Very basic indoor pond

[JamieB]

First bit of paint on it.

this is the hammered look it should have, despite various flaws in the metal. A heavier coat of paint makes it stand out more.

 

[JamieB]

I’m thinking I’ll use this on the outside, and go for a basic spray on rust prohibitive paint on the inside, Possibly in a turquoise color so any overspray looks likes the patina copper develops. Might hit a few areas with a lighter shade of copper I have on hand I used for some small hanging planters. I like the look of copper, it will go so well with the paint in the kitchen and sun room.

 

[JamieB]

First layer of paint in it! I’m giving it a bit of time to dry, then go do the next layer. Thinking of spray painting the outside of the liner, just where it will be visible, the black is not visually attractive. This aqua is a very cheerful color, and really pops next to the copper.
For anyone wondering why I painted the inside when it’s not visible, it’s for rust prevention. And I picked this color cause I may choose to repurpose the frame for something else later. Might as well go for a nice color.

 

[JamieB]

Latest layer is drying, working on the bog box. Cut out a rough low area for water to escape, siliconed the inside, using silicone to apply three layers of plastic sheeting, need to use some kind of plastic as a ledge to keep the water from being in contact with the wood. Might need to screw that bit in, under the plastic sheeting. Then I get to set up the plumbing, and fill with pea gravel. I think I might get this finished before I have to go to work tomorrow!

 

[j.w]

Nice job @JamieB

 

[JamieB]

Frame is inside, just need to add the liner. Bog box just fits, I cut the fall part out a smidge wide, so used silicone to add a small edge to the lip along the sides. That’ll take maybe three days to cure, I’ll have to look.

 

[JamieB]

I had just enough paint to give a good hint of mixed colors to the outside of the liner. Mostly on the areas which will show through the frame, and just on the outside. I’ll have to fold the liner in the corners so as to not have a black section over the painted areas, just hope it works well.

 

[JamieB]

Liner is in and screwed down. Adding just enough water to hopefully level the bottom of the liner, tomorrow I add gravel, rocks, and more water. The bog box won’t sit right, it’s got to legs on it I need to remove, they sit just wrong, and I found another area I need to silicone just to be safe. Then I can set up the plumbing devise a guppy fry proof filter for the pump, and start filling it up. I’ll let it sit full with a mix of tap and aquarium and pond water, at least a few days, then start moving over fish. Probably won’t get them moved till next week on my days off. So if I can get it filled, or mostly filled, it will have a week for bacteria to multiply, especially if I add over tank water each day to feed it. And I was right, I didn’t get the paint just right on the outside of the liner, part is very dark but I’m out of paint so it will have to do for now.

 

[JamieB]

Things still to do; bog box, remove legs, set up plumbing, gravel, add plants after washing their roots. Need more plants! I have the large pothos, the fern, two or three peace lilies, some iris, and a spider plant I can put in there. Only one I’m not sure will last is the fern.
Gravel the bottom, set up water lillies, add decorations, finish filling, devise guppy fry proof filter I can easily clean. I need to run a test run on the bog box once that’s done, before adding fish, so I can fine tune the current and flow rates. I need to get a small extension cord for the pump and the light. After that, it’s fish moving time.
Plan for tomorrow is remove bog box legs, do plumbing, gravel, and repot the water lillies. I might set up some of the larger rocks and decorations. I also need to do a test run on the bog box once I have the plumbing done. And I’ll keep adding to the water level each day, till I have it right. If I can find what I need, I’ll set up the fry proof filter cover if I can figure out how to do so without strangling the pump and causing it to burn out. I think strong current there may be my friend if I put it in a corner with the current part of the pump pushing water against the wall so it blasts back to the pump. And if I blocked the intake with a loose assembly of plastic scrubbies in a loose netting, that should provide a bit of a barrier against fry getting sucked up, with out reducing flow.
I’m also going to get a good count of what guppies I have, by removing all the males first, letting the females have what babies they will before I move them, then moving the fry. I wanted to ship some fry to my uncle for his aquarium, but have to figure out all the rules on what to ship them in, and weather patterns when I can do so.

 

[addy1]

Great job!

 

[j.w]

Almost done, will be neat to see the fish in there after all your hard work!

 

[BarbO]

Good project Jamie! Lots of hard work but will be nice when you finish it all. Good repurposing work there. Amazing what some rust removal and paint can do.

 

[JamieB]

After a Loooonngggg week at work, ( lots of crazies, an inspection, and playing catch up on things not done) I am finally getting back to working on this. Just got the legs off the bog box, decided to coat the bottom with silicone, to prevent water warping the wood, got a length of hose, that’s set up on the pump now, and secured. This is a very improvised project! Next I get to insert the hose, set the hose up, cut the slits, etc, and work on filling the liner.

 

[JamieB]

Bog is set and filled, I won’t run it until the coating of silicone has had about an hour to dry. Not enough rock for the bottom, sadly the one bag mostly just filled the bog. I’m hauling 5 gallon buckets of water to fill the majority of the pond now. I’ve got my remaining lilly roots planted, sadly the rest had begun to turn to mush. I think that cold snap we had was too cold, it got two of the peace lillies too.

 

[JamieB]

Ziggy just knocked dads radio in the mini pond, I found a possible leak, draining to to take outside to do a test fill, Dad’s already planning ways to change my design that I don’t want to spend money on unless I find that the water is from a leak and not just a splash. Argggg. So much for my peaceful days off!
But this is life, and ponding, find a leak and fix it!