Tootfinder

Making progress on this 3D printed handlebar clamp for the Beat Bike…
#diy #maker #3DPrinting

A little more progress on the Beat Bike… switch connected to controller with TRS cable.
#maker #diy #electronics

This is the manifold typt thing that I am currently roughing together for the 2nd pump from the main pond.
The through pipe will go to the filter and the two offshoots will go to the bottom returns and side sorayers which are both meant to keep the water in the pond moving toward the pump bay and discourage settling on the bottom
#poolpond #diy #backyardproject

Langzeitprojekt Frühbeet Phase 1 abgeschlossen: Heute haben wir sechs alte Fenster abgeholt. Next: Fenster und vor allem die Fensterrahmen aufbereiten. #garten #diy

A few weeks ago we decided the garden fence needed repainting. We bought a couple of big tins of wood stain paint and today I said "OK, I'll get that done this morning".
Have you ever over-estimated your abilities? I have.
It turns out that if you're not used to this sort of job, it takes about half an hour to paint a fence panel. And we have 14 of them in the garden.
Anyway, I've just finished the "quick morning job in the garden" now, at 6pm.
The fence looks bloody wonderful, though.
#DIY

Sometimes Being Unsigned Means DIY
- Do I prefer collaboration and teamwork? You bet. But... sometimes... -
- #IndieMusician #DIYMusician -

Sometimes Being Unsigned Means DIY - #IndieMusician
Stan Stewart - @muz4now

Neuer Bowdenzug, eingezogen und die ganze Periferie; Bowdenzughülle, Hülle auf die Länge der vorigen Hülle gekürzt.
#diy #Fahrradwartung
#shimano

The rain has topped up the pool pond! 🙏 🌧️
It is overflowing at the overflow and only at the overflow, that I can tell :). I powered the pump up from its 40% (34W) to 75% (120W) to get things moving in the filter while we have the rain.
I might as well use it to allow it to clean the gunk out of the system naturally!
Still feels like I got rushed into filling it, but it is really satisfying nonetheless to see it functioning as designed in my head! lol
#poolpond #diy #backyardproject

Heute war Backtag. Nachdem die letzten beiden Bleche nicht so richtig was geworden sind (1x sollte Trockenhefe weg, war vermutlich zu alt, 1x vermutlich zu hohe Raumtemperatur während der Gare) sind die Stangerl heute wieder wie frisch vom Bäcker. #diy

Get excited, work on a project, get distracted, work on other projects, remember the original project, get back to working on it…
#diy #maker #bikes

I had to do a little more plumbing to at least get things up to a poijt where I could anchor the pipe in the bottom and put pebble down over the whole bottom hopefully tomorrow.
I need two more 45° elbows to keep the pipe close to the side as it comes up but that's not critical. At least like this if I have to fill it with water nothing will be too hard to fix.
#poolpond #backyardProject #DIY

Zum Abendessen gab es zwei #Plantburger diesmal mit Bio Brotzeit Burger Patty.
Selten bekomme ich soviel Salat zu essen, außer bei den Plantburgern #DIY - dabei funktionieren für einen Single am besten die Salate in Plastikboxen, da die im Kühli länger halten, als Salatköpfe mit Wurzelballen im Zi…

Phones cost a grand, and honestly, people should just be able to fix their own stuff.
#RightToRepair #Repair #DIY

My project that I completed yesterday. An old patio umbrella base, a fence post from a big box store, two old wall brackets for flower baskets, a couple of bird feeders that were on sale at CanTire, and a repurposed squirrel baffle. About $100 in total cost, not including the black oil seed. It's positioned right outside our sunroom for bifd watching, by us and our cat Casper.
#DIY #Birdwatching #Gardening

Lesson learned. When paint matching, even the fancy color matching devices don’t work very well. Success rate of 0.25 for us. Apps are also wildly inconsistent.
Instead, cut a square inch out of your wall with a utility knife and bring it into the hardware store. They’ll scan it and match it exactly. I went from thinking it was ridiculous to knowing it’s really the only way to go.
#DIY

