arbutus tree standing about 9 feet tall beside a wire cedar post fence
A small bud on a branch
Last photos! The arbutus is doing great!!
I am a little worries that the damage it suffered from rutting deer yeaterday will lead to disease. 🤞
But the hazelnut tree is budding!
#poolPond #Gardening #Spring #PortAlberni #Home #Pond #PandemicPond
a small plum tree grows with the pond in the background
A wide photo of the now empty spot with a puddle of muddy water where the blue tarp was with the large rocks now orderly along the edge of the pond
The pump bay has been emptied of water.
rocks moved!
Managed to move the last of the larger rock off the blue tarp and spread it around the top of the pond. A tiny hope of mine is that this could be enough to stabilize the liner so that when I empty it of its (quickly algae-ifying) rain water […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
a small rhubarb clump grows in a garden box
a daffodil blooms at the base of a tree surrounded by black rubber liner
A few little buds start at the end of a small branch.
Things are growing in the backyard despite the continues #poolPond chaos.
Rhubarb is sprouting fast. A daffodil held on near the hazelnut tree even with all the disturbances.
And the young plum tree is budding!
#Gardening #Spring #PortAlberni #Home #Pond #PandemicPond
I'm getting hyped up to shovel rocks into our new garden cart tomorrow.
No really, i think it’ll be kinda therapeutic, even if it hurts a lot afterward. lol
It's been hard to even think about the #poolpond and the next steps for it, let alone do […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
a snap from the webcam shows a new lump on the left of a blue tarp covering all of the wood piled in one place, mosved away from the back and left side of the yard. The pond is partially filled with water. The back of yhe yard has a few areas covered in small and mid size gravel
#poolpond progress today as we approach spring. Need to clear out the backyard enough so I can get a local guy with a mini bulldozer to soread out and flatten out the dirt mountain.
I came to a realization over the winter that leaving the lining as is […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
@cageyratfish.bsky.social the #poolpond is in full overflowing mode. It's actually crazy how much rain!
And this my friends is why our #pandemicpond and #poolpond will never, ever, be connected to the house water system! Directly or with a ‘sensor' system, never. Ever.
If the pond looks a little low... you top it up from a rain barrel, or a tap... or you let it go low and wait for rain.
$6000 […]
looking down into some gravel with some fallen brown leaves in the middle of the picture is a open 4 inch pipe with water nearly at the top of it and a smaller corrugated pipe and electrical cable going down in. There is a red handled pipe wrench beside and the cap is just above it.
I don't thibk I have twisted off the cap for the cleanout since I bought the whole assembly... 5months? I only slide the end into the pipe in August so hadn't needed to screw off the cap. It took some leverage/persuasion to turn it.
But I was […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
yesterday afternoon before I put the pump in the pond it was full to the brim with plenty of leaves floating on the surface.
this morning pond is a large empty hole again with some rocks, layered and piled along the side lots of leaves
emptied the pond overnight. We have had so much rain this past month! All are full. I am going to drain it all and keep it drained until I get the pumps wired and can habe them installed and running. Don't want the water to get stale and unhealthy.
I […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
A young arbutus tree pokes out from behind a fence post
A row of posts line the side between two houses
Two large round holes waiting for cement and posts for the front gate. They are very near the front pond.
Looking down the south side of the fence, more fence posts are propped up waiting for cement. These posts already have fencing in them as there is existing plants on the fence.
some closeups provided by my lovely partner-in-crime.
We made a gap for the arbutus tree to grow into :)
New fence posts always remind me of soldiers when they have the supports holding them up.
#PoolPond #Fence #BackyardProject
A capture from the webcam shows the backyard. There are new tall yellow cedar posts standing in regular intervals along the perimeter. The pond has bout 1ft of water in it.
There be posts!
