clay for pond

[jvs]

We dug a small pond last fall and tried to keep it full of water but it drains fast and the pump can not keep up.

The total surface of the pond(including sides) is around 110 sqm.

I was going yo use a liner at first and then considered concrete but now want to go natural(organic) by using clay.

Clay will last a very long time and can be repaired easily,the pond will just be a place to put in some nice plants and for the ducks and geese to have a swim once a day.

The problem is clay is very pricey,one little bag with a few pieces of round clay cost 80 baht around here.

Does anyone know where i can buy this wholesale?Probably need a big truck load somewhere around ten cubic meters.

We are in the Cha-am area.Would appreciate any leads or ideas.

 

 

[cooked]

Not all clay is suitable for pond lining. I used Bentonite once, don't know if you can find that here. Clay has the disadvantage that if it dries out to the point where cracks appear, it isn't easy to repair in my experience as the crack isn't necessarily visible. A colleague in California spent a week motorboating over a reservoir pouring bentonite over the side into the propellor's wake trying to repair cracks, only partly successful.

Compacting without a sheep's foot roller consists of taking your shoes off and tamping wet clay with a piece of wood (on the sides).

[Hutch68]

Bentonite clay is available fro a company in Bangkok called Thai Nippon, I used to have a contact no but lost it, they have a website but they won't deliver you have to pick it up yourself.
I used it not long ago and it worked for a while but I now now I didn't use enough and you have to mix it into the soil you already have then put a top layer of soil over the bentonite and soil mix otherwise it will just slide down your banks. For a small pond like yours save yourself the hassle and line it, I believe member Mr Kai may know where to buy a good thick pond liner at a good price.


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[jvs]

1 hour ago, Hutch68 said:

Bentonite clay is available fro a company in Bangkok called Thai Nippon, I used to have a contact no but lost it, they have a website but they won't deliver you have to pick it up yourself.
I used it not long ago and it worked for a while but I now now I didn't use enough and you have to mix it into the soil you already have then put a top layer of soil over the bentonite and soil mix otherwise it will just slide down your banks. For a small pond like yours save yourself the hassle and line it, I believe member Mr Kai may know where to buy a good thick pond liner at a good price.


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Thank you,always good to hear some ones experience.Any idea how long a liner will last?

[cooked]

PVC and PPE pond liners I put in over 30 years ago is still OK. It needs protecting with a layer of stones/soil on top (little boys with sticks, UV radiation) and with a layer of sand underneath if there are any stones at all likely to pierce the lining in time.

With steep banks as on the foto you might get away with it if you lay down some robust plastic netting to stabilise the banks until vegetation has taken a hold.

[jvs]

On 4/18/2017 at 5:57 PM, Hutch68 said:

Bentonite clay is available fro a company in Bangkok called Thai Nippon, I used to have a contact no but lost it, they have a website but they won't deliver you have to pick it up yourself.
I used it not long ago and it worked for a while but I now now I didn't use enough and you have to mix it into the soil you already have then put a top layer of soil over the bentonite and soil mix otherwise it will just slide down your banks. For a small pond like yours save yourself the hassle and line it, I believe member Mr Kai may know where to buy a good thick pond liner at a good price.


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Can you get me in ouch with member  Mr Kai please?

[Hutch68]

2 hours ago, jvs said:

Can you get me in ouch with member  Mr Kai please?

Just pm him, look at his thread in the farming sub forum starting a mixed farm in issan. He seems like a nice chap.

[Hutch68]

2 minutes ago, Hutch68 said:

Just pm him, look at his thread in the farming sub forum starting a mixed farm in issan. He seems like a nice chap.

Sorry it's Mr Kie.

[jak2002003]

Wow... your pond is super deep!!!  That is too deep to grow any aquatic plants.

 

For a natural pond you are advised to have a shallow pond.

 

I used a pond liner... been in there many years and no problems.  Cheap and easy to do.  Probably less harm for the environment that digging up clay form some place destroying the habitat there, then the petrol and energy needed to transport such heavy material a long distance.  You will also need so much of It in your huge pond.. and you will need to make it extra thick to protect it from your ducks and geese digging into it with they bills and sharp claws. 

 

I did see a video on you tube... when someone used some kind of clay membrane material.. which came in a big roll... to line their large pond.  Try doing some searches on there.  Think they were in Chiang Mai.  That might be stronger then the liner or just straight clay.