This weeks preps check-in

[Billy Roper]

I began digging a small pond on our property, mainly for irrigation. Anybody have experience in making holes hold water, and advice on that?

 

[jimLE]

all i know to do..is to dig it where it'll work best.and use the needed dirt from that,to bring the embankment up on the lower side.and maybe pack that down at least some while doing that.then just let go at that.mother nature should do the rest..

 

[Brent S]

I began digging a small pond on our property, mainly for irrigation. Anybody have experience in making holes hold water, and advice on that?

I've learned the hard way that water has a way of going where it wants to. I had a pond break thru underground and drain out. I dug a trench about 5 ft deep and lined it with plastic sheeting. It did the trick in containing that area. I have a third pond that's doing the same thing, so will try it again. Instead of flowing over the nice looking spillway I made, it decided to tunnel under it, and lowered the pond by a little more than a foot. The only thing I can say for sure is there's ongoing maintenance with water.

 

[Maverick]

Anybody have experience in making holes hold water, and advice on that?

Our pond is done with sodium bentonite clays containing ess13, the pond is artesian fed, the pond is 7 1/2 feet deep on the edges sloped to 9 feet center

 

[Brent S]

Our pond is done with sodium bentonite clays containing ess13, the pond is artesian fed, the pond is 7 1/2 feet deep on the edges sloped to 9 feet center

View attachment 5432

Nice! Have you stocked it? I did three smaller ponds, flowing successively into each other. The spring head is three properties from mine, so the water isn't flowing on the surface for long. I still wouldn't drink it directly but it should be easy to filter at least.

 

[Maverick]

Ya it was stocked, last year drought took its toll on the fish we will restock again

 

[Billy Roper]

Thanks for the pond input. It's an extremely rocky area, on top of a mountain ridge in the Ozarks. I'm considering lining the bottom, if not the sides, with rocks, and if it's small enough, koi pond sized, just cementing it in, bit by bit. Make it a summer-long project, as I can afford the sack-crete. Other recommendations are welcome.

 

[carhugger_prep]

Well I got a GPS Tactical Pouch, Tactical Utility Molle Accessory Shoulder Bag Pouch, and a medium Molle pouch. The GPS Tactical Pouch and medium Molle pouch are for my BOBs. While the Tactical Utility Molle Accessory Shoulder Bag Pouch is to be a EDC bag. Below are links to what I got.
https://www.gorillasurplus.com/gps-tactical-pouch
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tactical-Mo...g-Hiking-Sport-Shoulder-Bag-ACU-/270629998455
https://www.gorillasurplus.com/tactical-utility-molle-accessory-shoulder-bag-pouch

 

[Maverick]

Thanks for the pond input. It's an extremely rocky area, on top of a mountain ridge in the Ozarks. I'm considering lining the bottom, if not the sides, with rocks, and if it's small enough, koi pond sized, just cementing it in, bit by bit. Make it a summer-long project, as I can afford the sack-crete. Other recommendations are welcome.

Concrete must be done right otherwise it will leak, using concrete for ponds uses a different method than one would use for foundations or slabs, depending on size of the pond bag concrete won't work. Think of a in ground swimming pool, it has to be done all at once, no patch work like bag concrete. It would have to be almost of the same method as a swimming pool, if you use liners or concrete plan on it lasting 20yrs before heavy maintenance is needed, it was the reason I gone with the clay mixed with ess13 giving me 50 or more years.

 

[Brent S]

Ya it was stocked, last year drought took its toll on the fish we will restock again

I had coi and bass in mine, until a big rain system washed them all down to my neighbors pond. I had stocked some bass in the larger pond but caught and ate them a while back. I made the third pond to raise brim. I'll get it going before too long, but have too many projects going right now.

 

[Brent S]

Thanks for the pond input. It's an extremely rocky area, on top of a mountain ridge in the Ozarks. I'm considering lining the bottom, if not the sides, with rocks, and if it's small enough, koi pond sized, just cementing it in, bit by bit. Make it a summer-long project, as I can afford the sack-crete. Other recommendations are welcome.

