Author Topic: Well, Pete was not happy (Read 2272 times)

Esther · « **on:** April 18, 2008, 12:07:38 PM »

with my solution to clean the bottom of the pond. So he copied someone elses advice and adapted a plastic 55 gallon drum to enlarge the holding capacity of the shop vac. Here is a closeup of the fittings. If you want an explanation of what they are, just hollar. It worked great. I had already scooped out the leaves though.

Joyce · « **Reply #1 on:** April 18, 2008, 12:10:46 PM »

That looks VERY adequate....simple, efficient....AWESOME!

Ruthie · « **Reply #2 on:** April 18, 2008, 12:16:06 PM »

oh!!! I have GOT to show this to hubby! TY!

Jerry · « **Reply #3 on:** April 18, 2008, 12:16:47 PM »

My wife shoulda been a Plumber! nice work!

Esther · « **Reply #4 on:** April 18, 2008, 02:41:59 PM »

This was really easy Jerry. Funny though, the threads in one of the openings were different than the other. Pete had to fudge that one with that plumber's tape and putty to get it to hold.

We filled it about 3/4 full and then stopped and didn't put any water in the shop vac at all. Our front lawn slants a little bit at the north side so we just let the water run out. But next time I think we are going to let the crud settle and then let the clean water run back into the skimmer/filter. I figure we drew about 90 gallons out maybe. So when the water ran out, there was maybe 3" of crud left. I have what I call a crud bucket that is just a leftover pool chemical bucket that I've drilled holes in the bottom. It sits out of sight behind a huge rock by the house. When I scoop stuff out of the pond, I just whack the net on that bucket. It was maybe half full of leaves so Pete tipped the drum up and let the crud drain out of the drum into my crud bucket. Too bad we don't have a vegetable garden. I would guess it would do well there.

Jerry · « **Reply #5 on:** April 18, 2008, 03:06:09 PM »

I was thinking that as I read your post.. It is good stubb!

Double S · « **Reply #6 on:** April 18, 2008, 03:54:00 PM »

Great idea! I have a vacuum, but it just drains where we are standing.

That's a better idea!

karen J · « **Reply #7 on:** April 19, 2008, 01:19:05 PM »

Esther that is an excellent idea! I'm definitely showing this to hubby.

I like your crud bucket idea too. I've been using a plastic laundry basket, but it's starting to dry rot & crack.

There is so much mess to clean up this year, it's daunting. I raked out about 40' in my side garden, Kevin probably did another 60'. And that's only a fraction of what needs to get done.
It will all get done, a little bit at a time. The pond is gonna be a doozie this year cuz I didn't cover it.
It's great to be back outside.

Esther · « **Reply #8 on:** April 19, 2008, 06:24:52 PM »

Karen it sounds like you have been and will be very busy. I was amazed at the leaves on the bottom of the pond and we netted it from when the leaves started falling until it was frozen into the snow.

I/we (DH) cleaned up two retaining wall planting areas today. One has mostly bushes about 35' x 5' and the other is all perennials and bulbs. That one is about 50' X 4'. One end is only about 12" high and then gradually raises to about 4' high. It goes around the corner and then is the bushes I mentioned. It goes on two sides of the inground pool. You know, pulling out the dead stuff from last year's annuals and perennials, picking out the leaves, and cutting down the dead stuff that won't break off. Oh and pulling up the stupid tiny viney weeds that are growing all over the place already.

Most of this week has been spent outside cleaning up the pond, cleaning up around the pond, and moving bulb and ground cover plantings. Just love it.

tinkster · « **Reply #9 on:** April 20, 2008, 05:43:54 PM »

I bought a vac that does fair but it seems I spend most the time unplugging it from algae or little stones. I would love something like that for the heavy duty cleanup in the spring where the bottom is really bad. Question.... I have a hard time understanding water flow and gravity etc. but how is the shop vac able to suck water through all that. It appears like it has to suck from the hoses and the barrell???

tinkster

Esther · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2008, 07:21:05 PM »

The top black intake hose suctions from the drum and pulls the water in the pool vac head, in through the blue hose and into the drum. So you have about 50 gallons of holding space before it starts sucking into the shop vac. We just turned it off, took off the vac head and pulled that same hose off to the north or low side of the lawn and let it gravity out. Pete had put a ball valve on it to keep it from running back into the pond right when we shut it off. But he said a person didn't have to use one. I think next time I'm going to let it gravity back into the skimmer after it sits a bit. The sludge/mulm had settled nicely on the low side of the drum in a short time.

There were no leaves in the pond so I don't know how it would handle them. I didn't want to get the pool hose clogged so I had scooped them out already. Come to think of it, I wouldn't want to get leaves in the drum anyway because it would be a bear to get them out. That cover is not removable.

karen J · « **Reply #11 on:** April 24, 2008, 08:50:23 PM »

Esther,
I showed hubby your pics and design, and he is interested in trying to make one of these "thingies". However, our shop vac is only 6 HP, and when we tried vacuuming the bottom of the pond (regular hose on regular shop vac), it would not suck. Our pond bottom is about 30 inches deep.

So my question is, how much horse power does your shop vac have, and how deep is your pond again? I know you've posted that info on your pond depth before but my brain has lost too many brain cells and I can't remember!

We're trying to figure out if this idea is do-able with a 6 hp vac.

Another idea my hubby had was to buy a central vacuum motor and build something custom... seems to me a lot of money to spend on experimentation! I told him NO. I'm tired of failed, expensive experiments.

Esther · « **Reply #12 on:** April 25, 2008, 04:57:26 AM »

the Shop Vac is 5.5 HP and the pond varies from 24" to 30". We have never tried to vac the bottom of the pond with just the shop vac so don't know what it can do by itself. It didn't seem to hesitate a bit doing the pond. I filled the drum 3/4 full three times. Next time I'll work faster. It pulled it pretty fast.

karen J · « **Reply #13 on:** April 25, 2008, 07:42:38 AM »

Thanks, Esther. I am now in the market for a drum.

Aren't those Fernco fittings terrific?

Thanks!

tranquility · « **Reply #14 on:** April 25, 2008, 09:45:47 AM »

girl you never cease to amaze me...great stuff

Lawanna

Esther · « **Reply #15 on:** April 25, 2008, 11:25:39 AM »

Don't forget Lawanna, DH is a plumber so this project was his. I had seen on the internet where somebody had done something like this. I bought the drum on Ebay. Probably could have gotten one cheaper or maybe free at a carwash, I don't know. Anyway, I'm happy with the results.

rdrboone · « **Reply #16 on:** April 26, 2008, 07:51:21 PM »

Esther,
Thanks for posting your pond cleaner. I made one this week, after I saw yours, and used it yesterday. It worked like a charm.

It sure makes a very messy job easier.
Thank you.
Ruth

Esther · « **Reply #17 on:** April 26, 2008, 09:52:44 PM »

Oh good. I'm glad somebody got some use from the picture.

rdrboone · « **Reply #18 on:** April 27, 2008, 03:39:12 PM »

Esther,
I failed to mention in my original post to you, that I found that if I removed the 2" hose from the vacuum intake of the shop vac and then placed it into the exhaust outlet it would blow the water & gunk out of the barrel in to time.
Once again, thanks to you and Pete.

Ruth

Esther · « **Reply #19 on:** April 27, 2008, 05:01:47 PM »

Guess I should have mentioned that.