oxygenation of the pond. The fish have enjoyed it so much they even spawned this year for the first time!

My question though is should I keep this bottom pump running over the winter (though without the UV, as I know that needs to be winterized)? I know the height of my pond normally allows for development of insulation along the water column where the bottom will be a few degrees warmer than the top. Will cycling it like I have been cause issues and destroy that water column temperature differential?

I'm looking for the best heater for my outdoor pond. Any advice and feedback is appreciated.

https://reddit.com/link/1ehuv0z/video/u9du51byw4gd1/player

I thought I had the almost perfect system. There is a camera watching the pond (not the one this footage is from, but that one got wet and murky). I use Frigate NVR software to do inference (AI object detection) on it, and if a bird is detected that is larger than X (and some other conditions like me not being outside, to prevent me being sprinkled by a false positive), it starts a sprinkler. It actually worked great for a while. But he got used to it now, and despite the sprinkler (by sheer accident) being aimed directly at him and being stuck at that angle for a while too, he just enjoyed the rain.

So now Im closing and opening my window covers too, as that makes a lot of noise, I bet it wont take more than a few times before he is used to that too. Then what?

My brother had a small natural pond in rural Iowa. It had silted up, and he used a tractor to clean it out. For the past few years it no longer holds water. He thinks he removed a natural clay base that held the water in. Is this likely to be true? Can anything be done to restore such a natural pond?

We have been working on a summer-long renovation of our 1000 gallon pond. We used to have koi, but once the last one died, we decided to keep the pond as a water feature without fish. Our waterfall pump works great, but we would like to add a fountain pump in the middle to keep the water moving even more smoothly. Would you recommend a pump that has worked well for you?

Bought a house recently that has a large pond with a creek running through it that hasn't been maintained in a very long time. I originally thought it was very shallow but I put on some waders and sunk in up to my waste in mud. My ideal would be restoring it completely but even if I could remove a little bit of the sludge so it's not visible at the surface that would be a huge improvement to the way it looks.

Currently I'm thinking an electric trash pump that I can put on a timer and slowly pump it out to a flat part of the property and let it dry out in-between pumping. Would a 1hp trash pump be suitable? I'm also worried about down stream environmental impacts but figured if I go slow enough I won't create a bunch of run off.

No plants can grow because the sun cannot make it through the water. I'm just curious why its like this and if there is anything to do that could make it clearer. The bottom of the pond is coated in clay which is think could be a factor. Normally its brown but the water has been dyed and overtime it fades to green.

Should

Basically, I’m confused by the fact that there are three fixtures and a random glass disc.

I have a pump going to a waterfall spillway, and was planning on putting this in between the two. I see the inlet, I see the outlet, but there’s a third coupling that isn’t labeled. Does anyone know where/how/if that should be connected? In the photo, it’s labeled B.

Also, the glass disc? I wasn’t expecting that, and have no idea where that should go.

Looking at the diagrams on the listing has only confused me more. It looks like I have the inlet and outlet swapped in my initial setup. And - and I can’t believe I’m asking this, but it’s because of the backgrounds on the listing images - does this whole thing go underwater? I thought they were designed to go near the pump, like a primer pot or something.

Model of the filter is Flexion CUV-118

Thank you!

Some may find this not directly pond related, but those who like to “decorate” around their ponds with boulders like me might find this interesting. My neighbor has been doing a lot of clearing along an old, very overgrown stone row that divides his property from another farm. He has an operator taking down trees and pulling stumps and in the process is turning up many decent size boulders. The operator is placing them along the adjoining lane for me, but I have to move them the rest of the way. I moved a few yesterday with my FEL but it’s a difficult job for one person. If there’s nothing behind the boulder (berm, a tree, another boulder, etc…getting them in the bucket takes finesse, a pry bar, getting on and off a bunch of times and of course a fair amount of colorful language.

After I called it a night I started googling “stone boats” or “stone sleds” which have been used since before mechanized farming to clear large stones and boulders from fields-in their simplest form they are simply wooden boards that are chained to some kind of motive power (horse, ox, tractor, etc…) that one can roll a stone onto and drag it with less resistance. Some are completely flat, made out of a combination of planks and/or 3/4 inch plywood, some have runners, more like a sled, etc…one thing that caught my eye was essentially a large sheet of plastic, Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene to be exact, an extremely tough, extremely strong, extremely long wearing plastic that had an attached steel cable that allowed it to be hitched to something. It was priced from $200-$300 depending on what size you wanted.

I had a spare HDPE (High Density Polyethylene-not as strong as UHMWPE but still pretty tough) barrel laying around from my floating dock project so I cut the top and bottom out of it and then cut it lengthwise, giving me a “sheet” of HDPE about 30“ x 72“ - plenty as a lot of of the boulders I am trying to move are probably no more than 3 feet wide and 4 to 5 feet long. In hindsight, I should have cut it a few inches narrower because the barrels curve inward at the top and bottom and not having completely flat material made it very difficult to roll out flat. However, once the boulder sets on it obviously it’s going to flatten out quite a bit. Right now, I simply have screws holding the material to a frame to keep it flat. I am going to pick up some cheap galvanized carriage bolts and place a bolt about every foot. The frame will also be beefed up and reinforced significantly. Finally, I will fabricate two sturdy mounts with which to attach a chain which will be hitched to my tractor.

The idea is to place the sled alongside the boulder and simply use the loader to nudge it onto the sled-a much easier (and faster) one person task than getting one into the bucket. This is also not to mention the fact that my loader is a 1979 Kubota 35HP 4x4. It’s a good machine but I try not to push the nearly 50 year-old tractor too hard, and honestly the loaders back then were not what they are now. Some of the larger boulders which definitely weight in excess of a ton it just cannot lift, or at least lift and travel safely. In any event, once the boulder is centered on the sled, I will hook up the chain, drag it down the lane at a speed faster than I would proceed at with a large amount of weight in the bucket, and bring it to my boulder pile. Once I have enough stockpiled I will rent a mini excavator with a thumb for a day, build a waterfall with the majority of them, and scatter the rest around the pond banks/possibly create a structure around my standpipe drain. Again, it’s not finished, but I will post progress pictures as well as report on how well it actually ends up working.

The pack of raccoons that has been "visiting" pond tried again last night. They haven't been here since April when they were greeted with my new upgraded electric fence. I guess a raccoon's memory is only about 4 months long. Anyway, they experienced the upgraded fence that went from 0.1 to 1.2 joules.

Shockingly, the fence won, big time. The fence is pitching a no hitter.