They're going to reuse part of the back fence and both gates there since they are still in good shape. The bare posts look so gigantic. lol. The finished fence will be 6.5-7ft... but who wouldn't want a 10ft wall of wire lol
Looks like […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
A gaping hole in the dark of the morning. It is a large round hole beside a cement path. There is a tree branch visible with small leaves. The scene is dimly lit.
got home in the dark last night and left in the dark this morning but there has been #poolpond progress in my absence!
The fence builders started!
They augered post holes. They managed to not cut any pipes or wires in the frontyard pond... the holes […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
looking down the fence line. A
a look out from the diamond at skydome in toronto
Alejandro Kirk rounds third!!
Had to detach some of the existing fencing drommthe posts so we can keep it without losing any of the greenery already establsihed.
Now that that is done. BASEBALL ⚾️
go Jays!!
and as I type... GRAND SLAM
#poolpond i #grandslam #mlb #bluejays #toronto #canada
A little rearranging in the backyard to get stuff away from the fence lines. Builders coming on Wednesday for our new 6.5ft fence and gates!!! Eeee!!
(must keep kids out per-water-bylaw, and also discourage the munchy deer friends!)
A little rainy […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
where I left off last week. Just the far end was mostly full up to 3/4. Leas along the wall of the pool
End of day today. Rearranged in a few places, but much higher along the sides.
Looking from above, the foot of the rock wall now comes to about the halfway point in the pond. There are also large rocks around the base of the return pipes.
Looking from the far end you can see the full height of the rick wall on the right taking shape.
Today's #poolpond progress building the inner rock wall. Rock stacking. 🪨 🪨 🪨
#diy #backyardProject #pondlife #rocks
A rock wall along the end of the pond goes about 3/4 of the way up the height of the pond.
All rocks that are to be moved today have been moved. There are still more but that will be for another day.
Almost got the back wall and stairs done!
#poolpond #diy #backyardProject #watergarden #pond #pondlife
the first of three identical shots with rocks being set against the pond liner on the far end of the pond. There are two or three layers of rocks.
Same picturw bow with 3 or 4 layers and stretching closer to the camera on the sides. The rocks also come uo below the yellow milk crate
More rocks up to 4 deep all the way around the bottom of the pond.
pick up a rock
clean a rock
move a rock
place a rock
pick up a rock
clean a rock
move a rock
place a rock
#poolpond #diy #backyardProject #watergarden #pond #pondlife
I'll look at the finished manifold shows three valves. They are bright red. The black hose comes from them intake, bay, and curls to back towards the main pond. It enters the manifold which then splits it into two returns into the main pond and one that goes to the filter around the tree.
Looking from the other end of the pond towards manifold, you can see the piping of white PVC angled down into the bottom of the pond
Head on view of the manifold, shows the pipe coming up out of the bottom of the pond into the manifold and under pipe coming down and stopping about 1/3 of the way down. This will go towards the right and come around the top portion of the pond, but all underwaterto provide sprayers on the other side.
2/2 Then it was time to decide exactly how to create the manifold to direct the return water back into the pond or into the filter. I decided that I wanted the manifold to be well within upon liner in case anything was leaking so I cut the black tube […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
A picture of the perforated PVC pipe lying on a bed of gravel at the bottom of the pond. This is buried underneath the gravel.
I am holding in my hand, a 3-D printed replica of the fitting that goes onto the pump and allows a 2 inch black PVC pipe to Connect.
A look at the yellow milk crate that houses the second pump which is inside of the main pond. it is positioned about halfway up the side of the pond in a small recess in the wall. There is a black hose that comes up from the bottom of the pond into the crate and connects to the pump through a small hole. There are round rocks inside the crate, weighing it down and keeping thepump secure. There is a black pipe, curling up from the crate that is attached to the top of the pump and takes the water away and towards the main filter pond.
1/2 It feels like forever since I was working on the pond, even though it's only been a week.
The bottom plumbing is now officially done. I drilled holes into the intake pipe for the main pond return pump.
That I used some 3-D printed replicas of the […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
The pool pond has gravel in the bottom now. There is a line of rocks along the edge closest to the camera before it goes down into the hole.
