Arapaima Pond Build

[Luc70]

Most of the work for the front of the pond is done. Still some supports on the inside where poles will go in to hold beams and cables for a sun-cover.
I will also hook wire-mesh frames around the pond that will serve 3 purposes:
- Hang orchids and other potted plants
- Protect Mr. T. against jumping out
- Forming a cage in the event of a repeat of the flooding, having water flowing through, but keeping Mr. T. and his pond-mates inside the cage.

I am still in doubt for the filter, more specific, the drain to the filter.
2 options I have:

1. I put a drain-pump in the lowest point and just suck up everything to go into the filter drums at the side.
2. I get a bottom drain with a 4" PVC pipe feeding into the filter-drums, then use a returnpump to the pond again.

Option 1: Easy, fast, no risk of leaking around the bottom-drain because the liner stays 1 piece.
Disadvantage: Sound and vibration inside the pond. I noticed this when I made a video underwater, there's a pretty loud humming sound that the camera picked up.

Option 2: Ideal to suck up all the dirt, get into a vortex-settling chamber. Then pump into the filter. From the filter gravity back into the pond.
Disadvantage: Bottom-drain... The pond is liner on sand. No experience with it and really want to make sure it's fool and time proof.

Thinking about putting the elbow below the bottom-drain in concrete, creating a support-base of about 15x15 inch to support the liner, but anybody has any advise?
The drain will go along the front of the pond, under the liner/sand to the back-side. I will follow the instructions for building a settling chamber, then the filter, with air-manifold for cleaning. I know it's not enough for the pond with only 2 drums, but I'll make preparations with T's to easily connect another set of two in the future.

Hope some of you can give me advise on the bottom-drain..
The liner is a Truck/Trailer cover, very strong stuff.
But it's the drain itself that I really wonder about...

Thanks in advance for your tips and info...look forward to it.

Cheers,
Luc

 

[Luc70]

Done a bit of research, found this great web-site: http://gator1784.hostgator.com/~skjeff/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/6000.pdf
Plans and drawings in there are absolutely golden for the info they provide.
Great stuff...next I need to go out in the weekend and check for pond-supplies here in Thailand.
Getting more sure on the bottom drain construction now...

 

[Luc70]

Ordered the liner today. 14 x 8 meters, pond surface being at 5 x 9.5 meters, so got plenty of extra to go 1.20 to 1.50 deep.
The liner will be white, so it's very easy to see all the fish. Now searching all the threads and info I can get on bottom drains. Can't find stuff online here, but thinking about building one myself.
Got some scrap around the factory that I think should be good to make me one.
Liner was cheap I think, it's thick, same as I use for the temp pond. No worries about freezing and it's humid all year round.
Paid 14,000 for it, that's about USD 480.

Drain, got some Aludur air parts. Need to cut and change some things but that should make ok for the drain. Only the dome is then still to be added, but the base would be very strong.
Given the Monsterfish, I better make sure it's rock solid. Got quite some old tarps lying around, so those I will use as the first layer. Then put the liner in and roll it out left to right.

Might have to wait for quite some time though since there is still some concrete work on the front. Worst case another 4 weeks...sigh. But gives me time to get everything planned and done before finally rolling out the liner.
Saturday at least a bit of digging again, want to prepare for the bottom drain.

Cheers,
Luc



Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

 

[Luc70]

I checked and took some Aludur ducts apart.
I'll post pictures later, but these are 16" square plates with 4 x 4" ducts pop-nailed to the plate.
Each duct is about 1.5" high, connected with a 1.2" flang to the main plate.
If I'd leave all the ducts attached to the board, I can use a simple 4" PVC elbow and 4" Drain pipe that I epoxy to one of the ducts.
Then poor concrete around it, but also inside the 3 remaining ducts.
I can then use the a second plate with all the ducts removed as the top plate over the liner.
Or I could use a plastic plate...as a top...

