"Connecting" 2 above ground ponds

[marier4him]

Hi, I'm new to using preformed ponds, but we moved from our own home to a leased home in another home while I'm playing middle-aged grad student, so any pond is better than no pond.

What I have is 2 200-gallon preformed ponds. Per advice, I put one pond in the back on a solid block foundation. This pond has a U-shape cut out in the edge that I want as the outflow into the second pond, which is not on blocks. I am going to build a tote filter, again as per advice, behind the upper pond and the pump will sit in the lower pond making a closed circuit from the lower pond to the tote to the upper pond back to the lower pond.

My question today is how to get the water from the upper pond to the lower pond. Again, these are above ground. The upper pond already had the U-shape cut out when I bought it off of Craigslist. I need to make some type of lip and then glue it in, right? What can I make it out of and what type of adhesive should I use?

After I accomplish this step, then, I will be asking questions about the tote filter, lol.

After all of this is running without leaks, I am going to surround the ponds with a retaining wall of either blocks or timbers and then filled in with soil. I know people say this won't last because the ponds are not in the ground, but they only have to last 3 years.

Thanks!

Marie

 

[addy1]

I would take a small piece of liner/ rubber/ , use some pl roofing goop glue it to the inside of the top one. Across the bottom and up the sides, then drape it into the bottom one.

Or you could cut the bottom of the edge flatter, get a good rubber dustpan, cut it to size, (you need sides on it to keep the water in) use my favorite pl roofing goop seal it up good and now you have a water fall weir.

Or leave it curved, get one of those metal dust pans, (harbor freight) thin metal, you could bend it to fix. Seal with pl roofing goop

 

[marier4him]

Thanks again, addy1! That sounds great. I have been walking around my house and yard all day picking up things and trying to bend them, lol. I never thought about a dustpan. I do have some rubber liner left from my beloved in-ground pond, but I like the dust pan idea if I can come up with something for the sides.

 

[addy1]

some are pretty cheap and easy to bend. Keep one side with the edge, trying bending the other side up a little.

Check a metal one, I have an old one from harbor freight, easy to bend, pretty cheaply made. But it would work

Also with the curve if you could bend one to match the curve and have the material go up the sides of the curve, you would not need edges.
water would flow right down the center, well if your pump was not that powerful

Go to wally world and just wander the store, you will be surprised what you might find that will work. Hang out in the housewares area, lots of pond usable stuff.

 

[marier4him]

Thanks! DH agreed to be the second pair of hands that I need to bend and glue at the same time. I'll post pics after I get the weir in place.

 

[addy1]

Great look forward to the pictures.

 

[j.w]

Sounds like a good plan w/ the dustpan man! Will be neat to see it in action :razz:

 

[marier4him]

We found a Harbor Frieght store 3 miles away and bought their metal dustpan. It does bend very easily, but I need to remove the handles. We have tried a dullish hacksaw, popping the rivets and a dremel. DH is on his way back to Lowe's to buy a cutting wheel for the dremel.

 

[addy1]

Neat that should work! goop it well Put a good layer of pl goop on the cut edge of the pond, also make a layer on the top pond side, sealing the dustpan and the tub, a good layer of goop, you should not have any issues. Make sure you have the dustpan supported so it does not do a lot of wiggling.

 

[marier4him]

A cutting wheel on a dremel got rid of the handles on the dustpan. A couple of hours (DH took breaks, lol) of trimming with snips and bending with pliers and the dustpan is setting in PL goop! Unfortunately, we couldn't find a black dustpan so there is a very bright piece of metal connecting the two ponds. I am going to spread the pl all over once it has cured enough not to be wiggly. I can't wait to hear the running water again!

 

[addy1]

See if you can find some paint for metal, that will withstand water flow. OR lol use pl, clean the dustpan smear a fine coat of it over the metal.

 

[marier4him]

In my hurry to see water flowing, I almost spray painted it. :redface: However, years in the aquarist hobby prevent me from trying it, lol. I am letting it cure overnight, then I'll check for leaks tomorrow afternoon. If there aren't any, I'm going to dry it off again and use the rest of the tube and an old stiff paintbrush to cover it. It will never be as nice as an inground, but as I said before, "Any pond is better than no pond." I am going back to Louisiana next week to take care of some more house stuff and I get to pick up my pickeral rush (that is in full bloom) and my two water lillies. I also have a lot of pond rock if I can stand to gather and load it in my van in 100 degree heat and humidity. I will post a pic tomorrow evening after I coat the shiny with the pl. Thanks!

 

[addy1]

I just put on a rubber glove and smear! Neat it is working for you.

Bring all the rock, you never have enough rocks, well if your van can handle the weight.

 

[j.w]

You'll have to post a picture of how it turned out and yep never enough rocks..............I'm always on the lookout!