Auto-top off ideas?

[Jagsfan]

@EricV ,
What hose timer do you use? I was going to order one last night and started looking at reviews of various ones and all of them have a significant amount of bad reviews that say they fail and wont shut off. Some have the issue after a couple weeks, others after the first season. Many horror stories of flooding their yards and such. Being that Im not on a well, it that happened to me it would surely kill the fish with the concentration of chlorine. I did see the recommendation of using a device attached to it that eliminated the "water hammer" effect from the water being instantly shut off. evidently it can cause real issues to your pipes. Maybe if you dont use one of those it makes the timer more likely to fail? Anyway, im kinda worried now and am leaning toward a combination of the barrel drip method and hose timer. Instead of having the hose timer going to the pond, i'd have it go to the barrel. That way if the timer did fail, it would just overflow the barrel and the fish would be fine. That would also make it to where i wouldnt have to worry about filling the barrel every other day.

 

[Lisak1]

I've used these timers on my soaker hoses for four or five years now - not one has failed. I do bring them inside during the winter, though, so that may impact how long they last.

https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-62061Z-Single-Programmable-1-Valve/dp/B004INGS8S/ref=asc_df_B004INGS8S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416926195104&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4755438166353534213&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021456&hvtargid=pla-365069351173&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=97671764607&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416926195104&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4755438166353534213&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021456&hvtargid=pla-365069351173

 

[Jagsfan]

I've used these timers on my soaker hoses for four or five years now - not one has failed. I do bring them inside during the winter, though, so that may impact how long they last.

https://www.amazon.com/Orbit-62061Z-Single-Programmable-1-Valve/dp/B004INGS8S/ref=asc_df_B004INGS8S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416926195104&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4755438166353534213&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021456&hvtargid=pla-365069351173&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=97671764607&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416926195104&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4755438166353534213&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021456&hvtargid=pla-365069351173

Thank you! thats one i was looking at. I actually ordered it and then started reading the reviews and then cancelled the order until i could look into it a little more. It does have over 20k reviews on amazon and 86% are either 4 or 5 stars.

 

[Lisak1]

We've had zero issues with them and I'm currently using four of them around the house. I like it because it's super simple to set up and works reliably every time.

 

[Jagsfan]

We've had zero issues with them and I'm currently using four of them around the house. I like it because it's super simple to set up and works reliably every time.

Do you have that other attachment connected to it? the one that eliminates the water hammering effect. Not sure what its called.

 

[Lisak1]

Errr... no? Do you mean a regulator?

 

[Jagsfan]

Errr... no? Do you mean a regulator?

here is a link to what im talking about. https://www.amazon.com/Sioux-Chief-...hose+arrestor,+3/4-inch&qid=1622937375&sr=8-3

 

[Lisak1]

Ah! I do have those on indoor water supply - washing machine for example. But it's not a problem outdoors, at least for me. I can hear them turn on from inside the house, but that's about it.

 

[secuono]

What does your pond look like?
I'd just drop it over the edge and secure it to wall. Maybe paint the red float black to blend better and a paver over the edge to further hide it.
Or between plants, if you have any in the pond.
I saw a video for an automatic drain pipe. Could put that in the pond and other end in a bin next to pond. Put float in bin and it'll fill it as pipe drains into pond when low.

 

[Jagsfan]

What does your pond look like?
I'd just drop it over the edge and secure it to wall. Maybe paint the red float black to blend better and a paver over the edge to further hide it.
Or between plants, if you have any in the pond.
I saw a video for an automatic drain pipe. Could put that in the pond and other end in a bin next to pond. Put float in bin and it'll fill it as pipe drains into pond when low.

its not built yet. The actual building will start on the 21st. Im just trying to plan everything ahead of time and get what i need. It will be 9x5x3 rectangle. I've decided to try a 55 gallon water barrel that will be elevated about 5 feet higher than pond level and about 20 feet away. It will have a single hose running from it to the pond with a drip emitter to regulate the amount of water. I've ordered multiple GPH drip emitters since i dont know how much i will actually need yet. The barrel will have a hose from the hose bib on an automatic timer to refill it automatically as needed. I know im probably making it more complicated than it needs to be, but i want to think about the "what if it fails scenario" and in my design, if it fails for whatever reason, the fish wont die.

 

[Lisak1]

I'm all about the plan plan plan. But I honestly can't think of a scenario where a 55 gallon drum on a drip is going to prevent any kind of disaster. Maybe I'm missing something. Wouldn't it be just as easy to just run a hose to the pond on a constant drip? What's the point of the barrel?

 

[Jagsfan]

I'm all about the plan plan plan. But I honestly can't think of a scenario where a 55 gallon drum on a drip is going to prevent any kind of disaster. Maybe I'm missing something. Wouldn't it be just as easy to just run a hose to the pond on a constant drip? What's the point of the barrel?

My thoughts on the barrel is that if for some reason the timer feeding the barrel was to get stuck and not stop, then the barrel would overflow away from the pond, but the pond would still only receive the designated GPH drip. As opposed to something failing thats directly tied to the pond and the pond receiving all the extra water. If the drip emitter fails and a constant flow of water goes from barrel to the pond, the max amount of water that can be dumped into the pond would be 50 gallons and i think everything would still be ok.

 

[Jagsfan]

Again, i know im probably being extra cautious, but for an extra $150, it gives me a little piece of mind i guess.

 

[mrsclem]

Are you planning on not being home for long periods?

 

[Jagsfan]

Are you planning on not being home for long periods?

Not necessarily. We do usually go on a week long vacation every summer, but home most other than that. Im just trying to automate certain aspects of it.