COLD DARK ROOM

CarolM

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
19,492
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa - Cape Town
Good Morning All and Everyone. (Just in case you did not understand ALL ;))

The weather is overcast today with scattered showers expected at some point. So it is a little bit Brrrrr today. I am waiting for a week where the weather is sunny for the whole week so that I can finish my pond. I need to make some waterproof cement and cement the inside of the pond where the wine bottle spouts are. When I tested the pond there were quite a few leaks there. so the plan is to put a waterproof cement (By adding a powedered waterproofing additive to the cement mixture) and filling the wall up until just before the end of each bottle, then I will lay a plastic sheet over that and put another layer of the waterproof cement. Which should then solve all the leakage problems that the currently has. Once I can do that after it has dried for at least 7 days I should then be able to fill it with water and put some fish into the pond.

I am telling you this project started months ago and was supposed to be a cheap DIY project and it has turned out to be one big expensive and learning DIY project. But I am stubborn enough that I will not give up and I will defeat this pond before it defeats me.

How is everybody else doing? Anything interesting going on?
 

Maro2Bear

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
14,722
Location (City and/or State)
Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
Just HOT HOT HOT and HUMID these days. Makes it yucky to work in, but Sully & our lawn seem to enjoy. We‘ve been lucky this year, still getting some good rain every few days. Rain barrel is full.

Banana tree(s) now have one big flower bud, i can see some little bitty bananas. I need to get a pix.
 

Maro2Bear

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
14,722
Location (City and/or State)
Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
Good Morning All and Everyone. (Just in case you did not understand ALL ;))

The weather is overcast today with scattered showers expected at some point. So it is a little bit Brrrrr today. I am waiting for a week where the weather is sunny for the whole week so that I can finish my pond. I need to make some waterproof cement and cement the inside of the pond where the wine bottle spouts are. When I tested the pond there were quite a few leaks there. so the plan is to put a waterproof cement (By adding a powedered waterproofing additive to the cement mixture) and filling the wall up until just before the end of each bottle, then I will lay a plastic sheet over that and put another layer of the waterproof cement. Which should then solve all the leakage problems that the currently has. Once I can do that after it has dried for at least 7 days I should then be able to fill it with water and put some fish into the pond.

I am telling you this project started months ago and was supposed to be a cheap DIY project and it has turned out to be one big expensive and learning DIY project. But I am stubborn enough that I will not give up and I will defeat this pond before it defeats me.

How is everybody else doing? Anything interesting going on?

Good luck on the water proofing of your little pond. Getting large areas to hold water is challenging w(o using a heavy duty pond liner or pre-cast form. Yes, little projects like this sometimes get out of hand! My little deck fountain project is still pumping away! The water hyacinth have fully taken over - looks like it’s been there forever.
 

CarolM

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
19,492
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa - Cape Town
Good luck on the water proofing of your little pond. Getting large areas to hold water is challenging w(o using a heavy duty pond liner or pre-cast form. Yes, little projects like this sometimes get out of hand! My little deck fountain project is still pumping away! The water hyacinth have fully taken over - looks like it’s been there forever.
That is awesome.And thank you for the luck, I am going to need it. Now if we can only get it to stop raining for a decent length of time. Maybe doing this project in winter is not such a good idea. I certainly like make things harder for myself.
?
 

CarolM

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
19,492
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa - Cape Town
@CarolM I have a plant called a Giant African Rhubarb, and my thought is before they leafs start to drop, I'm gonna take the biggest one and coat it with cement. The leafs are thick as hell....
View attachment 298961

View attachment 298962

this leaf is only 5'
View attachment 298963
That will look absolutely awesome. But what you should do is to put a heap of sand under the leave and then put the leaf with the veins facing upwards. Then you put your cement mix (cement and sand) on top of that and let it dry. When you pull the leaf off the cement it will leave the pattern of the leaf in the cement and create a bird bath or whatever you want it to be. The heap of sand you can use to either make the leaf with a curve or make it as flat as you like. Please share a photo once you are done. As I would love to do this but don't have any leaves that are that big.

