Thoughts on a pond idea

[AmyLynn]

For quite some time now I've been contemplating using an extra galvanized stock tank as a pond. It's a huge tank with an 8 ft diameter and 2 feet deep. But it is older.

First question is..... Is there something I can spray or roll on the inside to coat it and prevent further corrosion.

Second question............ I am debating between partially burying it (hard work I know) and leaving it totally exposed. My concern with leaving it totally exposed is what the heck will I do with any plants or potential fish over the winter. We do freeze and freeze hard here in the winter. Bringing much of anything inside will probably be a no go. I fight humidity and mildew in my basement as it is.

Any one have any ideas? suggestions? Or really good links for me to do some research?

[smaug]

fogetaboutit.A metal tank unless its stainless steel is a bad idea.Galvanized especially so.The zinc coating will kill any fish put in it if kept that way for more then a day or so.There is nothing you can do to make it non toxic.Even if the zinc could be tolerated [and it cant be] the steel would rust through with a few months .As for elevate above ground outside ponds ,they will freeze to ground level very quickly as they lack any insulation provided by being below ground.If you want an outside pond,flexible liner meant for the purpose is the cheapest part of a pond build.

[tanks4thememories]

For quite some time now I've been contemplating using an extra galvanized stock tank as a pond. It's a huge tank with an 8 ft diameter and 2 feet deep. But it is older.

First question is..... Is there something I can spray or roll on the inside to coat it and prevent further corrosion.
The problem with coating the inside is that the outside will still oxidize.



Second question............ I am debating between partially burying it (hard work I know) and leaving it totally exposed. My concern with leaving it totally exposed is what the heck will I do with any plants or potential fish over the winter. We do freeze and freeze hard here in the winter. Bringing much of anything inside will probably be a no go. I fight humidity and mildew in my basement as it is.
Im rusty on my pond info. But if I remember correctly there is a certain depth you need to have in climates that have seasonal freezing. Even if you bury the tank I don't think it will meet that requirement. - Any pond experts please correct or expand on this please?



Any one have any ideas? suggestions? Or really good links for me to do some research?

I would maybe coat the inside of the tank and use the tank as an internal winter tank in my basement. and make my pond out of the traditional materials. Just take your time and build up the supplies and do it the way you really want it to be.

[AmyLynn]

fogetaboutit.A metal tank unless its stainless steel is a bad idea.Galvanized especially so.The zinc coating will kill any fish put in it if kept that way for more then a day or so.There is nothing you can do to make it non toxic.Even if the zinc could be tolerated [and it cant be] the steel would rust through with a few months .As for elevate above ground outside ponds ,they will freeze to ground level very quickly as they lack any insulation provided by being below ground.If you want an outside pond,flexible liner meant for the purpose is the cheapest part of a pond build.

Okay, now I'm a bit confused. How can so many of the farmers out here be keeping goldfish (for years) in these stock tanks if the galvanizing is toxic? And I know they won't rust through in a few months since some of the tanks out here are many many years old. They are stock tanks meant to hold water for indefinite periods of time.

I was sure someone on here had some great ideas for using old stock tanks as ponds and they coated them with something. Possibly truck bed protectant? Maybe it was another forum. :-( dang it anyways.

[AmyLynn]

The problem with coating the inside is that the outside will still oxidize.


Im rusty on my pond info. But if I remember correctly there is a certain depth you need to have in climates that have seasonal freezing. Even if you bury the tank I don't think it will meet that requirement. - Any pond experts please correct or expand on this please?



I would maybe coat the inside of the tank and use the tank as an internal winter tank in my basement. and make my pond out of the traditional materials. Just take your time and build up the supplies and do it the way you really want it to be.

I can coat the outside that will be under soil level also. I'm sure I've read of it somewhere and I swore it was here, but I do suffer from occasional CRAFTS so I'm sure I'm wrong.

This tank is EIGHT foot in diameter. There is no way a swimming pool will fit in my basement. And no way with the dampness I'm already fighting down there will I be putting any tanks temporary or otherwise in the little dungeon.

The problem is that the look I want is the old-fashioned, quaint and picturesque Nebraska windmill and stock tank look.

[smaug]

I cant imagine keeping fish in a zinc coated bucket.Ive never seen it at even bait shops where the fish will be used up in a week.Zinc ,will bleed into the water.Coating with bed liner isnt likely very good either as Im sure it will not be fish safe either.Just get flexible liner ,its only a buck per sq ft.All that being said.If you have personally seen golfish live in glavanized stock tanks,then I would say you already have the upper hand on knowledge of them being safe.Go for it.As for freezing in the winter.As thermally conductive as metal is,I would say it would freeze very quickly and would have to be buried to ground level to have a chance.

