Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Floating Dock Build - Phase 2

TJ, thanks for weighing in and thanks for being so fair and balanced in your offers to help.

I would say that everyone has to have a little willingness to overlook a shortfall when using the soilfloc since there is no real life guarantees and your mileage may vary...

In my pond the fluctuation was an inch a day. I felt that I had NO springs and no active water pumping in and out. Mine was the typical slow decrease as water found its way down through the permeable bottom. I had no way of knowing if there was one area (say the vein of sand they hit when digging the pond where they knew water was coming up from the ground) or if the whole pond bottom and the sides slowly let the water back into the ground.

All I know is that one application made my water stay in place far better than I had dared to hope or plan on.

So if 2old2soon knows that he has active pumping springs or that the pond 'bowl' is situated so far below the typical water table that there could be a significant head of pressure pushing up through the bottom then he may indeed not get the same great success. However I would say that if he treated at the ideal time when his pond was brimming full, the hydraulic pressure would force a good heavy application of soilfloc down into any area where the water was flowing in. Only an active spring I think (my opinion) would push that product back out.

Since those of us with groundwater ponds are gearing up for the constant ebb and flow, we just can't wrap our heads around a scenario where the pond might just always be at the same level (minus any evaporation - minimal). But, in 9 out of 10 cases that is the result you get if you apply it correctly.

We skated on our pond again last night probably for the last time as we have 50 degrees and rain this weekend. By this time in prior years, the pond would have dropped 3 feet and the edges would be like a bowl that the skateboarders use. I was standing at the edge of the pond last night after everyone had gone and was just marveling how BIG the pond had stayed this year. If it dropped, maybe it dropped an inch. You can't notice unless you flood the pond and then you notice the water you sprayed up by the edge tends to roll back down at you for a little bit due to the slight drop.

Not only do we have a much nicer pond for skating (bigger, handles bigger crowds) but we have not lost any noticeable amount of water this year. Just an amazing thing to think that an application effort taking only 3 hours, of 2 kinds of harmless powder sealed it up so well.

FWIW, I hope to use my remaining small supply of soilfloc by doing a 2nd application in spring to make sure I'm good. But I really don't think it really would be needed.

Judging by the pictures, I think 2old would be tickled to keep his pond at high water mark as the size would greatly be increased.

If you need more input, ping TJ, he helped me through it and for that I'm very thankful.

Of course there are concerns about having a very well-sealed pond. When the big rains come you have to have some place to go with the water since your pond is already full all the time! (for the first time you start to seriously consider where your overflow is going to be...) Since I don't have a dam I don't have a spillway, now for the first time I'm considering how to direct overflow come the spring rains.