Old Jacuzzi for Indoor Pond?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
They work great, smooth surface makes for easy cleaning (including bottom),.

You'll want a used one so you won't feel bad tearing out the plumbing (pipes) to phase the jets for proper circulation.

Scrap the pump...

1) It's not made for 24/7/365 use, plus they're not very economical to run compared to a good pond pump.

2) Way to much velocity!!, for the fish and a filter.

3) They are sometimes 220vac so you may have to specifically wire for it.


Heater...

If it comes with one you could consider leaving it piped in, but they are usually 220vac so you may have to specifically wire for it too. (if it is just a heater it may be able to run at 120vac but you're double the current so you may have to specifically wire for it anyway so go with 220vac).

Another plus is some have a hookup for a vacuum attachments for cleaning (how cool would that be!).

A bottom drain is a plus too.

You may even be able to find one that matches your eyes too ;)

Is a wood pond with liner not feasible?

Keep us posted on you decision,

Dr Joe

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Dr. Joe,

A wood pond with liner is still an option, the jacuzzi idea just popped into my head while discussing my pond idea with my boss. (everyone thinks I'm crazy)!

I did some serious thinking about my pond ideas and came to a conclusion. My only reason for building a pond is because I want a pair of RTC. So I need to figure out how big to build so I do not need to build a bigger one later or be forced to give them away.

My one concern is electricity costs. The pond will be in my unfinished basement. Middle of winter temps down there are around 50-55 degrees. So I need as much insulation as possible, and a good cover to keep the heating requirements to a minimum.
With 2 tanks on the first floor, 3 canisters, 900 watts of heaters and misc. stuff my electric bill is not that cheap already.

I'm Ok with the maintenence required to properly keep RTC, my 2 current tanks are spotless with the 2x week PWC and gravel vacs.

I guess what I need to do is determine the proper size pond to hold a pair of RTC and move foreward from there.....

Thanks
 
To help with figuring things out http://www.handymath.com/cgi-bin/electric.cgi?submit=Entry

Look for the most efficient pump you can afford (up front vs over time). A more expensive pump may pay for itself over a years time and then save you money after that. Do the math.

With a pond liner you can round the corners by placing sand underneath the liner, making it easier to clean.

And with cats, it's not so much the depth but the expanse of the tank/pond that they are more comfortable with.

What's the biggest footprint you can have?

Food for thought.

Dr Joe

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I have a 15 x 9 room to work with. Concrete exterior wall on one side, the other three are wood. (old house, this room was originally built to store coal for the furnace!)
I want to do this right the first time and not skimp on filters, pumps, etc, but at the same time I can't have a $300 electric bill every month.
 
Have you considered a concrete pond? As in, making a pond out of concrete blocks and coating it with the best sealer for diy tanks ever pond armour?

For filtration I am thinking a hammerhead or barracuda (probably hammerhead... much more flow) pump by Reeflo. They are VERY efficient for their size and pumping capabilities. Quality, american-made motors and A++++++ customer service. Low electrical demands! I would use that to power an Ultima pond filter (not sure which size) with a 40 watt Pentair Aquatics UV (if you wanted) afterward. But I would be sure to include a few "Pentair Lifeguard" heater wells. They are inline things that let you seal heaters into them. This lets your water heat more efficiently (more heat in the tank for the watt) and keeps the heaters out of the tanks.

I am not sure on RTC tank size requirements, but I do know that they get to be HUGE fish. I would probably go for 800-1200 gallons.
 
Footprint will be most important for the cats. At least 5' on the short sides.

This old coal room, does it have any insulation?
 
The room and basement are not insulated. Also the only source of heat down there is the furnace and hot water heating pipes that run throughout the basement. I plan on insulating the outside facing concrete wall but leave the other three uninsulated. I'm thinking insulating all 4 will block any of the radiant heat in the basement from reaching that room.
 
Check craigslist. I see hotubs for free on there all the time. Sometimes just the shell. Sometimes everything. I've almost done it a few times.
 
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