How to Build a Mud Pond

[Koicare]

Hi there - so I guess we could be called the 2 Muskateers....
I have posted some piccies of the piece of land I wanted to build on - but the photos do not really do the size any justice! The actual area is +- 80m x 80m (and that is if I remove one of the flowerbeds.......which I have no problem doing. I was thinking that I might have to find some more land - and I have already started as I am not going to get far with just this one piece.... But at least it is big enough to do something with it!

The problem that I have is that besides building the mud pond - I also have to make it pleasing on the eye - I have landscaped the entire 2,5 acres (over 7 years - and very sore hands......) so I still want to keep it pretty and functional at the same time. I want to be able to sell it easily at a later stage............I definately need bigger!!!!!!!!!!

Are we the only 3 girls on this website?

"Koicare?" - that is the name of my business - I do pond filtration.

Keep well!
Julie

[Eugeneg]

A borehole might be like what you guys call wells - it is a shaft which is dug into the ground - ours is about 70 meters down, they install a long cylindrical pump in there and it pumps water out of ground! Ours pumps enough water to fill a 10 litre bucket in 6,6 seconds - so if I did the math right that would be about 10 gallons a minute?

No it works out at 20 imperial gal per min or 1200 gal per hr . I would say there is something wrong here ? What size of hose leading out of pond and what size of motor on pump ?
The figures are probebly given by well drillers when they tested for 15min .
My well is 175ft deep and the water comes up to 75ft from the top and the pump is at the 130ft level . Now on a good bored well the water would be near the top . Since mine tested at 10gal a minute flow and my pond was down by 16in not estatically pleasing and had a wedding to shoot for a hockey player [Keith Primo]I left the hose running for 3 days surprise I started to pump air .
I then dug a shallow well 20 ft deep useing an excavator and large tiles and I can maintain 2 gal flow a minute indefinatly . I use 15000 gal a week for my indoor ponds . The best filtration is changing water . The best filters for saving water and time are the Nexus and the new ones are a lot lower in price .
I have 3 acres of garden and you can see what I did to make it asstetically pleasing at www.eugenephotog.com
Regards
Eugene

[Koicare]

Eugene - very nice - looked at your web - you have landscaped it beautifully!!!

We pump straight from the ground by using a pressure tank - ie: we do not have a holding tank of any kind - when we open a tap or valve on a line the water just comes straight out! - The entire 2,5 acres is fully irrigated and all the ponds have their own fill pipe with valves etc.

There is a 2,2KW pump in the bottom on the borehole. I have no idea how to calculate the litres based on the head of the pump and the distance travelled - the clyindrical pump is 2 pieces joined together each +- 1m long (one is the motor and one is the pump)- I know this cos we had to pull it out of the ground once before!

All pipe work is 25mm from the pump to the different lines. I did the bucket test myself to calculate the water pressure and used a stop watch. I did the test 3 times to be sure.

Should it be more?

[MCA]

this thread might be of interest...


http://koishack.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7268

[PapaBear]

Quote: Originally Posted by Koicare ...On the soil issue - our soil is varied - first we have alayer of topsoil probably about 30 - 40cm thick - then you hit the clay for about 60 - 70cm, and then you hit shale!!! I am not really sure what shale is - it might be clay which has compacted and formed into thin sheets of rock, or a rockish type material - but all I remember is that each pond we dug here was a major nightmare in sealing - not in terms of keeping the water in - but rather keeping the water out! We had to dig a trench deeper than the ponds so that the water would go there until we had dried and sealed the concrete! If I go above the ground - which would be preferable then I do not have to get rid of the soil - I would probably have to either line the sides of the pond because of the top soil - or I would have to seal the entire pond with a bentonite. We have a variety of bentonite here - one which they call "Envirobent" (which they recommend for sealing of dams - as it swells to something ginormous!) - my only issue with it is that it has a pH of 10,5 (and I do not know enough to know whether that would be a problem and affect the pH of the pond to 10,5??????? and they have a "Calcium Bentonite" which they say does also swell, but not as much as the envirobent - it is more a water conditioner - so then the pond might leak? I am thinking about getting a bag of the envirobent and running a little test to see how much it affects the water (ie: 50 litre bucket - put envirobent in at the bottom) and test the water daily) - but I am not sure if this would be a waste of time on such a small test, and without the exact conditions - and provide inaccurate results???...

From the sound of things you should be able to follow Mickey's lead on your construction method.
I would first remove the Topsoil (30-40 cm) to the perimeter (to be re-used later)
Then excavate about 1/2 the depth of your clay (30 cm) to build up the sides of the pond above ground. That will leave you a 30 cm clay bottom and clay sidewalls of sufficient depth.
Then you can re-use the topsoil to cover the top and exterior walls of the pond for re-seeding with grass, etc... for aesthetics. (No trees or shrubs close to the pond as they will send roots throgh the clay and cause leaks).
Whatever you do don't break though to the shale. Unless it is harboring a natural spring (unlikely) you would never be able to hold water with a shale bottom.
As far as the bentonite goes, if you need it a mixture of the Calcium Bentonite and Envirobent (probably Sodium Bentonite with lime) should work well for you. Re-liming a mudpond from year to year is common practice anyway and the high ph won't last long when the pond is re-filled.
BTW, what is the ph of your well water. Tested fresh from the tap and after resting for a few hrs. In most cases it should be low from the hose and higher after it rests.

[jacovors]

Hi Julie,

I live in Odendaalsrus in the Free State.
Feel free to contact me anytime.
I have been doing the mudpond thing now for four years.

[Koicare]

Quote: Originally Posted by MCA this thread might be of interest... http://koishack.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=7268

Hey thanks a million - I printed this out - 29 pages and I will work my way through it!

[Koicare]

Papa Bear - thanks! Appreciate your advice!

Jacovors - thank you - I will contact youif you do not mind - I have actually been on your web site many a time to get some info!!!

Sorry I have taken so long to reply - I have had a really rough week! I had to put my Beautiful German Shepherd to sleep after 13 years - and I am still in mourning! I miss her so much!

Thanks again everyone!!! I am still on the research thing - have not brought the TLB's in yet ......

[jacovors]

Hi Julie,
You're welcome.
Sorry about the dog passing.

[Eugeneg]

Sorry I have taken so long to reply - I have had a really rough week! I had to put my Beautiful German Shepherd to sleep after 13 years - and I am still in mourning! I miss her so much!

I can understand your feelings and loss after loosing my golden retriver last year she was 14 my symphaties Your dog living in Johanesberg would have been your protector for all these years which makes it a harder still .
Regards
Eugene