Update On The Pond - We Found Why It Failed

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[@ruadhscottygirl2480]

I’m so sorry that your huge excitement over building a pond was bashed by one of the 1001 things that could go wrong. It was unfortunate that happened, but I can tell you that we viewers admire you all the more for not moaning about it. Instead, you realized you needed help and set your pride aside to go get it. Thank you for being such a model for grit and determination. That pond is still an exciting project over all!

[@HometownAcres]

That’s why they call it foolish pride right!

[@DDL2728]

I totally agree with you, Ruadh Scottygirl!! Adam has a problem & fixes it - no whining videos - just fix it ❤❤❤

[@promontorium]

He visited 5 ponds before hand and hopefully learned another lesson, THINGS WILL GO WRONG. No matter how grand or small your scale, expect to have to drain it and rip things out.

[@paulkuske1457]

Stand pipes are always a headache on pond builds. Put in a rock spillway and you are done.

[@andrewriches506]

Way to go Adam. Respect to Dirt Perfect and Captain Kleeman also John Maddison for stepping up to the mark and pointing you in the right direction. These are truly great people who will always go that extra mile.

[@martinwyke]

Learning from our mistakes make us better in the long run. Always love collaborations between channels, especially when I already watch both.

[@brianhaefner639]

Get rid of the standpipe while you have the equipment there. It adds no value. Run an overflow pipe in a trench down the back of the dam. Use steel pipe. Mine has been there for 50 years. You already have the emergency overflow.

[@rr4298]

How old are you if you have a 50 yo pond

[@byohazord]

@@rr4298he didn’t say he built it

[@CaptainKleeman]

Looks good! Looking forward to the next video to see how it all packs in. And thank you for the shout out!

[@craigjay769]

That grass on the sides of the dam is looking amazing.

[@danielking3943]

I breathed a sigh of relief for you when you found the problem . Keep up the good work, Adam .

[@tntom5479]

Nothing more frustrating than getting all excited about a new pond only to have it leak. Never a guarantee but I am hopeful you’ll be successful now. Pulling for you!

[@johnelliott6738]

It’s a great community to be part of. Outdoors with the Morgan’s, Dirt Perfect, Captain Kleeman, Concrete with the Haus’s, and you!

[@DirtPerfect]

Looking good glade you found part of the problem best of luck 😁

[@HometownAcres]

Thanks Buddy, as of current the pond is done and holding about 8” of water so the long distance Hail Mary plan appears to be working haha. Bring on the rain. Or more likely snow

[@DirtPerfect]

Awesome good deal

[@robertbennett6697]

@@HometownAcres Just for kicks calculate the force on an 8" dam as compared to a 20 FOOT dam.

[@westvirginia8658]

Thanks for the video, I hope things work out for you and your pond. It will be beautiful on your property. It can be difficult to take the criticism but you've shown how determined you are. Humility comes to mind. Stay positive! Mike

[@SwedishQuail]

Nice to be able to get help like this, I have followed both Dirt perfect and Captain Kleeman for several years, they are much about ponds

[@vlookup_tim]

Nice collaboration. Gracious of Captain Kleeman and Dirt Perfect to consult. Fine channels.

[@dch923ster]

Experience is your best teacher and making mistakes and fixing the problems is how you get experience to learn from

[@PDeker]

Hey Adam, it's nice to have friends and people around that genuinely want to help. Everybody would be so better off with nice genuine people around. Nice video.

[@sawsurgeon]

Good morning Adam. When you said ask the experts, I immediately thought of Dirt Perfect. So good of Captain Kleeman to respond in video 👍🏼 I’m very much looking forward to the next video in this series. Bless’ns to ya, Tedd

[@stevecole2582]

It looks like they recommended a key way. It looks like you didn't install a keyway, and instead just replaced a broken fitting with a new fitting that's the same schedule as the one that failed. Hopefully the compaction that you're planning is the solution to the leak problem. That broken fitting should have been replaced by a much stronger one.

