250 gallon converted 'tank'

[purplemuffin]

Maybe a random question. Initially when my parents bought their first koi, they used a 250 gallon horse trough that had been converted into a fish 'pond' (sealing the metal with liner, etc.) Now we are going to build a 500 gallon pond that will simply be for goldfish.

But I'm trying to figure out really what to do with the thing. My parents spent a good deal on it and on the liner and all. So I'm trying to figure out some kind of use. How big are sump filters supposed to be compared to the size of the pond/tank? What if this was used to make a sump filter for the goldfish pond--is a 250 gallon filter maybe a little over kill for a 500 gallon pond? LOL!

I was thinking turtle or fancy goldfish--but for a turtle I'd honestly like to see them from the side instead of just above, and I don't know if I could support fancies outdoors and this isn't exactly an indoor tank.


If you had a big, long 0 shaped 'pond'/tank where you can't see through the sides that is only 250 gallons, what would you do with it?

[Bombalurina]

More goldfish? :p Alternatively, you could get some decent moolah selling it. Or, if your 500 gallon tank will be sunk into the ground, you could make it a two level tank with a waterfall, using the 250g as the top 'pond'.

[Zappity]

If only bettas could survive outside...I'd make it a sorority. :P But since that's not possible, maybe some type of coldwater fish like...uhm..goldfish? :P sorry I'm not much help, lol.

[purplemuffin]

Oh, I was thinking about making a water fall. That could be very interesting. Having the homemade giant tank here would make it cheaper possibly.

A 250 gallon sorority, what a trip. That would be amazing to see, haha. Of course you could only see them from above!

[purplemuffin]

HAHAHA, check out my horribly done sketch of what I was imagining:





Looks very boring I know. But the plan is for simplicity--modern. Clean. Quiet. :) With that little bit of nature swimming around in the manmade enclosure.

I wonder if the whole waterfall thing would work. It might be too big for it to work, but we'll see. Would be super cool. If not, We might keep it around for plants. That's what it's being used for right now-- we still have the plants from the old pond. I could even try to get extra growth for my axolotls plants by growing more of their plants outdoors in natural sunlight and that could be where extra clippings could be tossed.

*tosses ideas around* :) Hmm~

[thekoimaiden]

I really like the waterfall idea, Muffin. I love waterfalls! I don't think I'd want to have a pond without one. Adding an upper pond and waterfall does add more capacity to the pond. You could even put a fish or two in it! Or in my case, let frogs and salamanders populate it.

[Badjer]

I'd see about doing the waterfall thing...they really complete a pond. My waterfall also acts as a filter for our pond (don't ask how it works and such...we have a pond company who handle such things, I just care for our fish and keep things clean!). Can't wait to see your final results. I adore ponds and can't wait until I can have a large one someday!

[purplemuffin]

So the waterfall--Could that essentially function as a filter? I know my filter for my 5 gallon sort of has a waterfall effect when the water is low, the only things I can see that are missing would be the carbon/natural media stuff in them. Could I make a larger scale version of that to make the waterfall super useful?

And you mentioned having fish in top part of the waterfall--wouldn't they like fall out? O-O If not, what other fish are pretty hardy 'pond fish' that could stand Texas heat and cold?

[Badjer]

My waterfall is some sort of basin...all I know is that there is some sort of intake at the other end of the pond that has a large sponge (filter media I guess) in it, and that pumps water up into the waterfall part where there's a large bag of porous rocks that I guess act as a place for bacteria to build? I've never really asked how it worked. I'm only a teenager so I just take care of the fish and such and make sure everything is running. My pond is what gave me my interest in fish!

As for the fish falling out of the basin, I guess it'd really depend on how strong the flow was? Since it's a large space you might be able to get away with it if they aren't constantly being bothered by the current. But I'm no expert at all, so definitely get some other opinions on this! XD

[thekoimaiden]

Originally Posted by purplemuffin

So the waterfall--Could that essentially function as a filter? I know my filter for my 5 gallon sort of has a waterfall effect when the water is low, the only things I can see that are missing would be the carbon/natural media stuff in them. Could I make a larger scale version of that to make the waterfall super useful?

And you mentioned having fish in top part of the waterfall--wouldn't they like fall out? O-O If not, what other fish are pretty hardy 'pond fish' that could stand Texas heat and cold?

That is the main purpose of a waterfall in the pond. It's the water return from the filter. I'll attach a picture of my pond that breaks it down so I can explain the mechanics (it was from the first summer it was running). The pump is situated at the lowest point in the bog (basically a sump). It pumps water up through an underground line. The water comes out at the very top and is run through bio balls which act as a media for the beneficial bacteria. The water then falls through 2 waterfalls which serve to aerate the water as well as add a nice aesthetic effect.

I have salamanders that live at the top of my waterfall. If the area is large enough and the flow not too strong you could have one or two fish up there. I have a small, hardy livebearer called mosquitofish (Gambusia sp.) and I sometimes find one or two at the top. The koi pond at my college has two large upper pools which I commonly saw goldfish in. Probably got there when their eggs were sent through the pump.