building a indoor pond 8ftx5ftx6ft

[Satan's Goldfish]

Ok, here goes:

I'm roughly assuming the biggest boxes i've seen are 18"x18"x3'. Some kind of rig suspended from the top of the tank would need to be fitted to sit the boxes on unles you want a couple of colums going all the way up from the bottom! First box would have some kind of mesh on the end for the intake and be your mechanical filter. A pipe would run from this to the second box which would be Bio and pump. Then pump returns water to the tank. When extension built, another pipe could run to a third box with more bio and the pump moved down also. This is very simplified and a rubbish drawing but i think you get the idea. Only problem is if your water changes drop the level rather than running an over flow and constant top up then the filter will need switching off when you drop the water level for the change.

If you use a pipe for the intake you can run it down to whatever level in the tank you'd like to extract your fishes waste from rather than just taking from near the surface.

As you can see, if you're having 2x3 windows at half hight then this will all be above them out of sight. Up to you whether you'd want it at the front or back of the tank. Also will provide a kind of surface cover which i'm sure the catfish wouldn't object to sitting/hiding under.

 

[Satan's Goldfish]

Not a prob dude so point me in the direction of urs so i can have a gander, i might learn something

Ive just been in the garage where this pond is going and to make it 14x6x6, well lets just say the sledge hammer might have to pay a visit to a few obstacles. Is just the width that has me atm as there isnt much of it (yet)

Also the filteration on this thing is going to have to be something real special as we are talking nearly 4000g of water. I also need a canopy, i was thinking of locking it tight with a hatch over each section, u know a bit like the lost series (u never know what happens under that hatch until u enter) obviously the whole thing would have to be'able to move, just incase.

Gimme a shout if you're ever down near Norwich, but i can promise you you'll probably learn sweet F.A. off me as i'm kinda making it all up as i go along! My build really is a learn as i go.

Wall, this is sledge hammer. Sledger hammer, this is wall. You boys play nice now!

EVEN MORE BOXES!!!!!!! Or go with the canisters on the outside too.

Build a sturdy frame work on top of the walls and over the top of the tank, fit hatches as the panels for it. Simples. Just make sure the hatches are big enough for me, my snorkle, and my underwater camera to fit through.

 

[bigcol]

Excellent effort m8, thanks for that, this could be used at the front and the back of the pond, There would have to be some serious pumping going on for the circulation too, could also be the frame work for the rest of the canopy hmmmmmm

One question though, as u seem to be a misunderstood crazy genius of sorts how would the intake pipe going down to the bottom of the pond get the water pumping through to start with? (if that made any sence at all) i think u know what i mean though, this is a great idea and can be used for a massive turn over of the whole pond, as for switching off the pumps, well i wouldnt mind doing that for an hour or so for maintenance as i would probably be swimming with the fish anyway churning up the water as i go with my wellies on so i dont loose any toes

 

[bigcol]

Gimme a shout if you're ever down near Norwich, but i can promise you you'll probably learn sweet F.A. off me as i'm kinda making it all up as i go along! My build really is a learn as i go.

Wall, this is sledge hammer. Sledger hammer, this is wall. You boys play nice now!

EVEN MORE BOXES!!!!!!! Or go with the canisters on the outside too.

Build a sturdy frame work on top of the walls and over the top of the tank, fit hatches as the panels for it. Simples. Just make sure the hatches are big enough for me, my snorkle, and my underwater camera to fit through.

this stuff isnt only serious thinking but starting to be a real scream hahaha, why u need all that equipment to swim with monsters i reckon they would see us as food anyway and we be outa there faster than we jumped in

 

[markx2005]

oh and mark instead of txting fooking press call my phone not working atm, trying to save as much as i can for this by not paying my bills

lol was at work, going to have a drink now, put something to watch on so i stop thinking about ur pond lol

 

[Satan's Goldfish]

Excellent effort m8, thanks for that, this could be used at the front and the back of the pond, There would have to be some serious pumping going on for the circulation too, could also be the frame work for the rest of the canopy hmmmmmm

One question though, as u seem to be a misunderstood crazy genius of sorts how would the intake pipe going down to the bottom of the pond get the water pumping through to start with? (if that made any sence at all) i think u know what i mean though, this is a great idea and can be used for a massive turn over of the whole pond, as for switching off the pumps, well i wouldnt mind doing that for an hour or so for maintenance as i would probably be swimming with the fish anyway churning up the water as i go with my wellies on so i dont loose any toes

Because the lids on those boxes arent air tight, as you fill the pond the water would also rise up the intake pipe if you ran it to the bottom to pick up poo on the bottom. The tops of the boxes need to be at the same level as the top of the water so will fill up to that same level all round, thus submerging your pump all the way in the end box. Switch that crazy bad boy on and water will be sucked from the bottom of your tank, through the mech filter, through the bio filter, then reach the pump where it'd be returned to the tank. Hope that makes sense!

this s*h*i*t isnt only serious thinking but starting to be a real scream hahaha, why u need all that equipment to swim with monsters i reckon they would see us as food anyway and we be outa there faster than we jumped in

I'm just that level of stupid. I paddle in my pool to do maintenance even with the 2 clarius in there that i'm sure i read somewhere were venomous! snorkling with big cats seems like a fantasic idea and it'll all be good fun until someone looses an eye.

 

[Satan's Goldfish]

Excellent effort m8, thanks for that, this could be used at the front and the back of the pond, There would have to be some serious pumping going on for the circulation too, could also be the frame work for the rest of the canopy hmmmmmm

One question though, as u seem to be a misunderstood crazy genius of sorts how would the intake pipe going down to the bottom of the pond get the water pumping through to start with? (if that made any sence at all) i think u know what i mean though, this is a great idea and can be used for a massive turn over of the whole pond, as for switching off the pumps, well i wouldnt mind doing that for an hour or so for maintenance as i would probably be swimming with the fish anyway churning up the water as i go with my wellies on so i dont loose any toes

You big hom! grow a pair!

 

[bigcol]

im now gna grow a pair of feet that will hopefully take me to bed and take my mind off this for a while, ive got the heating to think about too, its gona take some crazy ass heaters to keep this monster at the right temp. Not thinking about it now though, im off to find my bed, im sure it lives up those stairs over there. Laters satan and for the ideas, totally mint

 

[zpetrichko]

i have an idea on how to link them, i haven't ready the whole thing so if this is irrelavent just say so. what if you put the piece of glass on a slide almost like a divider, that way when its time to link them all you have to do is slide that piece of glass or acrylic up and it flows.

 

[Satan's Goldfish]

im now gna grow a pair of feet that will hopefully take me to bed and take my mind off this for a while, ive got the heating to think about too, its gona take some crazy ass heaters to keep this monster at the right temp. Not thinking about it now though, im off to find my bed, im sure it lives up those stairs over there. Laters satan and for the ideas, totally mint

No problem matey, nighty night.

As for heating; How insulated is your garage to start with? And once you've built your concrete walls, wrap them in loft insulation before putting a nice neat (some might say attractive) clading on the outside. The kiddy pool i pictured is 440Gal and just has 3 300W tank heaters dropped in the filter and stays warm enough even without a lid. I do try and keep the ambient air temperature up a bit as well to help.

Other option!: if you're running oil or gas central heating then there's bound to be some way of adding a oil/gas heater to keep the tank water warm too.

Remember, the larger the volume of water the longer it takes to vary in temperature. So 4000gal at 26C will cool to room temperature a lot slower than a 40gal at 26C would. Keep it well insulated and it'll be easier to keep the temperature up than try and get it up from cold.

I really should go do some work.......