[@HometownAcres]

This was a part 1 of the fix. The next video shows the key way we put in. I said that at the end of the video

[@oldguyfirewood]

Remote control vibratory sheepsfoot trench rollers are available from any equipment rental company. 4”-6” lifts and take your time (I know it’s slower than a large roller) will give you a much better job than a large smooth roller.

[@RVBob]

It looks like you replaced the broken T with a broken 90 deg. That standpipe moved at least 8 inches back and forth as the bucket tamped dirt around it. A hard PVC elbow can't take that much flex. Something had to give in your 90 deg union. I'd get a borescope and look down your pipe for cracks.

[@ian3580]

I was wondering the same thing - that looked like it moved enough to either unseat the 90 or break it.

[@genesispuredeaf2390]

I saw that too….with a good keyway and proper compaction, the leak won’t likely return. I doubt the ability to drain what hits the top will be an issue with a crack but if it was unseated, he will be digging again. If so, I suggest a solution like what LD 18 uses where the pipe never gets below the top 1/3 of the dam and then with the flexibility of a double-wall stays under the surface on the backside. It’s a journey and fortunately he has a lot going his way.

[@kipcudd7253]

Doesn't the keyway need to start below ground level and then put the lifts in. I was thinking Kleeman showed on his drawing that the keyway should start below the bottom depth of the pond.

[@ShadyOaksFarm]

Correct. Coring the dam is the most important aspect of building a pond!

[@rosiedrown2168]

there is a youtuber called "Practical Engineering'. He has several good videos in packing dirt and on dirt dams. I enjoyed them and thought about your dam when I watched them. Good viewing and good luck.

[@randallsmerna384]

I don't know jack about dirt dams but from what I've gleaned from Dirt Perfect, it seems that clay is a necessary and critical component. Otherwise you're just piling up dirt that's going to get waterlogged and have the potential of a blowout.

[@jburch1544]

This pond series is interesting and a good problem solving explanation. Thanks for documenting and sharing

[@donlowe9125]

Good luck.... I hope it works out for you.... watching your previous episodes, I was also thinking of the Captain.... great guy !

[@kipcudd7253]

You can say "been there done that" . Learning as you go!

[@Daniel-le4bz]

So the problem is compaction but you still are not using a sheeps foot. I hope you dont regret that decision again

[@joopjansen9102]

What about hiring a compacter? And also I would inspect that junction from the inside (with a camera (w/light), on a stick) *as soon as possible:* I could see that standpipe get moved about again.

[@bobn3553]

I also thought I saw the stand pipe move several times. It seemed that when the clay was being put back in place it caused the pipe to move a bit.

[@randallsmerna384]

It most certainly did get moved I don't know if it moved the T though. I had actually asked whether it would be prudent to lock that T and standpipe junction in concrete. Still don't know the answer.

[@jwbbud]

Compaction was brought up so many times when you started…

[@craigsudman4556]

Wow what a lot of work, glad that you figured it out, looking forward to seeing your family doing some ice skating this winter. Maybe some polar bear swimming? Just to celebrate the damn completion! Great video Adam, thumbs up.

[@allenscott2441]

Adam, thanks for sharing the entire pond building and rebuilding experience. I may be attempting to build a pond in the next year or so and I'm learning a ton from you! I love your videos. Keep up the great work!

[@HometownAcres]

Nothing matters more than the material you are working with and proper compaction. When we started I did not understand how important compaction is. Water will find the smallest of paths to work through and start eroding more and more everyday. It has to hit a wall of impermeable clay and stop

[@allenscott2441]

@@HometownAcres Unfortunately I'll be dealing with pristine farm dirt black as coffee...lol Zero clay that I know of. I'll probably have to truck it in.

[@olddawgdreaming5715]

Good luck Adam.

