Building an artificial pond
An evening pause: This engineering not only illustrates the human ability to develop complex technology, it also illustrates how difficult it can be to accomplish what nature does naturally. Think about this the next time you hear someone talking about terraforming Mars.
Hat tip Cotour.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
An evening pause: This engineering not only illustrates the human ability to develop complex technology, it also illustrates how difficult it can be to accomplish what nature does naturally. Think about this the next time you hear someone talking about terraforming Mars.
Hat tip Cotour.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
A little surprised no one has commented. I’ll have a go.
It’s an impressive effort, but why? Researching David Pagan Butler yields some information and a site, but no explanation as to why you would do this. It looks like the kind of thing municipalities and the well-to-do have done for years, but no indication to motive for this project.
I’ve horsed those liner sheets around. They are heavy and awkward. It’s some work. Mr. Butler’s appearance in the video looks like someone who has worked hard all day and trying to think. Been there. His outfit reminded me of Stephen Maturin. An impressive and worthwhile effort; I am just curious as to motive.
D. Pagan Butler: “What we are after is creating a healthy ecological system.” “If you want really healthy water, you want it full of life, not devoid of life.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3614956/Man-Britain-s-DIY-natural-swimming-pool-inspires-hundreds-build-own.html
Butler apparently invented this particular natural filtering system / style of building a natural pool without chemicals and it appears that people hire him to make it so. I think its great.
Why wouldn’t you want a project like it might be the better question.
Cotour–
I don’t know about New York State, but in-general, in Michigan, one cannot “just build a pond” on one’s own land– The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) gets really (really, really) upset.
In the Thumb region of Michigan in particular, the DNR likes to use satellite imagery to discover when ponds ‘suddenly’ appear on private land. If the pond appears and there’s no corresponding Permit attached to the location, they come out and visit you. At best you pay a hefty Fine, at worst they make you fill it in. (And God help you if your pond interacts with any streams or pre-existing “waterways,” that’s a whole other entire permitting process.)
–the geology & water-table levels are such (in that area) that you can “just dig a hole,” and it will generally contain water without mechanical liners. A large portion of the rest of Michigan—you can’t generally create ponds or lakes without mechanical barriers and the associated eco-system to prevent it from becoming a stagnant breeding ground for mosquitos (and permission from the DNR)– we’re composed of ‘glacial till’ — lots of gravel and sand underneath the topsoil, and the water table can be anywhere from a few feet to hundreds of feet deep. (If you fill a random hole with water, you will generally wind up with a hole and no water, unless there’s a clay substrate underneath to hold it in.)
These are basically huge fish tanks.
I used the very same filtration system they use in my fish tanks. An under gravel filter system.
Basically suck the water from under the gravel and aerate it on the top of the tank. You can use either a pump or a bubble lift tube.
Pulling the water through the gravel creates an anaerobic and bio filter system inside the gravel. All dirt and bad stuff gets drawn through and trapped in the gravel. Then broke down into good stuff for the fish.
I have had a fish tank go 2 years without cleaning the gravel. Which is the filter. Eventually though the gravel in these systems needs mixed up and the dirt blown out with fresh water. I use the dirty water for the garden.
My guess is that since these can be classified as a swimming pool they can get around the EPA requirements for a natural pond.