Thread: Alburglar's DIY fry setup and grow on pond and filter.

Originally Posted by john1

Looking good Al,nice to see a lily in the pond.

Did you pp it first?

Yes, plus it's been in a 30l tub with out fish for 17days. So wasn't too concerned.

A few pond jobs today. Including changing the drum screen mesh. As it had a couple of holes in. I only did it this year, I think, with a 'Hi-Flow' screen from Draco, a Stainless 200 mesh / 77 micron.
I think cleaning the screens periodically might help take the pressure off when it gets clogged up, and stop it cleaning so often. Apparently Chloramine T works well. Sprayed on and left for 5 mins then spray off.

This screen was from Robinson wire cloth Stainless steel mesh - Woven mesh - Robinson Wire Cloth Ltd.
Another 200 mesh/ 77 micron / 0.077mm stainless mesh, but I bought it too short at 1 metre long x 1 metre wide. However, that meant it was wide enough to get two half lengths that overlapped and get the job done. Next time, for a Draco Solum 16, the mesh is 1200mm long x 260mm wide.

One 'half' is slightly longer than the other due to the double over lap.

Enjoying a cold brew coffee, watching the pond in the morning.

https://youtu.be/eGT8iHE7n70?feature=shared

Slight stumbling block with the roof, was were to put the posts on this side of the pond where the 2 " return is buried. I decided to dig down to the pipe and make a little reinforced pad around each one. The posts can rest on these and they'll probably still be encased in about 12" of concrete, once the concrete pad is down. Not totally ideal, but workable.

Double post

Set the posts up, which took bloody ages to make sure everything was square. Laid the concrete to bury the posts as best as possible (12inches). I wouldn't let them stand on their own, but once I've screwed the long roof beam and the rear beam, I'm happy it will be secure enough.
The rest of the concrete is laid to make a little path down the side of the pond and set the height for the rest of the patio/ slab.

I only do it for a pat on the back because the wife just rolls her eyes. Lol.

To be fair I'm not that bothered about the roof. But it just needed thinking about before I lay the slab / patio. Which is the job I will actually be dead chuffed about. Just having a hard standing and not a muddy, weedy mess next to the pond will make all the difference.
Then being able to clad between the posts will make it look much more respectable again.

I'd like to enclose the whole thing with polycarbonate instead of using the covers, but I don't think that's realistic this year. On the long finger though, that's the aim.
...so I'll be putting in bypass for a heat pump, just in case. Really don't think it will happen in the near future, but I have all the valves etc already so it makes sense to do that before the slab too.

Doesn't look like much but I got the general outline of the roof sorted. Took ages to square everything up and get the back sorted and everything tied in to the aluminum box section of the filter house. I'm gonna put more posts in at the back when I've got them. And either side of the window.

There is a wooden beam inside the long aluminum box section on the filter house and a beam on the outside of it. I've screwed them together sandwiching the aluminum in between the two lengths of wood.

Originally Posted by dbs

Well that is certainly taking shape mate, a nice runoff on the roof too, will water the trees

Was it polycarbonate you are doing the roof in?

Ideally, I need to be able to walk on the back of the roof to cut the hedge. So maybe the back 1.5 1.8 will be fibreglass and I'll use the pond covers for the 2.5m at the front.

Waiting on wood, so did a bit more of the slab today. Gonna do it in manageable chunks.