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[Chase]

Looking to get better at Colony Mode, what's the best way to deal with embarking on an aquifer? As far as penetrating it/dealing with it. Any tips would be much appreciated. Not using any mods/Packs. Strictly vanilla advice would help.

[Reelya]

The wiki is pretty comprehensive:

http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Aquifer#Dealing_with_aquifers

If you have at least 2 layers of rock or soil above the aquifer, an easy method is the cave-in method. You channel a rectangle out of the acquifer and drop a cave-in block of soil into the hole. Then you can tunnel down through the middle. If you drop concentric "rings" (squares) then you can use this method to punch through multi-level acquifers. Each ring needs to be smaller than the last so you need to make sure you make the first one big enough depending on the depth of the acquifer.

[PatrikLundell]

I'd definitely go for the double-slit method. There's a wiki page on it that describes exactly how to do it, but you need to take care to follow the instructions exactly, as it's very easy to screw up the last level.
An alternative is to use essentially the same method but using powered pumps and Portable Drains.

[Chase]

The wiki is pretty comprehensive:

http://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/DF2014:Aquifer#Dealing_with_aquifers

If you have at least 2 layers of rock or soil above the aquifer, an easy method is the cave-in method. You channel a rectangle out of the acquifer and drop a cave-in block of soil into the hole. Then you can tunnel down through the middle. If you drop concentric "rings" (squares) then you can use this method to punch through multi-level acquifers. Each ring needs to be smaller than the last so you need to make sure you make the first one big enough depending on the depth of the acquifer.

Should've checked there. Thanks!

[muldrake]

Looking to get better at Colony Mode, what's the best way to deal with embarking on an aquifer? As far as penetrating it/dealing with it. Any tips would be much appreciated. Not using any mods/Packs. Strictly vanilla advice would help.

How often is it necessary to pierce them?  Even on an ocean embark, where I thought it was likely there would be at least one whole layer that was aquifer, it was easy enough just to dig around it. 

[Dunamisdeos]

I had an aquifer that was 11z+ deep covering my whole map, once.

[StarWars1981]

Depends where you set up. Check your biomes - it's possible and probable that ALL of them contain this aquifer, which is usually 6+ Zs. Or I'm just unlucky as heck, cause I've never found one shorter than that.

[PatrikLundell]

You're unlucky or consistently embark where they're deep. Most of the time aquifers stay in the soil layers, which means they're something like 1-3 deep. However, certain kinds of stone also support aquifers, and then they can reach down into the first cavern. The good thing about stone aquifers, though, is that smoothing stone walls will seal the pores (or whatever) so it's a lot easier (and a lot less cancellations) than building walls in soil. I'd rather pierce 5 levels of stone aquifer than one level of soil.

[Dunamisdeos]

Mine are usually 1x deep.

[gchristopher]

If your aquifer isn't deep enough, changing the top stone layers to sandstone or conglomerate prior to embark using dfhack usually will give you several more layers to play with. I haven't tried putting an aquifer stone layer under a non-aquifer layer (i.e. limestone layers under the soil, and sandstone under that) to see if you can get multiple separate aquifers.

One you are able to do a two-slit aquifer piercing without referring to the instructions, you will probably be able to adapt the basic idea to make a piercing of any shape and depth, not just the 2x4 hole made by default.

Sometimes it is easier to expand an existing aquifer piercing sideways by leaving a drain in the lowest level of the piercing (portable drain or aquifer wall), and expanding the piercing sideways by carving columns of up/down stairs. Start from the bottom and work up to expand the piercing sideways, with water falling down the stairs in each column to keep it mostly accessible to dwarves. Then smooth or construct walls on the exterior of the new piercing shape as needed.

Huh, I don't see that described on the wiki. I should write that up...

[K4el]

One you are able to do a two-slit aquifer piercing without referring to the instructions, you will probably be able to adapt the basic idea to make a piercing of any shape and depth, not just the 2x4 hole made by default.

I've NEVER been able to pull this method off. I've tried quite a few times. Something always goes differently than the instructions inspect. It drives me nuts.

[Thorfinn]

One you are able to do a two-slit aquifer piercing without referring to the instructions, you will probably be able to adapt the basic idea to make a piercing of any shape and depth, not just the 2x4 hole made by default.

I've NEVER been able to pull this method off. I've tried quite a few times. Something always goes differently than the instructions inspect. It drives me nuts.

Be sure to check all 4 corners when you channel the slits. Not often, maybe 1-2% or so, one side will be dry, the other damp, or maybe even just one corner damp. I don't know whether it's where biomes meet or something, but if you don't know how to deal with it, just treat it as a whole extra aquifer layer.

I don't know if that's what's happening to you, but the first couple times I ran into it, it drove me nuts.

[EDIT]
Works most of the time to do that, though you have to check which tiles can act as drains. If you are unlucky, and the aquifer is only under the channeled tiles, I haven't figured out anything but to move the whole pierce over one tile.

Again, pretty rare. If you encounter this, I'd recommend just abandoning this pierce and start one a few tiles one way or the other.
[/EDIT]

[Chase]

Looking to get better at Colony Mode, what's the best way to deal with embarking on an aquifer? As far as penetrating it/dealing with it. Any tips would be much appreciated. Not using any mods/Packs. Strictly vanilla advice would help.

How often is it necessary to pierce them?  Even on an ocean embark, where I thought it was likely there would be at least one whole layer that was aquifer, it was easy enough just to dig around it.

Tbh dude, I just wanted a challenge. I see aquifers greatly restrict my site choices so i was just seeing if it was indeed possible to embark on an aquifer and survive. That's all~

[gchristopher]

Go for it! Aquifers add lots of fun options for power sources, mist generators, and some exotic traps. Follow the wiki instructions and you'll be fine.

[Dunamisdeos]

I like to create complex waterways for my fort.