DIY barrel ponds.

[muppetdad]

I then taped up all the sides before drilling holes through the insulation and filling the void with expanding foam.

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[muppetdad]

I then excavated a small footing around the barrels then wrapped the bases of the barrels with a breathable roofing felt then 10mm under flooring insulation.

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[Tula]

Wow, this is a beautiful and unique project.....you obviously have skills

 

[muppetdad]

Thanks Tula, would be cool if it is unique
the original idea I think would have been totally unique.. the filter system is going to be built inside a heavily insulated shed that I haven't even built yet, along the filter I was going to have a large plastic tank which was also connected to the 2 main barrels. This 3rd tub would have a shut off valve so the fish could have a tank to over-winter in.
The result would be I could keep tropical fish outdoors and only release them once the whiskey barrels were above a certain temperature.
but obviously British weather puts a stop to that idea as there's no way I can even achieve 25 degrees in the middle of summer let alone in the depths of winter!

Reality check!

 

[addy1]

thanks addy, when I cut the tops off I let the barrels dry out in the sun for about a week just to see how much they would shrink by.. the results were not alot! I know the barrels wouldn't be totally dried out but there were no gaps between the struts and the bands wouldn't move at all.

But I hear what you're saying, through the summer months I will give the barrels a good soaking every time I water the garden.

thanks again for your reply.

I lived in phoenix, dry hot, humidity usually around 9 or so.................so mine really dried out fast. Your area is wetter, a lot wetter, so just keep an eye drying out

 

[ZmanArt007]

This is awesome. I love container water gardens. My mother won't let me put on in though

 

[muppetdad]

I lived in phoenix, dry hot, humidity usually around 9 or so.................so mine really dried out fast. Your area is wetter, a lot wetter, so just keep an eye drying out

After reading your post the other day I have been keeping a closer eye on them and the wood is definitely shrinking, this is the longest they have been dry for so the plan may be to fill them up until everything else is ready then empty them for the liner.
Thanks again.

 

[muppetdad]

This is awesome. I love container water gardens. My mother won't let me put on in though

Cheers zman.. take your mum round your nearest water garden, she'll soon come round

 

[addy1]

After reading your post the other day I have been keeping a closer eye on them and the wood is definitely shrinking, this is the longest they have been dry for so the plan may be to fill them up until everything else is ready then empty them for the liner.
Thanks again.

With liner in your barrels even spraying them it will be hard to keep the wood from shrinking. I, personalty would not line them, the old whiskey smell, debris, etc did not bother my fish. Once the wood shrinks the bands get loose then the barrels fall apart. If you do need to do liner, then add water behind the liner between the liner and wood that would keep them wet. IMHO lol

 

[muppetdad]

With liner in your barrels even spraying them it will be hard to keep the wood from shrinking. I, personalty would not line them, the old whiskey smell, debris, etc did not bother my fish. Once the wood shrinks the bands get loose then the barrels fall apart. If you do need to do liner, then add water behind the liner between the liner and wood that would keep them wet. IMHO lol

cheers addy, I have drilled and screwed the bands to the staves around the back of the barrels, just need to do the front.. I'm confident the staves won't shrink that much, obviously as you said my weather is alot wetter than yours.

But really no liner? what about for a barrel that has been fired? I would love to have them with no liners but I would be seriously gutted if there were any contamination.. would need some more convincing

 

[addy1]

Well ...............all I can say is I used them without liners as filters for my very small ponds without an issue. The pond water went through them 24/7.

 

[muppetdad]

Well ...............all I can say is I used them without liners as filters for my very small ponds without an issue. The pond water went through them 24/7.

Thanks addy. I'm sure after running for a few months and several water changes I could get the water pretty good without using a liner. But the plan all along was to insulate the inside of the barrel before using a liner. Without the insulation the top 2 thirds of the barrel will be totally exposed leaving the rest of the insulation pretty much useless... thanks for the advice but I need to stick with using a liner.

 

[muppetdad]

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have managed to fill the barrels this afternoon and other than some slight leakage from around the plug hole everything seems pretty sound... water looks like poo though!
The water level is pretty equal between the 2 barrels.. which makes me a happy chappy so far.

 

[herzausstahl]

Awesome project, did you have any trouble finding epdm liner or is butyl liner more common across the pond? I always like seeing new and unique projects, good luck! My only question being that it's a barrel, how did you plan on waterproofing the holes you will have to cut in the liner to allow access to the 6" pipe? Cheers!

 

[muppetdad]

Awesome project, did you have any trouble finding epdm liner or is butyl liner more common across the pond? I always like seeing new and unique projects, good luck! My only question being that it's a barrel, how did you plan on waterproofing the holes you will have to cut in the liner to allow access to the 6" pipe? Cheers!

thanks herz.
your question is 1 of the reasons I joined this forum! From the information I have gathered so far I think the best method would be to cut a 8" circle from a spare piece of liner with a 3" diameter hole cut in the middle, this is then stretched over the pipe using a little lube (no pun intended ) then adhered to the oak staves the process is then repeated with the liner.
I have seen a few posts on other forums where they have used clamps around the pipe and over the liner, but I'm really not sure about those as I think water pressure alone would seal the liner.

Of course I could be totally wrong and hopefully some of the more experienced pond enthusiast will put me right.

Thanks again herz