Replaced the garbage #disposal last night. It's one of those jobs like redoing the guts of a toilet; seemed intimidating but it was far easier than I expected. (Replacing with the same model helps.) #insinkerator #diy

PVC cement is kinda scary and I am not completely convinced I need to use it. lol
None of this pipe is going to be completely inaccessible, and I may need to adjust things down the line... all the joints are within the wet zone of the holes so no water lost if there are any small leaks.
started early this morning so I could get at leaat something done before the oppressive heat sets in.
I need to go to the store rn to pick up fittings.
#poolpond #bacyardproject #diy

Heute bin ich mir sozusagen selber aufs Dach gestiegen: der letzte Sturm hatte einen Dachziegel ausgehebelt, der Ziegel ist dann einen halben Meter das Dach runter gerutscht und auf den anderen Ziegeln liegen geblieben. Jetzt ist der Dachziegel wieder an Ort und Stelle. Never take broken for an answer. #diy

#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

#poolpond #backyardProject #diy
I spent the morning cleaning out the big pond. Lots of dirt and gunk and water had accumulated in the bottom over the past months. A combination of the little sump pump and a shop vac cleaned that all out.
But more concerning was the fact that when I walked down into the pond, it was mushy. There was obviously water underneath the liner.
I just pulled back the liner to reveal the water that had gotten under. It is likely that this water is from the overflow when I was testing the filter. It could be from a little bit of rainfall, but I doubt it.
There was a lot of water washing around the yard yesterday as I was figuring out the filter and the stream and overflowing areas so I am sure it got in that way.
Not a big problem. Just some more water to move with the little pump.
I am more concerned about the fact that a horsefly landed on me twice in the past hour. Devils they are.

all right. Done for the day. At some point, it becomes a bit of a losing battle using the shopvac. I'll let nature evaporat it hopefully by tomorrow. Probably take another day for it to dry out and harden up.
in the meantime, I can do the next job that I've been dreading.
Figuring out the fence situation. 😱
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy

Der Silikonüberzug an einem der Ohrbügel an meinem Podcast-Headset rutsche ständig runter, was auf Dauer ziemlich nervig war. Jetzt ist da halt roter Schrumpfschlauch drauf, der hält. Never take broken for an answer. Ich wollte es eigentlich symmetrisch machen, aber der andere Silikonschlauch bewegt sich keinen halben Millimeter 🤷 #diy

i've also drained both the filter and the pump bay. The blueberries are getting a very good drink today. 🫐
I probably won't circulate water through the stream again until I get the main pond weighed down with rock on the bottom. I wanted to try to start building the rock lining around the wall of the main pond to see if it would hold and be sufficient.
But I might just let the bottom of the pond dry out completely. It's going to be nice and warm again the next couple days so it is best for it to let it dry out and harden up.
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy

Hmmmm… here is a problem I did not anticipate.
Every time I empty the main pond hole of water, (the actual hole under the liner) water returns within an hour or two. I’ve done it 4 times now, and it keeps filling back up with water.
Obviously there is water underground infiltrating into the pond hole, and/or the water table itself is above the bottom of the hole. It is not coming from either of the other holes because they both have the same amount of water in them as they did this morning.
I have “watered” the blueberry patch and hazelnut tree a lot with the water that I have been cleaning the filter with… and we also had lots of water flying around outside the liners yesterday as I tested the pump. So it is quite possible that the ground around the pond is simply well saturated.
I think I am going to have to just keep removing the water (and putting it into the sewer) until it does not refill. We have a week of hot weather coming. Surely that will be enough time for everything to dry out completely.
Otherwise I might run into some issues if the rains return before I can anchor down the pond liner with gravel and get the plumbing in!
How is time already running short!?
Never underestimate the ability of water to find a place where it is not wanted. 😆
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy

Being in the UK on holiday reminded me how much I love crumpets. Since I can’t easily find them in the states I’ll just make them myself.
So yeah, gonna make crumpets now… feel free to share any advice!
#food #baking

