Thread: Water feature upgrade

Years ago I built a quick water feature by my shop area. It was brick with a liner and a few plants. Amazingly it has held up really well but the liners disintegrate and makes it some work to pull it all out to replace, so my Uncle and I are going to redo this and make it bit bigger and cement and seal it.



As it is now. It has a small pump, some big red clawed Crawdads and various fish.





Stopped at 2 places to pick up new brick and cement sealant



Base and finishing cement



Sand from the river by our place

Today will be remove the crawdads, fish and plants and set them up in buckets. I need to track down a descent pump and a few lights to set up on a timer

Was that you with the Leslie Nielsen hairstyle buying stuff at the plant market behind Big C yesterday?

As expected my dogs are extremely curious of the big crawdads.



So far there are 17 crawdads including numerous young ones.



Plants out



Now work to get fish and there are more Crawdads hiding in the mud.

^ I'm exhausted just looking at the pictures.

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

^ I'm exhausted just looking at the pictures.

I have to say Its no Mendy pier project but I am out in the sun so its hot as hell.

In one of the water plants i had a nest of ootai's favorite flying wasps. Funnily did not bother or sting me but as soon as my FIL walked up, got zapped in the neck. Really odd. I had to off them for his safety.



Crawdads home for the next week. Just fed them a few hunks of fish and pork. That should keep them busy. In total 21 of them. One big one I caught was carrying eggs.

Have 11 of these healthy little guys. BTW, their pinch with those little claws still draws blood.





As far as I go today. Uncle shows up with his wife tomorrow and the women will talk while we build away.



No good deed goes unpunished....

Friday it is

Originally Posted by Stumpy

In one of the water plants i had a nest of ootai's favorite flying wasps. Funnily did not bother or sting me but as soon as my FIL walked up, got zapped in the neck. Really odd. I had to off them for his safety.

Nice to know that Thai wasps have a fine sense of taste as they won't eat yanks or unwashed Poms.
If the sun is too hot for you send it my way bloody raining again all day today pissing me off.
I always had you pegged as smarter than the average bear but you continually try to find work so in reality you must be a raving nutter which is why you seem to fit in here.

Couldn't you have just ordered a very small swimming pool?

Originally Posted by ootai

Nice to know that Thai wasps have a fine sense of taste as they won't eat yanks or unwashed Poms.
If the sun is too hot for you send it my way bloody raining again all day today pissing me off.
I always had you pegged as smarter than the average bear but you continually try to find work so in reality you must be a raving nutter which is why you seem to fit in here.

They apparently do which I am thankful. well the sun was hit and miss but every time a cloud moved away, the sun was fire. However around 3pm the rain rolled in. So it was a rain delay.

Interesting thought but I prefer to remain active vs the relax too much, that's a slippery slop.

Originally Posted by malmomike77

Couldn't you have just ordered a very small swimming pool?

Well I didn't see any of those crawdads waving their claws out of the water holding $20's. . A dirty pond suits them better, cheap scavengers...

I can't help but think that if that blue plastic holding the water in had gotten just one small hole in it the repair job would be massive.

Is there a better, sturdier option like cement or clay?

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

I can't help but think that if that blue plastic holding the water in had gotten just one small hole in it the repair job would be massive.

Is there a better, sturdier option like cement or clay?

Yes, cement liner.

Originally Posted by ootai

I always had you pegged as smarter than the average bear but you continually try to find work so in reality you must be a raving nutter which is why you seem to fit in here.

Fair comment.

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Fair comment.

And well earned I might add. No argument from me on ootai's comment.

Well the sun is back and we are sweating like a race horse. Unk brought a friend to help with the cement work. Like every project there is always some "Gotchya". The slope of the driveway is pretty heavy. apparently with all the rain it has settled. Going to improvise with the brick and cement.



We decided being we have some extra brick we will extend it out a bit. Should be a pretty nice water feature. I am going to design a wire mesh type screen for the water pump. Its on order.

Originally Posted by Stumpy

Should be a pretty nice water feature

Looking good. Would be a good idea to render bricks and bottom then use pool paint to prevent seepage.

Originally Posted by Norton

Looking good. Would be a good idea to render bricks and bottom then use pool paint to prevent seepage.

Thanks Norts and already planned. Bought the special pool cement with a hardener to stop seepage. That will be used on the inside rendered cement. The outside we will keep the brick look but will also paint on the brick sealant.

First time doing one of these so I am certain to forget something. I did make up a drain plug so I can drain and clean it.

Use this on turtle pond. Works a charm. 800 baht. Other uses as well but a simple drain plug would work for you.

https://lzd-img-global.slatic.net/g/...0q80.jpg_.webp

^ Thanks Norts. I have the pump bookmarked.



Set up a drain and the far end when the time comes.



Progressing along. One thing about no rain is direct sun. This wall sees morning sun until about 11am





Tomorrow uncles good friend shows up to do some rendering. This will include some good bourbon shots at the end of the day.

Just a bystander today. Rendering cement is not as easy as it looks.

Tomorrow will be the Bestbond rendering process then another day to dry

Walls done. Will set bottom at about a 3 degree slope to the drain in the event I need to drain it.

All rendered and drying.







Look forward to adding the water fall, a few lights and plants.



One of my Crawdads was enjoying some sun on the rock. He will have a new bigger home soon.

Do you eat them or are they like a pet?