Swimming Pool To Pond

The Real Cost Of Religious Faith

2011-02-17T02:36:00.000-08:00

Who Needs Science?

2010-12-29T06:21:00.000-08:00

Reuse

2010-03-29T22:43:00.000-07:00

Wikipedia has an article on reuse. It gives a pretty good definition:

Reuse is to use an item more than once. This includes conventional reuse where the item is used again for the same function, and new-life reuse where it is used for a new function. In contrast, recycling is the breaking down of the used item into raw materials which are used to make new items...

It then goes on to economic effects, business reuse, and programs for reusing materials. This is all well and good on a global scale, but is not particularly useful for a personal or household level. For our purpose reuse will be discussed at that lower level. Reusing demolition leftovers, old yard stuff, and household items can save a lot of money, while keeping the garbage man a little less busy.

Here are some smaller items I reused for my garden and landscape last year:

Can you find the reused items in these photos(some are hidden and not visible, but are still there):

Without going into detail, there is a lot of items in those photos that were onced used elsewhere. Items you can not see include the old wood from my swimming pool frame(that is now being used for the pond frame and other structural places), old PVC pipe, and homemade compost that was at one time paper plates, food, sawdust from board cuttings, and many other things(which is now in the soil and planters).

Here is a list of things I commonly "reuse":

ALL wood or anything made of wood
old tree and shrub branches(for firewood)
screws, nuts, bots, and any hardware that is still in good shape
plastic containers(when I have too many, I will recycle them)
old garbage pales/cans/baskets and most containers
plastic bags
styro-foam
Anything that might have a use

Basically before I throw something in the trash, I ask myself, "Can I use this in any way, now or in the future?"

For composting I use anything that was at one time part of a plant or tree. The only animal items I put into my compost are egg shells and hair(from myself or my dogs).

Here is a list of common items I use for compost:

ALL food scraps that are not meat or contain grease/fat
paper plates
yard trimmings(except branches, which I use for firewood)
dryer lint
newspapers(not too much, I recycle most of them)
cardboard and non-plastic packaging

Between my normal purchasing, reuse and recycle practices, I will have about one or two kitchen garbage bag of trash, every three weeks. I take my trash out once every three weeks, and there is usually only one bag in it. That is so much less than any other person I know, that most people don't believe me when I tell them.

New Pond Location

2010-03-20T01:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to see where your imagination can take you? This is your opportunity. It is like an artist starting a new painting. Except this is real art, art you can sit in, walk through, and "repaint" anytime you want. Your imagination is the key to your beautiful pond.

When I started looking at ponds for ideas on how I wanted mine to look, I was disappointed, for the most part, as most ponds where very unimaginative and looked like they were factory built. That is not saying that there were not any beautiful ponds or that all of them were unimaginative. I think the problem is that most people hire a contractor to do the work. Contractors are going to stick to the basic ideas they have been using all along. Most of the time, they are not going to build you anything that they have never built before. This is why I urge you to DIY or find a contractor that is an artist as well. The type of pond I found to be, IMO, boring and very unimaginative was the pond surrounded by grey stones, placed in mortar around the pond edge. I don't know how many ponds are of this sort, but it seems(or seemed) to be a very popular choice, for some reason. Come on, if you are going to build something from scratch, why make it as boring as possible? Why not have some fun with this?

LOCATION

Anywhere you want would be my first answer, but since this blog is mainly about converting a swimming pool to a pond, you will likely be limited as to where your pond can be located. It will be wherever your pool is or was. Not many options in this case.

If you are not converting a swimming pool, then as long as you keep it a few feet from the neighbor's property, in your yard, and away from anything structural that will be undermined by digging a hole near it(unless you want to do some expensive restructuring) you can put it anywhere you want.

A few things to keep away from:

Large trees that will drop leaves, needles, flowers, and such into the pond should be avoided, if possible.
Poisonous or messy plants.
Steep slopes that will dump rain water or dirt into your pond.
Locations where your pet defecates. Nothing is worse than stepping in a big pile when you are trying to relax. Plus the smell and insects will take any pleasantry away from the area. If you have to, retrain your animal to go somewhere else. I had to retrain my dog, and it was not easy. I eventually had to build small border rails to show the dog the new boundaries. She eventually got it, and I just took down the rails yesterday.

A couple of things to try and accommodate:

Keep the pond very visible from inside your house. Try to keep large bushes and trees to the opposite side of your pond and remove anything that will block the view.
Keep it close and easily accessible.

How To Build a Pond Frame Part 2 - Instructions

2010-03-14T05:35:00.000-07:00

These instructions have to be very general as noone will have the same needs when it comes to shape, size, and scale. Therefore I will give no dimensions and will not give exact amounts on materials. First I will show how to build a mounted wall(a wall of the frame that will be mounted into the ground with 4x4 posts) and a basic side wall. Then I will show how to put it together and then give the pond some internal shape.

Materials Needed:

4x4 posts
2x4's
5/8" Plywood
Wood Protectant(This isn't needed if you buy pretreated wood)
Galvanized Lag Screws w/ Washers
Galvanized Wood Screws or Galvanized 8d Nails
Cement

STEP 1: Construct a Mount Wall

Before you start, treat your wood with some good wood protector. Thoroughly cover all sides of all the wood. Cut your plywood to size and screw onto posts. Screw in 2x4's at the top and bottom as shown below. Keep at least 18" of post below the plywood.

STEP 2: Construct walls

Side walls are very simple to make. Cut your plywood to size then attach 2x4's to the top and bottom. If you need to make a longer wall you can connect two walls together and attach a 2x4 at the seam. The walls don't have to be very strong as there will be packed dirt on one side and the water on the inside will not provide enough pressure to collapse anything.

STEP 3:

Dig holes for your posts then set your mount wall into the holes. Connect the sides with a couple of screws and make sure the mount wall is plumb and level. Fill the holes with cement then check plumb and level a final time. Let dry for at least 24 hours, 48 hours preferably.

STEP 4:

Secure all walls with lag screws and wood screws(or nails) as shown below.

STEP 5:

Fill the outside of the frame with dirt, rock, and/or concrete blocks. Pack the dirt firmly and leave no air pockets. Add mud to the corners and along the bottom of the INSIDE of the frame. Make sure there are no areas where the liner might get pinched. Form the inside shape of the pond with mud and dirt, then cover with a couple of inches of sand.

You are now ready to put in your pond liner.

How To Build a Pond Frame Part 1 - Overview and Examples

2010-03-03T19:05:00.000-08:00

For instructions go to part 2 HERE.

A frame is not necessary unless you have the need for it. It will help keep the dirt out of your pond area during DIY pool removal, as well as giving your pond sturdy sides. It will also help if you want a straight drop or perfectly sloped side.

Here are some examples of how a frame can be utilized.

Here is a 3-sided frame integrated into the sides of the old swimming pool.

Notice how I used it primarily to keep the dirt from entering the pond area.

The frame has angled sides to give the pond some slope on the left side.

It is important to add dirt to the inside corners and the bottom edge to keep the liner from being pinched.

You do not want sharp angles or gaps anywhere on your frame.

Once you have filled the areas with dirt, you want to secure padding to the wood,

then cover the entire area with a layer of fine sand.

Everything should be smooth to accommodate the pond liner.

This 3-sided frame was used mainly for a sloped side and a sturdy bog area.

I used some carpet instead of padding for the underlayment.

Here is the pond right before I added the liner.

The frame makes a perfect and permanent slope that will never get lumpy or collapse.

Here you can see an example of how a pond frame might look when used for a bog or other shallow type pond area.

Here is another angle showing an example of the same frame.

Notice how the frame is not complete, but it uses the pool wall is one of its sides.

For instructions go HERE

Step By Step DIY Pool Removal

2010-02-23T08:35:00.000-08:00

Before you begin, use this article to figure out your swimming pool volume, and read this article to get an idea of what is going on and how big of an area around your pool that will need to be dug.

I will be showing how to remove a concrete and a liner pool in these instructions. The only difference between the two is a few of the steps will be different for each, but the overall idea is exactly the same for any type of swimming pool.

The photos posted here are from the removal of a liner pool. Keep in mind that I did my pool a little differently as I had no instructions or experience in doing this. These instructions are put together in such a way as to make it easier for the reader to understand the process. This is not an exact procedure, as every pool and every backyard will have slightly different needs. Although not exact, generally, the overall set of instructions should work for any pool removal.

DIY: HOW TO REMOVE A SWIMMING POOL

1. Drain your pool and remove your filter equipment and/or piping if necessary. You can drain your pool using your current pool pump by attaching a hose to the input of the pump and one at the output. Put the input into your pool and the output wherever you want the water to go. I used the water to irrigate my yard.

In most cases you can remove the old piping as you dig around the pool. So don't worry too much about that yet. You can just remove the pipes that are in the way when digging. Leave the remainder buried unless they will be in the way of future landscaping.

2. For concrete pools, cut out or knock out a couple large holes in the bottom of the pool. This will be for drainage and should be at least 3 feet wide. Fill the holes with rough fill sand, gravel, or drain rock. For liner pools, simply remove your liner.

