12' x 6' x 3' cement build Q's...

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MonsterMinis

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 28, 2009
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Wisconsin
I asked this over in the pond section and didn't get much of a response since i guess technically i am building an indoor pond.. But we've put aside the money to get this project started ( hopefully compleated but let be honest we never know how much these things cost until we're done)

neither my husband 'nore I have a background in home improvement of anything but we have the willingness to get dirty and family who's handy interested in helping.

the plan is to build a block wall ( the same ones used for foundations) , cement it down, run a secondary coat of cement over the floor and sides... and coat it in pond armour or similar... take out a brick or 2 at the top for an over-flow and pump it back in along the top/side as a spray bar. essentially have the plumbing external except for the overflow notches which will be fitted with eggcrate or similar to prevent fish from going on a waterslide.

1) will we need to actually tie into the basement flooring?
2) is this even realistic? is the water weight going to be an issue? I know to get a 100% yes or no we'de have to have an expert come in and check the cement. But what do you guys think?

I'm not keen on haveing a viewing window ( it's added expense and I'de rather spend the money on water volume and filtration then a viewing window)

I also would like to add in U channels to give us the option to divide the pond into smaller sections. can I use the steel ones used for horse stall dividers and coat them with the pond armour? I'm thinking at 3' spaces give or take.

The other option we're looking into is a stacked wood approach.. but i like the idea of the cement build as it also looks cleaner to me. I've seen both types of builds in person and like the cement block idea better.
 
Id say u need to tie it into the floor with rebarb as well as rebarb through the walls of the tank/pond. Personally cement tanks are too permanent for me but i agree they do look good when finished. Expensive taste for block and pond armour if ur not putting a window in imo. Y not just use wood and pond liner?

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I feel the pond armour or similar product use will give us more flexability on what we do opposed to trying to cut and fold pond liner. idm the expense as I don't want to have to redo it or deal with leaks ect... i'de rather over-build it to begin with and sleep at night then have to worry about wood rotting, or the liner getting punctured. I also very much like the idea I can build the pond, filtration ect and just coat it all with something to water proof it. leak potential then be at a min.

reality is we have a 15mo old and I'm 2 monthes along w/ number 2... so I don't have the "luxury" of redoing it if it springs a leak. and since i'm here and my husband is working it's my responsability if it did. I have this spring/summer to make this happen or we will have to find new homes for most our fish. I'm not looking to build something temporary. It's gotta last the next ideally 5yrs and more.
 
Sounds like a cool project. Regarding your floors, I doubt you need to be concerned. The average basement floor is 3-4 inches which should be fine for a pond. Presuming that "pond" means it won't be super deep. I have a 5ft deep tank that uses my basement floor and its been fine so far and I found my floor was 3in in some spots.

I would also suggest that you look into Sanitred products over Pond Armor. I have used both and would never recommend Pond armor for anything. I found Pond armour wasn't even able to work well in a bird bath of all things. Its super stiff and incredibly prone to cracking. It might be fine for outdoor ponds where a bit of ground seepage would go un-noticed.

I found Sanitred very easy to work with, like paint. It has a lifetime warranty and remains elastic over its lifetime. Best of all, it adheres straight to glass or acrylic windows so its the only product you need so you won't have to mess around with siliconing your windows in if you'll have any on your pond.
 
Liners are guarenteed for 20+ years. If your not putting in a window i think its the way to go over any kind of epoxy/resin coating. As said by spiff they can be very prone to cracking. Normal pool liners are 20-30mil....Firestone EPDM liners are usually 45 mil. and if your still worried about it you can get an EPDM liner in up to 60mil. Thats all the peace of mind i need to sleep at night lol. Far more reliable than any kind of coating. How about a cement structure with pond liner? This will give you the look you want and extreme durability. The repairability of liners to epoxy also comes into play. Say 5-10 years down the road that epoxy cracks and starts to seep water, youd almost have to drain the entire tank to recoat it. If for some reason which i doubht the liner springs a leak. It can be fixed with underwater sealant such as "gold label" brand silicone while the pond is still full. Regardless good luck with ur build, i hope it all comes together for you.
 
There is a good book on cement and brick work you can buy at Home Depot for around $20 that is over 200 pages of cement and brick work and it has good step by step photos on how to lay bricks and pore cement. I have a copy of it and it is good for the beginner. I'm right now thinking about something like this but at the same time it might be easier to buy a 1000 plus gallon fiber glass tub from a fiber glass company in that it would be sold state with no leaks in it.
 
Since we're not 100% confident with the cement work ect.. we decided on going with the 10'x30" intex.. for 100$ and do some more research on something more permanent. I imagine I should be able to use the same filtration with minor tweeks from the Intex to a build. The Fish need the space and we also ordered a patch kit along with the pool.
 
Nice decision :) i have the 12'er. Id still suggest putting another liner overtop so ur fish dont poke through. I run a 45mil epdm in mine for additional reassurance, but a friend of mine has struggled alot keeping holes outta the stock intex liners with large catfish. A 15'x15' liner will fit ur pool.
uploadfromtaptalk1366068736628.jpg
Heres mine

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