Pond Boss Magazine
https://www.pondboss.com/images/userfiles/image/20130301193901_6_150by50orangewhyshouldsubscribejpeg.jpg
Advertisment
Newest Members
Shotgun01, Dan H, Stipker, LunkerHunt23, Jeanjules
18,451 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums36
Topics40,902
Posts557,116
Members18,452
Most Online3,612
Jan 10th, 2023
Top Posters
esshup 28,420
ewest 21,475
Cecil Baird1 20,043
Bill Cody 15,112
Who's Online Now
1 members (Dave Davidson1), 755 guests, and 219 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 6 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105

Here are some pictures of my small island thoughts. Blue foam can be sculptured with a heat gun for as much melt sculpture or just a little for a tough plastic skin. You could use black flat paint first and then light sprays to simulate rock on the edges or glue up a hump in the middle of the island for a big rock. I would glue on maybe 2x3 inch edging around the edges on top of the main blueboard to hold in the growing medium. When I was building with the sail boat Paddle Duck forum they found that Dap Concrete calking worked better then most things they tried for glueing around water. The holes are punched in very easily in the blue board with 1/2 inch copper tubing and then water wicker rope could be inserted to bring water up to the growing medium.





Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
A
Ambassador
Lunker
OP Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
A
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
Interesting ideas for making an island John, definitely agree on only using closed cell foam. If your island has any size to it, adding a lattice style inner frame of pvc would help keep the structure intact.
If your glueing anything to foam, 2 part epoxys are best, but are slow going when doing large area's, Gorilla glue is easier to work with waterproof and foam safe.

Looking forward to the construction of your island, remember photo's.



Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
I do have two part epoxy and fiberglass but mine is slow set and of course it is expensive. A brace down the middle would be a good idea.

I have had a few experiences with Great Stuff foam. I sprayed it on the bottom of my kayak boat seat for a glove fit but over weeks it kept warping and changing in a shrinking way. I also used it around one of those rubber farm animal drinking pans to give it extra stability while floating in the pond and over time in the water it deteriorated badly. I think it must be open cell. Also I once put it inside a long aluminum sailboat mast. To get it the full length I drilled small holes at intervals along the mast and shot Great Stuff in them. Below is blue board foam that was glued with two part epoxy to build up a large chunk of it.




Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
A
Ambassador
Lunker
OP Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
A
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
John I'm not sure about the other great stuff foams but I use the great stuff big gap filler, it's closed cell foam and it's real sticky.
I use the 2 part epoxy when building foam RC aircraft but it's in small amounts, that's why I suggested using Gorilla glue on the island.



Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
I have used gorilla glue but since if foams and expands I always clamped it. Do you think the blue board would need clamping to keep it from foaming an expansion gap? Moisture activates gorilla glue so I always wet the surfaces to be glued to give it a quick start.

I have been testing ropes to see which on can wick water the best and this rope I bought at the farm store on a roll for the sail boats seems to be the best. It is a very limp nylon that wicks water up 8" to 10" with 4" submersed in the water.



Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
A
Ambassador
Lunker
OP Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
A
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
If you can clamp or keep weight on the joint I'm sure that will help.
I like the idea of rope to wick water up to the soil and also providing some structure underneath the island for fish and bugs.



Joined: May 2003
Posts: 948
Likes: 37
R
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
R
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 948
Likes: 37
On the plastic netting... I purchased some that was bird netting and was anxious about the strength. Found an old fish cage my brother built and it is comprised of some much heavier stuff. Wonder if it would be better?


[Linked Image from i108.photobucket.com]
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
A
Ambassador
Lunker
OP Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
A
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
Go with the heavier fencing or add both, the dirt can be pretty heavy.



Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
I think I will hitch the trailer up this morning and head for Muncie, about 25 mi. to get some blueboard and get this project started. I was thinking of filling my island with red flowers to draw Humming Birds. I saw some the other day in the pond area.


Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
R
RAH Offline
Lunker
Offline
Lunker
R
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714
Likes: 281
If you like to see hummers, plant some Rem Red honeysuckle near wehere you sit. They love the stuff.

Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,505
Likes: 3
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,505
Likes: 3
So would this stuff from Lowe's, or somewhere similar, be a suitable base for building an island?


