Shubunkin Brick Pond build Journal - 5/14/2024 - 11 DAY DEADLINE

[Free Gravel Enthusiast]

May 14th, 2024

 

Today is the first official day of my pond build. My mom has asked me to build a pond for her birthday/retirement party on the 25th this month, and I have 11 days to complete this build. I have never built a pond, but I have some limited landscaping experience, and a humble 3 years of fishkeeping experience. I've evolved from fish bowls, to aquascapes, and now a pond. After consuming hours of SerpaDesign, Aquarium Co-op, and being berated by the well meaning but somewhat sketchy local fish store in my area, it has come to this.

"Swerve me? The path to my fixed purpose is laid with iron rails, whereon my soul is grooved to run. Over unsounded gorges, through the rifled hearts of mountains, under torrents’ beds, unerringly I rush! Naught’s an obstacle, naught’s an angle to the iron way!"

-Captain Ahab, Moby Dick

(Never have read Moby Dick, but this felt appropriate)

 

Today, I have bought a "The Pond Guy MagFlo Pump, Model 1000" for 89.99 + 10.5 shipping + 4.95 tax = $105.44

It is 11:43am, and I will now dig for all my worth. Will attempt to keep updating journal daily.

-Free Gravel Enthusiast

[Cory]

Good luck, stay hydrated and invite friends over. eventually they'll dig a little git also 😛

[Whitecloud09]

Hope it turns out great, best of luck!

[Free Gravel Enthusiast]

May 15th, 2024

Yesterday, I leveled and compacted the dirt nearest to the patio to lay my first row of bricks.

I've just finished a steaming plate of pasta for lunch, it's 11:48, and time for me to get back in the dirt.

I, perhaps mistakenly, am building this pond mostly by feel. I have a rough idea of what I want, but am trying to stay flexible based on what reality presents me with. The obstacle I am tackling today is leveling the ground outlining of the pond. I *think* I will have to dig up sod in order to do this properly. In anycase, it is vital to get this done as soon as possible, because I have no idea what size pond liner to buy.

Certainly there are easier ways to do this if I thought more... but I do not want to get caught up in the thought. I heard once, not sure where(I'm sure a Google search could tell me), that 'a mediocre but well executed plan is better than a perfect but poorly executed plan.

It is 11:57 and I have written enough self-indulgent gobbledygook for today.

I must dig.

 

-Free Gravel Enthusiast

P.S. - Thank you for your encouragement

[Cory]

Doing it by feel is pretty fun, cause even with really good plans you'll have to pivot. Every project I've ever done, there is always adaptation needed.

[johnnyxxl]

Good luck, I renovated my entire house by feeling 

[AdamS]

Good luck with the pond and the deadline.  Keep the pictures coming. 

[Free Gravel Enthusiast]

May 16th, 2024

Yesterday, I dug out the outline of the pond, and replanted the sod into various bald patches in the yard. I also called the Digger's Hotline, so that they will mark any underground utility lines in and around where the pond will be. The ground is not yet leveled, but the bricks have been placed as an outline.

 

The pond at its widest is 4 feet across. I plan on making the pond 3 feet deep, with a long intake bay along the patio, with a 1000 gph pump pulling the water through layers of different sized gravel/rocks. The polished water will be pumped up to a stock tub directly behind and above the pump, and flow down a long widening spillway along the back of the pond structure.

i also ordered my pond liner and seam tape last night. It is supposed to arrive on the 21st this month. Fingers crossed.

As aforementioned, I still have to level the ground around the pond, which is shaping up to be a difficult and meticulous task. I do have the time for it, but do I have the focus? These are the types of questions I ask myself. I cannot waste a day; it is absolutely imperative that the pond is finished on time. I do not want to put any stress on my mom for her party by having a dirt caked patio with EPDM liner and Caulk splattered about the place.

That said; does anyone have any suggestions for what kind of adhesive I should use on the bricks? Or perhaps there is a specific type of mortar I should look for? I'd like to seal the liner to the top of this first layer of bricks I have in the ground, and then build up a small wall above the water line to help dissuade curious basset hounds from jumping into the pond...

 

-Free Gravel Enthusiast

P.S. - Thank you for your continued support and comments; especially helpful for keeping me accountable for working on the build. Today was an especially tough day to get out of bed, and will be a late start. This will not shake my determination!

[AllFishNoBrakes]

This is gonna be awesome. Glad I stumbled upon this as it was the first topic after updating my own journal. Keep it coming! Stoked to see what this turns into. If you get it fully built out in 11 days that’ll be quite the accomplishment!

[johnnyxxl]

Regular redimix mortar 🧱 is all you need.  You can dye it if you want.  You can either wet stack which is what normal bricks are done or you can dry stack and mortar the back.  Probably uses the same amount of mortar .  You will gain about 1/2 inch per layer versus the curious hounds wet stacking.

[Free Gravel Enthusiast]

May 17th, 2024

Yesterday, I worked for only 30 minutes. In that time, I dug out about 1/3 - 1/4 of the space around the pond, necessary to level the dirt evenly.

It was raining lightly, and the soil was soft and pliable. I had thought that the rain would make things more difficult, but it was so light, it only made things easier, if not a degree messier.

Additionally, the city utilities crew planted this flag in the pond sometime yesterday when I wasn't looking.

Awesomeness. I don't have to worry about blowing up.

