Floating Island

[campingcreecher]

I am so pleased with my floating island I made. It was so easy. And the cost for the materials was about $25 (Foam and 2 baskets) from Lowes/Homedepot.

To start I got 2 aquatic baskets and tied them together with plastic ties as seen in one of the pictures. Then turned the baskets upside down on wax paper and drew out the shape I was "hoping" to get out of the one 12oz can of foam. (That didn't happen) You can see in the picture the lines I drew. I put under each corner a very small spacer to raise the baskets up just a tiny bit so the foam will spread under when drying. I put only 1 piece of white styrofoam in the middle between the baskets. I know the picture shows 3 but I removed 2 before I sprayed in the foam. I started in the middle making sure the foam went into the holes in the basket for a strong hold. Then I went all the way around the lip and up the sides just a little way. Save a little of the foam in your can I tell you what to do with that in just a minute.

Let it dry for 1.5 hrs. (I did this in my basement at 71 degrees). I then turned it over and removed the wax paper slowly. Some of the foam did stick to the paper but it wasn't much. I then sprayed in quarter to fifty cent piece globs around the top, then took a painters stir stick and spread out the globs in shapes that look like rocks instead of the globs. Removed the spacers from the corners carefully and let dry for 24 hrs. Filled with aquatic plant soil and filled with my favorite plants and placed it in my pond. You can see in one of the photoes I already have a toad living on my island. Keep in mind the bigger or heavier your baskets the more foam you will need. My island size is about 25x15. Have fun!

 

[addy1]

Very nice. If you have herons keep a look out for the gbh. I had an island, the heron started using it as a floating stand for shushi. No island anymore.

 

[j.w]

Very neat idea and love how it looks like rock around the edges! I like how you have that wooden swing right there pond side where you can sit forever and enjoy your fish!

 

[campingcreecher]

Last June we had the first "seen" Heron at the pond. So we built a holding tank and the new pond contruction began. Took us 5 long months but we now have bigger and much deeper pond with lots of hidding places for our koi . The island was purposely made small so if one does land on it; well it will probably end up on the bottom. Basically built the islands for the frogs if they jump in they have no way out because the sides of the pond are straight down. Geez now I'm concerned about toads and frogs. As if water keeping and koi aren't enough.

Very nice. If you have herons keep a look out for the gbh. I had an island, the heron started using it as a floating stand for shushi. No island anymore.

 

[j.w]

So you kept that one piece of white Styrofoam in between the baskets and sprayed over it w/ the black foam right?

 

[sissy]

I wonder if before the foam dries you could embed sand and some seashells and maybe some of the recycle glass in it .Ok another project for my list of tries :razz: great idea .

 

[campingcreecher]

Correct! Just remember the heavier the plant soil you use will affect your float. We have made 2 islands so far. The first one you see in my pond has only Schultz aquatic plant soil. This doesn't weigh as much. The second island we were running low on the aquatic soil so we put small stones in the bottom to take up space then filled with plant soil and still had to put a little more aquairum gravel on top of that. I had to go back and add more foam to that island so it would float like the other one. I am still pleased with how they have turned out.

So you kept that one piece of white Styrofoam in between the baskets and sprayed over it w/ the black foam right?

 

[campingcreecher]

Great idea!!!!!!

I wonder if before the foam dries you could embed sand and some seashells and maybe some of the recycle glass in it .Ok another project for my list of tries :razz: great idea .