Very basic indoor pond

[JamieB]

Lifted one side to deepen the water depth, to facilitate draining it. Definitely a leak, there’s water under the liner. My current mind set is “ forget it, let’s go get a new liner. “ cheapest option I can think of. But, I think I’ll do a nice thick coating of silicone along the bottom just in case there was a rough spot we didn’t sand smooth enough. I suspect the rust is what may have caused that leak, when I took the liner out. So inside of the frame will get a nice rust proof smooth coating, the outside may still get cat proof walls, and this will be much more manageable than figuring out how to do glass or acrylic turning it into a giant tank.

 

[JamieB]

Just priced a new liner in the size I need, $37 at Lowe’s. Smallest one they carry, and even that is a bit big. At 24” deep, 45” long, 24” wide, plus 2” to each side for mounting purposes, that’s 97” x 76” give or take a few inches. Their smallest is 84” x 120”

 

[JamieB]

So it’s ready for water. Sadly this is a pvc liner, so I suspect it will just stay inside and never go out. Much lighter duty than the previous liner, but for less than $40, I won’t complain ( much).
I was going to go to bed, I’m at 24 hrs awake now, but my brain keeps saying one more task, just finish the next step, and now the plywood is cut and in the frames, the inside was vacuumed of dust and splinters, then suddenly I was installing the liner and screwing it down, so I had to put the bog box on it, and NO I will not go get the hose and fill it, until I’ve had a shower and some sleep! So maybe next days off I can sort male from female guppies and put just the males in the pond.
Went to take pictures to post, Ziggy was innthe pond, Sky was in the window, hubby said fill the pond, so I used the last bit of plywood as a cover. Hmmm, it’ll make a nice cover it we trim it to fit right, and will be good for reducing cat access to the edge. In fact, my too tired brain is saying “ teach them to stay off it with sticky tape!” When I was thinking earlier they could use the bog as a water source when the dogs drink the water bowl dry.

 

[JamieB]

My sore self decided that instead of hauling busker after bucket of water, I’ll use the garden hose, and just let it come to temp on it’s own. Added one bucket of water and duckweed from outside, along with a large clump of hair algae, just in case. My well water is definitely on the cold side, but I’ll check the temps till it’s leveled out. Filled the bog with water just to see how it will flow, I see the near side will need a little work to allow water flow.
For anyone on city water, this is where you’d add dechlorinater, water treatment, but as I’m on well water, I got no issues. I will be adding water from the aquarium to start the nitrogen cycle, if I can get those piranha wanna-be’s out of my way long enough. I can’t put my hand near the tank with out them swarming like I’m going to feed them, even if they are already fed! And if I have to reach in, I have to watch out or I’ll have a handful of fish.
Pond is now mostly full, test ran the pump and bog, I’ll have to redo that as it has a small leak and apparently water flow isn’t good enough

 

[TheFishGuy]

My sore self decided that instead of hauling busker after bucket of water, I’ll use the garden hose, and just let it come to temp on it’s own. Added one bucket of water and duckweed from outside, along with a large clump of hair algae, just in case. My well water is definitely on the cold side, but I’ll check the temps till it’s leveled out. Filled the bog with water just to see how it will flow, I see the near side will need a little work to allow water flow.
For anyone on city water, this is where you’d add dechlorinater, water treatment, but as I’m on well water, I got no issues. I will be adding water from the aquarium to start the nitrogen cycle, if I can get those piranha wanna-be’s out of my way long enough. I can’t put my hand near the tank with out them swarming like I’m going to feed them, even if they are already fed! And if I have to reach in, I have to watch out or I’ll have a handful of fish.
Pond is now mostly full, test ran the pump and bog, I’ll have to redo that as it has a small leak and apparently water flow isn’t good enough

wonderful! cant wait to see how this turns out!

 

[JamieB]

Waiting on silicone to cure now. That should stop the water getting under the liner, to leak out. Then I can fine tune the hose, enlarging the slits I cut for water flow. Then it’ll be add plants and rock. Debating on adding mint, the pothos has quite a few plants in the pot, I’ve also got peace lillies and a maidenhair fern, debate on adding my spider plant, and setting up a spot for the DIL’s plant we have for her here. Baby elephant ear and spider plant, and some kind of tree thing. Her neighbors gave them to her before they left. Since their original plan was to move here after they got stuff settled in Missouri with her mom and his army out processing, disability stuff, I’ve got the plants, but they are looking a little lack luster.

 

[JamieB]

Bog now has water flow, but also apparently still has a small leak. Still need to add more water from the aquarium and warm water, and due to sound of the water fall, I might need to rig a way to reduce the noise! Cats are very interested, I’ll be keeping the plank up for them.

 

[JamieB]

Noise is reduced. Heavy duty thread, almost a fine rope, cut in lengths, thumbtacks to the waterfall ledge, string gives the water something to cling to as it falls, reduces noise greatly

 

[JamieB]

Plants in the bog. Knowing myself, I’ll add sprigs of mint, green onions, I think I’ll just bring in the rosemary and leave it in it’s pot but near enough to catch light from the grow light.

 

[JamieB]

Just checked it thinking to add a few males, but no. Most of the water is gone. No leaks other than the one in the bog, and that I was catching in a bucket, so a gallon or just under, plus what ever evaporated off that. I’m guessing my cats drank maybe 5 gallons, max, based on how often we fill water bowls here, the rest would be largely evaporated. The plants aren’t big enough to account for maybe 70 gallons of water, and temps have been in the 70s in that room.

 

[mrsclem]

Watch what plants you put in there with your cats! Onion, garlic are toxic to animals as are a lot of houseplants.

 

[JamieB]

Maiden hair fern, pothos, and spider plant. Only thing new never had around cats before is the maiden hair fern. DILs elephant ear is still in its container sitting in the bog, it’s looking weak

 

[JamieB]

Final pictures. Guppies are now all in it aside from a small batch that a female just had in one of the betta tanks... if they survive I’ll move them. I may do some decorative painting on the outside of it, if I get too board this winter. And I still need to trim the board the cats use to access the water as it is as I expected, their new favorite water dish. The maiden hair fern isn’t doing too well, it may come out of the bog, and I’m expecting a delivery of plants to go in the tanks soon. Trying Dustin’s fishtanks, a supplier of aquarium plants. I put in an order for plants that he will pick out for me based on basic info, low light, beginner type plants, so no clue what I’ll be getting.

 

[JamieB]

Fish swimming around.

 

[TheFishGuy]

Fish swimming around.View attachment 134630View attachment 134631

Nice job! sure is a lot of guppies!