I have a question related to a small (maybe 3000 gallons? I'm not quite sure) ornamental pond that my mother is having built in her yard. The pond is being built by a pool builder (he is developing a sideline in these garden ponds, and has built a handful of them thus far). The basic construction is a heavy plastic liner, boulders stacked semi-randomly along the sides (looking somewhat like a natural body of water, which is the intent), and then a concrete bottom, with an upper visible layer of white cement and rounded pebbles. I haven't yet seen this bottom layer, but it certainly sounds related to typical pool plaster... or ? There will be a pump, and filter(s) for circulation, water spilling back into the pond over some stacked boulders, but those things have not yet been installed. I believe the intent is to chlorinate this body of water (I've read elsewhere that some garden ponds have an entirely different approach, since people want plants to grow in them, and don't plan to swim in their ponds). Since this particular pond is being built by a pool builder, it is not surprising that he approaches it with pool equipment and pool chemicals in mind.
Now, my main question --
The concrete bottom layer was poured a week ago, and the pond was then partially filled with water (builder told my mom that cement cures better underwater). I was asking her this morning what was being done as far as measurement and maintenance of water chemistry during the past week (I was curious, since I have a vinyl pool, and haven't personally run into plaster curing details before). To my surprise, she said nothing at all has been done over the past week. She assumes, since a PB is building this thing for her, he should know what he is doing. I responded that although her 'pool' is small, I had never heard of total neglect of chemistry as a recommended startup technique!
Am I wrong to be concerned about lack of attention to water chemistry while curing? Is the situation different with such a small volume of water -- maybe the water becomes saturated quickly, and doesn't continue to (potentially) damage the cement?
No chlorine either, yet, in the pond, but there isn't visible algae (yet).
Now, my main question --
The concrete bottom layer was poured a week ago, and the pond was then partially filled with water (builder told my mom that cement cures better underwater). I was asking her this morning what was being done as far as measurement and maintenance of water chemistry during the past week (I was curious, since I have a vinyl pool, and haven't personally run into plaster curing details before). To my surprise, she said nothing at all has been done over the past week. She assumes, since a PB is building this thing for her, he should know what he is doing. I responded that although her 'pool' is small, I had never heard of total neglect of chemistry as a recommended startup technique!
Am I wrong to be concerned about lack of attention to water chemistry while curing? Is the situation different with such a small volume of water -- maybe the water becomes saturated quickly, and doesn't continue to (potentially) damage the cement?
No chlorine either, yet, in the pond, but there isn't visible algae (yet).