Tootfinder

it's nearly August and this is the first time I have sat in the bog filter with feet in the water.
I did something wrong 😂
that said, the few plants we have planted so far are doing great! the algae is growing too, but that's just part of the balance. Just means I must plant more plants!! :)
I am moving the surplus rocks that I had "stored"
along the edge of the pond into a new pile on the edge of the yard.
Tomorrow I will start moving dirt again. I need to finish levelling the back but first prioeity for the dirt will be to shore up the low points along the edge of the pond. Ill make sure the pond is at its maximum (the rain has kept it there for me!) so I know where to focus.
also need to grab some wiring conduit to make the final runs for the pump wiring into the shed.
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy

PS.
Here are the two outlets. This is probably not how it will look in the end, but just a starting point. Once I have the water flowing how I want it to, I will use pond foam sealant to lock the rocks into place and force the water into its final channels and patterns but as you can imagine there is some trial and error to be done before that big step.
For noe you can see there is a fold of liner sitting vertically betwewn the rocks to split the channel. I really have no idea where the water will get to once at full force so this might be too high, or too low but it should not be too far off.
The main thing is that the water is contained within the greater system around the tree. That's the trickiest part right now.
It is a wonderful tree. We don't want to drown it.
Speaking of which, if you are wondering about water. Yes. This is thousands of litres of water. But at this point I am not worried if I need to fill up and drain the bog filter a few times. All extracted water will go into the rest of the garden anyway, so aside from a little evaporation, nothing will be wasted.
Still waiting on it to fill. Looks like it won't be full before quitting time. oh well! Back tomorrow water experiments!
#pandemicpond #PoolPond #gardening #portalberni #home #yard #bloomscrolling #BackyardProject

2/2 Then I moved on to working on finalizing the stream and edges of the poolpond.
After a trial run last fall I realized I needed to do a little more sculpting of the clay at the front of the pond where the bog filter and poolpond meet.
I would like to encourage a long waterfall along the front edge.
So after some peeling back of the liners to reinforce the berm in a few spots near the tree especially, I made a proper ledge at the front and am laying down some of the slate that we also used on the #pandemicpond in the front yard. It'll tie the two in conceptually.
Now I am filling the bog filter with city water (the likelihood of filling from the skies is long gone now) but I will only fill it enough to get a read on where the water is wanting to flow.
Ideally I would like two channels from the bog filter.
The main one will go toward the poolpond, along the front and spill over from there.
A secondary one will go close to the tree to be used if I need to divert the water from the poolpond but still want to keep the filter and system active.
Now I wait... I'm running out of time for today but will be back tomorrow. If I'm lucky, I might be able to get a pump back in and start up the system!
the apple waych strap is hiding a tan line... but it is not just a tan unfortunately lol
#PoolPond #gardening #portalberni #home #yard #bloomscrolling #BackyardProject

A little discouraged this afternoon as I spent part of the day adding extension wire into the 2nd pump as I had the first.
Two tries on both ends splicing in the cord and both times the pump fails to start with a low voltage on the pump-side error. 😢
Hate losing a day… but also unsure where the problem is. If it’s the pump, my splices, or the quality of the extension cord spliced into it (it is the other half of the same cord used to extend the first pump.) Really hope it is not the first! But the other two options suck too because it is an annoying job to do the splices.
Bummer.
Also after the foaming in, it looks like I still missed a significant gap somewhere. Only redirected about half the water. There is a lot more coming down to the end of the waterfall which is good. Still lots coming out the bottom under the flat rocks.
I think I am going to try splicing in a newer extension cord another day since that will kind of answer both the splicing and cord questions at once.
For now though, no extra bottom poolpond circulation/sprayers, just the main pump. And I still have 1.25 cans of foam to use, so I will plan for another day of foaming when I can take a super close second look at where the water is going that it shouldn’t.
Can’t all be successes. Like computer stuff 😝
Onward!
My outdoor office was fun tho. 😊
#poolpond #backyardProject
#diy #pondlife #success #failure #life

foaming!
I cleaned out the waterfall of gunk and most of the small stones and gravel leaving only the large rocks placed as strategically as I could to leave small gaps for foaming.
1.5 cans worth of landscape foam (DAP). I think I got all of it, but water always finds a way so its probably more like 75% if I'm lucky.
Ill let it cure for 24hrs then Ill trim some of the excess and reactivate the waterfall tomorrow to see what it looks like. It should make a big difference no matter what.
#poolpond #backyardproject #diy #gardening #portalberni