(Optional) Add some stability to the area by setting rebar in a crossing and in a three dimensional pattern. Push the rebar in about 2 to 3 feet and tie the cross sections together with wire. Just use a simple pattern, or one that will suit the area. For concrete pools you will need to drill holes then put the rebar through the holes.

3. Build your pond frame where you want your pond to be. Refer to this link for instructions on building a pond frame. Remember to keep the top of the pond about two feet below the current ground level(top of your pool). Make sure you support the new frame by setting posts in concrete like you would set fence posts, or by attaching posts to the concrete base of a concrete pool. This will give your pond walls strength when mounted to the posts. If you have a liner pool, you might want to wait until you remove the pool frame so you can reuse the wood for your pond frame.

Here you can kind of see the frame under the padding.

I only needed a partial frame, as I used the old pool bottom for the rest.

This photo was taken well into the process.

Unfortunately I have no photos of the actual frame construction.

4. If you have a concrete deck around your pool, break it up and toss it into the the pool. Put the concrete in the deepest areas of the pool. You want the concrete at least 2 feet from the top of your pond.

5. How you do the next step will be determined by your situation. In any of the situations, just throw the concrete or dirt into the pool.

For concrete pools:

If you can easily break out the top two feet of concrete around your entire pool, then do so.
If you can not easily break out the top two feet of concrete then dig a two foot deep by two feet wide trench around the pool. Then you should be able to break the top two feet of concrete out.

For liner pools:

If you are not going to be using a current side of your pool as a side for your pond(or you are not going to have a pond) then remove the entire wooden frame around your pool.
If you want to use part of the current frame as part of the pond frame, then only cut off the top two feet of that particular side. You may need to dig a 2 foot by 2 foot trench behind the frame to make that easier. Remove the rest of the frame without removing any structural support to the part you are leaving in. If that cannot be done you will have to add some new support with a 4x4 post and concrete(just like a fence post).

6. Dig out the surrounding area around your pool by removing the top two feet of soil surrounding your pool. Use the dirt to fill the pool. Make sure you pack the dirt down well as you fill the pool. This can be done easier by filling it part way then soaking the dirt with water. Keep repeating until you have completely filled your pool to the level you wanted(two feet below the old soil level)

The string line shows the old soil level.

7. Pack the area with a soil compactor or something equally effective. Make sure all the gaps are filled and there are no places where a collapse can occur. If there is such an area, you will find out during the first heavy rain storm you get. Unless the area was huge, it won't be a problem to just fill in with more soil or gravel at that time. I had two areas that created small holes in the top soil. One took about a half wheelbarrow to fill, the other just needed a few shovels full of dirt. The larger of the two was created because of the area between the temporary retaining wall(which I did not remove, I just buried it) and the new pond frame didn't get completely filled in.

What you see here was a temporary wall(left side) I used to keep the concrete

and dirt from filling the area until I knew I had enough dirt.
After I saw I had enough I began to bury the wall.

I built my frame late into the process.

Your pool is gone. Enjoy your new yard.

Landscaping my new backyard without a pool.

DIY - Do It Yourself

2010-02-10T22:18:00.000-08:00

Description of DIY from Wikipedia:
Do it yourself (or DIY) is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals. The phrase "do it yourself" came into common usage in the 1950s in reference to home improvement challenges that people might choose to complete independently.

I have one problem with the the description. It states "without the aid of experts or professionals". I find this to be incorrect. There are many ways to receive "aid" and still consider a project as DIY. While DIY projects get finished by your doing, they frequently require some type of influence or some form of aid. Whether it be from an internet article or from knowledge gained from someone who has already done the same thing, it is still a DIY project. There are just different levels of DIY, which I explain below. I would just define it a little different than they did.

Anyway, if you frequently DIY then you already know the many benefits, here are three:

COST - This is one of the most, if not the most, attractive benefits. Some DIY projects require little or even no money. They are most certainly less expensive than hiring someone. You can shop around for materials to find better prices. You can reuse materials or use something you already have that is just laying around. But the biggest savings usually come in the form of labor. You will pay nothing for your own labor, except with the time you spend. If you lead a very busy life with little extra time, or you find your extra time more valuable than paying someone to do it for you, then you are most likely not a DIY kind of person. But the next benefit might override that position.
GAINING KNOWLEDGE - The knowledge that you can gain by DIY is invaluable. Not only will you be better suited to repair or add to a DIY project later on, you will broaden your mental tool set for the rest of your life. To me this is more important than the cost benefit. If you like to know how things work or just like to do things you have never done before, then DIY is a satisfying way to go. Which brings up the next benefit...
SATISFACTION - The satisfaction you get by DIY is almost always better than having a professional do it. When you DIY, you have ultimate control with everything to get a result that you want. When complete, and if everything was done properly, it should be exactly the way you want it. If you hire a contractor, for instance, how can you truly know the job was done properly, unless you hover over them continuously(which, btw, most contractors do not like)? It might seem to have been done properly, but then sometime down the road, you may find that it was not. Usually this happens after the warranty expires. For instance, my mother had landscaping done by a contractor. Everything was great for about two years, except the trees hadn't really grown much, which didn't seem like a big deal at the time. They still looked healthy, so she didn't really pay them much attention. The third year rolled around and the trees started turning brown and the lawn, which was perfectly flat when put in, was now very "lumpy". There were mounds and valleys throughout the entire lawn. So I started looking into the soil for a problem, and I immediately found some. They did not remove the decorative rock that was originally there, they just spread it and then covered it with dirt. Where a lot of rock was, ended up being where the lawn was mounded. The valleys had no rock underneath. The soil was like brick. The tree roots had not grown out of the original small hole they had dug. I pulled the trees out by hand, roots and all. The moral of the story here is, you will always have peace of mind and satisfaction when you DIY, if you have the ability to do so.

There are drawbacks to DIY. In order to get all of the benefits you, absolutely, must have the time, the will, and the ability to do whatever it is you want done. If you don't have all three, you will be in over your head before you begin. Having the ability does not mean you have to know what you are doing. It means having the physical and mental ability to get the job done, start to finish.

There are different levels of a DIY project. I'll give a simple example.

Let us say you want a cake with frosting. You have a few options. You can...

Buy one that is ready to serve and 100% complete.
Buy a plain cake, then add ready made frosting.
Buy a plain cake, then add frosting that you made from scratch.
Buy cake mix, and ready made frosting.
Make the cake from scratch, use ready made frosting.
Buy cake mix, then make the frosting from scratch.
Make both the cake and frosting from scratch.

You can see the different levels of just a cake with frosting. If you want to decorate the cake and/or add other things to the cake, you will exponentially get more and more levels. You can consider that making the cake was DIY for every level except the first, which is where you simply bought the entire cake ready to eat. A lot of people would claim that only the last(#7) is a true DIY cake with frosting, and I would disagree.

So with a project as large as this, you can consider it DIY as long as you don't just hire a contractor to do the entire thing. You could still get someone to help you fill in your pool with dirt, or to help create your pond. You can buy pre-made grow beds or have someone build custom grow beds for you. As long as you are in control of every aspect of the project, you can get aid. Just like you don't have to make the frosting to make your own cake with frosting.

Planning(or lack of)

2010-02-09T17:16:00.001-08:00

There was no lack of planning in any respect to this project. I spent many fall and winter months planning and getting things ready for Spring. Now that I am about finished, I can say, "There are very few aspects of this project that haven't changed from the original plan."

There are a few reasons for this. The reasons are 1 - I found better ways to do things and 2 - I like to let things unfold to see what I have, instead of forcing pre-existing plans that might end up being more difficult, less functional, or less attractive than something else. Basically, I will let the landscape speak for itself, and if something is better suited to my current needs, I go with it.

For instance, while I was breaking out the concrete surrounding my pool, my final task was to remove the area of concrete that used to be a hot tub. I had filled the unused hot tub years ago with dirt and covered it in a thick layer of concrete that matched the surrounding concrete. So after breaking out the concrete and exposing about 8 inches of the top of the tub I was left with a daunting task of having to dig the entire tub out and remove it. This would have taken a day, maybe two, to accomplish. Instead, I slapped on a few Redwood fence boards to the top and outside of it. Instant Redwood planter...

So, as you can see, this worked out great. It was much easier than forcing the removal of the tub and going according to my plans.

This example is common throughout the entire process. Everything was changed. I might as well have thrown out my original drawings, because they were irrelevant after the first week. Everything from plumbing to landscape, pond shapes to where the grow beds were to be located was changed to accommodate the "Real World" application of this project. If I were to ever do this again, the planning(at least the construction and landscape part of it) would be an afterthought.

While I wouldn't recommend not planning at all to anyone, it does workout better for the do-it-yourself-er. Get an idea of how you want things and then start working toward that goal. Along the way you will find many things will simply work out better a different way.

That said, you will have to plan a few things such as...

How big your pond will be. This will effect many things such as how many grow beds will you need, pump and liner size.
Do you want a waterfall and/or stream. This will effect pump size, the location and structure of your pond
Which type of grow bed media, landscape plants, type and amount of boulders/rock, pathway materials, concrete or wooden edging, etc...

