A very strange thought...

[KeddyPie]

I was thinking about irridecent sharks, how so many people get them when they're tiny not knowing they get so big... And a random silly thought came in to my head... Is it POSSIBLE to have an outdoor TROPICAL fish pond? I was thinking about it, and could only think of 2 big problems, though I'm sure there are more than that I just missed...

1) Temperature and
2) Exposure to bugs/amphibians they would not encounter otherwise

So I was thinking... Maybe if it were an unnatural looking pond (such as a large raised cement pool like the koi pong at my zoo), maybe 700 or 800 gallons... A few thousand even... If in theory a lid could be designed to keep insects and unnatural things out, and a very good heating system for winter and filtration system were developed... Wouldn't it be possible to have a tropical pond in your back yard? Has anyone even DREAMED of attempting this?

Creative thinking is my one great skill, so I'm dishing out the pencil and paper and sketching on a way to make a covoring that still allows complete viewing and maintinence, but is actually possible ^^ Maybe instead of a covor, a greenhouse or glass house built over it... Wow... It would cost thousands upon thousands, but it would be SO awesome!

Any ideas or thoughts on this project I'll never have the money for? I'd be interested to know!

Katy

 

[Ben]

loads of people have done this,
infact, in singapore they have a high temp all the time so they have cichlid ponds everywhere (outdoors)
but i wouldnt attempt this if the temp goes below 70degF in your place and constantly changes. it would serious screw up the fish.

I reckon an indoor pond would be much better, and easier to mantain.
A few members on here have indoor ponds for pacus and such

DD

 

[vantgE]

This is more common then you think definately in warmer areas, the thing is you should stick to fish that can stay healthy and enjoy eating the insects and growths in the pond that's why it is most commonly a NWorld cichlid, system. Your biggest challenge is wintering the fish most if not all maintain a tank for the colder months. Smaller fish small enough to be eaten by frogs probally aren't tough enough for pond life anyways. Cranes are the predator problem in most areas.

 

[KeddyPie]

Hmm... An indoor pond would be pretty cool, but the way I picture an indoor pond, I'd better hope I'm never moving, because it would take a LOT of effort to set up, and even more effort to deconstruct!

 

[Opcn]

not as much as you would think, Personally I think a solar green house, like one attached to the building would be the best place to do it.

 

[andywg]

I myself will be constructing a tropical pond in the region of 6,000 gallons when I move to enable me to keep a school RTCs and other large cats.

OPCN has the best idea. Or else use a central heating boiler to with the pipees running undewr and around the pond to heat it.

My plan is to dig down around 3 feet and then have the pond raise 4 feet above the ground so I can install viewing windows of acrylic/glass in the side.

Don't forget you will need some fair size filtration on a tank that size (and probably UV to prevent algae).

 

[bully]

I know a few people who have done this before, and both had problems keeping the temperature up during the winter in the pond.

 

[quintessential]

bully Posted on Jul 13 2005, 11:16 AM

I know a few people who have done this before, and both had problems keeping the temperature up during the winter in the pond.

The best way to do this would be a plate heat exchanger this works on every swimming pool in the UK so must be the most cost effective. Also it is easier to control the temp.

Quint

 

[quintessential]

My plan is to dig down around 3 feet and then have the pond raise 4 feet above the ground so I can install viewing windows of acrylic/glass in the side.

I have the same plan for the future and was going to use 9 inch concrete block, rendered with smooth concrete and then sealed. I had thought of putting the viewing window in as two double glazed patio door units back to back on their side. The theory being four skins of glass for 1) strength 2) heat loss, and 3) security of four skins incase the outer one gets knocked or cracked.

Could be a good thing to do.

Quint

 

[Isis_Nebthet]

Or you could just leave them out in summer which is what I'm doing with my "orphans" (two clown knives 12" and an 8" dempsey) right now.

I'd agree with opcn a greenhouse is probably the best bet. I know it would work here where there's never any clouds.

 

[Tcian]

Since you live in Ohio your best bet would be two cold water ponds. One outside for the summer where you can put your fish in along with tropical water lillies and such, then move them into the inside pond for the winter. I live in Michigan and am giving serious thought to a tropical pond for the inside of my family room (house is on cement slab) and an outside pond just for the tropical plants in summer.

Good luck,

Todd

 

[Teelie]

I'm thinking in the future when I have my own place of doing an indoor pond for RTC's myself. The other problem I think no one has mentioned here are animals eating your fish. Racoons, possums, cats, dogs, even bears or alligators if they're in your area can and will go after your fish if you don't have a properly secured and protected pond.

Of course depending on the size of your fish, they might actually eat the animals that would prey on them. I can't see a common housecat being able to eat a Arowana or IR Shark for instance.

 

[Opcn]

Maybe you could use a product like triple wall to ensure that some of the light doesn't reach the pond and in the winter you have even more thermal protectin, also in winter many people put large bubble wrap up against the greenhouse walls.

Edit: be sure that you insulate your pond from the ground, perhaos som XPF (Expanded Polystyrene Foam) would do the trick, its that rigid foam that comes in blue panals, just make the bottom of the pond level and lay it down, then make the sidesflat enought that you can put in a layer or two of the rigid foam without cutting it into tiny pieces.

 

[crazyelece]

This has been done numerous times. I know a bunch of koi keeprs who have added heat so that the koi can continue eating and thus growing through the winter. Basically you need at least a 5ft depth (for predator protection) and whatever size you're willing to go. You basically build the pond the exact same as a cold water pond and then you add a heater in the plumbing. The only considerations are cost and maintanence. It costs about 3000-5000 dollars for a simple cold water pond setup and you will probably add about another 1000 to add heat. The big cost though is to actually run the heat all the time through the winter. It is possible but the utilities will kill you.

Then you have the maintanence. You have to do water changes and feeding in the dead of winter. Many people have their outside water turned off in the winter so that could pose a problem. It also might not be fun to walk through the snow just to feed the fish.

An indoor pond is a much better choice. And one that has its own building is better. If it is in a basement (and I have plans for doing this at my house) you will still need to heat it for tropical fish. But a basement should be much better insulated and not the extreme differences as outdoors so the heating bill will be much more affordable. If you're pond had its own building then you could heat the building hotter than normal and you would not need to heat the water at all. Many people do this when they add a fish house or dedicated fish room to their place.

 

[Opcn]

I really must stress insulation, oil has both a monitary cost and a political one, reducing your use is seldom a bad idea.