Nearly 60 year old Grumman canoe hung in a new spot on the new fence. Some things were built to last! 🛶
#canoe #backyardProject

proof of life after the first evening dip in the poolpond. 🏊
It was *chilly* getting in. 19.5°C according to the unicorn. 🦄
But once in, quite divine. Did a few "laps" which is a generous term when it is only about 2.5 body lengths long 😂
the water just feels good to be in.
#backyardProject #pondlife

a little double pipe action?
i was originally going to use IPEX white solid pipe for this part of the plumbing, but it stuck out like a sore thumb and was difficult to conceal.
Luckily, I got a bonus 50ft of flexible 2" black pipe last year after Amazon sent me it even though I had cancelled and refunded the order. I thought I might sell it but never got any bites. So here we are!
#poolpond #pond #gardening #diy #electrical #pandemicpond #backyardProject

2/2 Along the same plumbing lines... I am also preparing the pumps themselves.
One major thing to do was to splice in an extension cord to the cord for the pump. Obviously this is a "break the warranty" situation, but there is no way around it really. The included cord is only about 6ft to the electronic controller unit and AC/DC transformer. It needs to be much longer to reach even just the shed beside the intake bay where the main pump lives.
I do have two of these pumps so I am holding off extending the second one until I know this first one is successful and happily pumping away in the pond.
The second one will take water directly from the bottom of the main pond as opposed to the intake bay, but it is only additional capacity and isn't critical. Ideally I will have both on at half power normally. But for now, we start with this one!
Need to get butt connectors and heat shrink tubing tomorrow. Ill probably do this electrical work on Thursday or Friday night so I can test it out hopefully Saturday!
#poolpond #pandemicpond #backyardProject #portalberni #gardening #diy

1/2 #poolpond update since my last post got unintentionally deep-sixed and now there is further progress!
on Saturday and Sunday we got supplies and I installed the irrigation box. It involved digging Yet Another Hole, plus small trenches on three sides to accomodate pipes from the main water areas.
Convincing the valves/manifold to fit into the box was a chore, but we got there!
Also fed the main pipe line through the box which yes, involved disconnecting it from the filter pond end, and basically feeding the filter box along the pipe, back to the hole.
In all it turned iout well. I will be removing/rearranging the stream near the tree and adding another layer of liner just for that doversionary stream so I can contain/isolate it fully if I want and also feed the two pipes exiting toward the big pond under the stream so it is less visible in the end.
Sometimes I feel like as this goes I think up more things to do and it makes it all interminable, but really, it just makes it better!
but wait there's more after the pictures...
#pandemicpond #backyardProject #portalberni #gardening #diy

Well, this was a chore I have been kind of dreading since last fall! Cutting, splicing, crimping and ultimately connecting and lengthening the cable for the water pump for the #poolpond. I did it, but I am tired and my hands hurt. 😂 😭
It’s a pretty straightforward thing… you cut the ends off the extension cord, cut it to length, cut the part of the pump cord you want to extend in two, and then set about stripping, crimping, heat shrinking, and taping, the two cables together.
But I knew it wasn’t going to be one and done. I started this at 4PM. Thought I had it almost done by 4:30 and then realized I forgot to thread the heat shrink tubing on first. 😣 doh
So I started over.
Then I got half way through try#2 and had to leave….
Came back to it just after 9PM… and spent the next two hours doing, and redoing, it. Until it was, I hope, good.
Won’t know for sure until I plug the pump in tomorrow.
Slightly nervous. 😬
I’ll update you tomorrow! Probably first thing! 🤞
#pond #gardening #diy #electrical #pandemicpond #backyardProject

moved dirt for 2.5 hours this morning. Doesn't really look like I did much 😂 😭! levelled the area in front of the shed in readiness for reorientation of that structure 90°.
Then spent most of the time finding the level in the back corner and gradually extending the dirt out toward the middle. It's coming along.
We will need to rehang the gate door so that it opens out to the alley instead of inward
#poolpond #diy #backyardProject

you can cone if you want Rain! i have beaten you!
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #home #portalberni

when a picture is truly worth a thousand words..... or in this case.... screw caps. 😭
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #home #portalberni

me: hey wow this actually turns so nice on the rocks!
my back: ummmmm
(also me: look at that new perfect roof line for a solar panel!!)
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #landscaping

aaaaaaaaaaaand done!!!
It only took about 10 hours of solid work. 😝
And thats with prior knowledge from assembling one 2 years ago!
@… is happy.
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #home #portalberni

rock down.
rock tamped.
horse pad down!
ready for the shed which is arriving 3 days early! woo!
It takes a full day to assemble though so no new shed pics today.
first, I have to take everything out of this shed and probably unscrew it from the mat so that I can turn the whole thing 90°
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #landscaping

back at it this morning after sleeping in a little. got a bit of a sunburn on the neck and back yesterday! But all good today.
weather is perfect. Just a little wind and nice partly cloudy cool day.
the roof is happening! this is the easy part... the most annoying is yet to come, the sliding doors 😂
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #home #portalberni