These are important to know ahead of time as they will effect how you go about the entire project. And you don't have to know everything exactly, just get an idea of what you would like and go from there.

This Type of a Natural Pond System is Unique

2010-02-09T05:59:00.000-08:00

PROBLEMS AND BENEFITS OF THIS SYSTEM

When you get right down to it, this system is an aquaponic system. The only thing that makes it any different than most backyard aquaponic systems is the scale and the fact that it is using a swimming pool, or what used to be a swimming pool. Everything else is what a normal aquaponic system would be. Of coarse, the scale of this system gives it some unique problems as well as some unique opportunities.

For a detailed description of aquaponics go HERE(currently under construction)
For a detailed overview of how my system functions go HERE(currently under construction)

One of the largest problems, because of the scale, is that to enclose the system in a greenhouse or similar enclosure is a huge task. You won't find a greenhouse of that size at your local home shop or hardware store. Ultimately, what that means is that in order to grow vegetables during winter months you will have to be creative. Enclosing the grow beds with individual greenhouses or similar coverings is what I am going to do. With such coverings, the pond will not be covered therefore the water will be subject to the cold temperatures and that will effect the fish and the vegetables.I could put the pond under a large greenhouse, but to me, that would just take away the whole idea of a beautiful pond in my backyard. By covering it up the pond will not be visibly accessible. Not really a good option for me.

Since I didn't have enough fish this winter to grow vegetables, I didn't bother making any covers for the beds. I will have them by next winter. I will construct individual greenhouse type coverings that are pretty simple to make using PVC pipe and construction plastic. I am also thinking about some type of solar heating to access some of the mid day warmth in order to keep the water temperatures above the 50F degrees it normally is during the winter.

One of the best things about this type of system is that you are free to use your imagination to create an aesthetically pleasing landscape. You can't do much with a tank and cut barrels a normal backyard system uses. Even on a very small budget, as I had, the backyard is very nice.

Problems and aesthetics aside, the main purpose of this system is to provide a cost effective alternative to a swimming pool by creating an earth friendly aquaponic system that will pay for itself in the long run. You will be able to provide plenty of organic food for you and your family with just a little effort.

Repairing a Grow Bed Constant Flow Drain

2010-02-07T00:08:00.000-08:00

While I was cleaning some debri from one of my grow beds I accidentally knocked into the constant flow drain pipe. When I did, it raised the pipe up just enough to let a few rocks get under it. The rocks prohibited the flow of water enough to cause the system to not function properly. The water would never fully drain which caused the auto-siphon to "trickle" burps of water at the end of the cycle, preventing the water to fully drain, thus never filling back up. The rocks had to be removed.

So I removed all the rock surrounding the immediate area of the drain to repair it. Removed the rocks that were, by that time, all the way down into the drain itself. I added another base to the pipe protection, drilled more holes fro better flow, and put it all back together again.

Here is what it looked like:

This is the CF drain after removing all the rock and pipe

This was the original drain cover which was too small

This is the drain cover and pipe after adding a new base to the cover and drilling more holes

Everything is back together and before I put the rock back over the drain, I make sure everything is functioning properly.

How To Easily Remove A Swimming Pool

2010-01-29T03:24:00.000-08:00

As easy as 1-2-3!

SIMPLE DO-IT YOURSELF(DIY) SWIMMING POOL REMOVAL

This method of pool removal is so simple it amazed me. Don't get me wrong, it is the method that is easy, the work itself involves some muscle. Imagine how much dirt it would take to fill a medium sized swimming pool. Now imagine if the soil level were dropped by 2 feet. Now imagine a pond somewhere where the pool used to be. Given these senarios, how much dirt would it take to fill that swimming pool now? The answer is much less... much, much less.

How much extra fill-dirt will be needed from an outside source? The answer is "None!"

No tractors ruining your yard. No contractors to charge you anything. As long as your yard is a little larger than your pool, you are in business. I don't know why people haven't thought of this sooner.

For step-by-step instructions go HERE.

Let's use the yard and pool from my previous post where I calculated its volume to be about 1600 cubic feet.

Now let us take the soil line down 2 feet around the pool. We will give it a little shape and give it a little slope on one end back up to the original line.

I left the pool in to show where it was in reference to the new soil line. The top of the pool that is above that new ground line can now have its volume subtracted from the volume of fill dirt needed. Using the exact same method I used in the previous post I can find the volume of the removed portion of the pool using 2 feet as the depth. It comes out to be 610 cubic feet. Subtract that from the total volume to get your adjusted volume, and you are just left with approximately 900 to 1000 cubic feet that will need to be filled in. If you add a pond, you can make that total even lower.

If you want to calculate the area around your pond that will have to be removed in order to fill your hole you will first need to know how much fill dirt will be required. That is why I have been going on about pool volume. Once you have that number you will need to use the following formula:

Width x Height x D = Total Pool Volume
Where "D" represents the amount of the dirt line to be removed. 2 feet seems to work out great for most pools.

You must use the total pool volume, not the adjusted volume. In other words, do not subtract the portion of the pool that would be above the new dirt line. While you don't need to fill that portion of the pool anymore, you also do not have any dirt in that portion already. So they offset each other. Let's use the example that I calculated in the previous post where the total volume was 1600 cubic feet. You will use the total volume(1600) without subtracting the 610 as I just stated above. You never use the adjusted volume(900 to 1000).

W x H x 2 = 1600
W x H = 1600 / 2
W x H = 800

So now you have to plug in some numbers that will work for your yard.
For the above yard I could use the following:

20 x 40 = 800
25 x 32 = 800
16 x 50 = 800
etc...

So I will need to remove an area around my pool approximately 20'x40' or 25'x32' or 16'x50' or some other numbers that equal 800. The above example is for a total fill in, if you are adding a pond you need to subtract the pond volume from the 800 and go from there.

With my actual yard, I had a few obstacles that prevented me from an easy calculation, so I just went ahead with the knowledge I would fill it completely at some point, and that is where I would stop. It didn't take much dirt at all. I had a concrete deck around my pool, so I used the concrete to start the fill in.

If you can see the whole picture correctly you will notice that the dirt you removed from around the pool went directly in the hole to fill it up. While you do this you build a frame for your pond once you have the bottom filled up to a proper height to allow a pond. In some cases you will need to build the frame before you start filling because you want your pond as deep as possible so you won't want to fill any of the bottom of the pool. Basically the pool bottom will now be your pond bottom. In either case, place your new pond frame and keep filling around it with the dirt you are removing from around the pool. Sooner or later you will reach a point were either you have completely filled the pool and your pond is perfectly in place, or you have reached the limit of dirt that you want to remove from your yard. In the latter case you will just need adjust the pond size accordingly(make it larger). If you are not putting in a pond then once it is filled, you are pretty much done. Just landscape and enjoy your new yard without a pool!

If you put in a pond, then celebrate in knowing that the most difficult, and by difficult I mean "backbreaking", part of the project is over.

Here is a lot of photos from my project where I filled in my pool using this method. I used the concrete from the pool decking to fill in the pool initially. Since I did not know exactly how much dirt I was going to have under the decking, I put up a temporary retaining wall to keep the dirt and concrete from filling up too much of the hole. Once I saw that I had plenty of dirt I started building the permanent pond frame and just filled up around it. I also used some re-bar drilled 3 feet into the ground to give the ground some stability from the loose concrete blocks.

Calculating Swimming Pool Volume in Cubic Feet

2010-01-27T05:37:00.000-08:00

To show how you can remove your swimming pool without adding fill dirt, I will need to calculate how much dirt you would need to fill it up. This article will quickly show how much dirt is needed for a moderate size swimming pool.

I am going to use the following backyard as an example for this and the next article.

Lets see how much fill dirt would be needed by finding the surface area and depth of this pool to get an estimated total volume...

The "r" is radius. We know the diameter is 12

so the radius is half of the diameter - 12 / 2 = 6

Since this is a rough estimate, there is no need to keep the decimal places. Just round off the number.

Now you have the surface area of each shape of the pool. Just add them together to get the total surface area.

There is no easy way to calculate the slope of your pool, but you can get a close estimate of depth by finding an average depth. This works as long as your pool has an even slope from the shallow end to the deep end, which most pools will. If you have a sudden drop-off closer to either end of the pool then this method will be less accurate.

Most pools have an 8 foot deep end and a 3 foot shallow end.

Total Volume = Length x Width x Depth

Since "Surface Area = Length x Width" we can substitute "Length x Width" with the "Surface Area" to get

Total Volume = Surface Area x Depth

1677.5 Cubic Feet is the estimated total volume of this pool.

1677 cubic feet of dirt is about 62 cubic yards. That would fill approximately 300 wheelbarrows.

The above calculation is fairly accurate if your pool is perfectly squared on the bottom. Most pools are rounded or tapered along the bottom. This will make the calculation a little high. So what I would do is just round it down a little to 1500 cubic feet for tapered or very round bottoms, or 1600 cubic feet for slightly rounded bottoms. That will give you an easier and more accurate number to work with.

