Aero-M Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 We have a large pond in our garden, Jack has some how managed to climb over the fence aroung it and into the pond. Luckily I was gardening and saw it happen. So scary, what if I had of been in the shed or garage getting something out and not seen! the pond has to go. What's the best way of filling it in and how much stuff would I need? The pond is about 22ft long, 7ft wide and 5ft deep in the middle. I would have to make it part of the lawn with grass seed, but imagine it can't just be filled with soil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobSheffield Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Take the fishes out first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero-M Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 Take the fishes out first! I will give them to my neighbour or father in law. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j1mb0b1 Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 fill with hardcore lots of then fill the last 1ft with top soil !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Seems a shame to lose a good sized pond over this issue, I presume you beat him within an inch of his life and told him what he did was wrong in an attempt to prevent further occurrences? I don't know if Jack is your child or a pet or something but is there no way you can make access more difficult and improve your supervision skills? I grew up next to a canal and a road, I seem to have somehow managed to survive without being wrapped in cotton wool and placed in a padded cell. If you are set on filling it in just load it up with boulders and topsoil and make a nice alpine rockery with some decorative slate / stones to finish off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Is it concrete or membrane lined ? If membrane lined, drain it first by poking several holes through the liner with a metal pole or similar. Remove the liner before filling it in...break up the earth / soil in the base (it will have been hard compacted by now) to aid future drainage. You will need about 14 cubic metres of clay / earth in first and about 6 cubic metres of topsoil. You could use hardcore or rubble, but it depends on how you feel about a proper job. It will need to be compacted well (each foot layer or so) as that amount of material will settle considerably. Other ideas....turn it into a sand pit / bog or marshy area / moving earth from another part of the garden etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 http://www.electricfence-online.co.uk/shopscr485.html All jokes aside, it is a scary thing when a kid does that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 I agree with Michael in a way*, an established pond is a joy to behold, and kids of old did manage to survive all manners of potential dangers yada yada yada...but I sympathise more with the OP. Its just not worth the risk, however small. If the pond cant be made toddler safe, if it were me I'd fill it in and build another one when the kids are older. *Apart from the beating to within an inch of his life bit:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieP Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 http://www.safapond.com/our-product.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero-M Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 Seems a shame to lose a good sized pond over this issue, I presume you beat him within an inch of his life and told him what he did was wrong in an attempt to prevent further occurrences? I don't know if Jack is your child or a pet or something but is there no way you can make access more difficult and improve your supervision skills? I grew up next to a canal and a road, I seem to have somehow managed to survive without being wrapped in cotton wool and placed in a padded cell. If you are set on filling it in just load it up with boulders and topsoil and make a nice alpine rockery with some decorative slate / stones to finish off. Jack is my son, I would say gardening with him playing in the garden wasn't un-supervised, I obviously didn't see him climb the fence only heard the splash. The pond has a 3 foot fence all the way round it. I thought that would have been safe enough, as for beating him within an inch of his life and telling him his wrong is bad advice as he is only 18months old! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 http://www.safapond.com/our-product.htm New one on me, interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero-M Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 Is it concrete or membrane lined ? If membrane lined, drain it first by poking several holes through the liner with a metal pole or similar. Remove the liner before filling it in...break up the earth / soil in the base (it will have been hard compacted by now) to aid future drainage. You will need about 14 cubic metres of clay / earth in first and about 6 cubic metres of topsoil. You could use hardcore or rubble, but it depends on how you feel about a proper job. It will need to be compacted well (each foot layer or so) as that amount of material will settle considerably. Other ideas....turn it into a sand pit / bog or marshy area / moving earth from another part of the garden etc. That is the advice I was after, Thank you. I agree with Michael in a way, an established pond is a joy to behold, and kids of old did manage to survive all manners of potential dangers yada yada yada...but I sympathise more with the OP. Its just not worth the risk, however small. If the pond cant be made toddler safe, if it were me I'd fill it in and build another one when the kids are older. It really isn't worth the risk, we never let him or my daughter play out there alone. It just goes to show how quickly something bad can happen. http://www.electricfence-online.co.uk/shopscr485.html All jokes aside, it is a scary thing when a kid does that... Very scary. http://www.safapond.com/our-product.htm will look into this as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 My wife suggested that I should turn our pond into a sunken hot-tub. I suggested that she would be the first layer of in-fill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glanov Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 god that is bad mate just shows you how easy these things can happen, not worth thinkin about what could have happened!! As for fillin it i would say just fill with stone and fill the last foot with soil! least that part off your garden will have plenty off drainage!