Everything you Guys have Asked about My Timber Frame Pond - AKA Miyagi Pond

This one is is pretty long but I attempted to answer every question that comes up when I do videos of this pond. If I missed anything tell me in the comments and I will do a follow up video.

[@ikkas]

Jack you really have me wanting to build one of these ponds in my yard. Can you show us a little but about what the pumps and pvc are all about?

[@Green.Country.Agroforestry]

When grandpa Conrad built his system, freshwater shrimp were not a thing .. but flathead minnows were! This video helped my wife to get on board with my ambitions to incorporate aquaponics into our garden design .. You are using the same design principles that my grandfather used, that I would also use .. but having someone else demonstrate it is what it takes, I guess 😁 Thanks!

[@EvanCooper_b_prepared]

Alright... I think you motivated me enough to turn my IBC totes into ponds. That's just a great practical idea to create sustainable soil fertility.

[@JS-kj6qf]

Looks beautiful. Great job.

[@dfh-g9w]

wow amazing information, love all the ponds! thank you for sharing

[@Flatus4La]

Loved the Catfish Fiesta comment ... thanks for the videos Jack!

[@survivalpodcasting]

Thanks for watching!

[@jasonleong7151]

The huge pond in the middle with the L beds on each corner, brings a tear to my eye😢

[@ylee2655]

Jack, can you tell us more about your garden beds? I see a liner. Is this for protection from moisture, a wicking bed or something else? Thanks

[@survivalpodcasting]

They are just raised beds, the liner is nothing but standard weed blocker which is cheap insurance to extend the life of the timbers.

[@richardfreeman2288]

Thanks for posting this video. Some great insights here. May I bother you to describe in more detail the aerator/valve you demonstrate around 20:30?

[@survivalpodcasting]

I really don't know what I can say beyond what I did in the video. It is simple, the swing valve ups pressure just like your finger on the end of a hose. There are 4 of them off the one pump, they deliver to each corner. Okay they spray into a pipe, the pipe is in a bucket and held with some poured cement but I have done it with gravel and even just sat it on the bottom of a tank and let that hold the pipe. The pipe has slits in it, I have also done them with simple drilled holes. The air created by the agitation comes out the side of the pipe. The stronger the pressure the more O2 it produces. That is it, there are no secrets I think people expect something more complicated. The main reason I did it originally was so I can have floating plants and not beat the crap out of them when they float under the valves. The first time I tried it I noticed the bubbling and played around to maximize it. Honestly you could fill a 5 gallon bucket 1/4th full with gravel, drill some holes in the side a few inches below the water line and set it there. I will do the same basic thing but a pipe seems to cause more compression.

[@richardfreeman2288]

@@survivalpodcasting Thank you for this clarification. I do appreciate your efforts. Living in the north country, my focus will be on growing small fish to dry for winter protein for fowl.

[@KenDBerryMD]

I want to build a big one!

[@survivalpodcasting]

You can dig a hole and you SHOULD, you don't want to go larger than this. We can talk about this next month. Water pressure is serious stuff bro.

[@bjaminf113]

Awesome set-up!

[@PineIslandSeeds]

Hi, Jack. I noticed you said the walls of the garden beds were made of pressure treated lumber. What are you using to prevent the chemicals from the lumber leeching into the soil? Thanks! Been a TSP member for a long time. It is the best money I have ever spent. You do not know how much value you have brought to my life. Thank you. Anne Marie

[@backtoweedin4375]

Jack, on your overflow, what if you also did about a 1/2 inch notch in the lower 4x4 board that the liner rests on? That would cause the top water line to be 1/2 inch below the top course of boards and never be able to weep out along the space between top two board where the liner is sandwiched. Seems like it would keep the top board from ever getting wet.

[@notyourbuddy_guy]

Really awesome set up man!

[@bjaminf113]

@Jack_Spirko did you coat the bottom row of timbers with anything to prevent rot? I live in a very sandy region of NC south of Raleigh, and ive noticed some timber framed flowerbeds have a bit of rot after a few years. FINALLY getting started on mine even though rubber has hit a ridiculous high for the liner.

[@danyatchyshyn5459]

Looks great. How's the big inground pond you put in doing?

[@survivalpodcasting]

It is an expensive dry hole that will not hold water for more than a few days.