How can you get rid of your swimming pool without dirt? It's not magic, and it's not hard as long as you are making a pond and you have enough yard on each side of your pool to make up the difference. I'll show you exactly in the next article.

Why DIY Swimming Pool Removal

2010-01-22T05:56:00.000-08:00

For a DIY guide to remove you swimming pool easily, see this article:
How To Remove A Swimming Pool Without Extra Fill Dirt

You have decided to get rid of your swimming pool. You have also decided that it is a good idea to utilize the giant hole in your backyard by converting it to a pond. In most cases your pond is not going to be nearly as big as your pool is. So you might think that it would be an easy task just fill the hole up partially, leaving a large enough area for your pond. Unfortunately most contractors don't do it that way. They fill the pool entirely and then dig a pond. There is a couple of reasons for this, one of which is structure stability. When you fill it, you can pack the ground better, thus giving the ground more stability for a pond. This seems like a waste of time and money to me. You can get just as much stability by using a wood frame and/or concrete supports. You can also use the wood from your pool frame for a pond frame. Anyway, what I am getting at, is you can do it yourself and it is not very difficult, saving yourself a boatload of cash and the headache of dealing with contractors.

Take a quick look at what I did in just six weeks without any help:

What I did here is probably more than you will have to do. Keep in mind that this is actually two ponds with a waterfall in between. I also constructed the planters to over hang the large pond which is not necessary for most people. I did not remove any dirt from that area in order to keep the grow beds up high and on an already stable concrete slab. You can expect to have it complete in much less than six weeks, and if you have some help, all the better. You might get it done in only a couple of weeks or maybe even just five weekends.

DIY, you will get it done exactly the way you want with a lot more satisfaction.

Global Climate Change

2010-01-20T13:22:00.001-08:00

A great way to look at the global warming "debate"

What Materials Will I need & How Much Will It Cost?

2010-01-19T21:25:00.000-08:00

While most materials you use can be "re-used" materials, there are two things that I would not play around with and would always purchase new: a liner and a pond pump.

While it might be tempting to use your swimming pool pump, it is a bad idea. Pool pumps are not nearly as efficient as pond pumps. The cost in electricity alone would outgrow any savings. They are not made to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Similarly you might be tempted to use your old liner or just use the cement that is already in your pool. Again, bad idea. A new EPDM rubber pond liner will last you a lifetime if properly installed and maintained. You will never have to replace it. The liners are extremely puncture resistant compared to other types of liners. Concrete can crack and is also not a great partner to aquaculture. EPDM rubber is absolutely the best way to go.

If you decide to do this on your own you will save a boat load of cash also. You will basically be paying for materials. Remember to reuse all the materials that you can, it will save you money and is the right thing to do for the planet and our future.

Although your conversion will be different then mine and therefor the costs will be different, this will give you an idea for a pond similar in size to mine. If you want something smaller, then your cost will be less. Here is a list of materials and my approximate cost for each of them:

In no particular order:
1. 25'x35'x.45mil EPDM pond liner: $525
2. 5400GPH Pump: $500
3. Redwood for landscaping items such as retaining walls and planters $300
4. Lumber for grow beds and for mounting the grow beds $250
5. Screws, nails, bolts, and other hardware for construction $240
6. Plumbing (PVC pipe and fittings) $240
7. Bulk landscape materials for pond installation and grow beds $400
8. Decorative landscape rock $300
9. Electrical $200
10. Fish $70
11. Plants $100 (I am growing almost all the plants from seed or from cuttings)
12. Water test kit and miscellaneous pond stuff $100
13. Pond aeration equipment. $0 I will show you a few ways to get aeration without purchasing extra equipment.
14. Fill dirt to fill pool $0 Not necessary. Check this out!
15. Miscellaneous $100

Total cost approximately $3,400 plus my labor($0.00). Compare this to the cost of a contractor to remove the pool and re-landscape your yard at anywhere from $12,000 to $50,000.

Why Would You Want A Natural Pond?

2010-01-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

BENEFITS OF AQUAPONICS

I. Food Production

Vegetables and Herbs

Organic
Less water usage than soil based growing
Plants grow faster
Plants grow larger
Less soil based disease
No chemicals needed
Year round harvest with greenhouse or greenhouse type cover for grow beds

Fish

Organic
No chemicals Needed
Have fresh fish on hand at all times

II. Earth Friendly

Uses less water than other methods of aquaculture or hydroponics
No waste water
No chemicals
The system is almost self contained only needing fish food and an occasional replenishment of used and evaporated water
Can be made to be 100% sustainable with the addition of solar panels and rainwater storage
Growing your own food will help decrease the need for mass food production
Less trips to the grocery store

Once the system has cycled and matured there is very little you need to do. The water will remain balanced and maintenance is minimal compared to a swimming pool.

What To Do With An Unwanted Swimming Pool?

2010-01-12T06:13:00.000-08:00

So you decide that it is time to get rid of the resource hog living in your backyard. Good choice.

So now what? Fill, convert, or something else?

I am not sure there is a "something else", but if there is, good luck.

You basically have 2 choices with a lot of options for either of them.

1. Fill it. This is the simplest of the choices, so you would think. Remember all that dirt that came out of your backyard? It now has to find it's way from the street back into the hole. Are you ready for what that might entail? If your lucky, there isn't any landscape between the two. If your not so lucky, and most of you won't be, be prepared to re-landscape, re-build some fence, and possibly re-pour your concrete walkway. A BIG tractor will be your worst nightmare for a day or two. Back and forth, load after load. Squashing everything in its path.

Some companies have huge machines that will lift dirt up and over without the tractor mess. If you have a lot of extra cash lying around, this is the way to go if you decide to fill it.

Be prepared to pay anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 to have your pool filled. No landscaping, just fill dirt into the hole. Then you will have to landscape, so add another $2,000 - $20,000 to it.

2. Convert it. You have a huge hole in your backyard, already dug and paid for. Why would you want to fill it? There are so many things you can do with a pre-dug hole the size of a swimming pool. Anything from a bomb-shelter to a "Green" guest room. Another great idea would be for a greenhouse. Your imagination could go wild with all the possibilities. I spent about two weeks looking for the right solution. I wanted something nice, inexpensive, and most of all, earth friendly. A contractor wanted $15,000 just to fill the pool with dirt. I wanted to spend less than that. It really came down to either a "cold storage" room or a pond.

My decision and how I got there

At first I didn't like the pond idea. It seemed exactly like a pool. I mean, what would be the difference? The answer came a few days later when I happened upon a site showing the wonders of aquaponics. I didn't really pay too much attention at first. But as I was looking at the huge vegi's being grown out of the grow beds, I noticed that the grow beds looked just like a biological filter that I had looked at earlier in the day. That's when it hit me, what if I used grow beds for my pond filters? They are exactly the same thing, just one grows vegetables, the other aquatic plants. So I started looking around the net for somebody that had done this. Surely someone has done this before, right? Well if someone has, they haven't spread the information to anyone. I looked for days, and came up empty. So this is it, the first(as far as I know) aquaponic pond built from a swimming pool.

I started thinking about what I would need as far as money. I was figuring about $5000 if I did all the work myself. As it has turned out, it was a lot less than that. I am roughly guessing it has cost about $3500 total. I will be rounding up all the receipts and getting a closer total, but that should be pretty close. So compare that to any other option and you will find this is the least expensive option, by far.

Should I Get Rid of My Swimming Pool?

2010-01-11T01:50:00.000-08:00

The only way I could see someone justifying building a new swimming pool is if it is a community pool where many people will be using it. Other than that you are just adding to the ever growing problem of resource demand.

But if you already have a pool, built it years ago, or acquired one with a home purchase then you might be realizing that you might be better off without it. There are a couple good reasons to keep a swimming pool, such as your children use it a lot. But if you can't think of a good reason to keep it, then it is time to remove it. Or better yet, convert it to something "earth friendly".

There are several reasons that homeowners are getting rid of their pools in record numbers. Here are just a few...

1. They are water hogs. The water that needs to be replaced from evaporation, splashing, spills, leaks, etc... can be enormous in the summer. Don't be fooled by the numbers game that some want to play. You will hear something like, "It takes more water to keep a lawn than a pool." or, "You can stop 80% of the water evaporation with a cover." That might be true if you kept it covered 100% of the time. In reality, I covered my pool in winter. In the summer, it was off most of the time. Putting it on and taking it off repeatedly is a pain in the ass. And as far as the lawn thing goes, what makes them think that a lawn is the only option? I guess it is as much a word game than a numbers game.

According to the Geotechnical, Rock and Water Resources Library evaporation calculator and using the Annual Class A Pan Evaporation Rate from the National Weather Service, a 30' x 15' uncovered pool can lose 11,000 gallons in cooler areas, and up to 37,000 gallons in hotter areas, of water per year, due to evaporation alone.

2. They require a lot of energy. Pool pumps are not efficient. Heaters are a waste. Pool sweeps require an extra pump. Of coarse, if you have solar panels, then energy is probably not an issue.

3. Maintenance can be expensive and/or time consuming. Repair people are not cheap. Replacement parts are not cheap. Diagnosing problems can be difficult and/or expensive. Older pools can get to the point of needing complete overhauls. Need I go on?

