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    Thread: Redman's Big Dig...

    1. #101
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      More Diggin'...

      Well I actually got a nice cool day to go out in the pond and get back to digging. So i took advantage of it, threw a coat on the Boy and we got to work. But first we had to clear a few stray toys who made their way in the pit.

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      While I was digging Bennett grabbed the camera and started snapping away…

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      Actually started off good at first, but then he floated off into his own little world and started snapping randoms… Ah the world through the eyes of a child….

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      Took a pic of him with my phone...Too fun…

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      So I took the camera from him after he decided to get a little too close to the rocks with the lens.

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      And got a few more pics of him, he found a rock and a little spiky ball… lol

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      And he threw them…

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      After a bit, he lost interest in the dig… seems like everyone around here is, so we decided to hire that excavation crew I said I would never get…

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      Took a bit of a break to play with him, nothing like old metal Tonkas and good old fashioned dirt!!!
      Also had some time to do his own excavating in the sand box…

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      Pretty much stopped digging and took him out to ride his little bike around a bit.

      We did manage to have a small accident today though, I knew it was coming and luckily it happened after he was riding bike so he was wearing a his helmet… He fell in the hole, flat on his butt... Usually things don't bug this little guy too much. He's a tank, but this one shook him up for a sec… even left a nice little scratch on his lower back… but after I got him up and out of the whole, patted off the dirt, had him walk to make sure nothing was broken, he was all smiles again….

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      So I went work and he went back to snapping pics…

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      Managed to find another gigantic rock and after I dug it out and lifted it out I called it a day…

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      Had to dig down 5' to pry it out but I got it… and I'm at 4' minus my step out area!!!

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      Stay tuned….

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    2. #102
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      Great thread! I love your humor, attitude, and determination. That little guy is adorable and lucky to have you. Keep up the great work my man!

    3. #103
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      Thumbs up O Yea


    4. #104
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      Hey, I thought you said you weren't going to use any heavy equipment.
      Attached Images Attached Images  
      people like to vehemently defend their purchases and find it incredulous that anything could be better

    5. #105
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      If you forgo the step out area, a nice birdman drop in liner would fit perfectly.

    6. #106
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      Quote Originally Posted by Jaymeseywaymsey View Post
      If you forgo the step out area, a nice birdman drop in liner would fit perfectly.
      Haha my step out area is only there to allow acess when digging I'm going to digg it out last.... I'm buying all my other stuff from Steve so I'll have to talk to him about his drop ins although I like the flexibility of extra liner.

    7. #107
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      Quote Originally Posted by Russell Peters View Post
      Hey, I thought you said you weren't going to use any heavy equipment.
      How else would I dig to china?

    8. #108
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      Quote Originally Posted by Redman8102 View Post
      Haha my step out area is only there to allow acess when digging I'm going to digg it out last.... I'm buying all my other stuff from Steve so I'll have to talk to him about his drop ins although I like the flexibility of extra liner.
      Why not dig an extra 4' or so and include the filter pit. Put up a block wall tied into the upper exposed walls and just pour a concrete slab. Drop in liner with flagstone coping and your pit is part of the pond. Run your tpr and bottom drain plumbing and install your bulkheads. No folds, nothing to clean up later.

    9. #109
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      Quote Originally Posted by Jaymeseywaymsey View Post
      Why not dig an extra 4' or so and include the filter pit. Put up a block wall tied into the upper exposed walls and just pour a concrete slab. Drop in liner with flagstone coping and your pit is part of the pond. Run your tpr and bottom drain plumbing and install your bulkheads. No folds, nothing to clean up later.
      Well my filter pit is going to go right behind the right width of the pond with about 2 feet of earth seperating... I plan on using retaining wall block to support the earth on the pit side and using grey gravel to fill and level the bottom of the pit....

      The pit depth will only be 2' into earth as the totes are only 4' tall I believe. I plan on covering with wood and tieing the walls into the walls of the pond somehow for added stability...

    10. #110
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      Quote Originally Posted by Redman8102 View Post
      Well my filter pit is going to go right behind the right width of the pond with about 2 feet of earth seperating... I plan on using retaining wall block to support the earth on the pit side and using grey gravel to fill and level the bottom of the pit....

      The pit depth will only be 2' into earth as the totes are only 4' tall I believe. I plan on covering with wood and tieing the walls into the walls of the pond somehow for added stability...

      I should have been specific: 4' in additional length. Have you decided on filtration specifics?

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    11. #111
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      Quote Originally Posted by Jaymeseywaymsey View Post
      I should have been specific: 4' in additional length. Have you decided on filtration specifics?
      I got what you were saying but I'm trying to avoid building a block wall... And would rather have the 2' of earth retained by block on the pit side ....

      My filter specifics are ;

      A 4" koi toilet aerated bottom drain feeding a 275 gallon SC with added mechanical filtration... From there it will leave the tote, the 3" water way skimmer will tie into this line by way of a T and reducer, the line will then feed into an esm8500 with a 3"priming pot. From there the pump will feed an evo 55 UV filter the UV will feed a manifold with 3 tprs one line will feed a DIY shower filled with feather rock... The other two lines will each have a Birdman S/G filter and will be set up to create a rotation upon return...

      I would eventually like to incorporate a protein skimmer into the system and be able to afford cermedia as well to add after the feather rock, as well as lithaqua somewhere...
      But that's all after the fact.
      Last edited by Redman8102; 03-27-2014 at 01:18 PM.