Never take broken for an answer. Reparieren statt weg werfen. Ein Strick meines Gartenstuhls riss gestern Abend, und zufällig hatte ich noch einen Rest Seil da. Halbe Stunde neu gefädelt, Stuhl ist wie neu. #diy #repair

Another step in the #PoolPond today. Bought the 2 pumps. They are high-efficiency, DC variable speed/power up to 15000L/hr (4000gal/hr) and 105W.
One will be to take water from the pond to the bog filter, and one will do double duty going to the bog filter or to sprayers/jets inside the pond (both decorative and for circulation)
I might get a 3rd pump in time if I find the extra capacity is needed.
#DIY #PondLife #PortAlberni #Pool #Pond #Natural
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CLB7SJ4Q?psc=1&smid=A7SIQ2Y2T11UM&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

Üben, üben, üben. Werd' scho. Wenn Teig und Backprozess funktionieren, kommt Breznschmeißen. #laugengebäck #vorpommern #keinehexerei

The built-in skimmer is skimming! #poolpond #diy #portalberni #backyardproject

I just started up the pump! A short video. Lowest setting (40W)
#poolpond #diy #portalberni #backyardproject
https://youtu.be/gs3dlFQdtYs?si=BStwWZ1u_fQzwk2X

yup... too soon. pump bay emptied before the flow was enough to replenish the pump circulation.
It'll take a few goes to get the pond up high enough. Will turn it back on shortly.
. #poolpond #diy #portalberni #backyardproject

I think we are very near critical mass. The pump bay is only barely emptying itself
now. And the pond is gradually overtopping the main part of the weir.
Now to line the top edge of the pond so surface debris only goes through the little inlet.
#poolpond #diy #portalberni #backyardproject

between the hydrangeas and the alt-grass, the number and variety of pollinators in our driveway right now is a little crazy! Bees, wasps, butterfly, other flying things! It's amazing!!! 🐝 🐝 🌼 🐝 🐝
#gardening #altgrass #bees #pollinator #home #diy

Water off. Level is not 100% full but close enough that the pump can just run. We are expecting rain tonight that might be enough to completely fill it.
No leaks detected.
I’ll leave the pump at 100%/180W for a couple hours just to give it a good run. Then I will turn down to minimum tonight.
#poolpond #diy #portalberni #backyardproject

The main pond is basically full now. I have been gradually increased the power of the pump. Now 100% at 160W. I won't normally have it at full power but this is good for testing.
I am basically patrolling the edge of the ponds looking for low points. Have shored up a few but nothing serious. The first round of tests with the filter addressed most of them.
When the holes filled over the winter I actually shored up the edges of the main pond then, so there isn't much to do there.
Just waiting for the pump bay to fill up completely now. It'll probably be about an hour. (the water hose has not been on full blast this whole time, only about 1/4)
Then we will see the full level of the entire system.
The Finger of water closest to me in this picture is the overflow that goes into the storm/sewer system. That is the final arbiter of the fill point of the pond.
#poolpond #diy #portalberni #backyardproject

The filter. It is filtering.
#poolpond #oops #fire #diy

The first trickle from filter to pool pond.
The main pond is not quite 3/4 full, but I thought it was important to make sure the filter was completely full and ready to start filtering. So I have shored up the low edges of the filter, taken away the temporary stream, and now the water is starting to flow from filter to pond. In time it will connect with the pump bay. Then I can turn on the pump and start circulating for real.
😆
The reason this is happening now is not the best reason. Our view to the southeast is not encouraging.
😔 🔥
#poolpond #oops #fire #diy

More pics of the thickening verge! Most of the greenery is actualy the california poppy that havent bloomed. The rest is clover and the white flowers (alyssum?)
This is as tall as it should get (about six inches) with the exception of when the poppies bloom they send up slightly taller stalks.
#yard #diy #grass #noconcrete #diy #bloomscrolling

