12 replies to this topic

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

I have read in this forum that ferrous metals are not good to use in ponds as they may alter the chemical composition of the water. Is there any problem with aluminum? I was considering making a weir out of aluminum trim coil. Do you see any problem with it?

[DrDave]

What is a weir? and what is aluminum trim coil? Do you know what grade aluminum it is?
Untreated Aluminum will react to the elements and oxidize very quickly.

[koiguy1969]

stainless steel is the only metal i would use! a weir is the flat channel the water would flow out of the filter or basin as the falls.. like i built on mine.

[DrDave]

Even stainless can be a problem unless it is 300 series. A magnet will tell you very quickly. 300 is non magnetic, 400 is.

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

Trim coil is the sheet aluminum that is used to form covering for the trim of a house, as in the window and door frames. I comes flat and is bent to fit the area that is to be covered. It is covered in a baked on enamel on both sides. In the case of what I have, it is white on one side and dark brown on the other. My husband used to be in the business so it would be something I wouldn't have to buy. That's why I considered using it.

[BBK]

Well, theres only one way to find out if it will work or not. Try it and see what happens.

[koikeepr]

And if you need to use salt in your pond for healthcare, it might react with metals as well.

There is a reason no one uses metal piping in their pond plumbing...pvc is basically inert.

Couldn't you do something with sheets of plastic, perhaps?

[DrDave]

A rectangular plastic waste basket, cut just right, might work.

[poodles-ponds and gardens]

It's nice to have people to bounce ideas off of before wasting my time or money!:icon_mrgreen:I found a video on You Tube that shows how to make one out of a plastic storage bin. I will probably go with that unless I can find something better that's cheaper. My whole pond has been on a shoestring, and not just due to need but because it's my nature. Here's the link for the video if anyone is interested....

[koiguy1969]

good video... i already posted this link!!

[DrDave]

This is an extra large Acro Mills bin. It should be easy to locate one. All industrial suppliers carry them. The nice thing about it is the plastic is very thick and strong. These are made to take a beating. I have several hundred in my Labs and Workshops and they have held up for over 25 years.

[koiguy1969]

a heavy plastic paint roller tray may work

[koiguy1969]

you know you can use whatever you want for your weir, if you have an extra peice of liner to line the weir with. plus if you add an extra inch to flap over the edge it will cause the water to drip down and not back bleed on the underside of weir towards the filter. your aluminum cant bleed anything if the water doesnt flow directly on it!!