Today I start my dig earlier than previous days, but not as early as I wanted to. Still, I ought to be able to finish leveling the pond today. Actually, I must finish leveling the pond today, because I am headed out of town to visit my sister this weekend, and will lose a day for pond work in exchange for time spent with family... A most challenging descision... Additionally, the pump I ordered came in the mail today. It looks to have survived shipping. The pond liner is projected to arrive Monday or Tuesday, to which I anxiously wait. If the pond liner is late; folks, I'm screwed.

On 5/16/2024 at 2:32 PM, johnnyxxl said:

Regular redimix mortar 🧱 is all you need.  You can dye it if you want.  You can either wet stack which is what normal bricks are done or you can dry stack and mortar the back.  Probably uses the same amount of mortar .  You will gain about 1/2 inch per layer versus the curious hounds wet stacking.

Thanks for the tip johnnyxxl. I don't know the first thing about brick laying, and though I could have started with my own research, having someone point me in the right direction does wonders for my confidence. Truly helpful on a practical and mental level.

 

-Free Gravel Enthusiast

P.S. - Again, thank you for the support! Never give up, my friends!

[johnnyxxl]

https://youtu.be/6XxFFCz2Jes?si=FDmQwx6b31KLGi3o

[CoryWithAKatana]

Any more updates? Did that liner come in?

[Free Gravel Enthusiast]

On 5/21/2024 at 11:29 AM, CoryWithAKatana said:

Any more updates? Did that liner come in?

Here is an abridged update from 5/18/2024 - 5/22/2024

May 18th, 2024

This morning, I rode my motorcycle to Madison WI to visit my oldest brother and sister. It was a great ride and a beautiful day.

May 19th, 2024

On this day, I returned home via I-90 and it was horrible. Do not ride small motorcycles on the interstate. Upon returning home, I did nothing, as I was so exhausted.

May 20th, 2024

All of my materials had come in except for the main pond liner. Additionally, it was forecasted to rain. I bided my time, picked up some corrugated drain pipe from fleet farm, and did nothing.

May 21st, 2024

The main pond liner finally arrived, and so did a storm system. Severe weather warnings were issued all over Wisconsin. Suffice to say, i did not work on the pond.

May 22nd, 2024

I gathered my tools, and began to dig, and level the earth.

What gave me the most trouble today was leveling the soil for the brick foundation. I used the soil and sand from the hole to try to level the ground, but I found it much harder to compact. Much time was spent fiddling with his before I gave up and began to dig in earnest. I threw much sand onto the spot that needed to be leveled, thinking that I'll figure that out when I figure it out. The back row of bricks is for the spillway, which is unessential for the dig. It gives me a headache to think about.

I dug the hole to be approximately 2' 6" deep. I should have took pictures before I put the liner in, but I am truthfully quite short on time. Trying very hard to trust the process here. I am now filling the 'pond' with the garden hose, hoping that the water pressure will sort out the liner somewhat. So far so good. Next I will carefully dig the trench for the intake bay. I foresee having to jump into the pond in the near future to bucket out water for further digging.

I find my foresight to be so blurry.

-Free Gravel Enthusiast

P.S. - I'm late for work!

[Free Gravel Enthusiast]

May 23rd, 2024

I dug the trench for the gravel filter water polisher thing. It was most horrific. Digging a deep and narrow hole is way harder than digging a larger wider one. In addition to the egregious angles my back had to bend to pull dirt and sand out of the trench, there was a dense network of roots from a nearby tree. The shovel would constantly get caught on the roots jutting out of the sides of the trench, which I nipped with a 'lopper(?)' Tool, made for cutting branches and trimming shrubs. THEN the shovel would get caught on the nubs left from the trimming and I would have to trim the roots back again in order to widen the trench. Anyways here is the end result, which turned out to be awfully problematic.

Tada!

And, of course, the seam leaked, because the EPDM liner was all crinkled creased and folded, and I was too impatient with the seam tape.

At this point, i reapplied some double sided seam tape in an unorthodox but thorough manner. I then weighted it down with bricks to attempt to aid the bonding process.

Overall, I ended up paying for rushing the job, but I quickly learned. After work, I bought some flex tape, and ready mix mortar from menards, as well as a tall rectangular trash can fle the pump housing.

 

May 24th, 2024

Thunderstorms began at around 8am today. Luckily, I was able to finalize patching the seam before then, and literally stuck on the last piece of Phil Swift's miracle tape just as the first sprinkle of Zues's wrath crashed into the back of my hand. It was dramatic, but I was tired, and really quite over it all. I went to the garage, and modified the trashcan such that it would accommodate a 3' diameter corrugated plastic drain pipe shoved through the side. In layman's terms; I cut a hole in a plastic garbage can.

Ever since I first attempted to seal the two EPDM liners together, I have truly been punching in the dark. With the storm pouring down, I was feeling somber, and disappointed in the progress of the pond. And yet, I accomplished so much in such a short amount of time. Since my shovel broke earth, every step along the way has been a new first for me. What exactly I stand to learn from the experience is still unclear, but I know this much:  I've had fun, no one is going to lose sleep over the unfinished pond at my mom's party, and the pond is still going to be there after the party too.

Updates still coming; happy memorial day weekend to all! Go dig a hole!

-Free Gravel Enthusiast

P.S. - don't waste time getting started, but take your time once you start. Don't you stop!