Quick Question on Pools

[wow_it_esploded]

We are going to be building a shop and shed in our backyard in the next 3-4 years so, when that happens, I get the garage (currently the shop) to myself for my fish and other pets. Needless to say, I am pushing the shop project as hard as I can

I was looking at making a tank system with 20-25 10-30 gallon tanks, all run by central air and sponge systems. These would be for growouts (def not monster growouts) and small breeding tanks (thinking BN plecos and assorted cichlids).

Now, for the pond aspect of this thread.

I was thinking about getting one of the 12' dia and 3ft tall Intex Metal framed pools from target ($230 I think). They hold "over 1700 gallons" (quoted from target.com) and look like a good deal... The liner is about 28mils thick, which should be more than enough with good care and no sharp rocks, especially inside (away from the hot texas sun).

I know that the pump and filter that come with these are crap, so I was going to replace it. What should I do filtration wise that will not break the bank?

What do you guys suggest as far as decor? I want a thin layer of playsand so that the fish are more visible, but as far as the rest, all I know is that I love the look of flowerpots!

I am not sure what I would house in this pond, but probably some of those common mini-monsters that get bought on impulse at petshops... Thinking about going through craigslist picking up fish that need new homes... Mini fish rescue perhaps? Any ideas?

Thanks for all the help [in advance]! It will be years before any of this happens because we have to finish that shed first, but once that puppy is done I will be in fishy heaven.

I am still up in the air for most (if not all) of this and I am interested in seeing what you would suggest. For reference, the garage is 20feet by 18 feet.

 

[Dr Joe]

Well at least you have time to save some of your lunch money .

(4) 55g barrel (plastic) filters, one mechanical, three biological (one could be a algae scrubber). And a bio-tower for the coolness factor (ok so they're great for bio too).

Insulate the bottom from the ground (cement) with 3" of sand and used carpet on top of it (under the pond liner).

Insulate the sides by wrapping it with roll insulation and wrap visqueen around it to hold it there. Start scrounging commercial remodeling jobs (get permission to remove or even sometimes to look) for insulation and carpet and start stockpiling it. Any extra can be used to insulate the garageheadbang2). Grab any and all PVC pipe and fittings tossed out.

Check out car washes (soaps/waxes) and restaurant supply businesses (pickles/apple juice etc.) for the 55g barrels. You've got time to clean them well .

Interior pond furnishings will of course be selected to match the inhabitants. Pieces of PVC pipe and fittings are always good (again watch the scrap for screwups that they just cut the whole thing out and start over), small barrels and buckets can be cut to different shapes (just smooth the edges (heat works here)).

Keep the pump that comes with the pool as that will be your new pond vacuum (a piece of PVC pipe for an extension with a jacuzzi cleaning head on it).

If your going to rescue fish for the pond, make sure they can cohabitate well, just don't expect them to hide from each other, that never works.

Ok, the clocks ticking!!!!

(won't 3-4 yrs put you going off to college right after it's finished? Happy Father's Day Dad ).

Dr Joe

.

 

[Muske]

I'm w/Joe and start finding any carpet/insulation scraps you can. Keep a look out for any PVC. A pond that size will need all sorts of fittings for pumps and filters. Keep looking on C-List for large filters or containers people are geting rid of. For fish, C-List or fish clubs in your area should have a few people looking to unload a pacu or O., maybe even a cat.

 

[Dr Joe]

Even a few Herichthys cyanoguttatus, they should be easy to find

 

[wow_it_esploded]

Ok, I forgot to throw in about insulation, thanks! I have actually been looking around for some time (a tear or so) for some 55g barrels and the only ones I can find are either (1) Metal or (2) Previously used for gasoline. Neither of the 2 would let me be comfortable with using them in a fish tank setup.

I have been doing some more thinking, and i do not believe that there will be an economical way to heat this setup in the winter, and it might be too warm in the summer.

I live in San Antonio, TX and we have very odd winters. Most of the time they are 60-80*F, but when we have fronts move through, it can be 30* for a week.

The summers are what really concern me. Starting about January, we have days that get to 90* outside with absolutely no wind and a blistering hot sun. About This time of the year ('cept for today, this week we have had a front move through, 40* and never ending rain, for the first time since '07 we have had real rain!) we have 90* weather and slight winds, this nice cool weather only lasts for a month or 2 mor until we have 102* weather daily, with almost no rain whatsoever. During these times, the garage can get to 94-95* and that, coupled with the humidity, would make it impossible to work in there.

Me thinks keeping said pond outside and having some nice pretty koi would be the best way to go, also the cheapest, seeing as i do not have to heat, insulate, or spread aggression.

Now that I have totally ruined the whole reason it was in the indoor pond section, I am gonna ask a mod to close this thread so I may start a new one (cough cough, dr.joe, cough cough )

 

[perfect_prefect]

if you were closer i would hook you up with as many plastic 55 gallon drums as you would want. look for oil companys that stock 55 gallon drums of windshield washer fluid, usually that is in a plastic instead of metal drum, and can be rinsed fairly easily. since time is not a factor, fill them with water/vinager and let them sit in the sun. then dump and refill, then dump and fill with water, then dump and fill with water again. should have them fairly clean and useable for filtration.

 

[dr_sudz]

in the cooler months I would just heat the room as best you can to keep the temprature up. In the hot months that should still be alright maybe you could use a pipe running through the ground that wraps up and around the aquarium with a recirculation pump to draw the cool of the ground out and into your pond during the hot months. I would have a slower push on this recirculation pump, maybe a few hundred gallons an hour and I would burry the pipe around 6' below the ground, this may even help during the winter. Just a thought.

 

[Muske]

Search rain barrels on Craigslist.

I haven't had any issues for finding plastic barrels. Don't worry, there in your area....

 

[knifegill]

High temps for a short term? No problem for most healthy fish! Even cool water fish like goldfish retain an oxygen deposit in their head (more or less) to use when conditions get anoxic. Just aerate heavily and remember that it takes longer to heat a pool than garage air. Even a window fan blowing across your pool would be a huge help. I like the underground pipe idea. A lot of outdoor/sheltered pond plans have it and with good reason. And don't be afraid to cut some holes in an old fridge door and run piping through it.

 

[Muske]

Keg-igerator for ponds.