Ponds?
- Thread starter sparkkky
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JerryG
Super Member
Unless you have sand or very loose dirt, it would be very hard on a tractor to dig that much. A loader is really not designed for digging, just loading of moving. Some have had pretty good luck with a tooth bar, but it is still hard on your tractor if the earth is packed or rocky.
I agree with Jerry.
Digging a pond would also probably require much more reach than you'll get with the loader when you need to do the sides.
Most loaders really only dig a little down at a time, even with a toothbar, and it's really not the proper function of the tool. I would expect that damage will result before a pond of any real size is dug.
And even if no damage occurs, you'll have a very hard time digging out enough to make a "real" pond. John
Digging a pond would also probably require much more reach than you'll get with the loader when you need to do the sides.
Most loaders really only dig a little down at a time, even with a toothbar, and it's really not the proper function of the tool. I would expect that damage will result before a pond of any real size is dug.
And even if no damage occurs, you'll have a very hard time digging out enough to make a "real" pond. John
johndeere2210
Gold Member
I have done dirt work with my FEL and used the RM tiller to loosen the soil. The tiller makes good ballast for the FEL. I guess the question I have is how big will the pond be and how much time can be invested? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
have_blue
Veteran Member
Hi sparkkky,
I'm digging a 400'X150' pond with a FEL. However, you can't really "dig" much with a FEL. I'm doing the actual digging with a 66" disk harrow. I make 2 or 3 passes and powder up the entire pond bottom 4-5" deep with the disk, then put on a box blade and push it up into "windrows", then scoop it up with the FEL and remove it from the pond. I'm only doing this until all the topsoil is gone. I will have someone else dig the final 4-5' feet with proper equipment. Even salvaging the topsoil in my medium sized pond is a monumental job, and I do not recommend it unless you are obsessed. Think about it, only 2 feet of depth in my pond equal 2.8 acre-feet, or 4517 yards of dirt! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I'm digging a 400'X150' pond with a FEL. However, you can't really "dig" much with a FEL. I'm doing the actual digging with a 66" disk harrow. I make 2 or 3 passes and powder up the entire pond bottom 4-5" deep with the disk, then put on a box blade and push it up into "windrows", then scoop it up with the FEL and remove it from the pond. I'm only doing this until all the topsoil is gone. I will have someone else dig the final 4-5' feet with proper equipment. Even salvaging the topsoil in my medium sized pond is a monumental job, and I do not recommend it unless you are obsessed. Think about it, only 2 feet of depth in my pond equal 2.8 acre-feet, or 4517 yards of dirt! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
MarkV
Super Member
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2000
- Messages
- 5,636
- Location
- Cedartown, Ga and N. Ga mountains
- Tractor
- 1998 Kubota B21, 2005 Kubota L39
Maybe a small shallow pond if the soil conditions were right. The problem is that if the soil conditions are such that a small tractor with loader can move enough dirt for a pond the same soil most likely will not hold water. Different areas of the country are different so it is hard to say without knowing where you are. Here we have a lot of clay and the compacted clay is what seals the pond. Some areas clay is brought in and spread to make a seal to keep the water in. Then again in parts of Florida the water table is so high any hole in the ground becomes a pond. Their problem is keeping the water out long enough so you can do the digging. You wouldn’t think it at first but there are a lot of holes in the ground that are suppose to be ponds and just could not be sealed well enough to hold water.
MarkV
MarkV
GregJ
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2002
- Messages
- 708
- Location
- Washington
- Tractor
- Kubota B2301/LA435FEL/BH70 ; John Deere X350
Sparkkky,
I did a job for a neighbor a couple summers ago. It started out as a small favor and ended up being 2 ponds with a 150' stream (with a fork) connecting them. Both ponds are small, and I do have a BH, but most of the work was done with the FEL. It was in hard clay and would have been impossible without a toothbar. For rough excavation, the FEL seems to work fine. I use my BH for the more precise work. I was able to create the exact shapes that the landscaper was calling for with the BH. It would have been possible with the FEL, but not quite as clean and precise a shape. I have attached a photo of the upper pond. I have a few more photos if your interested. They have landscaped this whole area since these pictures were taken and it really is beautiful.
Greg
I did a job for a neighbor a couple summers ago. It started out as a small favor and ended up being 2 ponds with a 150' stream (with a fork) connecting them. Both ponds are small, and I do have a BH, but most of the work was done with the FEL. It was in hard clay and would have been impossible without a toothbar. For rough excavation, the FEL seems to work fine. I use my BH for the more precise work. I was able to create the exact shapes that the landscaper was calling for with the BH. It would have been possible with the FEL, but not quite as clean and precise a shape. I have attached a photo of the upper pond. I have a few more photos if your interested. They have landscaped this whole area since these pictures were taken and it really is beautiful.
Greg
Attachments
Steve_Miller
Veteran Member
I dug this one ten years ago with my B7200. It took me four weeks straight after work every day, about 3-4 hours per day. Its only three feet deep in the deepest part. It is all clay except for the top foot or so. It started out as just removing topsoil to make my lawn.
Happy Holidays
Steve
Happy Holidays
Steve