It is so nice how the #pandemicpond is maturing now. This is its 5th summer! Can't believe it. The bog filter has made a massive difference for the water clarity and keeping down the algae. The first pic below is from this time last year and you can see the algae clouding and sliming everything.
Two years ago I started planting some moss around rocks in the stream and it has filled in really nicely and naturally. It also served to trap seeds I think and grass and other "weeds" but I like that it just looks more and more like a normal stream. We even have a marsh marigold at the top of the stream (last pic) that we did not plant that came from one that was in the top pond and was eaten by deer. 🦌
#diy #ponds #gardening #fish #ecosystem #portalberni

The white flowers in the new “alt-grass” have started to pop up in the front of the driveway (bottom right) and middle. Still patchy bits but nbd. And the taller stuff is now shading/protecting/cooling the smaller.
The front (bottom) that we seeded a few weeks after the initial planting is growing in nicely.
In a few weeks maybe we will get some poppies in the oldest areas.
Love this stuff!
We can start to walk on the older now, gently. Feels nice barefoot. Down to watering once a day, morning, unless it is over 30°C.
Intending to get more slate slabs next week, so I’ll put in a fourth step stone and probably move the one on the left back a few inches. I’ll try to be careful so I can transplant the grass to some of the patchy areas.
That will also be a first try at backing the trailer over the hump onto the new paths with a lot of weight.
#yard #diy #grass #noconcrete #diy #bloomscrolling

and then there is the backyard... lol. The hazelnut tree is doing surprisingly well considering the chaos literally at its feet. The far flower garden with the blueberries and the only rose bush we like is also doing OK especially now that I have battled back against the encroaching blackberry vines.
I didnt capture the new plum, or the rhubarb-amazon, but they're ok too.
We are starting to make real progress on the pond/pool now. The inlets for the wetland filter are in the hole and we started placing the large rocks on the bottom... the first layer.
Many yards of rock and pebble to go! Oh, and I have had to peel back some of the liner
in the pool. I've decided I need to make a landing spot for one pump to live in the back corner of the pool so it can circulate water from the bottom.
Uncovered an anthill in the process! 🐜
#portalberni #yard #diy #poolPond

glad I started early today.
Went to the hardware shop at open 7:30AM only to find they were out of elbows.
went to Can Tire at open at 8. Same story.
Had to drive 30min to clean out the Home Hardware stores in Qualicum Beach and Parksville of all 8 elbows they had between the two of them.
Got back in time to do some rough fitting, but it is already 27° and hotter in the hole. So I am done for the day!
Managed to rough together the bottom intake pipe as well.
Bit by Bit!
#poolpond #bacyardproject #diy #elbowsup #elbowsout

*tenting fingers*
Excellent.
#freepipe #diy #itPaysToKnowPeople #poolpond #BackyardProject #portAlberni

Some blooming closeups. #bloomscrolling #altgrass #portalberni #yard #diy

Fruit is happening! and more
flowers #bloomscrolling #altgrass #portalberni #yard #diy

we are now on Stage 3 water restrictions! No fill *or* topping up of ponds or pools! So that definitely captures the #poolpond ;)
I'm going to go get an adapter for my little pond pump hose so it can hook up to a regular garden hose and we'll use all the #pool water for watering the gardens over the next few weeks until the rains truly return.
#Fire #PortAlberni #UnderwoodFire #Water #ClimateChange #Drought #DIY #BackyardProject
https://socialbc.ca/@alberniweather/115036554816818531