Question is, given that this is Aluminium, but only very small area exposed to the water, would it be safe?
I think the effect would be almost zero, with water changes and the large volume of water.
And Aluminium at least doesn't rust away.

Appreciate your input on it...


Very simple but also strong as hell since I can

 

[Luc70]

Saw some mistakes in the previous post, can't edit anymore, so just an extra post then.

Found the MSDS data for Aludur.
Here's the web-link: http://productdatabase.altana-ep-staging.de/datasheets/safety/en/ALPU8_GB.pdf

Copied below part that gives me some assurance.

12 Ecological information
· Toxicity
· Acquatic toxicity:No further relevant information available.
· Additional ecological information:
· General notes:Generally not hazardous for water
· Results of PBT and vPvB assessment
· PBT:Not applicable.
· vPvB:Not applicable.

There's nothing much that's hazardous or dangerous about the material. No oxidation, the plate is fully painted with a very strong coat. Given that these plates come from TelCon switch cabinets, I'd safely assume that they are very high quality and supposed to last for years without issues.

Only need to try if it fits into a 4" PVC Elbow and with how much clearance.
Checking specs for PVC elbows, it should be a very tight (good) fit. Hope so. Then I got a major cost saved and problem solved.
Will make some pictures of the units and post them tonight to get the drift of it.

For the dome, I will likely use an old plastic food dish or something like that., use epoxy or other glue to attach legs and then screw those legs to the bottom-plate. Might even add a diffuser and an airline to have it all complete.

Off to HomePro tonight and score a PVC Elbow...


Cheers,
Luc

 

[Luc70]

It gets better.. After going to the shop, I found that a 90' elbow has enough room to fit a normal pipe first, then the flange and still some room to spare. All pop nail holes are inside the elbow plastic, so I will do following:
1. Glue pipe in the elbow
2. Cut at same height as the elbow
3. Cut one more ring, then cut and squeeze that one inside with glue.
4. Put in the flange..if necessary, sand out some to fit the flange.

This way I have space to drill tiny holes where the old pop nail holes are in the flange.
When the concrete is poored around the drain, roll out the liner and use another ring with screws to attach the liner to the drain...of course with silicone between the drain and the liner...

Since its PVC, I can glue a 1/2 inch PVC pipe in the elbow with a screw fitting on top to put the dome on...

 

[Luc70]

Ok, here we go, pictures of all the above stories about the pond...

 

[Luc70]

Top to bottom...Pond with the wall front finished, 10 meters concrete wall.

Antenna or vortex-chamber in making...That's about 1.5 meters of nice round filter.

Flange for the bottom drain. Taken off a plate of 4.

Hose fittings/tighteners..3 and 4 inch

Rubber gasket, from 4 to 3 inch.

Rubber part with 3x 1 inch hole.

Full board of 4 ducts, the rubber gaskets fit around each of the flange

90' PVC elbow, 4 Inch or 100mm.

Elbow with the flange inside.
Tomorrow cut the inner ring, glue it.
Screws will fit nicely inside the plastic, predrill with small 1mm drill first.

Will take one more flange of the board of 4, cut off the vertical part and use the ring as the top-brace with the liner and silicone between both.

 

[Luc70]

for the 'Vortex-chamber', the dome inside is loose, so plan is to put it under the round drum, then glue it or put a liner in with a drain through the opening in the middle.
Lift it up from the floor and with an elbow and valve under it to drain the muck, I think it's ideal as a big settling chamber.
Using that one, then 2x 100 liter drum for bio-filter, set so go...

Still have 3 more of these antenna's, might just use them as grow-out tanks...lol...

 

[Luc70]

My goal was to build this pond under 1000 USD, but with the bottom drain and pipes/valves, I might go slightly over.
So far I'm at roughly 800 USD, still need to buy:
10 meters 4 inch PVC pipe
2 10,000 liter pumps
Small stuff like screws, silicone, tape.
And don't forget valves, elbows, fittings, pvc glue couplings and reducers.