Pond Build - Using Poly-totes???

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peterp63

Candiru
MFK Member
Feb 13, 2008
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On a boat!
I have a few large tanks inside my house with continuous drip systems going to each tank - a total of 250 GPD of freshwater feeding my three systems. The sumps are routed outside to the lawn. Well, I've now buried the lines by trenching down below our freeze depth and routed them toward my future pond. I have four poly totes that I was thinking would make an awesome pond system. They measure 48" x 40" x 48"H each - about 400 gallons each. My thoughts were to cut the top off of two poly totes and place them side by side and connect them using the factory drains (2" I believe). I would utilize one for the fish and one for a water garden and filter. Basically, the second poly tote would act as a vortex chamber / bog / bio filtration and then pump back to the fish poly-tote pond. I would have a removable divider that I could walk on and remove to service the equipment between the two poly totes. Aside from just connecting the drains together I would have a skimmer-type connection between the two in the case that the pump flow rate was too much for the 2" drain connections. Also, on the filter poly-tote I would install an overflow drain in case of a big rain (should take care of both poly totes since they're tied together). Any thoughts on whether or not this will work? Any suggestions???

I've dug down about 2 feet so far... about 1-1/2 ft more to go...
View attachment 2012-12-16_17_22_06.jpg

Poly totes
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Temporary pond (just some big goldfish)
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View attachment 2012-12-16_17_22_06.jpg

IMG_8107.JPG

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Ground pressure may collapse the tank wall. I installed one above ground to hold pond water for watering the yard. With it full, you can push the walls inward easily. The cage around it is actually holding its shape.
 
I did a very similiar setup with 55 gal barrels. They are connected to my sump pump outlet so all my waterchanges get pumped into these drums then are dispersed into my front yard lol. No other pumps or gadgets and there always clean, i had guppies and goldfish until it got too cold these last couple weeks and they died. Your forms should hold just fine without the cage imo. But it wouldnt hurt to leave them on. Thats alot of digging aswell, i was tired of digging for a little 55 drum let alone your stock tanks lol. Nice project!

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Its a 55 barrel cut in half for 2 small ponds and theres another small preformed pond from home depot.

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Just realised ur not using the whole tote lol...maybe worry about the pond getting too cold in winter not sure where u live but my goldfish died in a 20" water depth. Not sure how deep you need to be to keep the ponds from freezing. Great addition for marginal plants tho like ditch lillies and such...mine really took off before winter
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Thanks for the feedback!! I will cut the tops off of the totes. I want to dig as deep as possible to utilize as much depth as possible. It does get somewhat cold a few times per year (into the 20s). I'm simply wanting to avoid the purchase and installation of a pondliner. And, since I've never dealt with one yet I'm skeptical of how well the pond liner bulk heads will work. I can use the same bulk heads that I use on my tanks to get the drip system into these poly totes.

Ken/wednesday,
How did you water your lawn from the poly tote and 55 gallon drum? Certain pump required to supply the appropriate pressures/flowrates to the sprinklers?
 
kendragon said:
Ground pressure may collapse the tank wall. I installed one above ground to hold pond water for watering the yard. With it full, you can push the walls inward easily. The cage around it is actually holding its shape.
Click to expand...

I was hoping to be able to drop these into the group with cage and all. Just cut the tops off.
 
Round containers are good pressure vessels like an airplane, even pressure distribution....flat surfaces are not. The problems going to be the dirt pushing the walls inward away from the cage. I've installed many big molded ponds and it's a pain leveling and controlling rim movement. The trick is to fill the tank with water and dirt at the same time. The ponds that I install are 1600g and 1/2" thick poly. You might want to cut the top after it is installed just so most of the shape is still in tact.

Check out page 21. http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...TION-AND-EVOLVING-WITH-YOUR-FISH!!!!!!/page21
 
kendragon said:
Round containers are good pressure vessels like an airplane, even pressure distribution....flat surfaces are not. The problems going to be the dirt pushing the walls inward away from the cage. I've installed many big molded ponds and it's a pain leveling and controlling rim movement. The trick is to fill the tank with water and dirt at the same time. The ponds that I install are 1600g and 1/2" thick poly. You might want to cut the top after it is installed just so most of the shape is still in tact.

Check out page 21. http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/f...TION-AND-EVOLVING-WITH-YOUR-FISH!!!!!!/page21
Click to expand...

Very very nice! Do you have issues with the backwash water plugging your sprinkler heads?

You're really making me want to keep digging and build a bigger pond! Dangit! Lol. Maybe use the poly tote as a vortex chamber / moving bed bio filter??? Any other suggestions?
 
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