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@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-07-13 16:52:40

It’s already 25°C and I am dripping with sweat… but a slight modification had to be completed! Made a shelf in the main #poolpond area to hold a milk crate, which will hold one of the pumps.
I decided it was critical to have circulation from the bottom of the pool including taking water from the bottom to send to the filter. But since the main pump area is in the intake bay/skimmer I would have had to bring a pipe up and over the wall and down into pool. (The pumps must be submerged in at least 6” of water at all times)
This would be inefficient and potentially have air lock problems… so I pulled back the three layers of liner and cloth and excavated a little nook in the already semi hidden back corner.
This will have to do. :) the sun was already coming over the house. The rubber liner gets very hot 🥵. Glad it didn’t take too long.
There will be a rock or some sort of wall below and in front of the crate to further support and hide it.
Oh, and now that the liner and stuff is all back, the 🐜 ants can go back to their regularly scheduled ant-ing.
#diy #backyardpond #hot #ants #gardening #homeimprovement #portalberni

@michaels@mstdn.nursing.unibas.ch
2025-05-08 09:25:27

#Burnout & #back #pain in #Swiss

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-07-25 17:42:07

#pondpool #backyardpond #diy #portalberni
Currently turning a very useful and formerly solid box into swiss cheese 🧀 to enable entry of one, and eventually up to two, 2" outlet pipes from the pump(s). This box is both a home for the pump and will act as a prefilter and skimmer. Need maximum inflow from the intake bay of the pond without totally compromising the strength of the box.
I am going to make seven big holes around the top/front and side and then perforate the box with smaller 1/4" holes around the bottom to promote circulation from all parts of the bay.
I will back fill around the box with pebble and 1" drain rock before concealing it with large rocks and flat slate.

@chris@mstdn.chrisalemany.ca
2025-06-19 18:12:39

#PondLife #PoolPond #Backyard #DIY #PortAlberni #Home
$CAD1100 is a lot to spend on just a couple items, but I guess in the grand scheme of making a pond/pool that will completely transform our backyard, it's not crazy. This about equals the amount spent ($1200 iirc) to rent the digger last Labour Day weekend. The liner and underlay fabric was another $3000. So we're looking at about $5500 so far for the project as a whole. Still better (including for the ecosystem!) than your average $50,000 in-ground pool install. ;=D
I realized last night that I bought the wrong pumps (DCT vs DCP argh). One of those “oh that's cheaper than I thought it would be” moments... followed by... “oh crap.”
I'll send the previous pumps back immediately upon arrival.
It's ok though, these will be two 20,000L/h variable pumps. The entire pond/pool system should be no more than 23,000L. My biggest rookie mistake with the #pandemicpond in the front yard was too small a pump. I rectified that when I added the bog filters there.
So I'm overbuilding this time. I should be able to run them at low-speed/power for the same amount of flow. Which will be better for pump longevity and power over time.
Also got main piping for the system: 50ft of 2" flexible PVC (Schedule 40). This will move water from the intake bay (behind the tree) to the bog filter (in front of the tree) and connect to smaller diameter piping/valves/fittings for sprayers in the pool.
This should be the end of the big-ticket items. The rest will be a LOT of little stuff: electrical, piping, and a lot of rock. Probably another $1000-$1500 to go, all should be local, and some of it can be put off until next year if needed.
It took a few tries on the Bezos Site, but I managed to find a supplier within Canada to avoid tariffs on any of it because Tariff-flation is definitely a thing! (American .com store essentially doubled the cost!)
So ya, you can hashtag this #tariffs #TariffLife #TheAmericanFascist and #TrumpTariffs