#Thegreatpoolpondconversion - 191110
Another really satisfying and curious weekend.
Last week we reminisced about the tarp and how well it’s been holding up. Well during the week it tore and leaked a bit. Not enough to do damage. We’ll kludge something using both tarps. And no more reminiscing or predicting!
Since we ran out of working space in the shallow end, we moved the bag making operation to the sand pile in the driveway. Made a bunch of bags (didnt keep count) and ‘barrowed them to the pool and tossed em in. We don’t need the shovels down in the pit anymore so they went back to the barn - a symbolic milestone.
Then we completed the sandbag face of the lower wall all the way around and up to the proper level. It felt a bit like Promontory Summit, Utah. This is one of four big milestones in this phase of the project (lower wall - completed, lower backfill (⅔ complete), upper wall (½ complete), upper backfill)
This is the ‘before’ we started backfilling picture.
Look on the right - that all needs to be built up.
And at the ‘bottom’ and left space by the steps
We started backfilling that right section, Didnt’ count wheelbarrow loads. Got it done.
then started on the shallowest end, and then…we ran out of sand so we had to stop. This pile had been in the driveway since July 5.
All this bagging and backfilling was Sunday.
Saturday:
We’re removing river rock from 2 beds in the front of the house. The cactus bed is done so we started on the other, smaller one. No trees or roots - much easier to pry it all up. About 6 wheelbarrows so far. No pictures yet.
We were advised not to use city water when we go to fill the pond (still quite a ways off). Something about trace chemicals or minerals not good for the fish or plants. We have a well and a pump connected to an old water treatment system (pre city water) that was half disconnected and hasnt been used in 10 years. We figured out the wiring, got it going, it immediately self-primed, and it’s back in service. We thought we were going to have to get a new pump, wire in a switch, etc. Nope. Took less than an hour. Hope it holds up, as it is quite old.
When we have time we’ll tear out the water treatment tank and all the now obsolete pool pump, filter and piping. this area is by the back wall of the house and we were going to fence it in to hide all that equipment so it wouldnt be seen from the deck. Now that we decided to rip it all out, we may leave the space open and do something entirely different with it.
The cactus seems happy - it’s already making shoots and new growth. Thank you all for your concern.