Pond Project

[JacqG]

Hi everyone! Merry Christmas 😎

I created a trio pond project a few years back, had it looking wonderful with pond lining (many hundreds of dollars worth), was growing Lillies etc and it was all fabulous. But I had not reckoned on kangaroos jumping through the ponds at night; consequently the lining was ripped and useless! I am living rural on the south coast of NSW.

SO. I took the lining away and started researching what a "wilder" pond project would look like. I heard about Bentonite clay, read about it and reckoned it would work.

It didn't. The pond is clay so I do not know why the water eventually just ran away or underground or where ever it went!?

There are no large stones in the clay... can anyone assist?

I used  50.5 kilos of the stuff all over the empty dry pond...

What am I doing wrong? And is there another solution?

Thanks everyone (Pics are taking long to load...)

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @JacqG 

Have built a  100% water proof  pond that is UV stable and all but in destructable.

Can I ask how  deep is the pond?

What are the side walls made of?

Is there a concrete base currently?

50kg  clay sounds like a small area pond?    What are approx dimentions  Just say 1m x 1 m round or sqare etc it is just a mental pic for me.

The solution part 1.

I would concrete in the base of the pond for a solid base Thickness of concrete is depth dependant on water depth. 75mm to 150mm If kangaroos using it for a foot wash 75 min.

Then depending on the side materials  place a woven renforced mesh into the side wall cement floor join (inexpensive) and then paint a cement layer  mixed with bondcrete that is totally water proof and sets harder the concrete itself.

This concrete  paint is is also  good  on water tanks with potable water.

I always thought it would add fire protection to timber too from embers  but not direct flames as painted timber would get heated through the concrete when thin.  I always  wanted to try that i you have wooden structures.

So this idea  is farm friendly and doable and cost effective.

Sound  like a  plan to you we  can  talk  more  details,

Plan B there is an Austrlian company that makes a polymere product that seals  whole earth ponds when it is sprinkled  ontop of the clay and earth.

A previously leaking /weaping pond acres  big will stop leaking through  hidden drain holes.   But kangaroo paws might disrupt  the base of the pond to leaking again.  Cement  wont.