Time for a walk around the yard as I was watering this morning. It's going to be hot today (30°C)
(see alt text for descriptions)
#bloomscrolling #altgrass #portalberni #yard #diy

the plumbing for the bog/wetland filter is nearly complete.
The last item I needed was some 6" PVC pipe for a cleanout. It'll go down through the milk crate so I can send a vaccuum hose down there.
It isn't easy to find this size at stores, but a friend of a friend came through with some free cutoffs. They'll work perfectly. Probably $50 worth of pipe! I only had to buy the plug ($40).
Befriend a tradesperson! 😀
#freepipe #diy #itPaysToKnowPeople #poolpond #BackyardProject #portAlberni

lots of flowers now in the alt-grass including a new white and purple one! And the strawberries are ripe under the growing 🍎 tree!
It's weird when the driveway is the most productive part of the yard!
The hope though is that this is a preview of what our backyard will become over the next couple years. 🤞
Also managed to put the trailer back in its spot. The grass seems tough enough now to handle the traffic.
#bloomscrolling #altgrass #portalberni #yard #diy

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

alright. emptied the pump bay (watering the hazelnut tree as I go) so I could get down into the box and loosely fit the hose onto the pump.
Now we'll turn the water back on in the filter and let the bay fill back up again from the little diversion stream.
I need to go get a couple big hoseclamps to properly secure it to the pump. But loose is fine for testing.
#poolpond #backyardProject #DIY #electronics

escape! escape!!
This is what happens when you introduce a big pump (even only running at 30-50%!)
You find out REALLY fast where the low points are. I had suspicions. They have been confirmed, and temporarily rectified!
the pump is now running, hooked into the pipe to the bottom of the filter (I will cut more of it off in time so the pipe is running along the ground), plus the garden hose is continuing to add more water to the system.
No spillage! Ill fill the intake bay and then turn the garden hose off to just let it circulate.
#poolpond #backyardProject #DIY #electronics

First test of the pump! Just turned the first pump on to make sure everything works. The regulator works! 100% power seems to draw about 160W. 50% was around 70W. Can't take a reliable picture of the display unfortunately.
I will have to cut the main wire and extend it with a good extension cord so it can reach where I need it to. At least to the little grey shed for now. The controller has to stay dry and in reasonable temperatures.
Not really looking forward to that job. I have cut/spliced/shrinkwrapped wire before but not on a $600 pump. 😬
Today though I will concentrate on hooking up the pipe to the filter to set up a circulation and figure out a temporary situation for the pump controller.
edit: btw the pumps are both Jecod 20,000L/hr varieties. I am hoping (and calculated) that they are oversized so I can run them at 50-75% most of the time.
#poolpond #backyardProject #DIY #electronics

initial pump testing has been successful!
Filled the filter and pump bay to an approriate level via garden hose. ✅
turned pump on for the first time and fixed any overflows in the system on low flow ✅
turned the garden hose off and allowed pump to circulate for awhile ✅
I brought the pump up to 100% power (180W) and confirmed inlet standpipe did not overflow indicating good distribution flow on the bottom of the filter. ✅
identified/fixed more overflowing low points with pump at high flow. ✅
tested the breather pipe by turning off the pump and making sure the water was not siphoned from the filter the pump bay ✅
I let the top water from the filter drain into the bay until the bay was full (starting to overflow into the main pond) ✅
Used the small pump to empty the pump bay of some of the dirty water... watering the blueberries and flowers in the process. ✅
tiny red bum friend? ✅ 🕷️
A successful day!!
#poolpond #backyardProject #DIY #electronics

The kind man in the giant front loader at the gravel pit "gently dribbled" 820kg/1800lbs of river rock into the trailer. EV mileage not great. 😂
Was hoping for more rocks on the larger size, but it will all be useful for the #poolpond and #pandemicpond
And the price is right! $40
#diy #backyardproject #poolproject

Refreshed my memory and calculations for the full volume of the three holes in our backyard. The next large purchase is going to be the pump. So I need to know how much water it needs to move in order to be a healthy ecosystem.
The full volume of all three holes combined is about 38,000L before rock/medium additions.
The larger bog filter should reduce the need for a larger pump by comparison with our smaller pond. But it still won’t be small.
#pump #pond #pondlife #backyard #diy

flowing!!! 🎉 💧
Ill stop filling soon for the night but this is a huge milestone! HAPPY DAY
#poolpond #BackyardProject #diy #portalberni #watergarden

ooohh! The water is at the top! Now we'll see where it chooses to go!
Looks like I will actually be taking some pebble *out* if I want to plant in an inch or so of water.
#poolpond #BackyardProject #diy #portalberni #watergarden