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 The trouble with stone / rubble hardcore is the amount of settling the topsoil will go through over the next year or so...annoying to have a nice grassy pond shaped area 22 feet by 7 feet thats sunk 6 inches. I found an entire Rover 2000 chassis, bonnet, doors and engine under the lawn of one of our old houses, along with sheets of corrugated iron, several hundred budgie skeletons and four large dog skeletons. I reckon a previous owner had filled in a large pond or garage / shed base at some time past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero-M Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 The trouble with stone / rubble hardcore is the amount of settling the topsoil will go through over the next year or so...annoying to have a nice grassy pond shaped area 22 feet by 7 feet thats sunk 6 inches. I found an entire Rover 2000 chassis, bonnet, doors and engine under the lawn of one of our old houses, along with sheets of corrugated iron, several hundred budgie skeletons and four large dog skeletons. I reckon a previous owner had filled in a large pond or garage / shed base at some time past. That's why I want to do it properly, at the moment the pond has been made in the middle of the garden and over to the left hand fench, so when it's filled in it would just be a continuation of the lawn. If I do it the way you said would it then not settle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 That's why I want to do it properly, at the moment the pond has been made in the middle of the garden and over to the left hand fench, so when it's filled in it would just be a continuation of the lawn. If I do it the way you said would it then not settle? I'm no expert but I've done similar several times....most successful (relocation of a large pond) was using a very thick clay substrate (in my case from the new pond dig), well compacted at regular stages and left for a few weeks, then a good thick layer of soil, again compacted and left for a couple of weeks, then a final layer of topsoil, which I left mounded in the middle a few inches higher than the surrounding. I started by cutting back some of the surrounding good grass area a couple of feet further out that the old shape of the pond and digging the sides of the pond out into more of a shallow slope to help avoid a sudden 'edge' of final settling if that makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Lucky man Aero, having kids I understand how quick they can get into trouble. I watch my kids like a hawk but they are crafty and extremely curious about everything..!! I personally would not have a pond anywhere near kids and although Michael is a pond lover and thinks everyone else is a bad parent I still think that they are a bad mix. The stories of kids drowning in garden ponds are endless..... H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_h Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 . The pond has a 3 foot fence all the way round it. I thought that would have been safe enough, ! razor wire? seems to keep people from climbing my back garden fence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyh_15 Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Mate just be aware that secondary drowning can happen up to 48 hours later! if he is old enough ask him if he breathed in any water!! If not just keep a close eye on him and if his breathing becomes heavy, laboured or snoring like take him to A+E and tell them about him falling in the pond! I know all about this as one of my jobs is a life guard! Im not trying to scare you just making you aware! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero-M Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 Mate just be aware that secondary drowning can happen up to 48 hours later! if he is old enough ask him if he breathed in any water!! If not just keep a close eye on him and if his breathing becomes heavy, laboured or snoring like take him to A+E and tell them about him falling in the pond! I know all about this as one of my jobs is a life guard! Im not trying to scare you just making you aware! He only went in the end, so he was on his feet. But thanks for the advice mate, always helpful to know something like that. Would you have to of had a large intake of water for that to happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyh_15 Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 nope just a minimal amount as the water saturates the alvioli in your lungs! you could accidently do it when drinking a glass of water if someone makes you laugh! just have to be very unlucky in either instance as you mostly cough it all out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero-M Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 Lucky man Aero, having kids I understand how quick they can get into trouble. I watch my kids like a hawk but they are crafty and extremely curious about everything..!! I personally would not have a pond anywhere near kids and although Michael is a pond lover and thinks everyone else is a bad parent I still think that they are a bad mix. The stories of kids drowning in garden ponds are endless..... H. Reading the website that Jamie posted, it has some statistics about the number of deaths caused by ponds. Very worrying. I will without a doubt be filling it in, it's just not worth having now That has happened. Michael's comment about better supervision did piss me of, Im a good father, and I thought being in the garden with him playing by a fenced of pond was safe, until today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted July 5, 2009 Share Posted July 5, 2009 Michael's comment about better supervision did piss me of, Im a good father, and I thought being in the garden with him playing by a fenced of pond was safe, until today. I wasn't suggesting you aren't a good father, just that you could be a better one... perhaps wanting to removing the pond now means you've already achieved that. I guess my only concern is what do you remove next to protect him? Where does it end? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero-M Posted July 5, 2009 Author Share Posted July 5, 2009 I wasn't suggesting you aren't a good father, just that you could be a better one... perhaps wanting to removing the pond now means you've already achieved that. I guess my only concern is what do you remove next to protect him? Where does it end? Ok, I think I may have over reacted. I was still shocked at what had happened. I know what you mean though, you can go on forever trying to make things toddler proof, I understand they have to fall over and bump into things, same as they have to come into contact with germs to build their immune system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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