Buadhai Builds A Pond

[buad hai]

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

but how are you going to stop overflow?

You mean like from heavy rain? I won't. I'll just let it run over the banks. I will probably contour the surrounding soil so that there is a low point, but that's all.

And, no, it's a good question. Normally people build ponds so that the banks are above grade level. This is to prevent runoff into the pond. I think it looks odd, so I designed this pond to be like a real pond, with the banks and water level slightly below grade. A heavy rain will cause this pond to fill up and overflow.

[AntRobertson]

^
Ahh righto I see what you mean. Yeah that would actually look much better - more natural as you suggest

[buad hai]

Finally got the edging and waterfall done. I went at high noon to insure no rain:


The jumble of rocks is where the waterfall is. The water won't fall very far. Poor planning. It will look better with more plants.




The water flows from left to right and will run off that bit of slate into the main pond. That is, unless I got the levels wrong.

[buad hai]

You can see how muddy the water is from last night's rain. I need to get some turf around it to keep the mud from flowing in. I've also got to change the contour of the land a bit to make a little less slope toward the pond.

[Scooter]

Looks good.
How many hours would you say that took you then? Including the hard labour Mrs B done.

[buad hai]

^I'd say total work time is less than 40 hours. That doesn't include time spent looking for stuff to buy, just the actual digging, moving earth, pouring concrete, fitting the liner and adding the edging. There's still landscaping and plumbing to do as well as building a few low brick walls here and there.

Today we're off to buy lotus mud and turf. More later.

[Scooter]

Originally Posted by buad hai

I'll just let it run over the banks.

Won't you loose fish?

[a. boozer]

BH. That's something that you haven't mentioned, what sort of fish are you stocking your pond with?

[buad hai]

The fish will be Platies, ordinary goldfish and comets. I don't think the fish will wash over the banks in a heavy storm.

[buad hai]

We bought grass today. When we drove up to the vendor he asked how much we wanted and we said, "Tem rot", or "fill 'er up". Turns out the trunk of a Vios can hold about 12 square meters:



I've spread sand around in piles. Tomorrow's drill will be to coat the laterite with a layer of sticky clay (din bua) and the spread out the sand and tamp it down. The turf goes on top:



At this point I'll only surround the pond with turf and decide later just how much more we want.

[klongmaster]

^how much to 'fill-er-up" BH?...mine takes about 800 baht but that's petrol...how much for the 'grass'...

[buad hai]

The Yah Malaysia was 25 baht per square meter. Seems like a bargain to me. Only 300 baht for a full trunk. The Japan grass is only 15 baht per meter.

[klongmaster]

BH: I've been thinking about you today...you have such an obvious gift with plants and can picture the finished product...which many cannot do...I'm sure there are many TDers who would gladly pay you to create this sort of thing on their plot of land...would beat the shit out of teaching English for three or four beers a night...

make a business from your obvious talents...and then you won't have to worry about the rise or fall of the dollar...




.

[buad hai]

^Thank you very much, but let's wait and see how this garden really turns out....

No turf setting this morning as it's pissing down rain and the wind is howling. I hope the sod survives until the rain stops. (No "sod" jokes, please.)

[a. boozer]

Originally Posted by buad hai

(No "sod" jokes, please.)

Oh BH! Go on, don't spoil my day! Had thought of a couple, but in deference to your request......................!

However I do genuinely hope that your 'sods' do not become too sodden today!

[hillbilly]

Good luck with the grass. Initially, we tried that also but it ended up being a soggy mess most of the time!

[buad hai]

Originally Posted by hillbilly

we tried that also

Tried what?

[hillbilly]

The grass. We had done the landscaping pretty much the way you have. Our problem was the grass took a fair amount of water. Between the family and guests viewing and walking around the pond the grass always ended up a mudhole.

So we ended up using small stones instead.

[buad hai]

Originally Posted by hillbilly

Between the family and guests viewing and walking around the pond the grass always ended up a mudhole.

That's what you get for being gregarious. No friends of family here. (Ms. B's family doesn't go outdoors except to get from house to car to work and back again.)

[Scooter]

More pictures tonight?