Today’s mission has been achieved!
Mounted the pond pump controllers in the shed! I will eventually run the wire to the back of the shed and bring the wires in from there.
And the new shed appeared! I remember putting the other one together. It was a long process. And it needs to be dry and Not Windy!
It might be a few days before that can happen!
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #landscaping

4/4 Spent the day today with @… turning the water on and off, and the pump on and off.. watching how the water comes out of the bog filter and down into the poolpond. Pump is only at 25%, which is more like 15% as there will be a second pump as well in time.
Shifted some of the flat stones around and got them in a nice place. I had to do some hand digging under the lining near the tree. I am pretty sure the berm is too low there for when the pumps are at full force, but I am ok with where things are now. There is lots of opportunity to build the edges up if need be.
For now, I am going to work on sealing the rocks along the edge in to help direct the water.
I also need to splice in an extension cord into the pump wiring so that I can run a long enough distance to have the power supply and controller in the small shed and not hiding under the liner at the top of the pond. 🤣
#pandemicpond #PoolPond #gardening #portalberni #home #yard #bloomscrolling #BackyardProject

frame down. first wall next! pray for calm air! 😝 🙏 #poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #home #portalberni

four corners!
getting that first corner myself was....... time-consuming lol.
going pretty quick now, though!
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #home #portalberni

they changed the forecast. no wind and we have a wonderful layer of fog keeping the sun at bay! If this can just last for the next four hours I should be able to get the second shed built!!
wish me luck!
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #home #portalberni

the walls are up! it is (mostly) wind proof now so that's comforting. unfortunately the sun has emerged and it's hot.
taking a break.
Not sure if Ill get the roof on today but we'll give a good college try!
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #home #portalberni

alright, reached my 2:30 time limit.
might have had the roof on but realised the back too support was inverted so had to flip that. Everything is a million screws 😂
Not sure what super humans can put this together in 3 hours. But I will have to come back to it tomorrow morning hopefully befoee the rain!!
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #home #portalberni

one man's scrap is a another man's perfect fit.
corollary.
"you have a huge piece of thick underlay that would easily fit that entire area! Why don't you just do it in one piece?"
"why would I do it in one piece when I could use up 10 pieces? 😆"
ground is level or at least as level is it is going to be under my supervision lol. Laying down some gardening cloth to keep out blackberries mostly. Next I will put down drainage rock which will bring it to the right level to put down the rubber horse mat, which will then be the same height as the other shed
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #landscaping #wastenotwantnot

the skies have opened! retreating inside. Got some more rock down. #bcstorm #poolpond #backyardProject #diy #landscaping #wastenotwantnot

the wind was threatening my thrifty waste usage before i had the chance to get drainage rock down! deploy big rocks! 🪨
Sky is looking threatening. There is lightning off the West Coast this morning.
#bcstorm
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #landscaping #wastenotwantnot

just cleared some of the rocks I had stored along the edge of the pond. Use them for some of the rocks under the shed since it doesn't matter if they're dirty.
At the same time doing the scariest thing in pond making.
Cutting a liner away.
It's sort of like taking off training wheels. You're not sure if things just gonna collapse lol but you're pretty sure it's OK
#bcstorm #poolpond #backyardProject #diy #landscaping #wastenotwantnot

moving dirt this morning before the sun gets too hot.
It's supposed to be 34°C with a humidex of 36 this afternoon. 🥵
It is only 20°C in the shade right now so time to get a good dent in the pile before I melt.
Current interim goal is to level a space equal to a little bigger than the current grey shed so I can put an identical one beside it either back-to-back or face to face.
The shovel mark in the top of the dirt pile to the left is the width mark that I have to clear to. 😂 We'll see if I get all the way there today! Watch says I have put 73min in so far.
I also need to convince the boy to help move the rocks from around the pond into a central pile. Pile location is TBD tho. 🤔
But it needs to be done so I can shore up a couple of low spots on the edge of the poolpond and in general start landscaping the edge of it.
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #landscaping

