Building an indoor holding tank for the winter. suggestions?

[RubixCube]

I am looking on compiling some information on building an indoor holding tank for my fish that i have in my outdoor pond. I would like to set somthing up in my shed that i have. Im thinking that it dont need to be overly big. and i can use the filtration system that i have outside now. I live in Canada, it gets cold! Lets see if we can come up with something.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

As long as you can keep enough circulation to prevent freezing solid, just about anything should work pretty well.

What kind/size/numbers of fish are we talking about here?

 

[RubixCube]

I only have 7 in it now. Goldfish. Size are Medium (not as big as koi) 4 to 6 inches i guess

 

[justDIY]

build a frame from 2x4s for a box as large as you can manage in your shed

next, panel the inside of the box with plywood

now, cover the plywood with some 20-40 mil. pond liner, trim it so it over hangs your box edges about 8"

using some scrap wood, wrap the edges of the liner around a few times, and screw them into the edges of the box

fill with water, connect your filters, and you're done

the question I've got however, you mention a *shed* ... is this shed heated?

it's very likely that it will get colder in your shed then it will in the ground that your pond is dug into.

how about covering your existing pond with a tarp (leave some air holes) and using a 100watt bulb a heater to keep it from icing over, along with a pump to keep the oxygen circulating.

water movement alone will not stop water from freezing, but it will make sure to circulate warmer water from the bottom of the pond with colder water from the top... unless you've got a very inefficient or massive pump, the heat it gives off will not protect the pump and the pond from freezing.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

7 x6" goldfish isn't too bad. Do you have room in your house for some large rubbermade containers?

 

[RubixCube]

the question I've got however, you mention a *shed* ... is this shed heated?

it's very likely that it will get colder in your shed then it will in the ground that your pond is dug into

No the shed is not heated. But my pond is only a preformed one. Here are the specs. HUDSON 192gal 90" x 58" x 18", its only 18" deep, thats not much. But i do have it "in ground"

 

[justDIY]

well, if you're going to store them outdoors, keep them in your pond... but I'd recommend finding room inside for them ...

you are located pretty far north to keep any amount of water outdoors from freezing, without massive amounts of energy (heaters)

 

[Dino]

The freeze line here is 18 inches.
So that pond would be a solid block of ice by winters end.
I do a lot of rubbermading here, mainly with the tropicals I keep outside in the summer. Once cooler weather kicks in, most of the tubs come inside.
I personally would go that route.

best,
dino

 

[jsoong]

I don't know where in NFld you are, but you prob cannot overwinter fish outside. You need to have at least a foot or 2 of water below frost line to do it. And inside a shed is colder than in ground, unless you can insulate & heat the shed.

Here in Edmonton the frost line is 4 feet!, so all my friends with ponds bring their fish inside.