Well, on a pool system they have pressure valves which keeps the water in the pipes...as long as there is water in the pipes the pipes will not perish, it's the moment you have heat on the pipes and then flow water thru it that it could possibly break.

The water in the pipes actually prevent it from overheating, the moment it has no water and the sudden burst of cold water flows thru then you stand the risk of cracking the pipe, thats why with a pressure valve on the system you can keep the water inside and prevent the risk on breaking the pipe.

Can that much harmful bacteria really accumulate in one evening of being switched off.

Even if the nights are cold, what harm could you really do if you run it 24/7 where you have warmer water during the day and it's a bit colder at night???

The solar heating idea looks good, we had a similar setup on our pool in our old house but actually had it running on the carport roof to heat it from the bottom and top. The temp use to get up to 31 in summer and actually had to be turned off via bypass valve.The panel was around was about 50% of the pool surface size.

I agree with Marius thought that the temperature swings may have a negative effect on the fish and cause unnecessary stress, to bring the water temperature up is fine as it will be gradual but how sudden will the drop be at night, especially if the pond is above ground as you have mentioned ??

Cheers
Lee

Let the fun begin. The pond will be 4 x 2m and less than a meter deep. Will be using 2 bottom drains and a skimmer in a 3 chamber filter system that will for part of the main structure. I will use 2 x 4500L pumps that will be mounted at the clean-end of the filter system. Each chamber will be fitted with a drain pipe and valve to clean it. I will also fit a valve on each of the 2 main drains coming from the pond for easier maintenance.
Will use 45* bends wherever possible.( Dankie oom Piet)
The pond will not be fancy at all and will mostly be used as a QT /hospital tank and to grow up fish (if I have fish left)

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Hi Marius

I take its now going to be completely independent of the main pond now ?

Also are you still looking at being able to heat with the reduced size now or have decided against that ?

That digging work it real pitta, just sand everywhere.

Cheers
Lee

Yes it will be 2 ponds with no plants or fancy things in the water. Maybe a net covering it and a simple return at the far end. Will use some of my Matala sheets from main pond and fit the new 1s in old pond

Will not heat the pond now, but it might become a project later on. The return pipe will be fitted on the outside near the log cabin. Hopefully the plants will grow fast to hide the pipe. Maybe a UV as well, since pond will be in full sunlight

Hi Marius,

Een 110mm bottom drain sal meer as genoeg wees.
Minder plek om te lek en sal beter suig.

Jaco

Ek het weereens tot vanoggend gewag om die goed te gaan koop. Kan nerens 110mm bends kry nie. Moes toe teen my begunsels gaan en 2 x 50mm drains met 45* bends koop. Die 110mm krane wat beskikbaar is kos R1095 en die 'lever' om dit toe te draai is hoer as die dam. Kan nie paar dae wag om die regte een te kry nie.

Ek vra dus onverskoning aan al die mense vir wie ek aanbeveel het om groot drain pype te gebruik. Hopelik sal die watervloei goed wees aangesien dit 2 klein pompe is wat ek gaan gebruik

Gelukkig is dit nou somer, en ek moet net vir Louise oortuig om in dam te klim as dit sou verstop

End of day one.

Drains must still be leveled and positioned, plastic sheet and reinforcing added.

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Lyk goed.

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Floor about 25 to 30cm deep. Will be doing the walls tomorrow. Went a bit slow today due to the thick floor. The thicker, the better I think.

Even the dog had it’s share of cement

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The drains are off center as well as the inlets to first chamber. Have to fit valves and hopefully this will provide more space to open the taps since it will be a tight fit inside chambers

Marius, gebruik 'n 50mm las op die pype in die settlement chamber en sit dan 50mm standpipes in as jy dit wil afsluit. dit seel meer as genoeg.

25 - 30 is damn dik

SABS Spec vir a floated slab floor for a house is 10cm.

I am curious ... why the plastic underlay ?

Another observation ... why such coarse mesh ?

Depends on what you plan but that slab is going to take a while to dry out properly ... keep that in mind when you decide on your coating.

Marius,

Ek stel voor jy wag dat die vloer goed droog is voordat jy daarop bou hou dit egter "klam" deur dit nat te spuit (fyn sproei)

Jy is op die regte pad, sover doen jy dit volgens die boek. Wel gedaan!

Day 3

The heat is killing me and I am not use to work out in the sun.

Settlement chamber
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Brick force with each layer

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Pond and tiling progress


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My time is very limited to complete the pond and hopefully the thick floor will do the trick since I had to start building today. I was told to use a plastic sheet to keep moisture in. Hopefully this is not a wrong thing to do.

Instead of 2 valves fitted on drains, I will use stand-up pipes

Marius, ek sien jy gaan jou pond in 'n rekord tyd klaarmaak. Ek het ook nie geduld nie. Alles wat jy doen is nog baie dieselfde as een van my laaste ponds, behalwe die dik vloer. Ek het bloot 150 mm gegooi.

Terwyl dit 'n bogrond pond is, waarom sit jy nie 'n venster in nie. Veral vir 'n hospitaal/QT pond is dit ideaal, want jy kan probleme opmerk wat jy nie normaalweg sou opmerk nie. Ulcers ontwikkel soms onder die vis, en met 'n venster sien jy dit, ankerwurm/fungus sien jy dadelik, en so ook verskeie ander probleme.

Jy sal nie spyt wees nie.

Hier is myne: (nie baie netjies nie maar prakties)

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Paul, dit lyk vir my na 'n blink idee. Het jy 10mm glas gebruik? Enige spesiale metode gebruik om die glas teen dam te seel / monteer?

Ek het 10mm gebruik. Ongeveer R 700.00.

My raam het ek bloot gebou met 'n ry bakstene en die glas met 'n helse klomp silicone vasgesit.

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'n Aluminium raam sal seker beter werk en mooier lyk.

Day 4

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Paul ek gaan beslis die venster insit, maar sal dit seker met my volgende besoek moet doen. Teen daardie tyd sal die Log cabin geskuif wees en alles behoort in plek te wees. Dit sal my 'n beter idee gee van waar die venster sigbaar sal wees en inpas by die omgewing

Pond and water return

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Filter chambers

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Dit was vinnig en lyk vir my reg.
Ek stel voor jy verf so Dinsdag as die mure en vloer mooi droog is.

Marius, Jy speel darem nie as jy dam bou nie, jy sal al 'n spawning groot gemaak het dan sal LG nog steeds met sy dam sukkel. LOL

Tyd maar min aan hierdie kant. Woensdag weer weg vir 3maande en visse raak moeg vir die gewag in 'coolbox'

I have raised a part of the pond for easy maintenance

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Inside of pond with off-center bottom drains

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Drain outlets from filter chambers. The drain from settlement chamber is on the right side of the pond and not visible on photo.

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Uitstekend !!

Pond filled. Nigtmare will start now..... Hopefully no leaks or design problems........
Will turn waterfall on tomorrow..... Simple water return so far just to keep things going

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