CW's Back Yard Water Garden Begins!

[GBBUDD]

Congrads @combatwombat long battle almost complete it looks sweet. And we haven't seen your head wrapped in gauze DURRING THE WHOLE TING.. YOU SURVIVED and the mrs never used the rolling pin on you.

 

[combatwombat]

Well, something screwy is going on with water levels in the bog and reservoir and I’m not sure what it is yet. Sometimes bog level is really low and takes a long time for the pump to fill it before water starts.

Today, I fired it up and water level was high enough to start spilling over in just a minute or so.

Meanwhile, I’m losing water in the reservoir. Think I lost almost 600 gallons yesterday. It was about 70° and no wind.

Absolutely no idea what to expect for evaporation yet, but might have something to do with it. 600 gal. seems steep.

Also found a tiny wet spot under one spot of my liner where I have an overlap into the reservoir. Really dug around in there but didn’t find a source. Could just be rain water channeling there. Will keep a close eye on it. Also going to dig up my bulkhead and see if there’s anything wrong there.

Have some head scratching and investigation to do, I guess.

 

[GBBUDD]

600 gal. seems steep.

sorry sir 600 gallons is not evaporation, she's got a leaker somewhere.

The water filling at different rates in the bog is odd. are you feeding the sand ? and how thick is the sand area. The sand will add back pressure to the pump as will the depth pushing the water down. this could fluctuate and be a source if imbalance

i can time the pump filling the bog it is a constant it never changes. even with two return jets to the pond and not the 50 feet away to the bog

 

[combatwombat]

sorry sir 600 gallons is not evaporation, shes got a leaker somewhere

Boooooo.

Gotta be at an overlap. Never noticed water loss until pump was running. No leaks in the plumbing far as I can tell.

 

[GBBUDD]

par for the course you didn't build a guppy puddle you went for the Cadillac without a trial run. your going to have a few mods needed

Hell i just rebuilt the main bog and i'm now working on the pitcher bog i don't want the african violet to own the pitcher bog. it looked cool just not the look i wanted.

as you know leaks are usually skimmers you don't have but you do have a bladder to the cistern .

and your edging you may have stepped on a corner somewhere and now it's low

The waterfalls are tough that's why they say don't cut the liner till you are all done and done some more and finished after that

i will say 600 is going to be a big wet spot somewhere or you may have a few smaller ones

 

[combatwombat]

par for the course you didn't build a guppy puddle you went for the Cadillac without a trial run. your going to have a few mods needed

Hell i just rebuilt the main bog and i'm now working on the pitcher bog i don't want the african violet to own the pitcher bog. it looked cool just not the look i wanted.

as you know leaks are usually skimmers you don't have but you do have a bladder to the cistern .

and your edging you may have stepped on a corner somewhere and now it's low

The waterfalls are tough that's why they say don't cut the liner till you are all done and done some more and finished after that

i will say 600 is going to be a big wet spot somewhere or you may have a few smaller ones

Been pretty careful with keeping liner rolled up. But yes, it could be a low edge. Hope it is.

Will spend a day soon really looking things over and keeping a log of what I notice water levels doh g in bog and reservoir on start up/shutdown.

Problem is that I don’t see any 600 gallon sized wet spot and also it’s still raining frequently, so hard to tell.

And I’m very close to the point of wanting to start the pump and not turn it off again.

Will hopefully have some more insight tomorrow morning when I check levels again.

 

[combatwombat]

Well, I already got one new clue. Did some work on the negative edge waterfall today and fired up the pump to test the falls. Cistern was 3/4 full at time of start up. Turned off pump to go inside for the evening. Go back out to check on things before it gets dark. Pond is now 4" low and cistern is totally full—bib liner has a fat hippo in it, and there's a wet spot @ the overflow. Water level in pond and cistern are now equal.

Believe it's my un-capped 2" lines in the main pond siphoning into the cistern as the ends of the pipes are below pond water level. Have had them sticking up above water level most of the time to keep them out of the way while I work, but now I've terminated them in the vault for future pump connection. I noticed some water spilling out of them the other day, but didn't really think anything of it.

Will get check valves on those before firing up again and see how things steady up.

Doesn't explain some of the other funny business, but it's at least one variable I now know I need to sort out.

 

[cas]

I know everyone kids you about the length of your pond build, but it is looking really nice. Can't wait to see it planted. Hope you figure out your latest issue.

 

[GBBUDD]

I know your not sold I have two check valves two different manufacturers both verticals and they BOTH leak the water will drain through slowly. I'm a firm believer in the vacuum breakers over checks though to keep plant matter from getting sucked in in the seconds it takes for the breaker to work . A check is still needed imo

 

[addy1]

I have one check valve from lowes, 2 inch pvc, it has been working for 6ish years. If it fails my stream pump will fry, it does not prime at all. knock on wood it keeps working...................

 

[GBBUDD]

I have one check valve from lowes, 2 inch pvc, it has been working for 6ish years. If it fails my stream pump will fry, it does not prime at all. knock on wood it keeps working...................

I'm not saying they don't work I'm saying the leak. They need back pressure push on them to close them on strand of algea or saind etc and it leaks. The vacuum breaker is reverse when the pump turns on it slams the flap shut . When the pump shuts down there's nothing to hold it closed anymore And it opens

 

[Rabungalow]

I'm not saying they don't work I'm saying the leak. They need back pressure push on them to close them on strand of algea or saind etc and it leaks. The vacuum breaker is reverse when the pump turns on it slams the flap shut . When the pump shuts down there's nothing to hold it closed anymore And it opens

A check-valve was the only part I bought from Aquascape. I didn't want to cheap out on the one part that has the biggest potential of failure in my build especially since I didn't install a siphon break. My bog is so high above my pond the amount of back pressure on the check-valve is pretty nuts. I have been toying with the idea of modifying the plumbing to add a breather valve of some sort, but for now I am ok with the simplicity.

 

[addy1]

Yep they can leak, luckily ours is holding well...................so far, I do draw the water mid pond.

I'm not saying they don't work I'm saying the leak.

 

[combatwombat]

Yes, I do think I should do a breather in addition to the check valves. All my plumbing is buried now, though. Might be able to do it inside the pump vault.

 

[combatwombat]

Alright, just bought a 3-pack of these on Amazon. Guess I'd better keep the end of those pipes high until they arrive!