[@JohnSmith-tv5ep]

ADAM, Don't ya just hate 're-do's ! But it's always good when you find the culprit!!! And even better when you can find someone who already had the same experience that is willing to give you help!! Good stuff, thanks for sharing.

[@brentking-gmailking2570]

Hope it works for you. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to tomorrow's video. Have a great weekend.

[@danbarnard5083]

I need to adjust my time when the pond will be full. I say October 2022. Glad you found the problem and mother nature cooperated. Hopefully you'll get a enough for a little ice skating. Great work and great videos. Have a good day!

[@MannistoCay]

Wow lots to do. Looks like you have a handle on it now. Interesting how the pipe was buggered up though. All the best, Mark🌴🍻

[@YoungbloodFamilyFarm]

Thanks for sharing, once again I’m glad I was able to dig my pond and not build it. Sorry you had to experience this but hopefully folks will learn from your experience

[@randywilson6869]

I was at a garage sale one day and noticed his pond next to his house. It was beautiful. The land was almost flat and he didn’t have a dam at all. He has it st up for fishing and u could see that they spent a lot of time there he said it was the best 5 grand he has ever spend

[@StoicThrower]

I like Kleeman. He's a good guy. Looks like you might have succeeded.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Captain Kleeman is really smart. Nice consult. At this point, it’s less of a pond, more of a money pit! Sorry it’s been such a crazy investment. Certainly it’s making me rethink making a pond next year. -Chad

[@stevedibiase728]

Yep almost a coin toss on ponds, make sure you don't overextend yourself financially just trying to make a pretty pond.

[@randallsmerna384]

What do you reckon the cost on this has been?

[@jakehill322]

And that’s why you use concrete around the stand pipe

[@cattigereyes1]

Water weight distorted that plastic pipe due to the pressure? Correct? Add the pressure from a filled pound and can that plastic pipe stand up to it? Just asking if anyone knows?

[@johnmarincic1650]

I was wondering why the damn failed. Thanks for updating us. Will keep my fingers crossed that this fixes it.

[@gregm312]

those cracks on the top of the damn are a sure sign of lack of compaction

[@carl4043]

I've been moving dirt for 40 years. You can tell by how easily that excavator moved through the dirt, and the way the cut fell away, that there is no compaction to speak of. They might fix the leak but it's going to erode terribly.

[@mikemcevoy1940]

The lack of compaction during the dam build is concerning. bucket tamp compaction in/around the overflow pipe trench seems like a high probability for a seepage route along the pipe over the next several months/years. pond bottom location of pipe trench is subject to loads of hydraulic pressure = leakage. surface compaction once dam was graded seemed somewhat less than helpful. The partial core/keyway suggestion will help, but there seems to be some other issues that can still bite. Good luck!

[@ironcladcorp.8408]

Exactly, That Excavator Was Cutting Through That Way Too Easily! An Excavator Alone, Along With A D4 And Roller Isn't Going To Get You To 95% Compaction, Especially With That Type Of Saturation. Each Lift Must Be A Maximum Of 18" To 24" Followed By A Sheep's Foot Or 985 John Deere Loader. You Can't Run Compaction At The Very End Of The Job, Because You'll Only Be Compacting A Maximum Depth Of 12" To 16" Under Your Plate. Now, Eventually The Dam Will Settle, But It's Going To Take Years In Order To Do So, I Wish You The Best Of Luck.

[@PatrickKQ4HBD]

It looks like your original excavator operator was WAY too rough with the pipe install.

[@KM_59]

Whoa - the Cap helping out -- that a boy Cap

[@larrybettie7153]

Whsn i was running a dozer for construction company when we built ponds and lakes we always had to cut a core ditch where the levees were gonna be what we would do is take out all the dirt about 8 or 9 ft wide and 7 to 9 ft deep then find some good soil that packs good and sets up good we probably put alot of clay also where the levees are then after building the soil up every 10. Inches or so we would pull a sheeps foot over it alot its big roller with spikes sticking out of it you pull behind a big tractor we used a 856 international also id run the old paddle wheel dirt pan over it packing it thats what i alwsys dug the core ditch out with i loved running it cause sitting out in front of it wa s way cooler than any hot dozer but i hope this will help some sorry I'm little late for you .

