Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Maintaining water level

I am trying to figure out how many gallons of water there is in 1" depth of a 1 surface acre pond. With the hot weather already here in Texas and our area being about 9" below normal rainfall, I am going to be pumping from a well to maintain a certain level in my pond.

There are 325,851 gallons in an acre foot of water, so divide by 12 and you get 27154.25 gallons.

Larry

Bill, As I understand it, well water is not oxygenated so be sure to shoot it in the air, splash it on something, etc. before it enters the pond. I believe I saw this on the prior Pond Boss site.

Dave, thanks for the thought on oxygen. Would be interested to get more input on this subject.

I am having to use my well pump that was used for the house prior to county water coming through. It comes out of the ground at about 56 degrees and I shoot it across the surface at about three feet off the water. I also found when I pulled the submersible pump that the well is only 42 ft deep just at the first layer of limestone rock, they were cheap and didn't go to the second rock layer! So I am only able to pump about 3 hours per day at about 20 GPM. Watch your well to make sure you don't run it dry. I had to design a controller to sense the water when it is 1 foot above the pump and shut off power until it comes up the casing about 20 foot and now it is working great. If any one else has a slow well and wants the design shoot me an e-mail all parts are availiable through Radio Shack. Bob in Hartselle, AL

Thanks for your input Bob. The well I will be using is not my house well (275 ft). The well is 110 ft if I remember the former property owner correctly. It has a above ground pump. I plan to use it strictly for maintaining a certain level. I have planned to get the man that drilled my house well over to tell me the best way to go. The evaporation has been tremendous so far this summer and I want to at least be able to stay ahead of that. I am interested in what you did if you don't mind sending the info.

Not at all I made a couple of float switches out of 1 inch PVC pipe and end caps using reed switches magnets and fishing floats! The water rises in the PVC and activates the reed switches, this in turn is feed to the control circuit that uses and integrated circuit set up as a pair of comparaters that drive a couple of relay of which one drives a large relay that can handle the 1/2 hp motor on the well pump. Built it for about 20.00 and a few hours of design work and sure beats 300.00 for a new well pump. I am going to put instructions on my website. You can look at my pond there also. Bob

For those of you that aren't as mechanically/electrically inclined as Bob, there are lots of sources online for pre-manned float switch/water level sensors. Of course I am from the same camp as Bob and really like making my own items. : )

Float switches