Jury-Rigging A Pond

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Arget

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jun 11, 2017
Messages
259
Location
SE Kansas
I am hoping to attempt a pond this spring for my goldfish, and was wondering how to get it setup. I did read up to find a pond kit. I can't exactly dig into the ground easily, and don't have $1500 to spend on a kit. I have plenty of goldfish, but I'd rather move them from the tank to a pond. I tend to prefer Comets and the like, but a 90g will eventually get a bit too small for them. Where I live it gets pretty cold in the winter.
 
I live in the mountains in Colorado so yes I know about cold also hard ground almost impossible to dig . something to consider to soften up the soil to dig is to rent a auger for a 1/2 a day you be surprised how much easier digging will be .
figure the freeze line is about 2 ft so the pond should be 3 to 4 ft deep.
they sell a black plastic liner made for lining ponds .
I would add a 8 to 10 inch base at the bottom of the pond for under water plant
growth .
now for the fish and cold Ill leave that to more a pond person
 
I don't live quite that far north, but it still gets below zero some nights. Digging isn't an option, I live in a more urban area, and the yard is not that big.
 
You could always use landscape timbers to build up the walls. That will give the pond more depth and volume (and honestly, easier to work with). Of course, this is assuming the shape has straight sides. While it won’t change the freeze line situation, but the extra depth will help. My water feature is only 20-24” deep so I run a 100W floating heater to help keep it from freezer over. Going to check it tomorrow as we have had below zero wind chill temps for the last few days.
 
I was planning on building it above the ground, which makes it much easier. The issues are trying to save up enough to build it in the first place, and trying to figure out how to get the current to prevent it from icing over, without making it too strong or too expensive. I also have young cousins that visit fairly often, and don't want them to try to go swimming in the pond. The best place is in the front yard, but that has a bit of a slope to it.
 
Also if it is a front yard and there are any kids around, they will throw untold items/liquids substances into a pond, and with fish I would worry about their security/lives.
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People are giving away free plastic ponds all the time on free sites and CL. Especially in the winter when they are tired of seeing them around.

Most of those are around ~100-150G so not really a long term solution for Comets.

Other options are keeping your eyes open for building materials like RR timbers or pressure treated landscape 4x4s. You may be able to make a frame for a liner with some ingenuity and creativity.

Stock pond heater will work well so the pond doesn't freeze over and you may find a deal on a used one but they are pretty cheap to order online.

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I made a reasonably priced pond for growing fish - GF and young Koi way back with a plastic liner pond,
some blocks which were free - salvaged. To add support for the ledges
Pavestone 4 in. x 11.75 in. x 6.75 in. Fieldstone Concrete Retaining Wall Block
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pavesto...k-144-Pcs-46-5-Face-ft-Pallet-81185/202689750

A new garbage can clearanced out and donated to the Restore due to no lid for about $3.00, to make a trashcan filter.

A small used garden pond pump which I think broke and ended up with the neighbors pump for free when they moved and planned a significant upgrade.

~misc parts and fittings to get the trashcan filter to work right. $15-20 - could have got cheaper at a ReStore. Since I didn't exactly know what I was doing I probably had some errors in choices I made.

Chunked up filter media pad. And other assorted items which could be used for BB
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There are other reasonably priced options like Stock tanks for watering livestock.
There are plastic and galvanized metal
700G round 8'x2'
https://www.ruralking.com/tarter-70...GcZd60el2z7BfYU5Zcwb0Ne6uUxJzYwQaAhu5EALw_wcB

350G plastic round, of course there are long oval, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EE194B...t=&hvlocphy=9028724&hvtargid=pla-349545294362


***JBWeld Marine is great for patching those plastic preformed ponds FYI. Can use it in wet areas.
 
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Okay, that helps a lot. I'd already upgraded the goldfish tank from a 33g to a 90g last February, and my favorite comet has grown to be bigger then my hand in that time. I'd planned on getting a pond eventually, ever since I fell in love with the look of the Sarasa Comet. The only reason that I settled on the goldfish is that I was reading up on their care, and realized that goldfish are half the size of koi.
 
Sort of half the size :) Some of the pictures I have seen of the pet fish released GF in park and natural ponds are unbelievably huge. Koi are really interesting fish to have in a pond.

My little ones I was raising went to a person we knew with a smaller but nice size pond in the ground when we moved. (Later ate by a Heron :'( - ah, the laws of nature. )

But at a garden center which keeps Koi I have watched the majority of them for over 15 years. Colors deepen change a little too. There is a fancy Goldie the size of a large grapefruit. It is inside a huge greenhouse type building so not much worries of freezing or predators there.

I have seen pictures of people who add these "pond" enclosures in the basement or sunroom as well. Maybe you would have someplace which might work. One high school kid who I spoke with in the area said he had 3 3-4' deep above ground swimming pools (and smaller set ups too) in his basement where he raised certain valuable Cichlids to help with college money.

Many creative options out there.

Another is a DIY 3 sided cement pond with a glass panel in the front for cool viewing.
Saw this and thought what a nice looking set up though a bit small, the pic with the 3 GF just down from the top.
22 Small Garden or Backyard Aquarium Ideas Will Blow Your Mind - Amazing DIY, Interior & Home Design
 
if your putting a pond in the front yard you may want to look into if youll need permits
or have to put up a safety fence ect , some state and county's are strict on that as way to many kids drown from small water accidents in pools ponds ect
 
The closest thing to an indoor area with enough support would be the garage, but the door does not work and it is not insulated. A lot of those are cool, but the pond has to be at least 90g, to be considered an upgrade. I did look online for used ponds and such in my area, but there's not anything of a decent size. A single tailed goldfish can get up to 18", while a koi can reach 3', but that's only with the right conditions. My favorite comet is about 8".
 
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