The pond disaster from hell
by Ethan Beckler
I at least feel like it is….bear with me....
Friday night I told my wife I was going to take care of the filtration upgrade. I explained to her what needed to be done. It was 8:15. Our daughter had just gone to bed.
I hopped into the filter pit. I moved a barrel into the pit and began working. Suddenly, the Fernco fitting BEFORE the 4” ball valve on my Bottom drain line gave and water began to gush into the pit at what seemed to be 10,000 gph or more.
Two things:
I had electricity live in the pit (where I was) going to the water and air pumps. Water and electricity don't mix.
I also had the new pump I just bought sitting in the pit as well. I rushed to get the new pump off the block it was on….
Check.
Then, how do I stop the water? Wait, I need to get out of here before I get electrocuted! I jump out and as I do, the GFI circuit trips and all electricity is shut off. I run into garage looking for a solution. I can’t just put my finger in the pipe to plug it….it’s a 4” line!
I find another fernco, but it’s a 4” cap. I get into the pit, which is now waist deep in water. I find the 4” pipe, pray that God gives me the strength of Samson, and try pushing the cap on. It was tough, but I eventually got it on. Ever try tightening a fernco while waste deep in water with a screwdriver? Not something I’d recommend for ya….
I get all the electricity out of the pit, and begin pumping water out. Good, pit dry.....Meanwhile I go inside.
I have to tell the wife.
She looks at me and said “so, did you fall in again”. As I tell her what happened, she gets the giggles and says, “well, Happy Father’s Day….”.
I go outside. Where's my new pump? I look into the pit and it's lying on the floor, having fallen 2 feet. The back end where the fan is is dented really deep. I plug it in and it rattles so loud....the fan is hitting the metal inside the pump. I open it up, take off that metal grating that covers the fan but allows air in, and have to spend an hour pounding out the huge dent. However, of the three screws for it, one of them was so damaged I couldn't get it off. So I had to snap the metal cap off in order to get it. So it now is on with only two screws, which seems to be working for now. I got this pump from a member here for an amazing deal (she was so sweet to help me out, and now this.
To replace this pump would cost me $500+. I get it running with no problems, except the ugly back end and lack of one screw.
I had to run to Home Depot. The plumbing guy convinces me that I can do nothing until I drain the pond so that I can get dry fittings and glue everything. I put up the Intex swimming pool, pump the pond water to it, set up a temporary filter, and find the fish and put them in. I don’t have a net for it, because this past winter it had broke. I think, they won’t jump out….they know better. It is now midnight.
I work till 3 a.m. on Saturday morning, and am absolutely dead tired. I figure I’ll just take care of the rest tomorrow.
I go in, shower, and fall asleep. The next morning, I go out with my daughter to check on the fish. I open the door to the garage and step on Striker, our large butterfly koi. Stiff as a rock. I freak. How many have committed suicide!?
From what I can tell, she’s the only one. The water is green to the point where I can’t really even see the fish.
My wife was so sad. This was one of the first koi we had ever bought….part of the “Triplets”….they had grown to around 2 feet long with fins in the 4 years we had them. She was devastated.
Later that afternoon, while my daughter was napping, I decided to get an early start on the upgrade/pond disaster fix. I walked into the garage, and our nice yellow yamabuki ogon was stiff as a board under the table. I had looked to no avail for any net here in town….I knew I had to get going, otherwise I might lose them all.
Basically, I was up Saturday night into Sunday morning till 3 a.m. again….but I got almost everything done. I drained the pool back into the pond and put the fish in so they wouldn’t go to see their Creator anymore….
In hindsight, the upgrade was a heckuva lot easier because of the pit filling up. I was able to re-route the 4” pipe coming into the pit against the one wall, which allowed for a lot more room. I was able to make a “shelf” to put the two airpumps on. I was able to fit the two barrels side by side instead of far from each other. But I lost two really important fish (not necessarily to me, but to my wife). I lost sleep, which I now believe is overrated.
It was crazy. I have never worked so hard in my life. I was able to relax a bit yesterday, only having to put in around 2 hours during the afternoon to install the K1 boiling barrel.
When I woke up this morning, I went out and checked on the pond. I came back inside and told my wife “something is definitely wrong”. She sat up, saying “what now?”. I replied “well, everything seems to be working the way it is supposed to…..it feels funny….”
Here's the two fish that died. Most of you will be glad, because you won't see pictures of this ugly specklegoi anymore....but it was a wife favorite.....so I am sad.
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