4. Money Money Money! Everything costs money with a pool, regardless if you do it yourself or hire someone. Pool supplies are getting outrageously expensive. Chlorine tripled in price over a three year span. Worst of all, most dealers and suppliers want nothing better than to get your money, and most will say anything to get it. I don't trust any of them to give me an honest opinion.

5. Harmful chemicals. Need I say more?

IMO, the cost of a swimming pool in resources as well as money, just cannot be justified in these times. Our resources are getting thin and the population keeps growing at an exponential rate. Watch this video to get an idea of what that means. Pay attention to the last part about the bacteria growing in jars.

So to answer "Should I Get Rid of My Swimming Pool?"

I would have to say, "Almost certainly, yes"

Stepping Back to the Start

2010-01-08T05:07:00.000-08:00

I jumped right in with the grow bed construction without giving much detail on how to go about starting a project like this. The grow bed construction I knew was going to be the largest of all the instruction sets and I wanted to get it out of the way. So from here on I will try to give instruction from the beginning to the end and in the order I ended up using with my project. So back to the beginning...

GROW BED CONSTRUCTION OVERVIEW

2010-01-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

Grow beds act as filters for your pond. They are one of the most, if not the most, important part of the natural pond system. I have put together several step-by-step instructions for making your own grow beds that can save you a lot of money if you have the time and skills to do so. The list below has them in the order you should follow. That said, there are times when you might possibly have to reference another instruction for separate details. It is best to skim over all the them before you start. That way you will have an idea of what to expect. This article is for that purpose. It will give you easy excess to all the instructions from start to finish.

Please don't hesitate to comment if you can't understand something , find a problem, or just have a question or comment.

Building The Bed

Positioning a Grow Bed

The Support

Setting Posts

Mounting
Drilling Your Drain Holes
Preparing for Your Liner

Liner and Bulkheads

Auto-Siphon

Trim and Wood Protection

Here is a gallery for the construction of my custom grow beds, that I attached to my existing deck. Since they are custom, I am unable to give instructions with informative detail, because I doubt if anyone would require the exact same designs. If you want your own custom beds, you can leave a comment and we can discuss your needs. You can also look at the images and get a good idea of what is required.

IMAGES FOR MY CUSTOM GROW BEDS...

How To Make a Grow Bed (PART 7 - Wood Protection and Appearance)

2010-01-01T04:03:00.000-08:00

This is it, the final instruction for building a functional grow bed for a large aquaponic system. By this point you should have a functioning grow bed. This instruction will show you how to make it look a little better by adding trim and the do's and do not's of using wood protection. Lets start with the trim.

ADDING WOOD TRIM
In a previous instruction I said to wait until the grow bed was functioning before adding trim. The reason is you want trim to cover up ugly spots without getting in the way of the grow beds functionality. So now it is easier to see where to put extra trim and where you won't want it.

There are some benefits to adding wood trim
1. Covers hardware
2. Attractive
3. Covers corner joints
4. Covers seams
5. Helps secure unconnected areas
6. Hides unsightly construction

When adding trim to your grow bed there are no set rules. The only thing I recommend, and I stated it in a previous instruction, is that you want at least on piece to connect all the 2x4's on a side. This will help keep them from separating and help keep the sides from bowing out when full.

Here you can see an area that would benefit from trim...

Here is the pattern I chose for my grow bed. It adds a lot of strength to the sides because there are three trim boards connecting all the side 2x4's.

WOOD PROTECTION
I would almost recommend staying away from wood protection because of the chemicals that can make there way from the wood into your pond. However, we are dealing with water and wood, the two are not very compatible. If you don't protect the wood, expect dry rot. The decision is yours and I would never tell anyone to use any chemicals for this project. You can add a clear plastic canopy to act as a greenhouse that will protect from rain, as an alternative.

When using chemical wood protection it is important to keep it out of the water supply to your pond. This might lead you into thinking it's best to protect the wood ahead of time, which is a bad idea. Not only will you get the stuff all over yourself when handling the bed, you will transfer it over to anything else you touch. It can easily make its way into the pond water.

So now is the time to do it, but be very careful of splashing it and from dripping it. Take your time and move slowly.

One mistake I made, which is the ultimate reason I didn't get my fish in time before winter started, was to apply the protection the day before it rained, about 12 hours before to be exact. What happened? The rain washed the, still wet, chemicals directly into the pond water. I spent hours trying to skim it off the top and ended up draining about half of my water. It took about 2 weeks before I couldn't see any traces of it. Luckily no goldfish died, but I am sure they didn't like it.

How To Make a Grow Bed (PART 6 - Auto-Siphon)

2009-12-29T04:12:00.000-08:00

This, to me, was the most amazing part of aquaponics. The fact that this siphon works with nothing more than natural physics was what attracted me to use it in my system. Nothing can be better than using the forces that naturally exist in our environment in order to make something work. It takes a little adjusting to make it work properly, but once you find the perfect adjustment, if you then secure it in position, it will run forever. Of coarse there are a few circumstances that can deteriorate its performance and maybe stop it altogether, such as large algae build-up or freezing temperatures. Nonetheless, it is an effective way to make the system function, and without it, aquaponics might not be as attractive.

Setting Up Your Auto-Siphon (Step 4 added Dec 31 for continuous flow drains)

Make sure your bulkheads are complete and leak-free before moving on to this instruction.

Materials Needed:
You shouldn't need any more materials if you have set up your drains according to the last instructions. But in case you just skipped that and set up your own bulkhead you will need the following:

For 3/4" bulkheads:
~4' to 5' of hose/tubing that will fit into your bulkhead(5/8" ID Braided Tubing will fit perfectly into a 1/2" PVC adapter or fitting)
3/4" to 1/2" PVC slip adapter/bushing
~2' of 3/4" PVC pipe
4' - 3" or 4" perforated drain pipe

NOTE - if your bulkhead is other than 3/4" or you are using different size tubing, then you will have to figure out the correct sizes you will need. If using a 1/2" bulkhead you will use everything listed except the 3/4" to 1/2" adapter.

At this point you should have something like this on the inside of your grow bed...

STEP 1

Take your 3/4" PVC pipe and drill holes in it. Lots of them! When finished, connect it to your bulkhead on the inside of the grow bed. Do not glue it on. You might need to take this off and clean it later on down the road. Then take your drain pipe and slide it over the pvc pipe. This will prevent your drain from getting clogged while allowing a free flow of water to the drain. A 4' length will fit from side to side inside your bed.

STEP 2

Connect the tubing to your bulkhead by inserting the adapter into the bulkhead and then the tubing to the inside of the adapter. Do not glue anything at this point. You can glue this together once you have the auto-siphon working. But for now you should leave it unglued. Loop your tubing up and around, ending into your drain pipe(return line to the pond). If you haven't setup your piping yet, now would be a good time.

The above image shows a functioning auto-siphon going into a return line.

The second pipe with tubing is coming from another grow bed.

Both of the grow beds were custom made to attach to my preexisting deck.

STEP 3

Turn on your water inlet to your grow bed. If you haven't set that up then just use a hose. Open the flow 100%. Once the water gets close to the top of the tubing turn your water source way down, making the flow about where you are going to want it once the system is running. Watch the water slowly start to trickle down the tubing into the drain. This is where the adjusting comes into play. If the trickle of water remains for more than about two or three minutes, then your flow is too low. Turn it up a bit. If your siphon kicks in, but the water level in your grow bed is still increasing or remains the same, then your flow is too high. Turn the flow down until you can see the water level lowering. You might have to play with this a bit to get the flow adjusted correctly. Once you have it where you want it let it run for a couple of hours and keep an eye on it. If you are using a hose. Turn it off and get to work on your piping.

If you are not implementing a continuous flow to the auto-siphon then you are ready to add your media and finalize the grow bed(next instructions) and you can skip step 4.

STEP 4 (Only for setting up a constant flow drain to your auto-siphon)

The setup for this is almost exactly the same as for the auto-siphon, except that it is in a verticle position instead of horizontal. Plus the output is not in a loop and can be PVC pipe instead of tubing or hose. You will also need to add a ball valve to control the output. It is not necessary, but will aid in stopping the drain if you need to. It also can be advantageous for adjusting flow rate through the drain. So I recommend adding it, even if you don't see the need for it at the moment.

The idea behind adding a constant flow(CF) drain to the auto-siphon is to allow a continuous, filtered water supply to your pond. This is great for waterfalls, but is important for good aeration.

How it works:
The important thing here is to allow slightly more water to enter the grow bed than is flowing out through the CF drain. By doing this the water will still fill the grow bed and let the auto-siphon work its magic for a "Flood and Drain" system. Basically you will be getting the benefits of both types of systems in one.