You would do it something like this:

1593698253727.png
 

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,063
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
That will look absolutely awesome. But what you should do is to put a heap of sand under the leave and then put the leaf with the veins facing upwards. Then you put your cement mix (cement and sand) on top of that and let it dry. When you pull the leaf off the cement it will leave the pattern of the leaf in the cement and create a bird bath or whatever you want it to be. The heap of sand you can use to either make the leaf with a curve or make it as flat as you like. Please share a photo once you are done. As I would love to do this but don't have any leaves that are that big.

You would do it something like this:

View attachment 298964
Wow! That's exactly what I was going to do, not that way or that professional tho! Oh boy, I can hardly wait...my plant is still growing and look at the size of the leaf next to his hands, now look at my picture with my hand, this is gonna be fun
 

CarolM

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
19,492
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa - Cape Town
Wow! That's exactly what I was going to do, not that way or that professional tho! Oh boy, I can hardly wait...my plant is still growing and look at the size of the leaf next to his hands, now look at my picture with my hand, this is gonna be fun
Br careful, once you start doing this kind of thing it becomes addictive and you want to do more. But eventually you run out of space to put things. ?
 

Maro2Bear

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
14,722
Location (City and/or State)
Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
Wow! That's exactly what I was going to do, not that way or that professional tho! Oh boy, I can hardly wait...my plant is still growing and look at the size of the leaf next to his hands, now look at my picture with my hand, this is gonna be fun

If you make something really large, you might want to reinforce the cement with chickenwire that you have roughly cut in the same shape. If not, your thinly poured cement might crack when lifted. Or, if you pour your cement too thick, you’ll need a 20 Mule Team to help lift it. As usual, it all comes down to “size matters”.

Amazing plants!
 

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,063
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
If you make something really large, you might want to reinforce the cement with chickenwire that you have roughly cut in the same shape. If not, your thinly poured cement might crack when lifted. Or, if you pour your cement too thick, you’ll need a 20 Mule Team to help lift it. As usual, it all comes down to “size matters”.

Amazing plants!
Sometimes a person just has to leave out a very good comment because this is a family forum...
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,863
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
Good Morning All and Everyone. (Just in case you did not understand ALL ;))

The weather is overcast today with scattered showers expected at some point. So it is a little bit Brrrrr today. I am waiting for a week where the weather is sunny for the whole week so that I can finish my pond. I need to make some waterproof cement and cement the inside of the pond where the wine bottle spouts are. When I tested the pond there were quite a few leaks there. so the plan is to put a waterproof cement (By adding a powedered waterproofing additive to the cement mixture) and filling the wall up until just before the end of each bottle, then I will lay a plastic sheet over that and put another layer of the waterproof cement. Which should then solve all the leakage problems that the currently has. Once I can do that after it has dried for at least 7 days I should then be able to fill it with water and put some fish into the pond.

I am telling you this project started months ago and was supposed to be a cheap DIY project and it has turned out to be one big expensive and learning DIY project. But I am stubborn enough that I will not give up and I will defeat this pond before it defeats me.

How is everybody else doing? Anything interesting going on?
My one little betta was more expensive then my other animals...and continues to be. It was so worth it. Part of that is my fault because I give him partial home renovations now and then.?
 

Cathie G

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Aug 9, 2018
Messages
14,863
Location (City and/or State)
Lancaster
Yikes! It is complicated in the last thing I want to do is do any harm to the wildlife. I’m gonna have to chew on that.
Sorry I wasn't saying not to. The gull I was feeding was probably an occidental stranded inland in Florida. With my bird books he looked like a more northern gull and was all alone. It depends on the circumstances. Some food is better then starving. I feed my house rabbit Timothy hay if that gives you any ideas. Best wishes.
 

New Posts

Top