    12. #112
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      That filter setup is somewhat similar to mine. It appears you have quite a few trees around, so I'm wondering if you're planning on pulling the basket out of the waterway and letting the priming pot catch it. My skimmer line is a waterway modified to 4" and I'm a bit concerned that the 3" is a bit constrictive as it comes in to the T with the settling chamber before the priming pot. I assume with a 3" priming pot it will be the large size, but you still may be emptying it quite a bit in spring/fall. I would be sure that the very top of the priming pot is at or above pond level so you don't lose a lot of water when you take the top off to empty the basket. Also, I'd be sure to have clean outs near that junction of the 3" skimmer line to the 4" settling chamber supply to the pump.

      My thinking is that as the priming pot leaf basket gets full and the flow slows, the 3 and 4" T may be a spot that tends to get clogged. I would also suggest a way to adjust the supply between skimmer and bottom drain, because the bottom drain under pressure and 4" will supply a lot more water and possible squeeze off the supply from the near pond level skimmer.

    13. #113
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      Well my thought (and Steve's) with the priming pot was to aid incase I got tired of cleaning the skimmer out... Honestly I plan on netting the pond with the sports netting that's rated for 200lbs when the pond isn't in show mode....

      Hopefully this will ease my worries about neighborhoods kids falling in when nobody is around, and predators .... Since it's going to be a wooden frame I'm planning on installing eyelets to ease installation and removal of the netting... The netting should help with leaves too.

      Ive never thought about installing the pump above water level... But what about a ball valve, or 3" knife valve to block that line before the pump... Also what about using a 3" line as the outlet of the SC ?
      Last edited by Redman8102; 03-27-2014 at 08:40 PM.

    14. #114
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      Well my thought (and Steve's) with the priming pot was to aid incase I got tired of cleaning the skimmer out... Honestly I plan on netting the pond with the sports netting that's rated for 200lbs when the pond isn't in show mode....

      Hopefully this will ease my worries about neighborhoods kids falling in when nobody is around, and predators .... Since it's going to be a wooden frame I'm planning on installing eyelets to ease installation and removal of the netting...the netting should help with leaves too.

      Ive never thought about installing the pump above water level... But what about a ball valve, or 3" knife valve to block that line before the pump... Also what about using a 3" line as the outlet of the SC ?

    15. #115
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      Any updates on the dig ?

    16. #116
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      Long awaited update… day…. whatever…LOL

      Well Its been a long time since I started this dig… And a LOng way past my original finish date… Wanted to have it done by April 11th (My Birthday)….

      Lets go ahead and get all the excuses out of the way real fast… First off we were hit with some torrential down pours that basically filled the pond and stopped me for a while.

      Secondly, As you all are well aware red clay is pretty sturdy at holding form, but alas… water always wins… especially with nothing retaining the dirt… so my hole had a minor cave in that wouldn't have happened had I got off and finished the pond. So I added studs to the retaining wall and screwed down some treated ply, 3/4" I believe… ANd It has been holding quite well since even with a few more down pours.

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      Should also note that I needed a way for my above ground portion of the pond to have level walls… So I made a 4x6 post square and leveled all sides… this square serves as a wooden collar and is held together with 10" nails…

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      It will be under ground so any pressure exerted will be pushing against solid earth as well…

      We also had a few other projects going on around the house;

      We planted two trees in the front...

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      Played a game of tag football…

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      Celebrated B's 3 yr old Birthday…. Angry birds edition…

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      And the weather has been too nice since the downpours to pass up on some good Bass fishin'….

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      Also took a weekend trip to CLeveland, Ohio for my Dad's Retro themed 50th Birthday combined with another party for Bennett…

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      Believe it or not that little guy on the left is my Dad…

      And One last excuse and this one is the best!!!

      We found out what the new Baby is and Revealed it at the Ohio birthday to the Family in one of Dad's gifts… Well at least the Ohio family… Everyone here in NC already knew…

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      ITS A….

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      GIRL!!!!

    17. #117
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      Actual Progress…

      So Now that all the excuses are out of the way lets get down to the real reason Im still posting build pics rather than finished pond pics… Its because I'm Lazy…

      But I really need to get this thing done so I started building the above ground portion this week…. Built some frames for the walls….

      This is the skimmer wall…

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      Im going to put 2x4s on the inside to reinforce the frames… and Deck wood on the outside to be somewhat more attractive… As well as another 2x6 or 2x10 cap on top to aid in looks and rigidity.

      Walls being put up today…

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      And my corners so far… I plan on using something metal to reinforce the corners a bit more… as well as overlap the interior wood to help make them stronger.

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      Still need to build up the retaining wall on the filter pit side… Again ill be adding studs and using ply wood then back filling with dirt… unfortunately I need to run my bottom drain first and the recent weather stopped me from doing that as the bottom of the pond is a mud pit…

      I know I know, I said I was done with the excuses...

      Did I mention I have a secret weapon… Best tool any builder could want…

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      Oh and the sand box doubles as a work bench…

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      Until next time folks… enjoy!!
      Last edited by Redman8102; 05-30-2014 at 10:45 PM.

    18. #118
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      Nice progress !!
      Just in case you are interested to see my setup: https://www.koiphen.com/forums/showth...9-Introduction

    19. #119
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      Keep up the good work. It's coming together. Grats on the baby girl.
      Click for Southgate, Michigan Forecast

    20. #120
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      Did I mention I have a secret weapon… Best tool any builder could want…..

      Hope you're building a bathroom out there too….

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