Here are some photos from when I setup my CF drain:

Once you get the drain setup properly, you will need to adjust the flow coming into the grow bed and possibly the output. This took me a couple of days to get the flow exactly right. The biggest propblem I had was the flow rate out of the drain depended on the amount of water in the grow bed. When it is full, the flow rate is at its highest. Once the water level starts getting close to the bottom, the flow rate slows down. When adjusting the water input if you allow too much flow, the auto-siphon, when finishing it's cycle, will trickle water instead of stopping. This "trickling" effect when added to the flow rate leaving the CF drain can equal the amount of water coming in, therefor never filling the bed back up. If you don't allow enough water through the input you may get a water level that remains constant or the auto-siphon might trickle water at the beginning of its cycle and never kick in. This "tricking" effect will will cause the water level to remain at a constant height. This would drown your plants root system. Now take that into consideration and add in the adjustment problems of just an auto-siphon and you can see why it took me a couple of days to get it right. Below is a chart to help you adjust the flow rates for the auto-siphon with a CF drain.

CURRENTLY CREATING A NEW CHART FOR BETTER ACCURACY

Sorry for the delay...

2009-12-28T16:03:00.000-08:00

If you are wondering where the final couple of "How To Make A Grow Bed" instructions are, I am sorry for the delay. It's Xmas time and I took a little break. But I will be back at it tonight. Expect a steady stream of posts throughout the month of January.

How To Make a Grow Bed (PART 5 - Liner and Drains)

2009-12-11T20:53:00.000-08:00

Putting in a liner is a pretty simple process. I will discuss how to install the two types I used for my project, EPDM rubber, and 4mil construction plastic.The first step will be for the sizing and layout for the liner, and applies to all types of flexible liners. The second step will discuss the drain bulkheads, which will be different for each liner. The last step will be for securing the liner and will apply to all flexible liners. All of these steps will have their own materials list.

STEP 1 - ADDING THE LINER

Make sure you have drilled your holes for the drains and you have prepared the bed before going forward.

Materials Needed:
12' x 8' EPDM rubber liner -or- 25' x 10' roll 4mil or greater construction plastic
12' x 8' Underlayment(carpet, construction plastic, foam padding, etc...)
10 - Tack nails or wood screws
Some grow bed media that you will be using to eventually fill the grow beds with(I used a mix of 3/4" lava and river rock. Or I just use lava since it is very light weight).

Cut your underlayment to size and lay it on top of the grow bed. If your underlayment is more than one piece, place it where it needs to be and overlap adjoining pieces then tape them together with duct tape.

Cut your liner to size. For construction plastic you will double it up by unrolling the entire roll and then fold it in half. This will give you a double layer. Once your liner is ready, place it on top of the underlayment. Now push them down on all four corners, making sure you have an equal amount of liner on all opposite sides. Once you feel everything is lined up, take a straight edge and shove the liner completely into the corner adges along the bottom. Don't leave any space between the bed and the liner. It is important to not have any gaps. Add some grow bed media to keep the liner held down. Now tack or screw down the very top of the liner in several places to temporarily secure it.

STEP 2 - DRAIN BULKHEADS

Materials Needed
For Plastic Liners

For EPDM Liners

All the bulkheads(auto-siphon, overflow, and continuous flow) will use the exact same materials. Not shown in the images above, you also need a 3/4" to 1/2" adapter bushing for the plastic liner that will connect the braided hose to the bulkhead(not needed for EPDM). You will also need PVC glue and silicone(use 100% silicone).

STEP 2A

Here is the connection order for the plastic liner bulkhead. For EPDM liners, just substitute the adapters with the water-tight adapter(shown in the second image below).

Drill holes in the 3/4" pvc pipe and the 3" drain pipe

STEP 2B

Closeups of the 3 items needed for a single plastic liner bulkhead:

For plastic liners, using PVC glue, connect the bushing into the slip side of the adapter with the female threads.

STEP 2C

Plastic Liner:
Locate the center of the drain hole that you will start with. Cut a very small hole in the liner directly in the center of the drilled drain hole.

EPDM Liner:
Locate the center of the drain hole that you will start with. Cut a hole in the liner directly lined with the center of the drilled drain hole. The hole should be circular(as much as possible) and about 3/4" in diameter, which is slightly smaller than the male thread of the water-tight adapter.

STEP 2D

With the adapter containing the bushing in it on the outside of the liner(going into the drilled hole), position the small liner hole in the center of the adapters and press them together. Give a slight twist while pushing together to secure the adapters together. DO NOT TIGHTEN, you can tear the liner if you tighten them without silicone as a lubricant. The adapters should barely be connected. In the photo below I used a scrap piece of plastic to give you an idea what to do.

STEP 2E

Liberally add silicone to each side of the liner where the adapters will be screwing together. Push the silicone deep into the joints.

STEP 2F

Fully tighten the adapters. They should be very easy to turn with the silicone acting as a lubricant. Make sure they are completely connected with the washer pressing tightly against the liner, but do not over-tighten.

STEP 2G
Place the bulkhead into the drilled hole. Take a brick or something heavy and push it against the face of the bulkhead to keep it in place and straight. The second image shows the brick against a bulkhead for an EPDM liner. Notice how it keeps the bulkhead perfectly straight and pressed against the grow bed wall.

Let dry 24 hours minimum.

STEP 2H
Clear the plastic liner from inside the bulkhead. Be very careful, do not pull it, try to cut it out with scissors or a knife. This doesn't apply to the EPDM liner bulkhead, it should be free and clear, but remove any silicone that might be inside the adapter. Once completely cleared, add the tubing and the drilled PVC to the bulkhead. Do not glue anything together.

If your pipe is in place, take the tubing and secure it in a loop into the pipe. The piping and auto-siphon are discussed in other instructions. But from the photo's below, you can get the idea.

STEP 3

Materials Needed:
3 - 2" x 4" x 8' studs
14 - 2 1/2" Wood Screws
1 - 2" x 4" x 8' stud (optional)

Cut one of the 2x4's to get two lengths of about 40". Trim the other 2x4's to about 90". Secure the top of the liner by pressing the 2x4's against the liner and pressing it against the wall of the grow bed. Do this as far up the wall as possible. Screw them tight. Optionally you can add cross boards for added strength to the grow beds as in the following photos. You will have to notch the liner supports in order for you to fit them in. This is a lot of extra work and can be a hassle for the inexperienced carpenter.

To test for leaks you can plug the drains with PVC pipe and a PVC cap(DO NOT GLUE THIS ON) then fill partially the bed with water. Let stand overnight. A word of caution here, try not to get water in between the liner and the bed. It will drip and look as though it is leaking. This little bit of water can take days(yes days) to drain and stop dripping. I have been fooled into thinking I had a leak more than once from this.

If, and only if, your drain is fully assembled(for the auto-siphon, which is the next instructional), you can go ahead and add all of your grow bed media at anytime.

Now we are getting close to the real fun. :)

Flood & Drain

2009-12-11T19:37:00.000-08:00

There are two systems I will describe, "Normal" flood and drain operation and a "Continuous Flow + Flood and Drain" system. What is meant by "F&D"(Flood and Drain) is that your grow bed will fill to a level that you decide, drain itself, and repeat continuously. This is in contrast to a "Continuous Flow" operation, where the water level remains constant. The advantage of F&D is that the plant roots are supplied with oxygen when the water is low and then supplied with nutrients when it is up. With a continuous flow operation the roots have problems either getting oxygen or getting to the nutrients. F&D is the preferred method for almost all aquaponic systems. But, as I will show you, you can combine the two for better filtering with a large pond.

CONTINUOUS FLOW + FLOOD AND DRAIN

The continuous flow can be integrated with F&D by adding a drain hole that allows water to freely drain, but at a rate that is lower than the input. This allows the grow bed to slowly fill. The auto-siphon will kick in once the desired water level is achieved. Once the water level gets low enough, the auto-siphon will stop and the bed will fill up again. The advantage here is that the water will never stop flowing to your pond. This is great for water features such as a waterfall and for giving your pond a strong current for better aeration. I initially designed this to keep a constant supply of filtered water to my waterfall, but water flow it created was a great side benefit. I highly recommend this method regardless of you having a waterfall or not. But if you want simplicity, go with normal F&D. Getting the flow correct won't be as tricky.

The normal flood and drain will not supply water to the pond on a continuous basis. While the bed is filling and before the auto-siphon kicks in, there is no water flowing to the pond. This might not be a problem if you do not have a water feature and/or more than one grow bed. While this may be OK for a smaller system, I still recommend the "Continuous Flow + F&D" simply for the aeration that the water flow will help provide.

DRAIN AND OVERFLOW HOLES

When you drill your holes for the drains you will be using a 1 3/8" drill bit for EPDM liners and 1 1/4" bit for construction plastic. For continuous flow you will want a three hole setup. For normal operation you will drill two holes, one for the drain(auto-siphon) and one for overflow.

Type of Liner	Drill Bit Size
EPDM	1 3/8”
Plastic	1 1/4”

Type of Drain	Number of Holes
Normal F&D	2
CF F&D	3

The location of your holes is up to you. They should be wherever it is convenient and close to your return pipe. The auto-siphon hole will be at the very bottom of a side wall. The overflow hole is near the top, below the edge of your liner. The continuous flow hole will go on the bottom of the grow bed, up through the plywood.

Example of hole locations:

IMPORTANT NOTE - Make sure you drill the holes before you put the liner in.

