indoor pond idea...

[MDsaints]

ok so i have this crazy idea...

did the weight checks and stuff and making sure on a couple of sites if it would work. my floor can hold it because its located above a steel beam!

so it will be 2 ft. long x 2 ft. wide x 2 ft. tall

thinkin of this for the main... support of it all.

some plywood for the inside with an outside wall support of rocks. sand will be used to cushion the tarp. should look something crazy like this

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y12...n/DSCF0051.jpg

thats not mine but it would turn out to be something along those lines....

the plywood is to primarily just hold the sand in... so it would be like a box without a top. then i would place the sand in it and start building the rock wall for the outer support. Next, i would insert the tarp and place rocks on top of the folded line of tarp to ensure that it wouldnt move anywhere... then fill with water. i will create my own waterfall for this too and have filters and all that media.

[emc7]

I don't think your crazy, sounds cool. Use a fish safe pond liner and it doesn't matter what makes the walls as long as it can hold the weight. I've only seen the like on cement slab basements, so I applaud your courage. Go bigger thats only 60 gallons.

[MDsaints]

yea thats what i was planning on doing. the beam can hold most of my house so ill most likely extend it. the liner is 5 x 5 so ill most likely make the most out of it.

[emc7]

Beware of humidity. A lot of people who had hot tubs in their living room in the 70's had moldy walls and ceilings.

[MDsaints]

that is a very very good point... didnt think of that...hmmm... ill find an alternative way to make it work lol thanks emc forgot about that. i live in PA and boy it does get humid

[bscman]

Get a ventilation fan, like you would find in a bathroom. Also, you can get paints with "mildewcide" in them. Prime first with "Kilz".

I'd go bigger as well....For 60 gallons...heck just get a glass or acrylic cube tank!

[pixl8r]

It's alwasy a good idea to think things through, and then ask for advice.

I know someone who built his house over a natural stream. He was warned not to, and even had difficulty getting building permits and home owners insurance. Less than 10 years after he built it, there was an extremely heavy winter. When the snow melted the 'safety measures' he installed failed and half of his foundations washed out. I guess not everyone can be Frank Lloyd Wright.

But then, if all of my aquariums were to fail at the same time, I'd have almost 200 gallons of water and gravel that would make my place smell oh so good.

[flamingo]

I was planning on doing the same thing, but at a larger scale, 600+ gallons to house stingrays, gar, etc.

I wouldn't personally build an indoor pond on a second story, regardless of the size. If you have a suitable basement, that would work out greatly, it would allow you easier access, cleaning, you could upgrade the size, wouldn't be a "huge" issue if you ever move, and no weight issues.

Also remember that liners are commonly bought in lengths double of what's really needed to cover up for shrinkage once it's lain down.

[micstarz]

Mayb you could make the front side of the pond glassfronted, kinda like an open top floor-sitting framed bowfront aquarium? e_e

[Danh]

That's a very small pond.. Why not get a tank??

[Clerk]

For the size of that cube pond, and the cost of the liner, and rest of the supplies. It would not only be easier to buy a tank, you could see your fish from the side! Not just the top.

Granted you are planning to extend the pond slightly, but what fish are you planning to do in this "pond" ?

[David-P]

indoor ponds are called tanks....

just kidding, sounds like a very interesting idea.

[Apotheosis]

A 2 ft cube pond? That seems a bit small. It would be alot easier to get a tank of similar size.

[Jeromee]

If you do decide to do this and use a pond type liner, I would build the plywood up. basically build a tank out of the plywood(reinforcing it with 2x4's), and seal it, just incase at some point the pond liner started to leak, it could save you a big mess. That way you don't have to use the brick as the main support for the pond, and you could reduce weight by using a fake rock if you wanted to.

[bass man]

what are you going to stock a 60 gallon pond with?