Above ground pond ideas

[pondering_life]

Hope this is in the right section

Apologies if some of the questions have been answered before, looking at alot of the related threads they seem to cover mainly partially dug above ground ponds which I do not have the luxury of doing as my yard is all one flat concrete surface

That said it is nice and level and I have a large amount of space to play with, and after looking online at my options I'm sure I can set something up which will look good.

A lot of the purpose made above ground ponds that are on the market don,t look like they will utilise the space well. I'm not wanting to skimp on costs to detriment of fish welfare but have come across the below options that may work a bit better if executed properly.

Intex rigid framed pool - I have seen videos and read articles of people using these as ponds - however in an located in the UK so would this be a sustainable option considering our weather? That said the area I am looking to situate the pond is close to my house and pretty sheltered from the elements - I also had the idea of lining the pool with proper liner and constructing a wooden surround for the outside that I could add insulation to

Pre fabricated plastic mortar trough- again with insulation and a wooden surround

Constructing the outer using free standing blocks of either brick or wood to ensure a supporting structure that would take the weight of the water

Any advice or experience of the above would be greatly appreciated

Like I said It's not an attempt to skimp on cost as I don't want to put fish welfare at stake I'm just assessing my options to utilise the space to the maximum

 

[EricV]

What size pond are you looking to build? Photos of the area?

 

[pondering_life]

The area where I'm looking to put the pond is around 8x15 feet
I will try and get some pictures when in get home from work it's been slightly too dark when I get back up until now

 

[EricV]

This was just posted and looks fantastic: https://www.gardenpondforum.com/showcase/1000-gallon-fish-box.108/

A stock tank could be a nice option too if you can get one big enough to suit you.

 

[pondering_life]

This was just posted and looks fantastic: https://www.gardenpondforum.com/showcase/1000-gallon-fish-box.108/

A stock tank could be a nice option too if you can get one big enough to suit you.

Wow that's a really impressive build looks great

Is a stock tank like a solid plastic structure? Think I have been looking at something similar online but it's difficult finding one large enough

 

[EricV]

Yeah, here are the ones in the US: https://www.rubbermaidcommercial.com/material-handling/farm-garden/stock-tanks/?sku=FG424700BLA

But they are not as big as you likely want.

 

[DCPlumber]

On the money end of things if you did something like the Fish Box I have about $2500 in material for the pond. Including everything except the stone and blue tread stone on top. The stone and tread was another $2500. To keep cost down you could easily skim coat the block and paint it like a house foundation. All labor was done by myself.

 

[GBBUDD]

If i was building a raised pond in a cold climate i would incorporate ridged insulation like a 2" tuffR that has a r 13 insulation value and if that was sandwiched between plywood and line with water it would be very tough.

 

[pondering_life]

If i was building a raised pond in a cold climate i would incorporate ridged insulation like a 2" tuffR that has a r 13 insulation value and if that was sandwiched between plywood and line with water it would be very tough.

Are they the thick sheets that come with a foil lining?
I have been saving pallets and wood cut offs from work so I should be able to construct something that suits whatever shape pond I go with

 

[GBBUDD]

TuffR is a light blue on one side and silver on the other. the higher the R number the better the insulator But i have not seen many who build those raised ponds use it but most that i have seen have them dug into the ground.

 

[pondering_life]

I have made some more measurements and been keeping an eye on temperatures in the spot close to the house where I was looking at situating the pond
For this summer's set up I am going to opt for a smaller build and have ordered a 100 gallon pre-formed liner of which I plan to insulate and build a raised planted bed around. I thought this would be an easy enough project to give me my partner and my daughter time through the summer to enjoy the pond and ensure it will be ready for winter.
If this project is a success then I have plans for the other end of the yard for a more substantial free standing pond with viewing window.