DIY 45 gallon tub pond

RLHam3

Candiru
MFK Member
Oct 29, 2008
536
8
48
Georgia
So my dad and i decided to make my own above ground tub pond for the summer months. When i attempted to find information about how to construct what i had in mind, i couldn't find much out there. So i thought i'd go ahead and post what i'm gonna do.

i started with a normal 45 gal tub easily found in almost any store.

one of the most important thing to look for if your gonna do this is a tub that is as square as possible. (there was still around 1.5" difference between the top and bottom)

i then traced the outline of the top of the tub onto a piece of plywood

i wanted to have the top of the frame just below the lip of the tub, so i used a compass to trace a line the same shape as the top of the tub, but .5 inches smaller (the amount of space between the tub and the lip)

Then, we cut the hole in the plywood and placed the tub in

it was a tight fit

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RLHam3

Candiru
MFK Member
Oct 29, 2008
536
8
48
Georgia
We then cut another piece of plywood to the same proportions as the first (except for no hole in the middle)

then we measured the distance between the two pieces of plywood and cut four 2x4's to serve as the corners.

the main reason for building this frame was to keep this tub's sides from bowing out from the weight of the water, so we had to add support in the middle of all 4 sides. Since the side of the tub is sloped, we had to cut these "ribs" at an angle so that they would be as flush as possible against the sides.


Even with these special cut ribs, the tub is not perfectly flush against the ribs. But we expect the tub to settle into the frame and slightly mold around these ribs with the weight of the water

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RLHam3

Candiru
MFK Member
Oct 29, 2008
536
8
48
Georgia
we decided to put some sort of paneling onto the side. This was not only for aesthetic value, but it also aided in the support of the structure. We cut the base plywood in order to accommodate this paneling so that it would fit under the top piece of plywood (and be flush with it). We also had to shave a little off of some of the 2x4 ribs. (the corners just got moved in a little)

at this time we also decided to drill a few holes into the base for air circulation so that their would be as little humidity as possible to rot the wood.

We then covered these holes to prevent any critters from climbing in

We screwed the frame together

After the frame was in place, we began to attach the side paneling using caulk and headless nails.

Once the side paneling was attached, this is what the frame looked like! (pretty good right?)

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RLHam3

Candiru
MFK Member
Oct 29, 2008
536
8
48
Georgia
after this, we began to cut a piece of pretty thick treated wood that my dad had lying around to use as feet. We didn't want the wooden frame to get damp from being on the ground and it also allowed the holes in the base piece of plywood to "breath".

Here is where we placed each of the feet using screws and caulk

and here is our product thus far!

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RLHam3

Candiru
MFK Member
Oct 29, 2008
536
8
48
Georgia
So that's all we've got right now, but i feel like it is really starting to take shape! I'm very excited to get this tub up and running and start planting it soon. The only thing that we've got left to do is either varnish or paint the wood (with water proof paint). We were also thinking of filling the base with sand in order to give more support to the bottom which is not perfectly flat. Hopefully will be able to work on this project more soon, and i will definitely keep posting pics.


But in the mean time i would love to hear any responses. I'd also love any suggestions that anybody has. Not only on construction, but I'd also like to hear everyone's opinions on what plants and fish to put in once this is ready to go
 

Duncan6618

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jun 15, 2009
313
5
16
Texas
Looks great. Very nice job!

Lot's of ways to go as far as plants & fish but I'd stick with small fish. Maybe livebearers like swordfish. If you insulate the box it should be pretty easy to cover it and keep it heated during the winter.

Instead of sand on the bottom you try pine or cedar shavings like they use for small animal bedding.
 

RLHam3

Candiru
MFK Member
Oct 29, 2008
536
8
48
Georgia
here are the plants that will be going into the tub. I have them in a smaller tub on my patio for now.

water hyacynth
water lettuce
anacharis
hornwort
duckweed
pink lily bulb(?)
melon sword

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fanatic291

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jun 22, 2008
32
0
36
42
Gig Harbor, WA
Pond looks nice. I have a half barrel on my patio. Above ground ponds are the way to go for small spaces. Good job on the build.
 

RLHam3

Candiru
MFK Member
Oct 29, 2008
536
8
48
Georgia
So last night i decided to try to add some insulation to the pond. I started by caulking the corners as well as on top of each of the screws. I tryed to get the caulk specifically on the sides of the plywood which is more vulnerable from water damage.

Then i cut different pieces of foam insulation to fit in between each of the ribs and caulked any cracks that were left.

pretty simple,

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