[@danyatchyshyn5459]

@@survivalpodcasting How unfortunate

[@mcallaghan7681]

This is really cool. Watching you encouraged me to try ducks. May I ask why you have these ponds? Clearly you enjoy them, but do you get enough food or other products to make it worthwhile otherwise? Thanks for sharing!

[@chlupl]

I would say it is primarily pleasure, but there is a great deal of productivity from those systems that may not be apparent. The duck weed and water lettuce supplement feed and provide ongoing fertility to his gardens, he can harvest fish now and then. Both of these are secondary to the climate that is created from water. Healthy ponds will attract diverse flora and fauna into his garden areas. If you are looking at simple cost analysis, you can do something similar much cheaper, and might find it makes sense. That said, these aren't only productive, but beautiful and create a great atmosphere. You can of course also throw in some edible vegetation. I believe he uses mostly ornamentals and floating veg because he simply doesn't have need to fill them with food as his other systems do well are providing most of those needs. Jack, hope that summed it up. Please correct me if I'm wrong anywhere.

[@GettingGoshen]

Can you put edible fish in the smaller pond?

[@garthjones7665]

I have mostly trout where I live. Have you ever put any trout in your ponds?

[@survivalpodcasting]

No because trout do not live in my climate to hot. Local fish = the best fish.

[@drewchilds3027]

Got a rough cost estimate for your system?

[@survivalpodcasting]

Materials about 2500 all in

[@derekdoan907]

How do you combat mosquitoes?

[@survivalpodcasting]

Mosquitoes can't effectively breed in a pond full of fish.

[@katejohnson955]

Jack, it looks like the one corner of your pond is separating. How long has that been visibly happening, and what (if anything) would you do to repair it?

[@survivalpodcasting]

No nothing is separating, nothing is "happening". There is literally nothing all you see are how 4x4s are shaped in that they are never prefect.

[@bcofarmblog9874]

When you build the cement block towers, do you put anything on the pond liner to protect it before stacking the blocks?

[@survivalpodcasting]

Good question and I should have talked about it. I put a 24x24 standard cheap tile under every tower.

[@jackmitchell9483]

@@survivalpodcasting Another question: when you did the shower fold in the corners, did you fasten it down with seam tape in the corner? Or was it good enough that the liner is securely fastened at the top? My concern is about water getting behind the shower fold and causing it to bubble out from hydrostatic pressure. Thanks!

[@survivalpodcasting]

@@jackmitchell9483 it literally can't happen. The excess was laid over the top, then we put a bead of silicone on top of it, a final 4x4 was attached with structural wood screws, then the excess was trimmed form the outside with a razor knife. The last 4x4 is not lined, the liner is sandwiched between it and the second to the last one, does this make sense?

[@jackmitchell9483]

@@survivalpodcasting Yes thanks for the answer. I totally understand how the liner is fastened on the top coarse then trimmed with another coarse. Short version: did you use any seam tape in the corner? If not, then that answers my question. Long explanation: I was referring to the vertical corner fold that is like wrapping a present. The result is a triangular flap that has to be managed. There's a trick called a shower fold (from shower pan liners) where you fold the flap behind the liner. The resulting corner looks very clean and the triangular flap is hidden behind the liner. I saw a comment on another site where a guy talked about using seam tape to seal that vertical corner seam. I doubt that is necessary since the liner is so securely fastened to the top of the wall. I didn't want to find out I was wrong and have to drain it back down to install that seam tape. Sorry for being long-winded - it's hard to describe in words.

[@survivalpodcasting]

@@jackmitchell9483 no i did not use tape there is no reason to. I am not sure what problem you think it would solve but it does not exist.

[@jreg0028]

Do you have any problems with predators? I love the sound of running water and would love to design and build one of these systems, but I would hate to go through all the work to create a predator zone and spend my time fighting them off vs enjoying the benefits of this system.

[@survivalpodcasting]

No the ponds are too deep and have tons of cover. We did have a blue heron for a while stalking the smaller metal ponds but a few days of dogs chasing him off corrected it.

[@cynthiamolenaar770]

@@survivalpodcasting I live in the Netherlands and my problem is cats that enter my garden...I think a little fishcave made from a rooftile that sits on bricks did a lot 😉

[@KoiTimeUSA]

freaking nice pond Jack. I wished I made a big one. I only made 6"x12",, would have been happier with 12'x12' check out my pond on my channel cheers

[@girlwalkswithgoats]

*angry fish*angry fish* 😂

[@notyourbuddy_guy]

Catfish fiesta!