SAND UNDER BERMS?

[Mmathis]

We just had a lot of rain, which was a good test for the berm. Were within inches of an overflow. I have an overflow drain set up, so hopefully that's what kept us good. But Hubby & I have decided we need to raise the berm in a few places. Can we raise the liner and add bags of sand instead of shoveling in dirt?

 

[Sheetmetalman]

I think that should work until the bags deteriate and release the sand--(if they are regular plastic sandbag bags that should be quite a while)--I deffinitely would use bags though, loose sand wouldnt work, I.M.O.

 

[multifasited]

If they are out of the sun and not ruptured you will have sand for a very very long time ,still in bags and reuseable should you ever change your mind .great way to store .

 

[Mmathis]

Hubby was planning to use bagged sand. There is one brand I sometimes buy that comes in a reinforced bag (some kind of fibers) that I'll see if we can get.

We got more rain last night (have had close to 4 inches over the past couple of days) and think the pond did overflow in this one spot. Oh, well......

 

[fishin4cars]

Sand is not a good choice for a overall fix. Even in a reinforced bag your only fixing the problem temporaily. If your going to buy sand why not buy cheap top soil. (Actually it has a lot of sand too but it's cheaper than plain sand and it will hold a little better) Walmart and Lowes and Home depot all have prebagged dirt, If you ask the Garden clerks sometimes they will sell you busted bags really cheap. I've picked up partial pallet loads for a few bucks and come home and mixed a big pile to use for repairs, potting plants and filling in places in the yard. Dirt bonds better and will last longer under the liner. During heavy rains like we are having right now sand will travel both under the liner and out in the yard just from ground saturation.

 

[Mmathis]

Good points, Larkin, and I agree, but Hubby wants to do it this way. He doesn't want to have to shovel any more of our clay-dirt pile around for this -- and I can't say I blame him, I don't either, but he isn't reading the comments on this forum like I am. I can bring this up, though. We still have a HUGE pile of clay-dirt available, so that's not the problem. Maybe I can use the approach that sand bags will be a good temp. fix for now?

 

[multifasited]

Another possiblity mortar mix in the bag ,if it gets damp ,it will set up permanently ,not real pretty ,but it will be there.,an ice pick afew real small holes even the moisture in the air will set it off .Just a thought !

 

[Mmathis]

Another possiblity mortar mix in the bag ,if it gets damp ,it will set up permanently ,not real pretty ,but it will be there.,an ice pick afew real small holes even the moisture in the air will set it off .Just a thought !

Won't the hardened mortar mix be like having rocks under the liner?

 

[multifasited]

Should still be incased in the slick plastic lined bagjust hard others were concerned about movement,errosion etc. not suggesting perfect near perfect.or even close to it just a means to manageable end of evidently a real problem .personally I' go with the sand ,for the above mentioned reasons ,left in their hd bags but others ,I guess were thinking ,loose and erosion and all the rest.so open bags of dirt are no better ,I thought they were looking for temp. semi temp boundary, Like the fellow said this is my opinion and it's worth exactly what you payed for it !

 

[taherrmann4]

TM I have to agree with Larkin on this one. I would take the extra time and use dirt, will save you time down the road from having to redo it...Think long term not short term. You have put a lot of time an effort into this pond don't take a shortcut that could cost you many headaches down the road. Just my 2cents

 

[Sheetmetalman]

Yes,after reading and giving it more thought, I agree with Larkin too, I still think if you used the real sandbag bags like they use to build berms during flooding they would hold up for quite a while but they will never really pack under the liner due to the nature of the loose sand in them so every time you step on that area of the liner to do any pond matainence you run the risk of shifting them around instead of having a stable, level pond collar

 

[Mmathis]

Thanks to all for your input! I think I have explained it to Hubby well enough that he's agreed to forgo the sand idea. His comment was that he didn't want to be doing it all over again in a year.