Time for the first fill and empty cycle. Not sure how many times I'll do this probably a bunch lol. We will see how long it takes to fill it. The hazelnut tree will get lots of water today.
While, it's doing that, I will keep working on the rock liner of the intake pump bay. If I can get that done today, then I can try to direct the overflow from the filter into the pump and set up a circulation.
#poolpond #BackyardProject #diy #portalberni #watergarden

I feel like I disrespected the backyard. So here is some backyard blooming and fruiting love! See the hazelnut!?
#bloomscrolling #fruit #grapes #rhubarb #portalberni #yard #diy #poolPond

thankful for the rain today!! Only took a few days for the new grass/clover/flower mix to sprout!!
🌱 🌱 🌱
Going to get hot this week so I am very glad it has begun successfully now.
#driveway #yardwork #diy #portalberni

The pumps came!
#poolpond #diy #pondProject #Backyard #unbox

And a quick update on the big project.
The main pond is drying out! I'll let it dry today and then put the liner over tomorrow morning and start working on the plumbing asap so I can get the pebble in there to weigh it all down!
Note little dig marks in the filter pebble where I stole some for the pandemic pond.
#pandemicpond #poolpond #backyardproject #diy #ponds #gardening #watergarden #bloomscrolling #goldfish

#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.

Cutting of black pipe complete. Now to fill in the Bay with pebble and drainrock. #pondpool #backyardpond #diy #portalberni

A #pandemicpond post.
The bog-barrels that I added last summer have done an absolutely incredible job at keeping the water crystal clear and almost completely algae free this summer.
Only the much warmer stream between the ponds has more algae than I really like.
I also added the bigger pump at the same time which likely helped a little but the added flow also raised the level of the top pond just above the liner in some spots. So yesterday when I topped it up, I took away the flat border stones to inspect where it was leaking. It turns out, almost everywhere!
So I added some handfuls of pebble taken from the #poolpond filter since I know there is extra there..: and stuck it under the liner to raise it an inch or two all the way around.
Here is a before and after. The first pic with the purple lilly
pads is last year with the algae that was common in the summer before the big filters. The second pic is a few weeks ago when the pond was full, clear, but overflowing, notice the water overtop the flat stones. The last two pics are today after raising the liner a little under the stones.
And a pic of the happy dual-barrel bogs (which are just small versions of the giant filter I just finished in the backyard). The marsh marigolds have not bloomed in the bog barrels. Not sure if they will this year. It is quite shady for them.
Oh and a lilly is about to bloom!The fish are also very active and happy.
#backyardproject #diy #ponds #gardening #watergarden #bloomscrolling #goldfish

Looks like up to two pumps will fit nicely in the bin... this is good. Ill make holes in the bin for the pipes to exit one end.
The bin will be installed in the intake bay of the pond to draw/skim water from the surface.
These are skookum pumps. 💪
At full power (180W each) together they will move 40,000L/hr (666L or 175gal/min). That's almost twice the pool volume of 21,000L.
But I should not need to move that much through the bog. One pump will be dedicated to the bog filter while the other will go to both the bog and/or the sprayers in the pool.
That said, if I do need a third pump there will be room in the bin for three.
I may put one pump in the far corner of the pool itself with an inlet hose to reach the bottom of the pool to really ensure there is good circulation of the water. We'll see.
#poolpond #diy #pondProject #Backyard #unbox

By jove.... by complete coincidence I think the hose will be exactly the right length.
Hole is now made in the yellow milk crate for the pipe to attach directly to the inlet and reach down to the bottom of the pond. The rest of the pipe will attach to the outlet on top running up and out.
#pondpool #backyardpond #diy #portalberni

