Hi All!
I've been away thinking about me trop pond construction (and working, looking after wife, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 10 tanks and cold pond)!
Rough internal size i'm thinking of is six by four feet, minimum. Maybe seven by five and thirty inches deep. It's better than anything I can buy.
Building construction is a concrete floored garage or one end of it. In case of tank burst, water won't get into the house proper. Temp range is about 35F to 75F here.
I plan to cover the tank and pump air through the tank to outside with fail - open vents in case of power failure.
I plan to construct a small room around the tank for vapour containment and insulation. This can be done with a timber frame partition across the garage containing vapur barrier and two thicknesses of foam cavity wall insulation. Same for walls and roof. For the floor I was thinking of thermal boards designed for use with underfloor heating. Vapour barrier crosslinked PE under this will take some compressive load.
Will need some air coming into the room!
I plan to space heat to 65 - 70F, then take the tank the rest of the way to 75F
For under the tank, I plan on three to six inches of PE or PU sheet. This should take the weight and if it does flow, should do so evenly.
For the tank itself, I was thnking of a substantial steel frame with polymer panels bolted to this via a gasket using a sealant.
Now, I would appreciate any comments on this!
Two things about this jump out. I do not need to use a six foot run of polymer, I can use two foot wide sections and bolt them to steel uprights the same as at each corner of the tank. The other is that i do not need to use transparent materials for the base and sides, just the front panels and the 'lid'.
I was planning on at least 12mm polycarbonate throughout, maybe a double thickness.
Any ideas on gasket or sealer will be appreciated. I am aware that silicone does not bond well to polycarbonate. I think a solvent is used to allow two areas of polycarb to flow into each other. Obviously, I am using three different materials plus bolts here...
I plan to put the filters and heaters at one end. Enough for a settlement chamber, massive ammounts of foam and ceramic media and ending in a trickle tower (insulated).
I will have to come up with something again for water changes, possibly turn it into a seat! Low level rectangle shape.
I can pump water in and to waste easily as there is a drain just outside and I only need temporary connections for this.
Have several large building fans and a 1/4 hp electric motor lying around if needed.
Thinking of a 3kW electric heating element in the settlement chamber for heat. Thermostats are no prob. Will double up.
Power can be fed in through feedthroughs and I plan to use weather proof fittings and power enclosures throughout.
What do you think?!
Constructive critisism is encoureged!!!
Best Regards,
Soggy
I've been away thinking about me trop pond construction (and working, looking after wife, 3 kids, 2 dogs, 10 tanks and cold pond)!
Rough internal size i'm thinking of is six by four feet, minimum. Maybe seven by five and thirty inches deep. It's better than anything I can buy.
Building construction is a concrete floored garage or one end of it. In case of tank burst, water won't get into the house proper. Temp range is about 35F to 75F here.
I plan to cover the tank and pump air through the tank to outside with fail - open vents in case of power failure.
I plan to construct a small room around the tank for vapour containment and insulation. This can be done with a timber frame partition across the garage containing vapur barrier and two thicknesses of foam cavity wall insulation. Same for walls and roof. For the floor I was thinking of thermal boards designed for use with underfloor heating. Vapour barrier crosslinked PE under this will take some compressive load.
Will need some air coming into the room!
I plan to space heat to 65 - 70F, then take the tank the rest of the way to 75F
For under the tank, I plan on three to six inches of PE or PU sheet. This should take the weight and if it does flow, should do so evenly.
For the tank itself, I was thnking of a substantial steel frame with polymer panels bolted to this via a gasket using a sealant.
Now, I would appreciate any comments on this!
Two things about this jump out. I do not need to use a six foot run of polymer, I can use two foot wide sections and bolt them to steel uprights the same as at each corner of the tank. The other is that i do not need to use transparent materials for the base and sides, just the front panels and the 'lid'.
I was planning on at least 12mm polycarbonate throughout, maybe a double thickness.
Any ideas on gasket or sealer will be appreciated. I am aware that silicone does not bond well to polycarbonate. I think a solvent is used to allow two areas of polycarb to flow into each other. Obviously, I am using three different materials plus bolts here...
I plan to put the filters and heaters at one end. Enough for a settlement chamber, massive ammounts of foam and ceramic media and ending in a trickle tower (insulated).
I will have to come up with something again for water changes, possibly turn it into a seat! Low level rectangle shape.
I can pump water in and to waste easily as there is a drain just outside and I only need temporary connections for this.
Have several large building fans and a 1/4 hp electric motor lying around if needed.
Thinking of a 3kW electric heating element in the settlement chamber for heat. Thermostats are no prob. Will double up.
Power can be fed in through feedthroughs and I plan to use weather proof fittings and power enclosures throughout.
What do you think?!
Constructive critisism is encoureged!!!
Best Regards,
Soggy
