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

*tenting fingers*
Excellent.

Time to see a man about some stones. #poolpond
(Before it is 30°C!)

Going out for some pond building parts but had to take a break at the c̓uumaʕas river (su-u-ma-as) to watch the fishers coming in from a morning of sockeye salmon fishing.
Lots of sounds of Bald Eagles in the distance. Probably in the trees across the river looking for a fish to snatch up.

check out the pro trailer parking with the offset stalls.
#portalberni #poolpond

The pumps came!

Welp. Was going to take advantage of the rare vacation day on a work day between the weekend and Canada Day to go buy rocks for the #poolpond but turns out the local rock/cement place is taking the day off too. Fair.

I took the trailer for a bath at the car wash instead and got the watering done before the heat sets in today.

Maybe later I will go get some lengths of pipe. But I sense a swim in the lake. #today #canadaday

What are you up to today? Day off, or slaving for The Man?

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?

The reason to reduce is mostly cost. This is a big space, long runs. I’ll be needing a good 200-300ft of pipe

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)

#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

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

Earth Day Accomplishment
Here is our new Plum Tree. ("Early Italian Plum" variety)

I had actually forgot yesterday that it was Earth Day today. So while I was a little disappointed I didn't get this done yesterday, it turned into a nice memorable Earth Day addition.

Love planting trees. It's like planting hope every time. :)

It is mounded for now because that will be the height of the yard once I move more of PondPool Mountain around.
#backyard #poolpond #earthday #fruit #tree