[@charleslloyd4253]

I seen the videos of the dam build. It was not built in lifts and each lift compacted. Saving time and money on pond dams is suicide and dangerous because the whole thing will fail and flood everything down stream. Don't you have building codes there?

[@MishaDaBear]

OK, digging is expensive, especially repeating, a friend of mine installs small landscape ponds. He bought several 240" x 1200" rolls of 20 mil plastic vapour barrier to augment the HDPE liners and to seperate clay from gravel layers (he uses geotextile between gravel layers). What about putting a 20 mil plastic liner in the keyway cut? The plastic needs only to survive the construction phase! Maybe a thinner liner could work but I see construction companies using various geotextiles and plastic barriers in local projects! If the keyway fails please look at a liner or barrier! Also look into using a trencher attachment on an excavator instead of a very slow bucket equipped excavator! Local companies have trenchers that cut far deeper than 8 feet, some can trench and deposite concrete and plastic liner immediately in the trench as it digs! We have more than 2 local companies who have the ability to go deeper than 20' placing concrete in the trench behind the trencher. I am in Alantic Canada so I expect that those are more common in the States! One company has capitolized on ending climate change coastal erosion using that tech down through sandstone layers!

[@MrThorp1]

i watch another pond video... they had a few leaks and used this polymer sand type stuff. two parts , you spread one , then the other, i guess the water will pull it into the leak and the polymers expand. Worked for him.. If you dont get it to seal up this time, maybe look into that

[@neilforbes1082]

Not sure if I would put a wood yard below a dam wall that I don’t believe was compacted properly. Hope I’m wrong and the wall holds.

[@trevormegson7583]

You got to play with the big Tonka toys again.

[@stephenrickettsNL]

Hey Adam. Sorry you had to do this extra work again. I know how important this pond is to your family. Fingers crossed this is the fix this time. Great video as usual. 🤞🏻🤞🏻

[@johnnash1133]

I live in Michigan, and have done excavating, ponds, drain fields my whole life, I have NEVER used anything less than Schedule 40, or steel, why does this look like sced.30?

[@gwhammy2000]

You build ponds a lot different than we do.

[@thebalerman]

As said from others you may want to check your 90. It definitely moved but idk how much is too much. I will say that there’s no such thing as too much compaction. Tamping with the bucket is doing nothing, you’d get more compaction walking on it. And honestly a smooth drum roller is actually not that great either. Driving over it with a tractor will do more for compaction. More psi. Id be weary of how little compaction you have around that stand pipe. Hopefully when they dig the key they’ll dig it in front of the stand pipe and perhaps tie that on and your anti seep collar will help. When I put in an anti seep collar I cut it way under size and slip it over from the direction of the water. Then I put a hose clamp on just to keep it from getting stretched away from dirt pushing on it. Good luck. It sucks having to fix something you just did and haven’t gotten any use out of.

[@susanvaughn741]

The trench where you put the pipe into should be full of stirred mud that surrounds your pipe. Then covered with regular dirt and packed with a very heavy roller or dump truck. This wil give a hydraulic seal that will suck soil in as it drys. Pure dry fill is hard to get right.

[@russellanderson3901]

Compaction, compaction, compaction... we recently had our front porch redone (house is cut into a hill, front porch is about 8' above driveway). We had a block wall built then backfilled with native soil. Crew did 12 -16" lifts with minimal compaction and soil supporting the patio at the top of the wall is still settling 2 years later. Too many conversations with that guy where he laments having to come back ... should have done it right the first time. You did well on yours but things can and will go wrong at times. Good luck on the redo.