Todd La Neve

[Linked Image from i108.photobucket.com]
Click Here to Subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine

1.5 & .5 ac ponds - LMB, BG, RES, YP, GC, HSB
Todd3138 #288020 04/16/12 05:39 PM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
A
Ambassador
Lunker
OP Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
A
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
Originally Posted By: Todd3138
So would this stuff from Lowe's, or somewhere similar, be a suitable base for building an island?

Todd depending on how big it will be I think it would be better to go with 2" foam or laminate two together so you have a 4" thick island, and then add a pvc pipe inner frame for strength.



Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,505
Likes: 3
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,505
Likes: 3
Geez. I didn't even notice that it was 1/2 inch stuff! I was thinking it was 2 inches. I agree that laminating 2 inch sheets would be ideal. I was actually thinking of laying two side by side then laminating an additional two sheets the opposite direction for an 8x8 island platform that is 4 inches thick. What size pvc would you think would work best?

And here's another question I've been pondering - the floating islands international product in the latest issue of PB boasts 300 sq. ft. of surface area per cubic foot (I think that was the measurement) for ideal microbe growth. This closed cell stuff wouldn't do that, of course, but what about attaching a whole bunch of wadded up deer netting underneath on the pvc where the plant roots could grow down in and intertwine with it? Probably still not achieving the surface area of the FII product, but would that help increase the beneficial surface area?


Todd La Neve

[Linked Image from i108.photobucket.com]
Click Here to Subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine

1.5 & .5 ac ponds - LMB, BG, RES, YP, GC, HSB
Todd3138 #288061 04/16/12 09:10 PM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
A
Ambassador
Lunker
OP Offline
Ambassador
Lunker
A
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,135
Todd laminating four sheets of foam the way you mentioned sounds like a good idea, and making a frame of 1 inch pvc would probably be sufficient. It would look more natural if you rounded the corners and made the shape irregular.

Those premade International floating islands are made from some type of recycled plastic fiber matrix which allows more surface area for biofilm to grow on.

The deer netting would increase surface area but possibly trap larger fish in the netting.
If you drilled lots of small holes in the foam it would allow water up to the soil and roots down below the island giving you more surface area. If you could find artificial garland that could be attached to the bottom or even lengths of rope as John Monroe mentioned, this would give you more structure for the fish.



Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,505
Likes: 3
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,505
Likes: 3
Good thoughts, AP. I had figured that if I do this I would try to do something interesting with the shape - definitely don't want a big square floating around out there! With all the various pvc fittings available, I could probably even shape the pvc frame to pretty closely follow the shape of the island. And you guys recommend filling the pvc with that Great Stuff foam or something similar?

I hadn't really thought about fish getting entangled in the netting, but that's certainly a possibility. Might have to play around with the idea some to see if I can incorporate it to maximize surface area for the biofilm while not risking fish getting caught up in it.


Todd La Neve

[Linked Image from i108.photobucket.com]
Click Here to Subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine

1.5 & .5 ac ponds - LMB, BG, RES, YP, GC, HSB
Todd3138 #289633 04/29/12 01:26 AM
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
I've got my foam for making my island and have it laid out on saw horses but haven't cut into it yet. When I make my cuts I want to be sure I can make some of it look natural and perhaps like rock. I made a foam cutter by placing electric fence wire between two alligator clips of a battery charger but I may just use a sharp fillet knife. I bought a bag of growing medium that expands to 4 cubic yards for my plants. I've been afraid to start cutting because I can't visualize just exactly what I want and how it will look. But if it looks like hell at least it will still float I hope. I'll take some pictures as I go along and we will see what happens.


Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 85
S
Offline
S
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 85
If you use Gorilla Glue to glue your foam, wet the foam first and then clamp it. It holds very well and don't take much. I put the heads on my foam decoys with GG and haven't had any failures, and these decoys are carried to and from hunting sites in a decoy bag. GG is great stuff!
Good luck and good fishing,
Dan

Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
I've started the island using pink and blue foam. The picture will be the end of the island in kind of a layer so turtles can climb upon it. So far it is very simple to do. I cut off a foot of the 4x6 sheet and glued it on top using liquid nails. To make sure it sticks together I am also bolting it as you can see on the far end. To cover the bolt I use used a chunk of foam, glued it over the bolt and stressed it with the heat gun. From what I have read to get the rock coloring you start with a gray paint and then just sparkle it with different paint colors. We'll see. This is much easier then it looks. Just stress and cut the foam some and the heat gun does the magic. More photos later as I progress.




Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 697
B
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Hall of Fame
Lunker
B
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 697
Nice work!


"I think I have a nibble" Homer Simpson

34ac natural lake



Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,505
Likes: 3
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,505
Likes: 3
Wow, that looks great, John! I haven't started mine yet but still want to get it done before Fall. Give me a little more detail on how you shaped the edges like that and what role the heat gun played - I'm not totally following you on that. Thanks!


Todd La Neve

[Linked Image from i108.photobucket.com]
Click Here to Subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine

1.5 & .5 ac ponds - LMB, BG, RES, YP, GC, HSB
Todd3138 #291432 05/11/12 10:42 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,420
Likes: 794
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Offline
Moderator
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Lunker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 28,420
Likes: 794
Todd, I believe the heat gun will melt the foam, but it's not hot enough to get it on fire.


www.hoosierpondpros.com


http://www.pondboss.com/subscribe.asp?c=4
3/4 to 1 1/4 ac pond LMB, SMB, PS, BG, RES, CC, YP, Bardello BG, (RBT & Blue Tilapia - seasonal).
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
Todd I think I will do the other end about the same way and I will take better pictures from the start. I laid the 4x8 foot sheet of foam out on two saw horse and cut one foot off the end using a jig saw but you can cut also using a fillet knife. Then on the 7 foot long foam left I cut two roughly 45 degree of foam off the square edges, and two 45 degree edges off the 1 foot wide cutoff slab of foam to round them up some. Then I cut gouged a little here and there to make the foam a little irregular and also stressed it some with a wire brush and glued the small slab using liquid nails to the base slab. Nothing fancy because the heat melting the foam does all the art work for you. If you don't want to buy a heat gun, a torch would probably work just as good. The rock looking foam I covered the bolt nut with looked very much like the small triangular pink piece of foam in the picture. That's what the heat gun can do to an ordinary chunk of foam to make it look like a rock. We all become Michel Angelo.


Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,505
Likes: 3
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Offline
Ambassador
Field Correspondent
Hall of Fame
Lunker
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,505
Likes: 3
Very cool. I look forward to tackling this project at some point this coming Summer. Hopefully I can get it established before Winter hits so it will be set for a Spring emergence.


Todd La Neve

[Linked Image from i108.photobucket.com]
Click Here to Subscribe to Pond Boss Magazine

1.5 & .5 ac ponds - LMB, BG, RES, YP, GC, HSB
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
Here are a couple pictures beginning construction. This is all the cutting and shaping I do. The heat gun does the rest. More later.





Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
J
Member
Offline
Member
J
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,105
Update on the floating island. The foam rocks are done. Next I will drill holes on the black dots to insert rope to hopefully draw water up into the growing medium. Foam comes pre slited so long slabs can be broken off, so I will turn the foam upside down and put some fiberglass patches over them so they won't break apart in the water.






Page 6 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Link Copied to Clipboard
Today's Birthdays
cro, HC1968
Recent Posts
Relative weight charts in Excel ? Calculations?
by esshup - 03/29/24 01:06 AM
pond experience needed
by esshup - 03/29/24 12:45 AM
New pond middle TN: establishing food chain?
by Bill Cody - 03/28/24 07:57 PM
Happy Birthday Bob Lusk!!
by FireIsHot - 03/28/24 07:33 PM
Working on a .5acre disaster, I mean pond.
by PRCS - 03/28/24 06:39 PM
Fungus infection on fish
by nvcdl - 03/28/24 06:07 PM
Can anyone ID these minnows?
by Dylanfrely - 03/28/24 05:43 PM
1 year after stocking question
by esshup - 03/28/24 04:48 PM
Yellow Perch Spawn 2024
by H20fwler - 03/28/24 04:29 PM
New 2 acre pond stocking plan
by LANGSTER - 03/28/24 03:49 PM
Paper-shell crayfish and Japanese snails
by esshup - 03/28/24 10:39 AM
Newly Uploaded Images
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
Eagles Over The Pond Yesterday
by Tbar, December 10
Deer at Theo's 2023
Deer at Theo's 2023
by Theo Gallus, November 13
Minnow identification
Minnow identification
by Mike Troyer, October 6
Sharing the Food
Sharing the Food
by FishinRod, September 9
Nice BGxRES
Nice BGxRES
by Theo Gallus, July 28
Snake Identification
Snake Identification
by Rangersedge, July 12

� 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5