Habitat - Outdoor :: Pond liner vs. concrete?

[N4784N R4613]

If you if don't feel like reading about my (hopefully) summer project, then would you please just share your advise about weather to use a VERY big pond liner for a 2000+ gallon pond or pay for a pool company to come in and do it in concrete?

Thanks for the advise, here is what I hope to do over the next couple of summers...


I am slowly falling in love with the idea of a monster pond in my yard. I want to adopted a bunch of un-wanted turtles, and give them a nice new big home. The problem is, all the predators around my area. From raccoons, to the occasional eagle(I know what your thinking, and no they are not bald eagles ). So if I where to build this, it would have to be completely encased. Including a roof, walls, and something buried under the walls, so that things can't dig in, and turtles can't dig out. I think I will build this whole "structure" out of 4x4, and 1/2" to 3/4" hardware cloth. Ok, thats taking care of what next?

Oh yes, the filtration. I think I want the whole system hidden out of sight behind my house. Which means pumping a whole lot of water, about 30' to 50'. Then I will have a bunch of 55 gallon plastic barrels, with a whole lot of media. It will then pump back to the pond, and to the slate water fall.

Now onto my original question. This pound will be about 13' long. by 10' wide, by 4' deep, with one side gently sloping up to the land, so it is easy for the turtles to get in, and out. Should I try to do this with a VERY big pond liner, or should I just pay to have pool company come in, and do it in concrete?

Ok, recap time on my 2000+ gallon pond!

I want it to be fully enclosed in a 20' x20' x10' high box that has 4x4 supports, and 1/2" to 3/4" hardware cloth walls, and roof. I also would like something buried under the walls, so that things can't dig in, and turtles can't dig out.

About half of this enclosure will be the pound. About 13' long, by 10' wide, by 4' deep, with one side gently sloping up to the land, so it is easy for the turtles to get in, and out.

For filtration I want an intake a few inches form the surface, and one 2 1/2 feet to 3 feet down from the surface. Both of these intakes will combine into one large pipe, all underground. It will then be pumped into 3 to 4 55 gallon plastic barrels(that are hidden behind my house) filled with whatever kind of media I can find. After that the clean water heads to the 4 to 6 foot high flat slate water fall back into the pond.

And for an overflow, there will be a drain the goes acrossed the top of the ten foot wide gently sloping ramp side of the pond. I will have to pipe this drain out to the street, because my neighbor complains about any water that runs from our property to his. I shouldn't need any pumps for this, because the street is lower then the pond hight(I hope ).

Advise, and comments, are always welcomed(and in this case needed ).

Thanks for reading,

Nathan.

[TheComputerGremlin]

My husband is in love with the idea of putting Mikey into a greenhouse, because I want a greenhouse so bad (when I have an actual house, mind you) and to free up space in the house. I can't say I'm opposed to the idea. Maybe look into a greenhouse-type setup. I agree, you'll want to set a foundation, if you are getting a concrete company in already, they can set a whole foundation for you. I'm kinda opposed to the concrete pond, although I can see the benefits, but if I were to do a concrete pond, I would probably attach rocks to all of the surfaces so their little bellies don't get scratched up.

[N4784N R4613]

Yeah, I though about their shells getting scratched up, but if they can get it really smooth(like a pool) on the ramp side, do you think it would be ok? I also thought about a green house, but I need the UVB from the sun to be able to get though.

Thanks for the comments!

[Terryo]

http://www.aquascapesdesigns.com/recommendations.html

My sister got a pond built from aquascape, and it is really beautiful. If you want to do it yourself, maybe you can just get some idea's.

[N4784N R4613]

Oh wow, that site is VERY informative!! Thank you very much!!

[sneakyburrito]

man, this project of yours sounds totally awesome. definitely blows my indoor pond setup away. i cant wait to see the finished product!

[GunnerMan]

Ok you said your pond will be 13 x 10 x 4 feet with a slope on one side. If your pond was a perfect rectangle you would end up with a 3890 gallon pond. Since you say you are going to build a slop on one end you are probably looking at 2500 - 3000 gals. total. That is a decent sized pond and I have seen ponds twice that size done with a liner.

With that said I would use a liner for a few reasons. You will probably save a ton of money because you don't need to hire some guys to come out and do it for you. You have a lot more flexibility, once that concrete is poured it is pretty much a done deal, if you get the liner in the pond and after a few months decide somethings not working it is fixable. In the end a liner is just easyer to handle work with, you may end up having to put two sections of liner together but they make kits for that that makes it really easy.

Concrete is nice if you have a specific color you want the pond walls to be or your looking at making a very very large pond.

I have used concrete in one pond and liners in 5 others.

[Terryo]

Be careful using concrete. I had a concrete pond for three years, and I could never get rid of string algae. Finally, I chopped it up and put in one with a liner. I don't know if it was just mine, as I didn't know anyone who had one at the time to compare. Now my big pond with the liner is going on 22 years, and is always clear and no algae. Maybe I did something wrong...I don't know.

[steve]

If you use concrete, you can coat it with drylock. Perhaps that won't be as porous and can hold back some algae.

For some reason, I can never bear to house my turtles outside without my constant supervision.

[edit -- I meant Drylock]

[N4784N R4613]

Oh, sorry I have been busy trying to save up over the summer. It looks as though the whole project has come to a screeching halt, as I am realizing that, vehicles don't last forever. My only mode of transportation is the old family van. No, not a wimpy minivan, but a full size 8 passenger(it is a 12 passenger with the back seat removed for cargo room) Chevy van on a pickup truck chassis. It is a 1990 G20, with over 200,000 miles on it. It is still on the first engine, a big block 350 V8. It runs grate, but eats though gas like it's free or something!

Anyway, I just had it inspected, and the mechanic told me he could not push it though next time. It is just to far gone. The exhaust is basically gone, the frame and chassis are rusting striate though, I don't know how much longer the brakes will last, and the windows, and doors are falling off. (Not to mention the AC hasn't worked in the past 10 years.)

So yeah, whatever I make this summer has to be put into a vehicle that is a little more, how do I say this? new? I would still love to make my pond, but the funds just aren't there anymore.

Thanks for your nice comments,

Nate.

[mat012]

Thats too bad - but hey at least you will have a ride! We had to bite the bullet last fall. My 1992 Toyota with 230K miles lost its air conditioner. The cost of the air conditioner fix was more than blue book and a nice down payment for another car. That car could have run forever, but in TX no air conditioner is a deal breaker for me! Good luck on the car hunt! Fingers crossed for next summer.