[@brianrizzi6321]

So much work! So much invested that it’s gotta work or die trying

[@HometownAcres]

No turnin back now

[@Freetheworldnow]

Your impulsivity makes you loose time, money and energy! Why not waiting to get the proper roller? You trust someone with his advise and you basically go against it... Sit back, relax and breathe! Tomorrow will be another day...

[@HometownAcres]

They said if all you can get is a smooth drum it’ll be fine but a sheeps foot would be better. Well a smooth drum is all we could get. So if you can get me a sheeps foot roller here I would gladly use it

[@twodeepupyours508]

Watching y'all work it's good thing you don't mind re doing things

[@RockhillfarmYT]

Looking good Adam

[@jasone679]

The ironic part is areas like the firewood road that you don't want to hold water always do...

[@DDL2728]

There you go, again!! You've got a problem, & you do what has to be done to fix it - no whining videos - just fix it!! You need a T-shirt that says that - Just Fix It! 🤩🤩🤩 Great videos, always!!

[@1932cheytruck]

when it happens again, you need to install whats called s "Bull tee" the area in bottom catch water and absorbs the force so they don't break, also your through pipe should be a size larger then your stand pipe

[@jamesm4603]

How about using bentonite? When I lived in Texas they wouldn't dream of building a cattle tank (pond)without it clay or no clay.

[@AdvancedUSA]

I owned a sand and gravel operation for 15 years and know a bit about “dirt”. The one constant is that it costs a lot of money to move dirt - even if it’s just a few feet. Building a pond is not a DIY project that I’d recommend. If you are planning something like this be sure you are prepared to PAY.

[@tkskagen]

Couldn't you use a Small "Jumping Jack" Compactor closer around the pipe for better Compaction around the Pipe and Union?

[@HometownAcres]

You must have a crystal ball. That will be in tomorrow video

[@andrewsamanthamadison3320]

Dag on dude! Your channel is by far the most real channel I am subscribed to! Your successes and failures, you put all out there! I’m glad you keep it real! Sorry you’re having these added expenses but at the end of the day it only makes you more knowledgeable on the subject and awesome memories with others.

[@paulbennett8984]

Don't know your state - but another source is Chris (friend of dp)- youtube handle is letsdig18. He in N.Carolina and has 1000's of ponds under his belt - on youtube since 2012. Incidentally I've never seen anyone use solid pipe for an overflow as pooposed to black rubber - sorry I don't know the name.. .

[@edsecorr7812]

Great job keep up the good work

[@TheSiriusEnigma]

When I saw that squished pipe, I could not help by think that this seems to by the wrong type of pipe.

[@jacksonford6045]

Interesting option of fixing it with the same materials that failed..

[@bobbygetsbanned6049]

Sucks that it happened but there had to be some relief when you saw the break in the pipe so you know for sure you're fixing at least one serious issue.

[@Imwright720]

Never knew there was so much to making a pond. I’m in Florida and all you have to do is dig a hole.

[@audrybella6405]

The standpipe would have been better if placed in the pond away from the damn and not in the damn and it should have been set in concrete. The through-pipe should have also been set in concrete or you could have used an anti-seep collar on it. Setting these spillway pipes in concrete helps protect them from being damaged. Good luck. Hope you get her water tight.

[@mjpyro2458]

The weight of those machines cracked the pipe. I watched Kleeman repair his dam back in August. He made the same mistake at first, not compacting enough. When he fixed his, he rolled and rolled and rolled each layer he put down. You were relying on the weight of the excavator and bulldozer to do it and that’s not enough solid weight. Just stay away from the pipe.

[@stanthurman9008]

You need a drain made out of concrete like the ones used on the east coast, like Chris , let’s dig 18 ?

