Above Ground Ponds Anyone?

[Deleted User]

Have any of you set up above ground ponds?

If so, I'd love to see pictures and hear any tips you may have!

H and I would like to set up a pond this spring for goldfish. I think that an above ground one (like with timber sides?) may be our best bet. My goal is to enjoy the fish, but not provide the dogs with a swimming hole!!!

Thanks for any insight and pictures!!!

[Northernguy]

Why not use a kids swimming pool and place some slats standing on edge all the way around.It will look great and hold water without a problem.I don't know if the pump can be turned into a filter but I do not see why not.

[VoidParadigm]

We made a (half) above ground pond by cutting the top off an old junker van we had sealing the entire inside with several coats of marine quality paint (the brand we used claims to not corrode in water unless scraped, which as its stayed intact and our water quality hasn't changed in years I guess is true.) It's surrounded by sod and garden on the deeper end to hide the part of the van we didn't have paint left for.

[Deleted User]

Why not use a kids swimming pool and place some slats standing on edge all the way around.It will look great and hold water without a problem.I don't know if the pump can be turned into a filter but I do not see why not.
You are thinking kind of along the same lines of what I was thinking, but i was thinking some bigger. What I thought was to get a 300g - 350g rubbermade horse trough... I'm not sure what the biggest size they come in is. I just use 50g ones for my miniatures, but they come much larger and have plugs in the bottom that can be unscrewed and you can put a heater in there (to keep it from freezing in the winter). I am going to see what the Farmer's Coop has (or can order) to get a better idea, but I'm thinking it should work well and the material they are made of us very sturdy and solid.

[Deleted User]

We made a (half) above ground pond by cutting the top off an old junker van we had sealing the entire inside with several coats of marine quality paint (the brand we used claims to not corrode in water unless scraped, which as its stayed intact and our water quality hasn't changed in years I guess is true.) It's surrounded by sod and garden on the deeper end to hide the part of the van we didn't have paint left for.
That is very cool!!! Do you have pictures of it?

[AmyLynn]

I've actually been thinking about the idea of doing an old west styled pond. I have an older round 6ft diameter galvanized stock tank. I'd like to sink it about half way down in to the ground. That would put about 1 ft below ground and 1 ft above. Then put a smaller windmill behind it and use it as my water source.

Just trying to convince the hubby it's a great idea and figuring out how to run the plumbing for the filters. thumbs2:

[Deleted User]

Here's what I'm talking about:

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(pupf4i45nydpuk55jipobxvo)/productdetails.aspx?sku=7015597&source=GoogleBase

http://ec-images.acehardwareoutlet.com/raw/products/7015597_082109l_gv.jpg

[Deleted User]

I've actually been thinking about the idea of doing an old west styled pond. I have an older round 6ft diameter galvanized stock tank. I'd like to sink it about half way down in to the ground. That would put about 1 ft below ground and 1 ft above. Then put a smaller windmill behind it and use it as my water source.

Just trying to convince the hubby it's a great idea and figuring out how to run the plumbing for the filters. thumbs2:
That sounds like it would be very cool!!!

[Northernguy]

lol Excuse the pic.Its the only one I could find on the web.
This is the pool my brother and I turned into an indoor pond.He raised a Muskee and minnows in his and I had bass in mine.lol
We had in the house.Winter wasn't a problem.Either was room! lol
The house was massive.
I don't know how well this would handle the cold.They are 6' and 8' across and 2ft deep.It looked like a jacuzzi when it was finished.

http://static.squidoo.com/resize/squidoo_images/-1/draft_lens1949346module49517052photo_1249167085bab y-swimming-pool.jpg

[Crispy]

Thats a ghetto pond NG! lol..... :hmm3grin2orange:

[smaug]

The problem with an above ground pond is it will freeze to the bottom if you get get cold winters.It will also heat up faster due to not having the benefits of earthen insulation.A ghetto pool will crack easily over time ad may leach harmful toxins to the water because they are not meant to keep fish in.The rubbermaid tub you show should work but will still freeze solid or get too cold for the fish to survive.