Before You Line Your Grow Bed

2009-12-05T22:10:00.000-08:00

I wont go into much detail on installing the liner. Basically all you do is cut it to size and lay it in the bed on top of some type of liner protection(underlayment). It is very easy.

What the upcoming instructional will focus on is leak prevention and also how to make water tight bulkheads. Here I will go into what you can use as a liner and provide some instructions on how to prepare your grow bed for the liner. But the main thing to keep in mind here is "You do not want to fix any leaks after the grow bed is filled with rock". Trust me, do everything you can to prevent them ahead of time.

So let's talk about what you can use as a liner. The best thing is EPDM rubber that you should use for your pond. Order a little extra when purchasing your pond liner. There is nothing better and it will last a lifetime if you maintain it properly. Unfortunately, it is a lot more expensive than other things you can use. I ordered extra with my pond, but still did not have enough for all of my grow beds. So I went as cheap as I could for two of the beds. Eventually I will replace it with EPDM, but for now the budget would not allow it.

So what to use? Basically anything that would line a pool, will line a grow bed. Of coarse, concrete isn't really an option, but you could use it. But for practical purposes you need something light and flexible for a, much smaller than a swimming pool, grow bed. Like I said, I did what my budget allowed, I went cheap. 4mil construction plastic is very cheap, so cheap you can double it up to provide more protection. It costs around $20 US dollars for a roll that will easily be large enough for a single grow bed. The draw back to this is, that it will probably need to be replaced in a couple of years. Which really isn't a problem since by that time I will need to clean the bed out anyway. So I can just replace it at that time, hopefully with EPDM. There are some precautions to take when using it however. Never leave it exposed to sunlight. It deteriorates rapidly when exposed to sun. 3 weeks and it's done, crumbling to a fine plastic powder. Do not scrape or drag it over ANYTHING. It cuts fairly easy, and you can't always see the cut. Tears look like wrinkles and can be overlooked if you are not careful. Use heavy underlayment, including roofing patch to seal the bottom of the bed.

UNDERLAYMENT

For EPDM, you can use anything. Old carpet, towels, rags, etc... For construction plastic(CP), you should use something that is one piece such as carpet or another layer of plastic(which is what I used on one of them). A single piece will not have seams and spots that can wrinkle the plastic(not as many anyway), which is a potential area for a pinch tear.

Here you see the underlayment I used for one of the grow beds.

I used the foam underlayment from the old pool.

GROW BED LINER PREPARATION

Vacuum out everything that is loose inside the bed. Make sure to remove or cover any sharp edges, ties and brackets. Cover all corners with padding. Tar, foam padding, and silicon work great for both applications.

For better leak protection I sealed the bottom of the grow bed with roofing repair patch(black tar like stuff) spread over the bottom half of the beds. Then I placed the underlayment on top of that. Keep in mind where you want your drain and overflow bulkheads to leave the tar off of that area until you have drilled the holes for them. The good thing about tar(roofing repair) is that it will seal the bottom to help stop leaks and protect the wood underneath from rot. I used it on two of the beds, the same two that I used the construction plastic for the liner. You can also use it to cover the brackets and straps to protect the liner from coming in contact with them.

Here you can see a strip of wood I used to keep the 2x4's together tightly, covered in roofing repair.

You can also see two of the three layers of 4mil CP.

I used two layers for the liner and a third as underlayment.

The top layer got tucked under and out of sight, but it is there.

How To Make a Grow Bed (PART 4 - Mounting the Bed)

2009-12-05T10:50:00.000-08:00

Mounting the Grow Bed

Materials needed:
2 - 2"x4"x48" Studs
1 - Box 3/4" Hanger Nails or 1.25" wood screws
6 - 1/2" Wood Screws(that is .5" not 6.5")
8 - 90 Degree Angle Brackets(any type, make sure they are strong)
2 - 12" Strap Ties
1 or 2 - Helpers to help you with the lifting of the growbed

STEP 1

This is what your mounting support should look like at this point...

Take 4 of your angle brackets and mount them as shown in the image below.

STEP 2

Add 2 more angle brackets to the top of the mount. Make sure they are exactly even with the top. The final two go as shown in the last image below.

STEP 3

Add a 2x4 to one end of the mount, making sure it is dead center on top of the 4x4 beam. Secure it with one of the strap ties using your hanger nails or your 1.25" screws. Leave a couple of inches above the stud.

STEP 4

Get your helper and lift the grow bed on to the mount. Set it down away from the edge with the strap, then slide it over. Make sure it is flush with all the edges and centered perfectly.

STEP 5

Add the last 2x4 to the other side and strap it down with the tie using your hanger nails or your 1.25" screws. Now get a few long screws and from the inside of the bed, put the screws through the bottom into the 2x4 mounts. Put a few screws into each of the boards that come in contact with the bottom of the grow bed.

STEP 6

Take your 1/2" screws and secure the bottom of the bed with the angle brackets on the top of the mount.

That baby ain't goin' noware once the rock is put into it. Good job!

Next we will add some trim and make it look good while making it more sturdy at the same time.

How To Make a Grow Bed (PART 3 - Setting Support Posts)

2009-12-02T23:05:00.000-08:00

Setting Posts for a Grow Bed

There are two ways to set posts for the grow beds. The surface on which you are going set the bed will determine how your posts are set. If you are going to put the bed above a hard surface such as concrete, you will set the posts on footings. If you are setting up the grow bed above dirt or any other unstable type of surface you will need to set up posts with concrete into a hole, just like a fence post

Fencepost Method

Footings

For this setup we will be using the fencepost method. Here is what you should have when done with this part.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

5 - 4"x4" Posts (See note below to determine length of posts.)
2 - 2"x4" Studs (See note below to determine length)
6 to 10 - 80lb bags of concrete* (your actual amount will depend on the size of the holes you dig. I always buy extra, it's cheap and has many uses)
4 - 3" Galvanized Lag Screws
4 - Galvanized Washers
Few - 2 1/2" or 3" screws
Gravel

* TRY NOT TO USE POST HOLE CEMENT. If you have no choice or you already bought some, you can use it, but it will not be strong enough for this purpose unless you premix it.

To determine post lengths: Four of the 4x4's you will need to take the desired height of the bottom of the grow bed(or top of the mount) to the ground, plus 18". The fifth 4x4 post and the 2x4 posts will need to be 7" shorter than that. Depending on your length, you can get two or three posts from one 8 foot 4x4 post, so don't purchase more than you need.

STEP 1
Lay your mount where you want the grow bed to be. Correctly place it in position on the ground. Mark the ground where your posts will be according to the image below. Remove the mount and start digging. Holes should be about 20" to 24" inches deep. See image below.

When digging the holes, make sure the bottom of the hole is larger than the top. See image below. This prevents the post from sinking into the ground in the future. This is important because of the enormous amount of weight that will be fluctuating continuously. Once the holes are dug, set your mount back over them and make sure the center of each hole lines up with the mount correctly.

After verifying the holes are correct keep the mount in place and level it by placing blocks underneath each corner. Then add enough gravel to each hole to make them about 18" deep. Place the four corner 4x4 posts into the holes and use the mount as a guide to lineup the posts correctly. Use a level or a string line to make sure all the posts are at exactly the same height. Add or remove gravel to the holes as needed.

Now you need to plumb the posts, this can be a little tricky. Use a post level if you have one, if not you will need to do it manually by adding guide boards on two sides of a post to make adjusting the post easier. See image below.

Once two posts are plumb, put a board over the top of them and screw it into the top of each post. Make sure the tops are still level. Screw the mount into the posts for temporary stability. Repeat on opposite side for the other two posts.

Double check all of your posts for plumb and level. Once you are happy everything is good, prepare the cement according to the instructions on the bag. If you are using post hole cement, DO NOT pour it into the hole then add water to the hole as the instructions will read. Premix it in a wheelbarrow, then it should be fine to use. Do not add too much water. The more water you add, the weaker the cement will be. When it is ready, pour some into each of the four holes with posts, slightly overflowing the hole. Take a stick or something and work the cement down into the holes, removing any air pockets. Once poured, recheck all of your posts again. Make adjustments quickly for ONLY anything that is too much off the mark, but if something is slightly off, don't worry about it. You want the posts to be set firmly in the concrete and moving them around will weaken the setting. Let dry for 48 hours.

Once dry, you can move the support mount up to the very top and level with the posts. Put the washers on the screws. Secure the mount with the lag screws by pre-drilling holes through the mount and one inch into the posts. Make sure the drill bit is smaller than the screw and do not drill too far into the post. An inch will be far enough. Use a socket wrench to tighten the lag screw.

Add the next three posts(4x4 and two 2x4 posts) underneath the 4x4 beam by placing the posts into the holes and secure them to the 4x4 beam. Plumb them then add the cement to the holes. Let dry 48 hours.

This shows the center post after placing

the grow bed on the mount,

which you will do in the next part.

Here is a 3D Model for a clear view of what you should have now.

That is it, you ready for the next part.

Positioning A Grow Bed

2009-11-28T02:18:00.000-08:00

So it's time to mount the grow bed. However, there are a couple of things to consider before you do it.

