Buadhai Builds A Pond

[robd]

Hi there just noticed some of you are into ponds, I am from the aquatic trade back in the UK,so any questions fire away.
1 word of warning,if planning to have fish in pond seal the mortar,otherwise lime will leach out and kill fish!

[Scooter]

The problem is getting it to Thailand at a reasonable cost....

Maybe one of TDs frequent travellers could pop one in their bag for you to save the exorbitant shipping cost...

Not being funny or anything but why not?
I know I don't know you from Adam but my family visit quite often and if you really wanted one ,one of them would get you one in the UK.
Do you have many people that visit you from abroad?

[buad hai]

^Thanks for the offer Scooter, but I think the Singapore company will ship here at reasonable cost. Their initial estimate for shipping was only US$13 for pump, solar panel, battery and charging unit.

[Scooter]

^ No problem.

[Thetyim]

Here you go, mate.

Perfect for your kitchen

[buad hai]

Like so many "modern" kitchen and bathroom products, it looks lovely, but how do you wash dishes in there?

Tired of looking at Reon Kadena, are ya?

[a. boozer]

Like so many "modern" kitchen and bathroom products, it looks lovely, but how do you wash dishes in there?

BH. Methinks if you can have a kitchen with a sink like that, you can afford a maid! QED.

[buad hai]

Didn't take long for the frogs to locate the pond. Those little black floating things are frogs eggs:




This brick wall is Ms. B's pet project. She wants to put plants on top that will sort of hang down toward the pond. She wanted it to look like an old wall that had sort of fallen into disrepair.


In keeping with brickie tradition. Mr. B wore worn out running shorts that kept exposing a small but significant part of his anatomy.


It's actually square, level and only a few degrees out of plumb. Another job well did.

I hasten to add that Ms. B mixed all the mortar including adding appropriate quantities of plasticizer.

[Thetyim]

She wanted it to look like an old wall that had sort of fallen into disrepair.

Great. That's the only type of wall I can build

[Scooter]

She wanted it to look like an old wall that had sort of fallen into disrepair.

Looks better than the walls of my house.

[buad hai]

We finally called Solatron, the company that manufactures solar panels here in Korat at Pak Chong (near Khao Yai). They do not have a dealer in Korat, however. The closest one is in Udon. They will ship the stuff to us, but a ten watt solar panel is 4000 baht and the charger and battery are 3000 baht. And, they only accept bank transfer as payment.

In contrast, the company in Singapore (Solarkey) only wants US$168 for a solar panel, battery, charger and high capacity pump. They accept credit cards and Pay Pal and say that shipping will only be a few dollars and will take three days. I have decided on this model:



The battery is hidden in the nice fake rock.

Specs here: Brushless Solar Fountain Kit

[buad hai]

Looks better than the walls of my house.

Indeed, that's what the foreman for the moo baan said. I start work Monday. 154 baht per day.

[a. boozer]

Great. That's the only type of wall I can build

Thetyim. At least that is the one leaning to greatness you shared with our "Winnie"


Winnie, to those either too young to remember, or unfortunate enough to be born in places other than England, was of course the great Winston Leonard -Spencer Churchill.


Winston Churchill - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Mid]

Winnie, to those either too young to remember, or unfortunate enough to be born in places other than England, was of course the great Winston Leonard -Spencer Churchill.

bah ..........


lholmes.fsnet.co.uk

[Marmite the Dog]

Looks better than the walls of my house.

Indeed, that's what the foreman for the moo baan said. I start work Monday. 154 baht per day.

I thought you only worked for beer.

[Jet Gorgon]

BH, what's plasticiser? And is the solar panel for the electric pump? I've seen alot of folks with small solar-powered yard lights.

[Marmite the Dog]

BH, what's plasticiser?

It keeps the cement workable, as it has a tendency to dry out in the heat here.

[Propagator]

^washing up liquid works well

[Jet Gorgon]

Ahh. Thanks.

[buad hai]

BH, what's plasticiser? And is the solar panel for the electric pump?

The plasticizer makes the mortar a little stickier, as well. Good for laying fired clay brick that sucks the water out of the cement rather quickly.

The solar panel is for the pond pump. I got an 8 watt panel, battery, charger, and brushless pump for about US$190, including delivery from Singapore. While I could find the panel, battery and charger in Thailand, the cost was much higher. I never could find a low voltage DC water pump in Thailand.

[buad hai]

This wall is built from the traditional sized brick. Hard to do as they are so uneven and irregular in size. We had either two too many or four too few. So, we went to buy a few more this morning plus the statue of Ganesh that will go on top.


Stuck some ferns into this wall with some sticky clay. But, gotta keep it wet all the time until the ferns take root....


Another massive downpour about 5 PM yesterday. Put about 10 cm of water in the pond in about 20 minutes. This shot was taken from the computer room and shows just about what the web cam will see in its new location. Look for that about Spring 2009....

[buad hai]

[jumbo]

Looking good buad hai, when do you hope to move in.

[buad hai]

when do you hope to move in.

Last march!

There's just no telling when they'll get the underground power lines done. Right now they have a four or five man crew that is securing the conduit at each house. They seem to do only two houses a day. There are a total of 60. But, even when that is done they have to pull the wire, connect up each house, etc. Plus, none of the water mains are down yet.

It could be months.

I'm ready to move some place temporary as living in this crowded pig sty has me going whacko.

[buad hai]

Finally got around to putting a lily in the pond:


It gets plenty of sun there, so should flower soon.


Welcome to Ganesh.


This elephant statue is to be the fountain at the head of the stream. Now that it's in place I see I built the pedestal too high. There will probably be too much splashing. We'll try. If it's too high I guess I can remove on course of bricks....