I like pond liners over concrete. As maverick said, concrete poured in many small amounts don't bond well with each other. You could pour concrete to give a solid form, and then use pond liners. You can buy roll material and glue it together to cover large areas.

 

[Maverick]

I had coi and bass in mine, until a big rain system washed them all down to my neighbors pond. I had stocked some bass in the larger pond but caught and ate them a while back. I made the third pond to raise brim. I'll get it going before too long, but have too many projects going right now.

I never put koi in my pond may try it, maybe one of these days, trout and bass (food) with lots of killifish, gambezi fish for controlling mosquito's but I sometime forget to put the decoy out during the heron migration, the heron alone has done a lot of damage to the stock. I don't use nets anymore since I want dragonfly's and bats around, got tired of freeing bats and removing dead bats from the nets.

 

[Billy Roper]

What about encouraging or transplanting water plants to provide oxygen into the pond? I'm also interested in fish to eat mosquito eggs, please tell me more about those. I've read that some ponds can be made so that they don't develop algae without using chlorine?

 

[Maverick]

What about encouraging or transplanting water plants to provide oxygen into the pond? I'm also interested in fish to eat mosquito eggs, please tell me more about those. I've read that some ponds can be made so that they don't develop algae without using chlorine?

For the fish protection I use two 12"x4' cement culvert so the fish have a safe place, I don't have algae problems so haven't really had to deal with it, our climate is different than in the South that may have something to do with it, I don't use aquatic plants aside from cattails that grows naturally here, I would use what grows in your neck of the woods instead of exotics that's not natural to your area. I was told killifish, gambezi and gold fish works good but the bass and trout really love the gold fish so I don't use them also killifish gambezi are native fish to North America.

 

[Brent S]

I never put koi in my pond may try it, maybe one of these days, trout and bass (food) with lots of killifish, gambezi fish for controlling mosquito's but I sometime forget to put the decoy out during the heron migration, the heron alone has done a lot of damage to the stock. I don't use nets anymore since I want dragonfly's and bats around, got tired of freeing bats and removing dead bats from the nets.

If you have any fish eating birds then coi aren't a good idea. There way too bright and don't have a chance at hiding. There beautiful, grow fast and I hear are good to eat, but are an easy snack for heron.

 

[Brent S]

For the fish protection I use two 12"x4' cement culvert so the fish have a safe place, I don't have algae problems so haven't really had to deal with it, our climate is different than in the South that may have something to do with it, I don't use aquatic plants aside from cattails that grows naturally here, I would use what grows in your neck of the woods instead of exotics that's not natural to your area. I was told killifish, gambezi and gold fish works good but the bass and trout really love the gold fish so I don't use them also killifish gambezi are native fish to North America.

I agree, going out and finding plants that are natural to your area is smart. Not only are they likely to live better, but you won't introduce non native things to your local area. I still remember the hyacinth in fla. and what about kudzu all over the south. Good intentions with bad consequences.

 

[jontte]

feels like school takes all my time right now,all in prep way done is some food and loading up some of my mags,shell pouches and bandoliers.

 

[Gazrok]

If you have any fish eating birds then coi aren't a good idea. There way too bright and don't have a chance at hiding. There beautiful, grow fast and I hear are good to eat, but are an easy snack for heron.

Good to know. Luckily, my pond will be in an area fairly difficult for birds to get in and out of easily, so that may help. Guess we'll just have to see. I do plan on giving them some things to hide in too.

There are fish that eat algae. Not sure how well they get along with koi, so will have to check that.

My "to do" list this weekend though, is kind of keeping me from working on other prep stuff.
Just hope I get to all this stuff. At least the rest of the family is chipping in on some too.

