Pond Liners: The hole story
Author: Doug Hoover
Sometimes I get calls from people who bought a new house with an old pond that has a big problem. The number one complaint is not satisfied, the second is that water is green, the third is that the rock work is ugly – a horror!
At this point I would like to know if its waterfalls and ponds are built on a pond line, and was surprised that I knew. However, eighty percent of all these types of calls are related to a coating pond and waterfall. We replaced more than $ 80,000 in bad sea basin. One customer in Rancho Bernardo, California, had spent $ 14,000 for a Koi pond and waterfall pond built by a large and highly respected local supply line of weapons. They complained of having to add water daily from the pond has been constructed in line a year ago.
The response of the pond liner installation was that the water loss was evaporation. The reservoir vessel was equipped with an automatic filling system manual and found the ignition solenoid every 15 minutes to reconstitute loss. Besides the loss of water boring, who can not take your fish for half the year disorders because of stinking green water. They said the pond is sending out dozens of times brews several dumped into the pond with a promise of amazing results. Results have been surprisingly well – our client has sued the lagoon line store and a contract with us.
The first thing I discovered that the volume liner pond is 8,000 gallons and the fall of the pump, 1000 gallons per hour. It took eight hours to run the total volume of the pond through the filter. Secondly, the filter was evaluated for a pond of 2000 gallons, not 8000. (The filters are generally overestimated by their manufacturers as it is.) Thirdly, ultraviolet light, also been observed for a pond of 2000 liters, which makes only a quarter of cash (based on your opinion) to control the growth of algae in suspension. Fourth Instead, because the pump was only 1,000 liters per hour, is not strong enough to either filter backwash, which requires four times the performance to be back-lit correctly.
Therefore, the filter was overloaded with the decomposition of waste that contribute to pollution of the line of pond. The fifth design defect was caused by large area of the lagoon, which was surrounded by several deciduous leaves left in the tank line. Needless to say there was no skimmer installed. Therefore, all this debris ended up rotting on the bottom of the pond, which contributes to the overload of nitrates and ammonia.
The sixth was discovered that the suction drain at the bottom was in the same order as the lining of the waterfall pond. Thus, water circulates between the water back the lagoon and the water running (a cascade flow.) Half of the line of pond functioning properly and has stagnated due to the nitrifying bacteria that do not get enough oxygen to do their job of breaking down the nitrites.
Now DO IT RIGHT
We have been asked to assess the state of the lining of the pond and determine the cost to correct problems. We out of the chute in the proof of the theory of evaporation layer and discovered (to fall) the pond has lost 25 to 30 gallons per day or 750 gallons per month! Installing a larger pump and UV filter does not solve all their problems.
I suggested that, since the manufacturer of the pool owner of a store of trust was involved, he should get a second opinion. He was convinced that through our reputation 22 years and 1,800 lakes under our belt (at the time), we knew what we were doing.
After finding a temporary home for fish, which drain line of the pond and quickly made two discoveries. As the water was extracted from the lake was a small waterfall in the development of effluent again through a hole in the layer created from a tree root. Moreover, the water flowed back through a loose seal around the bottom drain as fast as we could pump. (This situation continued for some time, revealing that hundreds of gallons of water stored in the sandy soil around the perimeter the lining of the pond due to the leakage current).
We offered to repair the leak and patch perforation defective and fill it again but the owner insisted we do well, using steel bars 3500 PSI, more concrete and skimmer. Unfortunately, no single element in the whole system could be reused in
new construction. Even PVC pipe has been abandoned since it was too small for the pump.
In the final analysis, because this project has been conceived and designed properly, the initial amount of 14,000 spent was totally lost. Replace all and to successfully install the client the cost of $ 17,000. The pond construction 3 / 8 "and ½" steel bars of 10 "on center with 4 ½" 3500 PSI concrete mix added fiber. The fiberglass was ugly cascade removed and replaced by a natural waterfall of real granite stone and concrete.
A slider is installed on the opposite side of the waterfall pond. The suction drains again (two anti-vortex drain in series to prevent the turtles or fish to be sucked against the drain) were placed on the opposite side of the pond of the waterfall to maximize traffic.
Then a Venturi valve was installed to add additional oxygen and create a circular current in the pond. This provides oxygenated water to all areas. A 6000-gallon biofilter was installed with two 180-watt UV lamps. The efficiency of high filter pump, which operates 24 hours a day, and is rated at 4800 gallons per hour.
We have installed a second bomb in the opinion allowing twice the volume of the many waterfalls in the application. Also is operated by a timer that comes twice a day for an hour. This keeps sediment moved in waterfalls and a pond with the filter in eliminating it. The slider now removes 90 percent of all debris from falling into the pond before being waterlogged and sink to the bottom.
The electronic control of water level, been installed in the pond in the previous owner was the only item that was reused in the new system. It is designed to add water to the pond automatically when is necessary due to normal water loss through evaporation and which accounts for about Bog producers in the adjacent soil.
This story has been repeated dozens of times in recent years. Fortunately, most of which were in a much smaller scale.
Most of our business is word of mouth, I imagine there many people who, knowing not who to call, simply gave up and became her source of water in a rock garden. Think twice before investing too much money in a line of pond. Ask the contractor for specific questions about the precautions to take against leaks caused by roots and insects. It also receives multiple offers of ponds and constructed concrete blocks, which usually cost only 20% more and can expect to last decades.
My last advice, be patient, take your time and thoroughly investigate the contractor and their demands.
An ounce of prevention …
About the author:
Douglas C. Hoover cascade Master Builder Corp. CEO Aquamedia freelance writer, architect, inventor, engineer, designer and manufacturer of more 1,900 waterfall and ponds in California or in the past 26 years.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Title = "Indoor Pond: The story of the hole"> internal Pond: The hole story
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