Looking down at the bottom stair. The yellow crate for the second pump is sticking into the side of the pond. on the far side. On the near side we see two lines of larger rocks arranged along the edge of the pond and bottom stair with gravel surrounding them.
a closeup of the bottom stair with four rocks along the bottom of the pond edge and four more along the stair edge. The pond liber has lots of creases and edges as it has not been pulled tight.
thank god it wasn't too hot today (only27°C). It still felt like a million degrees in the hole as I pulled and shifted and adjusted the pond liner so it would lay flush against all the contours of the hole and gradual locking it in place with the gravel […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
A view from Labour Day 2024. Shows the digger sitting behind the freshly dug pool pond hole.
A current photo shows the ponds empty. With the liners exposed.
A close-up of me holding to 2 inch pipe caps drilled with many small holes. In the background is the bottom of the pond. The hose from the second pump is visible going down into the bottom of the pond from the yellow crate
Along view of the newly emptied pond shows pebble spread over about 1/3 of the bottom of the hole covering some of the pipe for the sprayers
Progress.
Attachments and hose lengths made final for the second pump. Caps drilled with holes for each return bottom outlet. Three loads of gravel dumped into the #poolpond for the floor. Then I realized there was a section of the wall near the yellow […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
A look into the main depression of the pond. The water is a few feet down from the top. The bottom is clearly visible.
Now that we have had our brief bit of fun with the #poolpond, it’s time to drain it so work on completing it can continue! It took just over 12 hours for my little spare pond pump to empty the main pond of about 80% of its water.
It will be empty by […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
A large cube watering tank is underneath of our deck. There is a small hose going to the top of it.
The hole sneaking along the ground towards the pond
The red digital display shows 24 W power on the pump
managed to convince the little pump I am using to empty the ponds to get water all the way over to the 1000 L water tank to use for watering everything while we are on restrictions
Turn the pump on low. It's now at 23 W.
#pondlife #poolPond #BackyardProject #water
my leg and foot outstretched toward the water
The daughter and mother floating.
The water is surprisingly chilly but on 35°C day, it is absolutely perfect.
SUCCESS
#poolpond #backyardproject #pondlife #portalberni #hot #summer
A Spanish flag hangs from a pole against the clear blue sky. It is over a grape arbour on the corner of a house.
different flag today. 🇪🇸 #poolpond #backyardproject #pondlife #portalberni #hot #summer
Oranges and lemon slices float in a dark red liquid inside a large jug. There is a red bottle of wine on the stove and a bottle of dark rum on the counter.
and since it is a poolpond day surey that also means SANGRIA
#poolpond #backyardproject #pondlife #portalberni #hot #summer
I’ll look at the pond from the stairs, shows the filter pond emptying into the pool pond. There are some new rocks and gravel along the edges of the pool pond particularly near the entrance to the intake bay. There is a cluster of three chairs along the nearest corner.
Feels like a #poolpond day.
But first… need to get Sangria mixings!
#poolpond #backyardproject #pondlife #portalberni #hot #summer
A mishmash of fittings
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 […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
A black hose is connected to a white PVCT junction. It is lying on the ground beside a rubber mallet.
A ball valve with a red handle sits on the arm of a green lawn bench that is sitting in the water of the pond filter. There are two black hoses coming into the filter. One is connected. Just follow the surface to PVC pipe horizontally. Another is connected verticallyto a PVC pipe beside it. The top of the filter is filled with gravel with some large stones.
i'll look at the final Connections shows the red ball valves on top connected with an elbow to the top of the T. The inlet pipes are connected to the stem of T. Just below the surface of the water.
Wide shot shows the three ponds
plumbing adjustments
I tried every combination of elbow and T junction with the pump flowing at low and high speed to figure out which way looked best and directed the most water down to the bottom of the filter.
The conclusion was that there didn't […]
[Original post on mstdn.chrisalemany.ca]
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 […]