Fix a water faucet in the stables
Put up 3 different feed buckets in stalls (need to build framing boards for each too)
Fix a hole in my son's ceiling (cut drywall, putty, paint, etc.)
Fix my daughter's iron bed
Rip out the carpet in her new room
Replace it with tile
Hang a light in her bathroom (shower is kind of dark)
Paint the new room
Clean and organize my walk in closet (which folks turned into a storage closet)
Clean and organize our bedroom
Reorganize Kitchen Cabinets and Pantry

Basically, our ranchhand gal moved on, and we've realized a lot of the time, she just put things wherever she liked, etc. Since hers was a bigger room with it's own bathroom (Mother In Law Suite), moving our daughter in there now (so my wife gets her scrapbooking room back). Going to be a busy weekend.

EDIT: Apparently Koi are algae eaters themselves, so you don't need them (like Placo's) (plus they don't really get along)

 

[jimLE]

i normally don't stop for stuff like this,from like of space in the home..(but) it was still in one piece when i got it,and loaded it into the car.then it fell apart when i went to unload it.but yet,oh well.on account i can still use the draw and cabinet that held together.and reuse the part that fell apart..

 

[Gazrok]

Still could be put together (and new fixtures).

I got about half or more of my to do list above done. So, the rest of it this weekend.
Some of it proved to be a bit more time consuming, and only so many hours in the day.
Did a few things that came up, that weren't on the list too, so that didn't help.

We added a pretty cool mounting platform with steps, to more easily mount up on the horses though. I'll have to post a pic of it soon. Came out great, and will really help some of our older boarders mount up.

 

[jimLE]

this cabinet,on the most part.was made of particle/press board..and thats what busted up on me..

glad to hear that you getting things done gazrok

 

[cmoody72]

Picked up a Henry .22lr with a Leupold rim fire scope and 1000 rnds.

of CCI high velocity

 

[jimLE]

well the cabinet was a total bust.it fell apart even more.but yet i was able to salvage parts from it thoe.and those parts can be used else where.

 

[Gazrok]

Yeah, particle board. Here in FL, humidity kills it. It's why we switched and simply don't get any furniture made out of it anymore. We still have a few pieces (mostly shelving) made of it, but when they go, we'll replace with wood. The furniture we have now, should last the rest of our lives. Pretty high end stuff, and so far, has held up very well.

 

[Brent S]

Yeah, particle board. Here in FL, humidity kills it. It's why we switched and simply don't get any furniture made out of it anymore. We still have a few pieces (mostly shelving) made of it, but when they go, we'll replace with wood. The furniture we have now, should last the rest of our lives. Pretty high end stuff, and so far, has held up very well.

There's something wrong with the thought of grinding up a piece of wood, then glueing it back together to look like a piece of wood. Just sayin.

 

[Gazrok]

Fair point.

The office changed our breakroom furniture, so I scored two free 4' diameter tables and 6 chairs. That will really help towards the business change of tack shop to scrapbooking space. Now I can just buy 4 more tables, rather than 6.

We've been really working on liquidating the inventory, and made a couple grand so far just over the course of a few days...woo hoo! Can't wait to get rid of it all, but also digging the income in the process. Sure, often we're selling things for cost or less, but at this point, I just want it gone and would rather have the cash than the merchandise.

Plus all of this activity is keeping the wife home this weekend, instead of us going to a convention and spending a few hundred, so an added plus! (though the Con would have been fun).

 

[jimLE]

got me this for $5.00 at a yard sale today.and all it needs,is the hurricane shade.and lamp oil..then it's good to go..

 

[jimLE]

i just ordered a 72 Hour Kit from Food4Patriots for $9.95,instead of the normal $27.00 for it, pluss $9.95 S&H..

 

[Brent S]

I finally finished laying the porch floor! Ok, calling this a prep is a stretch, but I'm darn glad this step is done! I still need to sand and finish the floor with polyurethane, but am at least one more step closer to being done. It may take a few days for my knees to be back to normal, but it was worth it.

 

[jimLE]

the floor and room is looking great