Location - You are going to need sunshine, so pick a spot that will get a good amount. Also, keep it close to the pond and close to the pump. Too far and your pump might not get the flow you expect. You will also have more pipe that you will have to bury, and nobody likes digging except maybe Satan.

Height - The output will be using gravity as the main force to return the water to the pond. The drain will be at the bottom of the grow bed and needs to be well above the water line of your pond. Make it as high as possible, but keep the top of the bed at least a couple feet below the fence-line or your neighbors might complain. And remember that creating too much head from your pump will lessen its output, so don't go too high.

Why the height of your grow bed is important:
It is important to provide good water circulation inside your pond for aeration. Aeration is much more effective with good circulation. In fact, at least one study that I have read says that circulation is the best form of aeration. But at minimum, by moving deep water to the surface continuously, you will increase aeration dramatically. So, in order to create a good flow for circulation inside the pond, get the bed off the ground as high as you can without causing negative effects, such as no access to the plants, or creating too much head for your pump.

Image shows a 4 foot drop in my configuration.

Combined with the first line(which has about a 6 foot drop),

this creates a great circular water current in the smaller pond.

So how high should it be?
There are too many factors to consider for me to give an exact height. Every system will vary. How many beds you have, number of ponds, aeration method, type of drain, and pond size are all things that will determin how high you mount the grow bed. If you just have a single pond, and you have an aeration system that can create good circulation, such as the aeration method I use in my larger pond, you can keep the grow beds fairly low just a foot or two above the water line. But if you are using a bubbler, any other method of aeartion, or you have more than one pond, you will need extra height. The higher, the better. If in doubt, go higher.

How To Make a Grow Bed (PART 2 - Mounting Support)

2009-11-24T07:02:00.001-08:00

This instruction is for the mounting support that will go underneath the grow bed and is attached to the posts. Once the mounts are in place you just set the grow bed on top of it and secure it.

The above photo was taken when I was designing the mount and is not exactly what the final support looks like, but it does give you a good idea. An additional three posts(one 4x4 and two 2x4 posts) and a 4x4 support beam are added to the final design.

MOUNTING SUPPORT

MATERIALS NEEDED:

5 - 2" X 4" X 8' Studs

1 - 4" X 4" X 8' Post

10 - 90degree angle brackets(any type, make sure they are strong)

20 - 3" Deck Screws

50 - 1" Wood Screws or Nails

STEP 1

Cut your 2x4's at the following lengths:

2 @ 48"

3 @ 29"

2 @ 77"

STEP 2

Using the 3" screws, screw the boards together as shown in image 1 below. When done with the 2x4's, add the 4x4 beam with the angle brackets and 1" screws. I could try to explain it all, but I think it will be easier just to follow the drawing(image 1). Use the remaining angle brackets for the inside corners where the longer 2x4's are connected.

The green lines show where the posts will be once it is mounted. The grow bed will then set directly on top of the mount. Mounting instructions will be next.

Here is a photo of what it should look like when mounting the grow bed:

Get ready to dig for the next part. Oh what fun.

How To Make a Grow Bed (PART 1 - The Grow Bed)

2009-11-20T23:17:00.001-08:00

This will give instructions for making a grow bed box out of wood. This does not include the mounting, underneath support, or the liner and drains. Each of these steps will have there own set of instructions. I feel this is a better way to go. A few small sets of instructions rather than one massive set of instructions is easier to follow IMO.

So here we go, the first of daily(or almost daily) instructions to cover everything this project entailed.

HOW TO MAKE A GROW BED

Materials needed:
15 - 2" x 4" x 8' fir or redwood studs
1 - 4' x 8' x 5/8" plywood

9 - 2" x 4" x 8' redwood studs(you can also use 1x4 redwood)
1lb - 1 5/8" wood screws
1lb - 2 1/2" or 3" wood screws
12 - 90degree angle brackets(any type, make sure they are strong)
4 - 24" strap ties(any type and you can get away with using only 2)
1lb - 1" nails or wood screws

Step 1
Take 2 of your studs and lay them on a flat surface. Spread them 4 feet apart and place the plywood on top of them. With the studs smaller sides contacting the floor and the plywood, line up the studs with the edges of the plywood. Secure them by screwing through the plywood into the studs every 6 inches with 1 5/8" screws.

Now measure the distance between the two mounted studs, it should be 45", but always measure for certainty. Cut 2 boards at that length using 1 of the studs. Now place the newly cut boards in between the mounted studs and secure with 1 5/8" screws by screwing through the plywood into the boards. Next, connect the mounted 2x4's at the corners with 3" screws. Image 1 below shows the details.

Now turn the plywood so it is face down with the mounted 2x4's on top. Take 8 of the angle brackets and mount them as shown in image #1 below.

Step 2
Now you are going to build the side walls up using 2x4's. You will want to take the studs and build 4 boxes. You will do as you did when mounting them to the plywood, but this time you will be adding the studs in between to form the box first. Using the exact same measurement(45") cut 8 lengths of board using 4 studs. Line up 2 of the newly cut boards between the ends of two studs and screw them together using 3" screws as in image 2A below. It is important that all these boxes are the exact same size, 4' x 8'. Don't worry if the corner angles are not exactly perfect at this point.

Once the boxes are complete take one and place it on top of the box mounted to the plywood. Take a 3" screw and, going in at an angle, mount it to the box below it. Repeat this with each box until you have an almost complete grow bed. Image 2B below shows the details.

Now take a strap tie and secure each board to the one below it on the inside of each wall using 1" screws or nails. Repeat for each side.

Step 3
Now we will make it look better and at the same time make it stronger. Take 1 of the redwood studs. Find the center of it and draw cut lines at 45 degree angles as shown in figure 3A below.

Now take 2 redwood studs and cut the ends at 45 degree angles to match up with the smaller boards, forming a rectangle. Screw them together with 3" screws as shown in image 3B below. You will first have to drill guide holes to prevent the wood from splitting. A 1/8" or a 5/32" drill bit will work. Once you have it complete, set it on top of the grow bed and secure with 3" screws as shown in image 3B below.

Now using the remainder of the redwood cut and secure trim as shown in image 3c below. You don't have to use the exact patterns I did, but make sure you have at least one center board that connects all of the wall studs. This will prevent the walls from bowing out when filled and only needs to be done on the two long walls.

On second thought, the trim is better put off for now. You can still do it now, but it will make certain things more difficult if it is in place. A better time to add the trim would be after it is fully functioning and as the final detail. So the option is yours, but I recommend waiting until the end.

In the picture above I used a different, and stronger pattern. I was running out of wood and money at this point, so the trim is not all redwood.

That is it. Next I will show you how to make the mounting supports for the bottom of the bed once it is mounted.

WTF? A Man-Made Natural Pond?

2009-06-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

By definition a "Natural Pond" is a small body of water that occurs naturally. So a man-made natural pond is really a contradiction that can only be partially correct, either it's man-made or it's natural. So I am using the term as more of a loose description rather than a definition.

So what I mean by a "Natural Pond" is a pond that closely resembles that which occurs naturally. We will let nature handle everything that it can, and only intervene when necessary. Once the pond has fully cycled and is running as expected, there is very little we need to do, except reap the benefits.

So what is this natural pond and how does it work?

Stay tuned.

Getting Rid of Your Swimming Pool

2009-06-24T02:16:00.000-07:00

OK. So you want to get rid of your swimming pool. But what do you want to do with it?

There are basically 2 options:
1. Fill it in and landscape the area.
2. Utilize the giant hole in your yard and convert it to something else.

Fill it in and then landscape
This is the most common way to get rid of the pool. Many people choose this option because it seems like the easiest way to go. But is it? In most cases, filling in a swimming pool is a huge task that will more than likely destroy a large part of your yard. In order to get the fill dirt from the street to the pool some sort of earth moving vehicle will be used, and it will need a large path. Over your lawn, through your fence, through your garden, etc... Now you will have to get those areas restored. It is usually much more work than most people realize. And because it is a lot of work, it's going to cost more than you would guess.

For my pool to be filled in, it would have cost $15,000. Now that is just to fill it in, nothing else. To get the landscape done, you can add another $10,000 or more, depending on what you want done. So you can figure about $25,000 to get rid of your pool this way.

Convert it to something else
There are many things you can do with your pool. Your are only limited by your own imagination with this option. Some things I considered were an underground cold storage or a game room. Generally, converting your pool means utilizing the hole instead of filling it.

After contemplating my options I came to the conclusion that I wanted a pond. But not just any pond. I wanted to create an environment that would be Earth friendly, inexpensive, and low maintenance. These are 3 things that are not usually associated with a normal pond. But integrating the beauty and landscape of a fish pond, aquaculture for healthy fish, and hydroponics to grow vegetables and flowers, you can achieve all three. And it can be done for a fraction of what it would cost to get your pool filled. A big reason it's cheap is because you can do it yourself. I am at the back end of the project right now and the total cost is about $3,000. And even if you can't do it yourself and you have to hire someone, it can be done much cheaper than any other option.

Given the advantages of this "Natural" pond, I believe it is the best choice for the environment and your pocket book. And among other things, you will have a nice, organic food source in your own backyard.