Building up the courage to start a build

[thedizzyweasel]

First and foremost, thanks to all the post’ers out there who have been kind enough to share their knowledge/experience! Cheers!
I’ve had fish most of my life but nothing that would constitute a serious rig. Recently, after losing my pair of gorgeous ryukin goldfish, I reset the tank and put in a couple small koi while I went about prepping for a pond. It was a stupid idea really – koi keep growing even when pond plans get halted.
Anyways, the koi have out grown the tank so I’m polishing up my tools and getting ready to build a plywood/liner lined garage tank - my thinking is that the lessons learnt from this exercise can be put to use when I build the backyard pond. At that point, the garage tank can be more of a hospital/quarantine tank. Plus, seeing as how I’m in Whitby Ontario, I do have to deal with winter and so the garage tank can be used for the first few winters while I see how the outdoor tank holds up.
I figured that I’d share my adventures in the hopes that someone else can benefit from my mistakes.

 

[Dr Joe]

Now quit talking and get working!!!

Seriously...make your plan do a dry run to test it, then go for it.

We're here to help you if you need it.

Feel free to run any ideas or questions by the troops.

It is a given that you supply pix of the build ( or you have to tear it down and rebuild it while taking pix don't think we can't google you and find where you live ).

Dr Joe

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[thedizzyweasel]

i've snapped a few pics of the future location - still need to upload.
i've put together a possible plan for the tank frame - i will post soon for feedback.

anyone know of the lighting requirements for an indoor koi pond with no plants? do they need special lighting or just for it to go dark so that they know when it is bedtime?

 

[Dr Joe]

Suspend 1 or 2 shop lights 2ft. over the water with 1 daylight and 1 grow light bulb. That's the cheapest way to go.

Dr Joe

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[thedizzyweasel]

thanks for the info on the lights!
the pond is going to be 4'x8'x4' with 4'x8'x3/4" plywood for each of the sides and 4'x4'x3/4" plywood for the ends. the structure behind the plywood is 2"x6" joists with doubled up top and bottom plates. i'm going to throw blocking in to eat up the left over wood.
the bottom is going to be the garage floor with 1.5" pink board insulation. i'm actually going to run a 2"x8" across the bottom bolted to the bottom plates just to have a little extra fight against the side bowing out.
i wanted this pond to be somewhat move-able and so the ends and sides are going to be joined with big-ass bolts.
as you can see in the 'before' picture below, it took a bit of time to carve out some space from the garage.
construction started on sunday - basically have the two ends and one side built.
i still need to get the liner/pump/filter - i haven't decided what to do for the filter yet. i was hoping for a gravity feed system with the pump on the clean side of the filter but i'm expecting that at different times of the year i will be running different water depths. i want to experiment with some diy filters but i figure that it might be best to have a store bought one running at the same time in case my attempts go 'pear shaped'.

 

[ApacheDan]

I built a wood frame pond of similar size than yours. Too bad I had to take it down after a hurricane, but oh well, I learn a lot. Try to get a good quality pond liner, a 45 mil specs will do fine. When installing the pond liner, you will have to partially fill it with water, so it will adjust to the inside of the wood frame, then you can secure it. I wanted an overflow so the water would drain to the W/D. I was able to make a DIY bulkhead with modified PVC couplers 1.5" in diameter. Drilled a hole through the wood and through the liner. It was a gamble, but it paid off real sweet. Used plenty of silicone sealant before installing the couplers, even on the wood part. Installed the coupler. Let it cured, a second thick coat of silicone all around the outside base of the couplers on both ends. Water flowed flawlesly to the W/D without a drop leaking anywhere!

By the way, I'm also installing a fiberglass "pond" in my garage (see my avatar) of size 8'x4'x3' the advantage is that I don't have to do any work, other than drill bulkheads , plus it has a viewing window. Should get it delivered tomorrow....can hardly wait....I won't sleep tonight...

 

[Dr Joe]

You'd have lots of room if there wasn't a car in the garage!!!

(That's what they invented car covers for ).

 

[thedizzyweasel]

don't you start! i've had enough trouble convincing the girlfriend that it is a perfectly sensible idea to build a big pond in the garage and keep my car in there while her car has to stay outside in the cold...but that's a story for a whole different forum!

 

[Dr Joe]

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=102443

 

[fishfinger]

Put the girlfriend in the garage and build the pond in the house, then it can be her decision where both the cars live! I'm sure that if you suggest this to her then all your girlfriend problems will disapear along with her car; sorted! Now get on with building the pond.....