What a day

[Jackie Ramo]

Today we had a power failure, not a long one but enough to shut everything down including of course the pond. No problem the power comes back on and the waterfall trickles... trickles, my waterfall doesn't trickle. So over to the pump I go, which is inside the skimmer. Only about half of the water is going up the pipe the other half is bubbling up from a lose connection... odd as we hadn't played with the pump yet this season.

So turn off the pump and because the checkvalve doesn't work if the pump isn't hooked up the biofalls proceeds to drain into thepond... Good job they were cleaned recently but still dirt gets into the pond. I fit the pump back together, turn it off and get wet as the pump jumps and comes lose shooting water straight into my face!!! Man is that Cold. Turn it off, watchas it once again drains back intot ehpond... this is not good. Go in put on dry clothese as it is cold here!! fit the pump together again with all my strength, turn it on but stay back. Good job pump jumps again and out shooses the water...

Undo all the fittings take the pump out put a flat rock under the pump and put if all back together. turn it on... sit back yeah it works - nope pump jumps and shoose out comes the water plus the water that had almost filled the biofalls... not good. Do the entire process again getting the connections extra tight and making sure the pump is sitting on its rock firmly. Turn it on and so far so good.

Take a look at the dirt in the pond and decide a PP treatment is in order. Since the fish have been flashing I decide 2 birds one stone, a 3ppm treatment should do.

Seems that the skimmer settled after 5 years and is now just over an inch lower that last year, hence the pump not sitting firmly on the bottom and the pump jumping when the pressure pushes it back and it has nothing to stand on. I believe this means we will have to tear down the skimmer and reset it.

:-x

[Busy B]

Fooey! Sometimes it makes you wonder how we actually enjoy these things called ponds..

As old as your pond is, how the heck is the ground still settling? Did you have lots of snow?

[Jackie Ramo]

Yes a very wet spring and the pond was on overflow for weeks at a time... the overflow spout doesn't take the water far enough away from the skimmer box when it is as wet as that. Small lake for 3 weeks... definately not good. I guess I should be grateful it settled straight and that it doesn leak :grin:

[ozzyrockman]

Jackie, have you looked into large zip ties instead? You could zip tie the pump to a piece of flat rock and not have to worry about reconstructing the skimmer area unless you feel the skimmer structure may be compromised from being distorted. Allen

[Jackie Ramo]

The biggest problem is the water level. I am used to seeing it above where it is clearly defined by the water mark. The pond just doesn't look right unless it is full and it can't fill up.... maybe I should block the overflow :grin:

I think the pump is fine on its slab now or at least for now. Still you would have got a laugh to see the firehydrant gush come up and hit me in the face... cold oh yes cold!!! !rofl

[ozzyrockman]

Nothing like getting a face full of tasty fresh pond water. Yummy! Did you bring the shampoo? !rofl Been there done that and Folgers can't compete on that wakeup call. Allen

[Busy B]

Sounds definately like a Kodak moment :grin:

[Charla]

:smile: That I would have paid to see!

[Jackie Ramo]

Oh Yeah, I see you guys like a good laugh at my expense

Water hasn't cleared yet from the PP treatment but it does seem like the algae grew over night...

[ozzyrockman]

You know you would do it to us!

Will it be hard to get the skimmer rolled into the pond after drainind it down some so you don't have to remove it from the liner? I am also wondering if you might want to put some 5/8- gravel under the skimmer and possibly a few 2" X12" concrete pavers to keep it from being sucked into the ground again. Allen

[Jackie Ramo]

I think that will be the plan Allen but it will not be an easy job as this is a rocked pond so the rock and plants will have to be removed and the pond lowered as well. Not a job I am looking forward to for sure. Certainly it will have to wait until the water gets warmer :grin:

[ozzyrockman]

Oh come now Jackie, it can't be that cold just start by sticking your toes in the water and acclimate yourself to the water temps. :twisted:

[Rembrandt]

Hey Jackie, !rofl
I heard that it is suppose to be good for the hair.
...at least that is what Pam told me when I took my unannounced "swim".

Rembrandt :-P

[Cinnamon]

Jackie you could do like me this past winter. I just put my bathing suit on and jumped in! :lol: At that time the water was below 50 too!

[Jackie Ramo]

No No people, fixing the skimmer is the boy's job and he won't go in the water when its cold. Oh pond boy, the skimmer has sunk!! I think he is ignoring me... as usual.

REM at least you went into clean water this was after the filter had drained... needed a shampoo for sure.