From Planter to Pond?

[jo]

We just had a "planter" built and are wondering if we can safely change
it over to a "pond" with some minimal changes? It is built level at the
top, but the ground is on a slope of about 1 ft. per 15 ft. so the base
bricks don't form an entire solid line around the perimeter until a
couple of bricks up from the lowest point.

The planter is constructed with the 9 inch wide/ 4 inch tall landscape
blocks. We have the bricks glued on top/bottom with a "liquid nail"
type adhesive. The bottom rows of bricks is either buried in the clay
earth or else half buried. Interior dimension is 13.5 ft. in length x
4.5 ft. wide. Depth is 2 ft. at the bottom of the slope and about 18
inches at the other end.

I figure it will hold maybe a bit over 600 gallons in its present
form. Should we dig it deeper in the very center or line the sides with
cement to reinforce it? Did it need to have a reinforced concrete base
as opposed to building on clay?

My original idea was to fill this with soil/plants/fountain; but the
pond sounds like more fun, albeit more work.
We are in zone 7b, so weather is not too harsh.

[RichToyBox]

If your landscape blocks are like mine, have a small setback with each
layer, leaning into the pond, it should be fine. Because mine lean in, I
would want to see some dirt piled up against the back side of the blocks,
partly to offer some inward strength, but to help hold the liner off the
back of the blocks. The dirt would also add some resistance to kickout of
the wall, which I don't think would be an issue for the depth of water you
are talking about. My daughter has done a similar pond, no glue, that is
about 1 foot above ground. I have the blocks retaining my lower edge of the
pond, but I have about 4 foot of dirt between the pond and the blocks.
--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html
"jo" > wrote in message
m...
> We just had a "planter" built and are wondering if we can safely change
> it over to a "pond" with some minimal changes? It is built level at the
> top, but the ground is on a slope of about 1 ft. per 15 ft. so the base
> bricks don't form an entire solid line around the perimeter until a
> couple of bricks up from the lowest point.
>
> The planter is constructed with the 9 inch wide/ 4 inch tall landscape
> blocks. We have the bricks glued on top/bottom with a "liquid nail"
> type adhesive. The bottom rows of bricks is either buried in the clay
> earth or else half buried. Interior dimension is 13.5 ft. in length x
> 4.5 ft. wide. Depth is 2 ft. at the bottom of the slope and about 18
> inches at the other end.
>
> I figure it will hold maybe a bit over 600 gallons in its present
> form. Should we dig it deeper in the very center or line the sides with
> cement to reinforce it? Did it need to have a reinforced concrete base
> as opposed to building on clay?
>
> My original idea was to fill this with soil/plants/fountain; but the
> pond sounds like more fun, albeit more work.
> We are in zone 7b, so weather is not too harsh.
>

[jo]

RichToyBox wrote:

> If your landscape blocks are like mine, have a small setback with each
> layer, leaning into the pond, it should be fine. Because mine lean in, I
> would want to see some dirt piled up against the back side of the blocks,
> partly to offer some inward strength, but to help hold the liner off the
> back of the blocks. The dirt would also add some resistance to kickout of
> the wall, which I don't think would be an issue for the depth of water you
> are talking about. My daughter has done a similar pond, no glue, that is
> about 1 foot above ground. I have the blocks retaining my lower edge of the
> pond, but I have about 4 foot of dirt between the pond and the blocks.

My blocks don't have the setback. They are arranged like so
_______________
/_\_/_\_/_\_/_\ alternating long end facing forward, long end facing

back if you are looking down at them, and they have the same rough
finish front and back. Sides, top, and bottom are smooth. I was hoping
not to find out the hard way that the bricks won't hold water. Sounds
like a good idea to put something between the liner and the brick,
though. Thanks for the reply.
jo