Here is the seed we used from West Coast Seeds. Look at the tiny white flowers starting to bloom in the new "grass"!
And a picture of last year's planting. It is 99% clover I thibk because we used an old bag and the flowers were no longer viable. But a few poppies did sprout!
#yardwork #diy #portalberni #alternativegrss #clover #bloomscrolling

this was the driveway before.
#yardwork #diy #portalberni #alternativegrss #clover #bloomscrolling

#pondlife #poolpond #backyardPrpject #diy #rock #labour
The rock came!! At least the first load. Big stuff 4" . About 3 yards/3.5tonnes.
The rock place doesn't have a dumper truck small enough to make the turn into the backyard, so he had to dump it on the edge of the alley.
Then Son and I moved it.
2hrs in the sun. 🥵 But we got it done. 💪
Tomorrow at 8AM they will bring 3yards of drain rock and 3yards of pebble. We'll see how much we have to scoop out of the alley.

The (alternative mix*) grass is growing in the driveway and the rock tracks are solid.
* It’s not grass at all. Mostly native clover, plus poppies and some small flowering grasses. It looks patchy but the stated goal on the bag is for about 75% coverage so that it can grow, flower, seed itself, and then fill in naturally next year. I will add a picture of our side path that we did last year. The clover has indeed filled in nicely and it is staying nice and green with minimal water. You can see it on the left in the very back of the picture. The clover is about 30cm/1ft tall and is full of blooms.
#yardwork #diy #portalberni #alternativegrss #clover #bloomscrolling

Put in an hour tonight... practicing my rock stacking technique. The easier one first, around the intake bay. The sides are mostly sloped and there is a terrace where we can plant stuff. Ill bring the rocks up to the terrace to act as a barrier for the pebble to plant in.
#pondlife #poolpond #backyardPrpject #diy #rock #labour

the City just put in Stage 1 restrictions (we're very lucky here that we have abundant water resources, many places on Vancouver Island have restrictions almost immediately every summer)
So the clock is ticking! If we get to Stage 2 and I haven't filled the pond yet, I'll be prohibited from doing so until the rains come! We can only "top up" pools and ponds in Stage 2. And (god forbid) we get into Stage 3 or 4, the pond will have to be left to dry up. (at which point I would probably just use it as a watering source for the gardens)
I don't think we've ever reached Stage 3. The last time we got to Stage 2 was about 5 years ago I think, after the Heat Dome.
I would be surprised if we got to Stage 2 this year. It has been dry, but not excessively hot, so hopefully our resources can hold through August.
The good news is... I'm close to at least filling the intake bay and wetland filter.
Once the rest of the rock/pebble comes tomorrow I'll immediately start moving the rock into those two holes as quickly as I can, and once done, I'll start filling them with water so I can test out the pumps.
I might set up a temporary path for the water to recirculate through the intake bay and filter, avoiding the pond. That way those two parts can start to grow good-bacteria for the filter while I work on the big pond.
#pondlife #poolpond #backyardPrpject #diy #rock #labour

Pond plumbing dilemna. Any plumbers out there?
The pond will have two strong pumps moving water through the bog filter and around the pool.
One pump will be dedicated to the filter (long black pipe).
The 2nd pump will split duty between the filter and providing water for 3 to 5 emitters in the bottom of the pool and around the edges.
The main piping is black 2” flexible pipe plus some PVC Sched40.
Plumbing Question: Should I reduce diameter once (as pictured badly lol) when branching from the mainline and then have valves for each and long runs of smaller 3/4 or 1/2" line to each sprayer.
Or keep it to 2" throughout and reduce at the outlets?
I would rather have the valve controls centralized than have them spread about where the sprayers are (obv not an option for the bottom ones anyway)
#Pond #DIY #Plumbing #PoolPond #PortAlberni #Home #BackyardPond

The rock man came at 8:45 and we had the pile shifted from the alley by 10.
🪨 ☀️ 🥵 💪 🪏 🥵 ☀️ 🪨
PS. These tarps brought to you by #bclng #climatechange
#pondlife #poolpond #backyardPrpject #diy #rock #labour