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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 63
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OP
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 63 |
I ran an experiment with 'gley soil' to see if would hold water as advertised on aquaculture forums I have read. I had a 55 gallon drum (plastic) that was cut in half to make a 'bucket'. I drilled several holes in the bottom, filled with about 3 inches of dirt. Then filled with about 6 inches of green alfalfa hay, then another 3 inches of dirt. I filled to the brim with water and left a dripping water hose on the top. After two weeks, I removed the water hose. The water stayed on top, only what I expect was normal evaporation was gone. Success!!!!!!! I dug out a very small hole in the ground to test the experiment in the ground. When I dumped the drum on the ground, we had to evacuate the county, because the stink was so bad (at least we held our noses, man it stunk). Maybe success was a little premature. BTW it also stunk in the drum, it was just not quite as noticeable. Back to researching liners. It sucks being a cheapskate. Greg
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,050 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,050 Likes: 277 |
Interesting. Lots of us are DIY'ers and have fun messing with new ideas. I wonder whether fish would have lived in that water.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 63
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OP
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 63 |
Fish might survive, they certainly wouldn't have to worry about hooks, nobody could get close enough to throw one in. Seriously, I wonder if a foot of soil cover would have killed the smell, at least over a period of time. I had noticed bubbles coming to the surface in the drum, at the time I thought oxygen was escaping. Now I wonder if it was Methane from the decomposing alfalfa. I wonder if, over a period of time, the decomp would stop and the smell go away. Un-uh, if I re-start the experiment, it might cause a divorce, haha.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,050 Likes: 277
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 16,050 Likes: 277 |
I expect it was methane with the alfalfa cooking.
Yeah, I wouldn't do that again.
It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.
Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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