Had a decent sleep last night after a long day. Got up before 6AM so that I could start the sprinklers on time.
(We are allowed 6-9AM/PM alternating days but I only water in the mornings because watering when it is still 32°C at 8PM is dumb)
While they were going I got going on another dirt-moving session. Over 3 hours! The sun was blocked by clouds for much of it so that helped a lot. Managed to get the space cleared for the 2nd shed. The whole back part of the yard is nearly level. It’s amazing just how much lower one side of the yard was from the other!
Another couple days of moving dirt and leveling and the dirt mountain should be spent!
Lunch and naptime. 2000 calories burned 😝 💪
Started to feel some pains in hands, thumb, back. Body knows… so I stopped :)
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #dirt #portalberni #clay

made a good dent in 2.25hrs
one more half hour stint and then I'm done for the day. Sun is getting high and hot! 🌞
The goal is to turn the grey shed in the picture 90° so the door is facing to the left, then get an identical shed and place it facing the first shed with a gap in the middle to get things in and out.
AND THEN... because the roof lines will face south, put solar panels on top of both. 😊 ☀️ ⚡️
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #gardening #landscaping #solar

finally! the pond is *just* overtop the intake bay inlet and flow has reversed to its proper skimming mode. have pump 1 on low and slow. There is just enough water coming in now for the level ti only drop very slowly.
am I sitting on the edge of the pond at dark at midnight watching the water rise ever so slowly so that I can go ?
yes 😂
edit: it's 1AM. Just turned off the water. Both pumps are at 90% power and the water level appears stable. I'm going to go out on a limb and call it a night and hope there is water in the right places in the morning.
who am I kidding. of course there will be. It's even awesome at night.
This was a good day!! 😁 👍
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #plumbing

got very spicy outside all of a sudden. definitely storminess incoming.
flag is good tho! 🇵🇸
#palestine #freePalestine #gaza #endgenocide #israel #BDS
#bcstorm #poolpond #backyardProject #diy #landscaping #wastenotwantnot

there. watering fill
#poolpond #gardening #pondlife #diy #backyardProject

achievement unlocked!
just before I got stuck on the curb, I put the trailer back around in the back!
Managed to move and level enough of the dirt to make a spot for the trailer!
Perfect little spot :)
#poolpond #gardening #pondlife #diy #backyardProject

i was just reminded that the city water is..... not warm... 😂 🥶
gonna dip anyway!?
it's nearing full, full enough for both pumps to be operating well, but family members are having a shower so filling has been halted until they're done.
The poor banana plant in the back corner got a little dry in the feet 😆 😬. Hopefully it's ok. The first plants in the pond always have the toughest job.
The others are looking ok. Marsh marigold is maybe a little too exposed. I will move it to be more under the hazelnut tree. The bug eating plant is not enjoying life. It might perish. Will do my best to nurse it back to life.
#poolpond #gardening #pondlife #diy #backyardProject

oopsie doodles!
Came outside to do some dirt moving only to find the #poolpond intake bay very nearly empty!
I have not been topping up the water since I filled it about 9 days ago? It has been cooler but windy and the last little bit of rain we got was a few days ago.
It must have just got below the level of the intake bay in the past hour or two as it was on its way to emptying. Luckily i caught it in time.
Water is being added now. I am also going to use the twirly sprinkler to water the flower and blueberry garden and it will also add to the pond at the same time in a nice aerated way.
Adding from the hose is not ideal as all that chlorine goes in at the same time
Anyways, crisis averted and information gained. It is already coming back up nicely.
hopefully it is full in time to have a dip after dirt moving!
#gardening #pondlife #diy #backyardProject

well I made the new splice, and the pump came to life!!
But the controller is not responding to inputs 😢
It seems to be locked at 90% power.
I don't know if I have fried the controller so it is only partially working, or if this is still due to a poor connection through the extension.
When I was making the last splice, I was noticing that the extension cord wire is quite blackened. This could be preventing a good connection?
Well at least it is working and circulating again. I am going to find another extension cord to use and see if the wiring looks more pristine.
#poolpond #DIY #backyardProject #chores

2nd #poolpond pump is back up and running!
Spliced in a new (old) extension cord.
But I actually think the previous one was OK as well and I had just misconfigured the controller and didn't know how to reset it because of the --shall we say-- less than English instruction manual 😂
all good.
Onward!!
Main job now: Finish levelling the whole backyard dirt pile and start landscaping!
#diy #backyardProject #gardening #pondlife

alright, job #1 for the day done -- dishwasher filled as much as possible (we can't do dishes in the sink due to a busted faucet pipe!)
job #2 -- update mastodon -- also done.
Feeling good…..
job #3 -- now to try again to splice in an extension line for the 2nd #poolpond pump. I'm apprehensive... feeling like it is probably not going to work and that I'm missing something else, or that the pump itself or controller has gone bad (due to my actions). I'm going to try to shorten the existing extension as much as possible in case it is something in the line or the length. If that doesn't work, I’ll use a brand new extension cord for the extension. I'm also nervous because the line I am extending is not long (thus the extension!) and I'm going to run out of cutting space at some point -- ruining the pump. : (
wish me luck.
#DIY
#backyardProject #chores