Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Fishponds FLOAT!

When water leaks from the pond into the surrounding clay (emptying the tank), the pond becomes buoyant and floats in the muddy hole!!! Meanwhile, the wet clay sinks down under the edges of the pond, so when you refill the pond to try to reverse the situation, it only sinks down 90% of the way to the bottom, meaning you have to drain it again, dig out the pond, wait for the hole to dry out, dig it out around the edges, and re-fit the pond.

Not even three weeks into renting out our house (including aquaponics) and I go round to inspect a problem the tenants have reported with the system. YIKES! The pond has half-risen out of the ground, and everything attached to it (landscaping rocks, sleepers, wire mesh, pipes) has been bent/warped in the process...

On the plus side, it did let us find a rogue trout that had evaded the fishing net prior to us moving out.

So no fish losses at this stage. Just a WHOLE lot of work ahead for us.

Bummer...

That is annoying

Thin WhelshDragon and OutBackOzzie have had this problem too !

Yah, me too for my sump dug into the ground. Unless it's full, if it pours rain it floats up.

Digging a sump at the moment between wet days. Going to use rapid set around the edges once the tank is put in place.