[Aeonflame]

Ive seen it done with goldfish, and tilapia. Im not sure how healthy it is for the fish, though they all seemed to be doing quite well. What I cant tell you is how it would work in the winter.

[AmyLynn]

I cant imagine keeping fish in a zinc coated bucket.Ive never seen it at even bait shops where the fish will be used up in a week.Zinc ,will bleed into the water.Coating with bed liner isnt likely very good either as Im sure it will not be fish safe either.Just get flexible liner ,its only a buck per sq ft.All that being said.If you have personally seen golfish live in glavanized stock tanks,then I would say you already have the upper hand on knowledge of them being safe.Go for it.As for freezing in the winter.As thermally conductive as metal is,I would say it would freeze very quickly and would have to be buried to ground level to have a chance.

Hmmmm ground level might be as doable as halfway.

Honestly, many farmers/ranchers out here have goldfish in the stock tanks that are not only living, but reproducing.

I do have to say I'm not as interested in having fish in the pond as I am plants. But wondering if a tank heater would keep the tank (if buried) warm enough to overwinter the plants outside.

[AmyLynn]

Ive seen it done with goldfish, and tilapia. Im not sure how healthy it is for the fish, though they all seemed to be doing quite well. What I cant tell you is how it would work in the winter.

Thanks Aeon. I'm wondering how feasible it would be to overwinter plants out there if I submerge either partially or fully and run a heater.

[cubby]

the fish can live in a stock tank. no doubt about it. i don't know about the galvinized material bleeding into the water, but the fish can indeed live. around here they are used for grow out tank for everything from koi to catfish to bass. i don't know of the effect to the fish, but they can live a long time in them (years).

they usually have a life of around 5-7 years, filled with water on a farm.

and it will last a long time, even full of water. the thing which is going to end your project with a galv. tank, is your location. you would have to drain the tank to 1/3 or so of its capacity so the expanding ice won't ruin the tank. and even then it will probly burst. they don't take the freezing well. and a tank heater is expensive to run. so you would have a bunch of problems come wnter:

fish to move/rehouse for the winter months
empty the tank completely or get tank heaters (for a tank you aren't using becuase the fish won't be able to stay in it)
store the empty tank or run extension cords for tank heaters (not the best idea, but its done everyday)

[cubby]

a tank heater is PROBLY not going to keep the whole thing from freezing. your looking at a pair or three of the 1500 watt variety. they are made to make the water JUUUST warm enugh that the animal can drink. doesn't mean tehre won't be ICE. but the animal can get water.

if you leave a full stock tank, even WITH heaters, out unprotected in the nnebraska cold and wind, the whole thing will freeze.

[Taurus]

LOL..this is going to go over like a led ballon...but, what about a bubbler in the winter. You have to run an air compressor to create the bubbles, but the compressor doesn't have to run continuously. Would take a BIG air tank though. But that how we keep ice away from water intake racks on some hydro generation stations here in the Northeast during the winter. But if it gets below 0, they're not very effective.

Maybe you could combine a bubbler with heaters? Although they would tend to work against each other.

[cubby]

the bubbler is a good idea. but adds another EXPENSIVE aspect to the set up. surface activity usually fights off freezing as well as, if not better, than just warmer water.

[AmyLynn]

a tank heater is PROBLY not going to keep the whole thing from freezing. your looking at a pair or three of the 1500 watt variety. they are made to make the water JUUUST warm enugh that the animal can drink. doesn't mean tehre won't be ICE. but the animal can get water.

if you leave a full stock tank, even WITH heaters, out unprotected in the nnebraska cold and wind, the whole thing will freeze.

I run a drain plug style heater in my horse tank every winter all winter and I have NO ice. In fact it's usually warm enough to throw off a little steam. I am very aware of how much they cost to run, but it beats attempting to keep water clear for the horses by hand.

My bigger concern would be burns on the fish. I'd have to do some sort of a cage on either sinking or floating heaters.

[AmyLynn]

LOL..this is going to go over like a led ballon...but, what about a bubbler in the winter. You have to run an air compressor to create the bubbles, but the compressor doesn't have to run continuously. Would take a BIG air tank though. But that how we keep ice away from water intake racks on some hydro generation stations here in the Northeast during the winter. But if it gets below 0, they're not very effective.

Maybe you could combine a bubbler with heaters? Although they would tend to work against each other.

I did see someone out here once running a bubbler on a tank about this size. Kinda forgot about that.

[cubby]

a 1500 watt heater in a 8' round by 3' deep stock tank is different than a 150, or so, standard stock tank though.