Huge Liner

[Jenny]

I need to build a new pond for my fish, but my parents don't want it interfering with the landscape of our house, so it has to be an above ground pond. That way it can be removed. So I'm looking for a pond liner that holds 2000+ gallons. Thanks in advance!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Does this pond need to be easily taken down?

 

[CountryEscape]

Use EPDM rubber roofing that can be found at your local lumber yard. Build the frame for your above ground poor, and put the liner inside it. Be sure your frame will hold the weight and pressure of the water you will place inside it.
Also, if you put the pond in the ground, you can always buy dirt to replace the hole if/when you move. Just another thought ... cheaper to fill the hole in later, than the build the frame now ... maybe?

 

[Jenny]

Does this pond need to be easily taken down?

No, definitely not. It's not like I'll be putting it up and taking it down every other week. But if, in the future, my parents want to sell our house, they don't want the pond to bring down the value.

 

[Jenny]

Use EPDM rubber roofing that can be found at your local lumber yard. Build the frame for your above ground poor, and put the liner inside it. Be sure your frame will hold the weight and pressure of the water you will place inside it.
Also, if you put the pond in the ground, you can always buy dirt to replace the hole if/when you move. Just another thought ... cheaper to fill the hole in later, than the build the frame now ... maybe?

So I'd have a layer of roofing followed by a layer of liner...or just a frame made of roofing? I don't know if that'd support 2000 gallons of water.

And I think in addition to not wanting a pond to interfere with the look of our house, I think my dad also doesn't want to commit to the labor of digging and designing the pond.

 

[CountryEscape]

The rubber roofing IS the pond liner. That's what I and most others used for our in-ground ponds as the liner. It's cheaper if you buy it local, or at least it was at my local lumber yard, and they delivered it for free. The frame will need to be made out of wood or something sturdy. You would use something like plywood (whatever would be strongest) on the inside that the rubber roofing liner will go up against. Picture a box, with the liner put in to hold the water.

 

[Jenny]

The rubber roofing IS the pond liner. That's what I and most others used for our in-ground ponds as the liner. It's cheaper if you buy it local, or at least it was at my local lumber yard, and they delivered it for free. The frame will need to be made out of wood or something sturdy. You would use something like plywood (whatever would be strongest) on the inside that the rubber roofing liner will go up against. Picture a box, with the liner put in to hold the water.

Ohhhh. I get it. Sorry! Yeah that sounds like an idea.

 

[Lisak1]

Ohhhh. I get it. Sorry! Yeah that sounds like an idea.

That's the basic idea anyway, however there are engineering considerations to make sure you build a box that can support the weight and pressure of all that water. You don't want to end up with pond walls that are bowing outward or worse yet, collapse completely. There are calculations you can do (you, not me, because - MATH!) to figure all that stuff out.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

The rubber roofing IS the pond liner. That's what I and most others used for our in-ground ponds as the liner. It's cheaper if you buy it local, or at least it was at my local lumber yard, and they delivered it for free. The frame will need to be made out of wood or something sturdy. You would use something like plywood (whatever would be strongest) on the inside that the rubber roofing liner will go up against. Picture a box, with the liner put in to hold the water.

"Most others" do not use roofing EPDM. It may be safe and it may not be. It depends on the formulation used for manufacture at any given time. Use only fish-safe 45 mil.EPDM liner whose manufacture is more strictly controlled. Also, depending on the size of the pond, a wood frame may not be sturdy enough. If building above ground use reinforced concrete block.

 

[Andy41]

But if, in the future, my parents want to sell our house, they don't want the pond to bring down the value.

It's your decision to build whatever takes your fancy, obviously, but i'm curious why they think a Pond would bring down the value of the house? A pond is normally a feature that increase the value, especially if it's landscaped nicely.... ?

 

[Jenny]

@Andy41 We already have one pond and a lake, so another pond may seem excessive to future buyers.

And for everyone else: I found a great galvanized steel pond...wait, keep reading, don't criticize yet. It's round, 15' in diameter, almost 4' in height. Obviously, to avoid water quality dilemmas, I need a liner. My question is: do I need to fit a preformed in there or can I use the customizing liners that I can shape?

 

[sissy]

There are lots of video's on you tube of above ground ponds .To start with where do you live and what are you going to do in the winter .How deep do you want the pond also .Mine is above and below ground .If you are going to use the galvanized then you need to really think about cold weather and you can buy a spray on liner .Sitting out with no insulation around it it will freeze more

 

[Jenny]

There are lots of video's on you tube of above ground ponds .To start with where do you live and what are you going to do in the winter .How deep do you want the pond also .Mine is above and below ground .If you are going to use the galvanized then you need to really think about cold weather and you can buy a spray on liner .Sitting out with no insulation around it it will freeze more

I live in NJ. I will have a heater and an aerator to prevent ice. The pond is 4 feet deep and about 4100 gallons. What do you recommend? The preformed is $700 more than the rubber. What are the pros of the preformed?

 

[RobAmy]

Your heater will not do much in that metal container above ground in NJ during the cold winter. You will need to do some sort of insulation. It does not matter that it is 4ft because your still above ground and it will freeze quicker with out the ground keeping it warmer. The preformed will be easier, it will be tough to attach the rubber liner to the top of the metal tub and have it look good.

 

[Jenny]

I don't care if it looks good. Won't the rubber liner provide the same insulation as the preformed?