[@kenney4043]

What did you do different to prevent the standpipe joint from cracking/collapsing again? With all the work to dig that up I would have poured concrete around the joint. That would also have helped as a seep collar

[@dalehatton6965]

You should have put concrete at the base of the standpipe encapsulating the elbow, all that weight of the vertical standpipe is on that elbow, even though the pipe is surrounded by dirt the weight is still pushing the pipe down, eventually it will fail again, it needs support under the pipe, that's why your T failed and the pipe had that bend in the bottom of it.

[@blackmamba3427]

Awesome video and solution 👌

[@toddsoutsideagain]

I remember during the build when the track hoe operator hit the stand pipe. That must have been what broke the T! Man this really is a bummer that you have to re-do the dam. Live and learn seems to be the norm for me! Thanks for sharing Adam

[@promontorium]

Or the hours of heavy machinery ground pounding. That plastic is so thin and weak you could probably break it by jumping on it.

[@007darryl]

Hey Adam, don't they make a sheep's foot attachment for the excavator?

[@tomashbaugh8891]

I heard from an old timer that they used to use a bunch of hogs to seal their ponds. Fence them in and let them wallow. Interesting

[@daveschooley8514]

We fed about 30 sheep in our pond for 3 months, held water for 30 years until a extreme draught, then went dry, and never held water again, we leveled the dam a few years later, sold our sheep.

[@juddmuterspaw4081]

I think I would have used a mechanical restraint on the new tee.

[@phillyjoejones5161]

No such thing as failed. It's about making adjustments and continuing with your mission. FYI, my Guide 119 and fishing rods are on pond standby🙂

[@jkilby27able]

If the material is clay, you should be able to roll an ⅛" worm with both hands. If you can't, your material contains more silts.

[@TheCaptScarlett]

0:45 Hands up if you said "Doug" or "Doug's Brother"

[@joopjansen9102]

I said "Doug", but it might just be you meant him.

[@TheCaptScarlett]

@@joopjansen9102 not had my coffee yet

[@joopjansen9102]

@@TheCaptScarlett Lol, totally relatable.

[@WoolysWorld]

Great job

[@michaela1655]

There is an old saying; "There is always time to do it right the second time". This reminds me why I never want to live below a dam. Plastic pipe is probably not strong enough for the job you are asking it to do, especially over the long term.

[@OntarioFirewoodResource]

We got lucky with some more good weather

[@jeff-hk8yk]

watch lets dig 18 - you dont need to core the whole dam - you hit undisturbed clay so you were fine except your horizontal drain pipe should not have been installed so low in the dam for a couple of reasons - (1) you could not compact under and around the pipe good enough and (2) it will eventually plug up due to silt build up in the bottom of the pond. Also, you did not pour a cement anti-seep collar (see lets dig 18 latest video on the 10 acre pond) which is where he digs a small keyway for the cement to flow aound the pipe 360 degrees.

[@jeff-hk8yk]

let's dig also prefers not to use plastic pipe

[@cgsoutdoors_professor3883]

I’m revising my pond fill estimate to MAR 2022

[@marknelson6777]

Hope this works,, Looks like you're going to need to bring in a water truck for ice skating rink.

[@Dadnatron]

Complete lack of compaction. First lift was 10ft. "Compacted ONLY with a surface smooth face compactor". Just look at that slide during excavation at 7:12. Not to rub salt in the wound, but man, I'd be pissed if I paid a dime for that job. Basic compaction error.

[@markknister6272]

Good to get good info to fix the pond.

[@rogerpartner1622]

12:01. I can hear the Owners shouting at the Digger driver. GENTLY GENTLY. ! Etc Etc. Lol

[@robertgiguere7137]

If you had the opportunity, would you build another pond? Don’t consider the cost to answer the question.

[@smoothlandin]

Sorry you had to fix your dam so soon but great video, look forward to the next one!

[@bwillan]

It certainly sucks having to do things twice. On the bright side, you pond wasn't anywhere close to full and needing to drain before you got started.

[@chris3m98]

I'm just a viewer but I think you broke that pipe again???? 🌊🌊💧💧