Deep underground swimming pool with fish.

[Oxydash]

The idea is to build a swimming pool up to 10 m (32 ft) deep inside of a 5 m (16 ft) deep underground room, and have fish resistant to higher temperatures on it. The very bottom of the pool would be 15 m (49 ft) below the surface. The target geographical region has a tropical savanna climate. Temperatures above 40 °C (104 °F) are common during the summer, though rarely for long periods, while maximum temperatures above 27 °C (81 °F) can occur on a monthly basis. Average relative humidity is 80 year round. It would be ideal to not have any plant life, using biological filters instead. Questions:

A. Are these filters capable of handling fish excrements and fish food?
B. Can these filters handle a deep pool, with presumably a quite large water volume?
C. How would the size of the filtering equipment scale with the size and volume of the pool?
D. How is oxygenation handled, especially underground?
E. Would an underground environment necessitate additional cares with the fish, due to lack of sun light?

Final size can vary, but I am thinking of something in the range of 10 x 10 x 10 meters.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome!

I can’t even begin to answer your questions, but this certainly sounds interesting! It sounds like a large aquarium. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the idea of a room that deep, unless you are talking about a basement. Does this room already exist?

 

[Oxydash]

I guess you could call it a basement. It should be entirely covered by soil when finished. All only plans for now.

 

[mrsclem]

I would think the biggest issue- aside from construction would be lack of sunlight.

 

[Jhn]

Why are you going so deep? Going to be hard to circulate the water properly, in a pond that deep. Why not go like 8-10 ft deep, and keep the width the same. You would need artificial lighting for the fish. It can be done, and they make pumps and filters capable of circulating and filtering the water properly, think of public aquariums, they have immense filter systems and pumps. Oxygenation occurs where the water returns from the filters and spills into the pond, unless your basement is air tight there will be oxygen down there, can always add an air pump that draws from outside if you find that say there is co2 building up in the water and depressing the ph, which can occur in basement fish tanks.

 

[GBBUDD]

Hello and welcome, while many here enjoy a good challenge when you start talking those kinda numbers ill remind you the tittle of the site GARDEN POND Your talking numbers for an engineer from what i took from your post. To dig a hole that deep and width is A. Going to need to be done in some incredibly stable soils or you are looking at so engineering that the dollar signs ate going to astound
you.
Can a bog or wetland filter be built without plants sure is it as effective i will have to say no but will it filter the water absolutely. Willl it convert ammonia nitrates sure. But if the surface is so hot that fish will not do well then i would imagine bacteria may suffer as well.

 

[Oxydash]

I appreciate the responses. Just hit the first research result after having the idea yesterday and googling "natural swimming pool forum", without bothering go check the name, just blindly trusting Google. The point behind these dimensions is that this structure is primarily meant to be used as a diving pool, with scubas, oxygen tanks and everything. The fish come in as an additional attraction, so they are not strictly necessary. If it becomes too cumbersome or expensive, I might go for something like a 5 x 5 x 5 meters pool and traditional chlorinated water instead. But yes, I just came here to check the feasibility in principle, so thanks. I will be researching how aquariums work next, and later contact the professionals. I am likely going to be restricted to a $50k to $150k budget for this.

 

[Mmathis]

@Oxydash May I ask….WHY? Is there a particular reason for this underground pool/pond, and who is taking care of the construction for you? Hopefully this isn’t a DIY project.

 

[Stephen Noble]

Welcome Oxydash! Wow, what an interesting project. I would contact a public aquarium for assistance. Rio de Janeiro Marine Aquarium for example. Let me know if you get this project completed because it would be a blast to scuba dive in it!

 

[GBBUDD]

Your dreams far surpass your purse my friend a 10 foot deep pool easy to dig with standard equipment will run you 50 k .for every 10 feet you go down your price will at least double in cost per foot . Not sure why your thinking of this design but id look at alternatives like a swimming pool indoors with ac

 

[WaterGardener]

Why does this need to be indoors? I would think that a pond that deep outdoors would have cool water at those depths, even at your maximum temperatures.

I think that many people have outdoor ponds in those sorts of temperatures that are nowhere near that deep.

There are even coolers for ponds that will prevent the water from getting too hot. But if provided with some shade, any pond with a reasonable depth would never get as hot as the air temps. Mine certainly never has. The pond water is always cooler than the air.

Please keep us informed on what you find with your research. Sounds like a very interesting project.

 

[Lisak1]

Well. I don't know where you live, but I just watched a video last night of a proposed swim pond (outdoors) that was 6 feet deep with a bog and lots of bells and whistles. Price tag was just under 300K. So I think you'll find your idea is at least triple or quadruple that with all the additional construction costs.

 

[GBBUDD]

I believe the depth of 50 feet below grade to the bottom of the pool was to avoid the heat with a 10 foot below grade to the surface this i took as how to avoid the water from getting to hot but the costs to go that deep are ridiculous. To keep the costs bareable i suggested a standard 10 foot deep swimming pool inside an air-conditioned building and give up on a engineering money hog

 

[GBBUDD]

But even that will run you 200k

 

[brokensword]

I am likely going to be restricted to a $50k to $150k budget for this.

Hey @GBBUDD ; isn't this budget the same as what you had??