new pond

[brent]

My plans to move my pool indoors for the winter have changed. The top inflatable ring on the pool has developed a leak that I can't find. So, I am going to plan "B". I am building a quick pond in my workshop(basicly a lined wood box. So far I am using wood pallets covered in plywood for the bottom, and stud frame and plywood for the sides. The finished interior size will be 8' long 4' wide and about 2' high.

The only thing I am not sure about is how to line it. I could line it with coroplast(sign board). It is like plastic cardboard. Them seal the corners with aquarium silicone.

Or, I cold cover the bottom and walls with heavy poly and silicone the corners.

How long should the silicone cure, and will it stick to poly?

[Jackie Ramo]

I'd use liner less chance of a leak. A leak in winter is not a pretty thing. Also I'd insulate it with styrofoam especially the bottom to stop the cold seeping up. It does make a difference in temperature fluctuations.

[Peg]

Hi brent,
Sorry to hear about the pool. I would go with a pond liner. no chance of it leaking. For the little extra cost you will have piece of mind and sleep better. Silicone will peel off poly or lift with water movment. If you go to all this work to bring them in to keep them safe, don't take a risk that what you put them in will leak. Is your workshop heated ? if not you may want to consider some form of insulation under the bottom and around the sides, or you might end up with one very big fishsicle. Water movement will help but ice can still form 2' is not that deep. We can get a good 24" here easy. You can get a lot colder weather then we do.
Peg

[BonnieIN]

Sure hope you are taking some pix to show the final product! :yup:

[brent]

my shop is heated. As for pics, my camera is broken. When I get me camera fixed, I will take pics. I am working on getting a MH light to use for the growbed/biofilter.

The growbed should work better this time since my fish will be bigger and the water volume will be smaller.

[Jackie Ramo]

I'd still insulate, to stop temp swings even in a heated shop. Its a lot easier and cheaper to heat the water directly than to heat the air and hope the water warms up.

[brent]

Moved the fish indoors today. Final count after the summer...about 100 minnow fry, 4 adult minnows, 5 3" common goldfish, 1 10" koi, and 3 6" koi. The final design for the indoor pool is as follows... 4' wide x 28" highx 8' long with a pvc liner.

I have about 8" of water in it at the moment and about 30 gallons of it is from the original pool.

In the outdoor pool the koi kept to the bottom most of the time. In the new one they are swimming at the top gulping at the surface. Is this normal or should I do a water change?

[marla]

Good luck with the indoor pond. Do you have enough O2 in it, also check the water parameters especialy the ammonia.

[Jackie Ramo]

Brent I am not sure what you are describing but it sounds like way to many fish in very very little water which means there isn't much O2 I'd fill the tank up. 8" of water is nothing.

[Terri]

Brent, you make no mention of a filter..? What are you using to filter the water? Do you have any aeration going in the tank itself? (air pump and airstone)

I agree with Jackie, the water level is far to low, you've got 28" to play with... minimum 24" of water should be in the tank. As marla mentions, test the water parameters.

Why did you keep all those minnows?

[Terri]

...after thought,
when raising the water level make sure you add a net to securely cover the tank so no fish can make a jump for it.

[brent]

I am adding water daily to bring it up to top level. They have settled in now, swimming normally. when they were swimming at the top, I had just added them, so the water ammonia won't pe an issue. The oly thing I am concerned about is if anything is coming from the new liner. The minnow fry were what was in the pool when I emptied it. When they get a little bigger, I will sell them. I will also add an air pump untill I get my growbed filter set up. I didn't have enough fish to water ratio to grow pants very well this summer, so I hope things will work better this winter with a smaller growbed and bigger fish in less water.

This summer the water peramiters in the pool were cleaner than our tap water...lol.

[Jackie Ramo]

They ae giving off ammonia now so be sure to test the water. Even if you use a binder the plants can still use the ammonia but the fish are safe.

My veggie filter grew like Little Shop of Horrors, not sure how I will get the taro out, its as big as I am.