[MrJim]

The problem with an above ground pond is it will freeze to the bottom if you get get cold winters.It will also heat up faster due to not having the benefits of earthen insulation.A ghetto pool will crack easily over time ad may leach harmful toxins to the water because they are not meant to keep fish in.The rubbermaid tub you show should work but will still freeze solid or get too cold for the fish to survive.

That's kinda what I was thinking...one of our LFS set up an outdoor above ground job, be interesting to see how it looks come January~~it's kinda big, maybe they got some Supersize Stealth heater in it?

[Deleted User]

The problem with an above ground pond is it will freeze to the bottom if you get get cold winters.It will also heat up faster due to not having the benefits of earthen insulation.A ghetto pool will crack easily over time ad may leach harmful toxins to the water because they are not meant to keep fish in.The rubbermaid tub you show should work but will still freeze solid or get too cold for the fish to survive.
It does get plenty cold enough to freeze here, but they make these heaters that screw into the bottom plug of these troughs. When I use these troughs for water in the winter (I usually use 16g big heated buckets instead), I use those and that's what I think we'll put into the bottom of the rubbermaid stock tank / trough if that's what we end up using (really leaning towards it). It will be a fun project for the spring!!!

[Padams]

Jill

Have you considered an inground pond with a fence around it?

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/attachment.php?attachmentid=17058&stc=1&d=1255271007

[Northernguy]

You could easily get a liner for it!
The poool worked great indoor,never had a leak or a fish die in it.Only on the floor after they leaped out.Probably due to carelessness on the owners part when the lids were not closed properly.
I would get a proper liner for it though for outside.Bigger vinyl pools are outside year round.
I kinda like rubbermaid idea but this is bigger! lol

[smaug]

Never thought about the heater,that should help especially if you have it insulated somehow.

[bushwhacker]

hopefully the mods wont mind this link, i'm a member of both sites. jill take a look at this pond, its a long read but well worth the time.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193409

[Northernguy]

Thats a nice idea!
I am surprised that a liner wasn't neccesary.

[bushwhacker]

she did a liner but its a spray on like in the back of a truck

[Northernguy]

Thats a great idea! I have heard of it being sprayed into homemade tanks right on top of the fibreglass.Its fish freindly too!thumbs2:

LOL Make it a mobile pond and set one up in the bed of a pick up truck!
Thats so crazy but you gotta wonder if its been tried!lol

[AmyLynn]

hopefully the mods wont mind this link, i'm a member of both sites. jill take a look at this pond, its a long read but well worth the time.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193409

That looks fantastic! It's very very similar to what i want to do. Although I luckily already have the tank. And I want to set mine partially into the ground.

[Deleted User]

hopefully the mods wont mind this link, i'm a member of both sites. jill take a look at this pond, its a long read but well worth the time.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193409
Oh man!!!!!!!

That is awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am pretty darn sure it was a fib when I told H if we did that 150g aquarium in the Florida room for the goldies, I wouldn't "need" an outdoor pond. But what fun would life be if we only got what we "needed" (vs. want!).

I love that idea and how it turned out for a pond AND and and (I'm too wound up), a friend of mine who used to train horses for me used to have one of those not in use, and may still have it... if she does, I could get it for a song!!!!!

Thank you VERY much for sharing that really cool idea!!!

[Northernguy]

That would be a fun build!
I hope they still have it!
I hope you choose the right song!:hmm3grin2orange: :19:

[bushwhacker]

Thats a great idea! I have heard of it being sprayed into homemade tanks right on top of the fibreglass.Its fish freindly too!thumbs2:

LOL Make it a mobile pond and set one up in the bed of a pick up truck!
Thats so crazy but you gotta wonder if its been tried!lol

not a pond but google redneck hot tub bud :hmm3grin2orange:

[Northernguy]

not a pond but google redneck hot tub bud :hmm3grin2orange:
Now those i have seen!lol:hmm3grin2orange:

I have never seen a mobile pond though!