I finally started my pond

[bindian]

I read where cat litter works like bentonite. Google bentonite and found that Texas was the closest place to buy 50 lb bags from Pennsylvania.

PAGUY,
This clay was mined near Alpine Texas.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Good luck with the bentonite, Brandi. I hope it does the job for you. I really like the color your water is now, but that is probably not enough to keep down algae, so you may have to add some more dye.

Jim,
I am okay with that color, but so is the algae. I have not put enough in yet to get it a true "lake blue". I am afraid to add too much at one time after putting too much algaecide in after the pond filled and had a mass catfish kill.
I need to add a little more now as I see algae sneaking up again. Your online recipe by adding cornmeal works great also. With it, I don't have to add a lot of man made chemicals.
I am happy with what the Bentonite has done. I do have 23 more bags, so I think I will do a second dose before putting the pier boards back in place.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Who is they?

I don't understand how that will accomplish anything. Betonite works by expanding when wet, and filling any voids that might be there. You have to apply enough of it to get the job done, which is why it's expensive, and you have to mix it in with your existing soil.

In everything that I've read about it, it takes quite a bit to work, and they always disk it in to mix it with the existing soil.

It's not garanteed to work, it just improves the soils ability to hold water. Compaction and existing quality of the clay is still the most important factor to holding water.

Eddie

Eddie,
They are Texas Sodium Bentonite.
Texas Sodium Bentonite -
Disking is the preferred method of using Bentonite. They told me with my problem I did not have to drain the pond down. I was told to broadcast at a rate of 8 pounds per square foot. Think of it like putting pepper in a radiator leak. It may or may not be sucked into an opening and "plug" and swell in the hole.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Has anyone had any experience with Dwarf Cattails? I am thinking of buying some of these Bog Plants - Dwarf Cattail
for the far side of my pond. They grow in 6-12 inches of water, so I would need to cut the bank back for a planting shelf. This shoreline has a shelf down about 5 feet already. What do Y'all think? Do the Dwarf's spread or stay where you plant them?

Oh yeah, I haven't put any Blue dye in the pond in a few months. Right now it is a shade of green with a layer of pollen on the surface. I am hoping now this green shade will stay and I won't have to dye the water any longer.
hugs, Brandi

 

[EddieWalker]

No experience, but consider a cattail to be a potential nightmare plant no matter the size. If you do it, plant it in a heavy duty platic bin to contain the roots. Once it spreads, it will take over.

Eddie

 

[pacerron]

Has anyone had any experience with Dwarf Cattails? I am thinking of buying some of these Bog Plants - Dwarf Cattail
for the far side of my pond. They grow in 6-12 inches of water, so I would need to cut the bank back for a planting shelf. This shoreline has a shelf down about 5 feet already. What do Y'all think? Do the Dwarf's spread or stay where you plant them?

Oh yeah, I haven't put any Blue dye in the pond in a few months. Right now it is a shade of green with a layer of pollen on the surface. I am hoping now this green shade will stay and I won't have to dye the water any longer.
hugs, Brandi

If you do they should be planted in pots.
Keep them in Texas please. The cattails up here are really tuff to pull and any poison that will kill them is not safe for pond use.

 

[bindian]

I have started a second pond and you can view it's thread here Instant Pond
hugs, Brandi

 

[Fidler4]

Great thread. I spent the last 2 days reading all 33 pages. I am looking forward to Brandi Pond the Sequal.

 

[bindian]

Great thread. I spent the last 2 days reading all 33 pages. I am looking forward to Brandi Pond the Sequal.

Fidler4,
Your wish is my command........... http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/251326-instant-pond.html
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

I added blue dye to the pond today. It is kinda pretty. So as of now, we have two red ear slider turtles in the pond. Last year, during a huge rain and flood, a 3-4 inch diameter slider was washed into the pond. It was the pond's first turtle. I named it Number One. As in first turtle. The rain two weeks ago washed another one into the pond. It is about 1.5 inches in diameter. We named him (or her) Two Bit or Half Dollar. Either one fits.

hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

I have been monitoring the pond leaking water past the overflow culvert. A week ago Friday, I noticed water bubbling in the middle of my driveway. I immediately drained the pond down and starting digging around the overflow culvert's end concrete. I put concrete around it when I realized the culvert was too low, and I didn't want to raise the culvert. I spliced in, an end plug on the culvert and cut out the top. I sealed all the splice seams with concrete. Then I built a form and poured concrete. This has worked for 8 years.

But while I am working enlarging the island pond, the ducks have made the small pond their nightly home. They have dabbled all around the dam and the concrete.

So, last Saturday, I dug the dam out around the culvert behind the existing concrete and install forms for concrete. Nothing is square as I was in a hurry to get the concrete poured before dark. Besides, it will all be covered with dirt.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Last Sunday, I removed the forms and filled the pond just below the new work. I added white stones around the base of the existing concrete to prevent the ducks from dabbling.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

I was able to fill and pack in around the new and old concrete yesterday.

Then I filled the pond to leak check the overflow culvert. So far, this morning, no leaks noted. You can see the one corner that is not level with the water. This was level when first installed, 8 years ago.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Been awhile since I posted. Here are the ponds a couple of weeks ago when we had record temps., ice, and snow. This was Monday, the 15th of Feb.

The last day of the freeze, the small pond froze over. Here are the ducks getting used to the ice. It was Friday, the 19th.

They are so funny getting their ice legs. I have a video on my phone where they are flying from the uniced large pond to the small pond. They landed and skied. One drake lost his balance and went down on one leg slidding on his belly.
hugs, Brandi

 

[sandman2234]

I can only imagine how they feel when they expect a nice smooth landing and the touch down is hard and slick!

 

[bindian]

The second time I got them to fly from the large pond to the small pond, they flew over it and landed at my feet.
hugs, Brandi