me new bigger pond

[difflock]

20 minutes ago, MattyF said:

Is the water dropping much in the finally the lack of rain we have had ?
Are the trout Triploids?

Not noticably, but I really must install a rudimentary depth gauge.

And yes triploids.

[difflock]

21 minutes ago, AJStrees said:

Clay ponds are good if done well. Not that I have ever built one. I look after one and the dam needs some good repair and with the recent continuous rain some of the dam washed away so had to do  clay repair to stop the water running out. 

 

I take it you had a contractor in to put in a clay base and make it water tight? It will I am sure become a good place for an improved wildlife population which is always a commendable thing to do for the environment. 

Nope, the impervious "blue" clay underlies the peat in this area, i.e. where we built the house had been  "rank moss", but long since cut-out for peats(turf), so the remaining 500-600mm or so of peat was to be entirely removed, then the underlying clay scooped out and built up to form the banks, with said banks built entirely on the stripped clay base, i.e. not incorporating any peat beneath them, never mind the tile drain! .

It should have been a simple straightforward operation  .  .  .

Edited March 26, 2020 by difflock

[AJStrees]

5 minutes ago, difflock said:

Nope, the impervious "blue" clay underlies the peat in this area, i.e. where we built the house had been  "rank moss", but long since cut-out for peats(turf), so the remaining 500-600mm or so of peat was to be entirely removed, then the underlying clay scooped out and built up to form the banks.

It should have been a simple straightforward operation  .  .  .

I see. No contract of works to make sure he did do what he was supposed to do before paying? Only asking, not trying to wind you up further to be fair. 

 

Some things are just better done by yourself even if it takes a bit longer. But if it isn't lowering noticeably now then hopefully its not too bad.

 

On another note there seem to be differing ideas of what is good or bad to have in the pond. Back in the day there seemed to be no understanding of the value or logs or other things being in the pond, but in fact for biodiversity reasons logs and other things in the pond make quite a big difference to what species and insects end up being able to live in the pond and surrounding area. 

[AJStrees]

With all the heavy rain over the last few months we had to lower the level of the pond as it was getting way too high. You can see how much water was coming in on a regular basis with this photo. 

[openspaceman]

36 minutes ago, difflock said:

clay scooped out and built up to form the banks, with said banks built entirely on the stripped clay base,

I've a pond which was excavated in chalk on the woodland I volunteer on, it was lined with clay but plainly leaks as it empties in the summer. how deep does the clay have to be to seal a pond?

[dumper]

1 hour ago, openspaceman said:

I've a pond which was excavated in chalk on the woodland I volunteer on, it was lined with clay but plainly leaks as it empties in the summer. how deep does the clay have to be to seal a pond?

I try for 300 MM minimum  very well compacted, sheeps foot roller is ideal, timing is crucial clay needs to be dry enough to not rut  but wet enough to squeeze tight you cannot over compact the clay. Also dig a cut of trench round the outside of the pond 600 MM deeper than the pond base excavate soil then back fill and compact to cut land drains and stop leaks from old roots etc.

Edited March 26, 2020 by dumper
Spelling

[difflock]

No paperwork, it should not have been needed in this local community, and despite making enquiries locally, and indeed furthur afield, for a D6 Bulldozer, after about 2 lost years, I ended up using the local firm that I have used this past 20 odd years, but they have grown too large, the son who runs the business was away on honeymoon, I did not get the particular operator I had specified, and the "main man" on the job was the "canny" father who spent as much time on a mobile ph running the business in his sons absence, combined with them choosing to turn up when it was raining/too wet and then machinery breakdowns and oddball short days/part days. 

All in all the perfect shitstorm, which was why I cut back on my planned larger size and chased them away.

But the invoice was only? for £1825.00 plus VAT.

We had a site meeting to discuss very recently, and they could see no issues with their work, or work ethic!

I will , I suppose, pay the dammned invoice, which I only got a couple of weeks ago, despite my repeated requests for same to get squared up.

I have since switched to using another local "one man band"(with a selection of different sized diggers), at least that way I know who I will be getting in the drivers seat, and he invoices promptly with all supporting documentation.

Edited March 27, 2020 by difflock

[difflock]

9 hours ago, AJStrees said:

With all the heavy rain over the last few months we had to lower the level of the pond as it was getting way too high. You can see how much water was coming in on a regular basis with this photo. 

I am most envious!

[AJStrees]

11 hours ago, difflock said:

No paperwork, it should not have been needed in this local community, and despite making enquiries locally, and indeed furthur afield, for a D6 Bulldozer, after about 2 lost years, I ended up using the local firm that I have used this past 20 odd years, but they have grown too large, the son who runs the business was away on honeymoon, I did not get the particular operator I had specified, and the "main man" on the job was the "canny" father who spent as much time on a mobile ph running the business in his sons absence, combined with them choosing to turn up when it was raining/too wet and then machinery breakdowns and oddball short days/part days. 

All in all the perfect shitstorm, which was why I cut back on my planned larger size and chased them away.

But the invoice was only? for £1825.00 plus VAT.

We had a site meeting to discuss very recently, and they could see no issues with their work, or work ethic!

I will , I suppose, pay the dammned invoice, which I only got a couple of weeks ago, despite my repeated requests for same to get squared up.

I have since switched to using another local "one man band"(with a selection of different sized diggers), at least that way I know who I will be getting in the drivers seat, and he invoices promptly with all supporting documentation.

Quite right. Well I hope it all works out well in the end. Despite all that though you will have a pond.

 

Do you fish? 

 

 

[AJStrees]

11 hours ago, difflock said:

I am most envious!

Well that is on the site I work at. I wish I could own such a good thing. But having worked here for 20 years or so I sort of consider I own it a bit. At least I can look after it and know I helped. It's a 2.5 acre pond manmade as a boating lake back in the day. Trouble is there aren't any boats anymore and at some time someone took down the old boathouse so some of the historic features aren't there anymore. 

 

Maybe one day I can get the boat house built and get a few boats back on the pond.