New project, will take a long time

[Yanbbrox]

On the places where the forms haven't got a place to be staked down, you can use threaded rod and large flat washers and nuts to hold the form together...this will keep it from bowing...In the concrete business they are called "ties"
After the concrete sets you can cut the rods off or drive them through flush with the inside of the pond...

Interesting, I understand the concept but I've had a night to sleep on it. I've got 4 x 8 foot 3x3 posts coming to be cut down for the hoover dam bit at the back I could put in the wooden channels for the concrete on both sides and brace them across the hole with the posts. I could the brace them against the bottom of the hole with the posts that are holding up the current bit. Then get some roof battens(very cheap) cut them down to hold the outsides as has been done with the bit that is done.

Just thinking along the lines of not spending when there a solution at hand?

 

[zennzzo]

By all means do not spend where you don't have to. I wasn't really sure if you were going to pour all the sides at once, or, just one side at a time.

 

[Yanbbrox]

By all means do not spend where you don't have to. I wasn't really sure if you were going to pour all the sides at once, or, just one side at a time.

Still not sure, but it seems to be the best way from a cost point of view, thanks for the feedback

 

[zennzzo]

Are you reinforcing the concrete with anything? Like re-bar or mesh?

 

[Yanbbrox]

Are you reinforcing the concrete with anything? Like re-bar or mesh?

No, the whole point of the collar is for a perfect level and to add a touch more strength, nothing more. After the pipe fun and games it became clear that even the brace for the filter chamber may not even be necessary due to the strength of the clay, but it's going in anyway for peace of mind, plus I've already ordered the wood.

The level is the critical thing as all measurements are being taken from the first point, if I'm telling you something you already know please forgive me but if the levels are not 99.9% perfect with the filters the whole gravity fed filter system could over flow of fail.

As we've only recently come into contact with each other I'm curious about your background in this, any personal experiences?

 

[Yanbbrox]

Pm is fine BTW if you don't want to discuss in public

 

[Yanbbrox]

For some reason my mail server is only letting me receive not send So a good old post will have to do.

I understand your point on the the concrete clearly you know your stuff and I'm not going to argue about the need to reinforce it, if you say it will be 100 times stronger then I'm sure it will be, again though it comes down to cost, this thing is really starting to sipral out of control. I think I'll be ok with the collar as is but the main thing is the level.

My old failed pond still hasn't moved almost at all in then years and that has about a cm of mortar on it. This thing is going to have a collar and on top of that flags will be laid again on mortar which will also add a little more strength. With the amount of water pressure on the sides I'm more than sure it will hold.

You are of course right in saying that if something fails it a lot harder to fix after it's failed.

The plan on the vortex front is concrete the drain and pipework in and lay brickwork along the bottom of hole 2 once everything is level. Connect all the pipework between the filters, returns, and waste. Then once that is done work on the bracing for that hole and at the same time lock in the filters with the wood for the bracing.

Thanks for taking the time to mail me, I'll have a look around for some of your fish on here

 

[zennzzo]

I am envious of the ground you have to work with...it might be a pain to dig, but if it can afford you that kind of stability, you'll be fine...
With all the bracing on the vortexs(?) vorti(?) and the Flagstone top course, there shouldn't be any shifting between the two...

Hopefully the weather will hold out for you, to get this critical part of the project finished. I wish the best of luck to you!

Cheers ~Zennz

 

[Yanbbrox]

I am envious of the ground you have to work with...it might be a pain to dig, but if it can afford you that kind of stability, you'll be fine...
With all the bracing on the vortexs(?) vorti(?) and the Flagstone top course, there shouldn't be any shifting between the two...

Hopefully the weather will hold out for you, to get this critical part of the project finished. I wish the best of luck to you!

Cheers ~Zennz

I had the same problem at the start, vortexes or vorti? I've been using vortexes with no complaints and vorti comes up on the spell checker
If you like the stability that my clay offers I know where the is a ton of it for free

Thanks Zen, with your concrete experience I feel, a lot better. I've just priced up the air pump I need, twice as much as budgeted, and I over estimated on the best guess on the budgetAt least the liner has come in a little under

 

[Red Devil]

Glad everything is going okay for you...can you just amagine when it is done... i cannot wait....