Very basic indoor pond

[JamieB]

So my summer tubbing was boom for the guppy population. The tank is now overstocked, even with a few in with the bettas, so I’m going to set up the qt pond inside. Sunroom has concrete floor, someone who has the house previously enclosed a concrete porch. Frame is metal, steel or such, repurposed from oilfield supplies ( they use them to ship stuff that’s small and can get ruined if banged up, I got it free, along with a few others. ) I have a small pond liner, which we screwed into it along the top.
The plan I have is to clean up and paint the frame, reattach the liner, set up the very small pond pump I have after making a diy filter to avoid turning guppies into chum, then setting up a mini bog with a few plants, and a grow light for the plants. If I had a sheet of clear plexiglass, I’d have a partial top so cats can just drink from the bog, as I expect they will do once they figure it out.
Note; for anyone thinking of doing something similar, keep in mind the floor is very solid, and we will be redoing the insulation in that room soon, so humidity isn’t much of an issue. In the winter when this will be inside, we tend to have dry air due to the fireplace anyway. I’d still like to suggest you find some form of lid to reduce humidity from evaporation and avoid risk of mold and fish jumping out. You still need airflow for gas exchange.
I’ll be posting pictures as I work on this.

 

[Jhn]

So my summer tubbing was boom for the guppy population. The tank is now overstocked, even with a few in with the bettas, so I’m going to set up the qt pond inside. Sunroom has concrete floor, someone who has the house previously enclosed a concrete porch. Frame is metal, steel or such, repurposed from oilfield supplies ( they use them to ship stuff that’s small and can get ruined if banged up, I got it free, along with a few others. ) I have a small pond liner, which we screwed into it along the top.
The plan I have is to clean up and paint the frame, reattach the liner, set up the very small pond pump I have after making a diy filter to avoid turning guppies into chum, then setting up a mini bog with a few plants, and a grow light for the plants. If I had a sheet of clear plexiglass, I’d have a partial top so cats can just drink from the bog, as I expect they will do once they figure it out.
Note; for anyone thinking of doing something similar, keep in mind the floor is very solid, and we will be redoing the insulation in that room soon, so humidity isn’t much of an issue. In the winter when this will be inside, we tend to have dry air due to the fireplace anyway. I’d still like to suggest you find some form of lid to reduce humidity from evaporation and avoid risk of mold and fish jumping out. You still need airflow for gas exchange.
I’ll be posting pictures as I work on this.

Sounds like a good spot for an indoor pond.

One way to reduce humidity is install a ventilation fan and vent it to the outside. I have one in my fish room in the basement, which has a in wall 300 gal. reef tank set up in it. I Pretty much leave it run non stop does a great job of keeping the humidity down in that room.

Also you can diy a screen lid for the pond/tank out of egg crate ( light diffuser) or you can get clear screen and get the window screen kits from HD or Lowes. I use the clear screen over my reef tank to prevent the fish that are jumpers from getting out.

 

[JamieB]

Broke the qt pond down. Next step is clean up and prep and pretty it up. Measured so I know actual volume, max volume will be 112 gallons, so I’ll be operating around 100 gallons.

my Ziggy making sure I have the planter for the bog in the tub for a good cleaning. This will be lined and sealed and an outflow will be cut.

The frame before we scrub and then paint. It’s currently a bit rusty and a lot dirty.

The location. It will receive national light as well as the grow light for fish and plants. I still need to devise a way to suspend the light how I want it.

The two plants I bought, I know the pothos will thrive, but I’m just giving the maidenhair fern a trial run. If it starts to die, I’ll repot it and try something else.

 

[JamieB]

Sounds like a good spot for an indoor pond.

One way to reduce humidity is install a ventilation fan and vent it to the outside. I have one in my fish room in the basement, which has a in wall 300 gal. reef tank set up in it. I Pretty much leave it run non stop does a great job of keeping the humidity down in that room.

Also you can diy a screen lid for the pond/tank out of egg crate ( light diffuser) or you can get clear screen and get the window screen kits from HD or Lowes. I use the clear screen over my reef tank to prevent the fish that are jumpers from getting out.

Good info. We have plenty of ventilation ( too much, which is why we will be re insulating that exterior wall). I’m thinking I’ll get a length of plexiglass that covers most of the pond just so cats can sit up there and watch fish and drink fresh water, I fully expect one to fall in at some point! These fish aren’t jumpers, but other types that others may want might be. Or who knows, I might get some that might be later on!

 

[j.w]

Sounds like a good plan you have going there! Will be fun to watch you as you get it all ready.

 

[JamieB]

Bog box is cleaned, waiting for it to dry. Dad says he needs a wire wheel to de rust the frame. Meh, that will be quicker, once he gets it. And if he doesn’t go to town soon, I won’t be making chili for dinner tonight. His loss! But I’ll be scrubbing and painting the frame tomorrow if they don’t get it done before then, with or with out the wire wheel. ( I will use a metal scrubbie and just ache in my back and legs, which I’ll probably ache anyway) I was hoping to have it done and inside and a liner in it so I could be filling it by now, but no. The weather hasn’t cooperated, and hubbies sleep schedule is jacked, and without me up to push for “ let’s do it now” things like this don’t get done. Argggg!
Anyway, I’m going for a hammered copper paint for the frame. After work tomorrow morning, I’ll break out the dremel, cut the overflow in the bog box, get it lined, rinse the gravel, and work on the frame if it’s not done. If weather cooperates, I might get to paint it. Spray paint! Then Monday I hope to install liner, get it filled and put together, start the pump and mini bog, and then I have to wait for water to get to temp. Sigh, I’m terribly impatient. If only I was rich enough to not work for a living!

 

[JamieB]

Tomorrow I paint! Dad says he got the worst of the rust off. I’ll be able to paint it after work. With two cans of paint, I’ll be starting on the parts we will see and hopefully have enough to paint even the parts we won’t see for a layer of protection there. Then I give it a few hours to dry fully, and move it inside and put the liner back in! So I hope to be done on that part tomorrow

 

[JamieB]

My weekend! Dad didn’t finish knocking the rust off, so I’ll spend my morning on that, then paint it or sleep then paint.

 

[JamieB]

The frame may take a bit more work than I thought. But, I found an old bent flat tip screwdriver to knock off the big stuff, so less grinding. I’m not expecting to get this perfect, don’t really want to, but dad wants to get down to good metal ... I don’t know that just good metal is left in enough strength for the job in some places. Paint will do the job to reduce the rust and hide imperfections.

 

[JamieB]

My supervisors, to ensure the job is done correctly.

 

[JamieB]

Surface rust removed. I’m getting familiar with how to do this wire wheel thing...

 

[JamieB]

Rust removed, frame is rinsed, so am I. Now it gets to dry and I get a nap. The pea gravel is semi rinsed, but I’m out of energy. I have a blister trying to form on the inside edge of my pinky... no clue how or why. I was a bit rust colored, despite face mask I obviously breathed in rust dust. Liner is rinsed off well as well, it had a few too many spider homes and snails.

 

[j.w]

Whew you wore me out just talking about all that grinding and scraping stuff! Enjoy your nap, you deserve it!

 

[JamieB]

My arms are dead! Started to put first layer of paint on, my arms don’t want to work. This will require more than two cans... I already used most of the first one

 

[j.w]

Not a very long nap there!