Half-indoor pond?

[machuck]

Hello,

I'm a total newbie with a strange idea - half-indoor pond. Has anyone thought/designed/planned/constructed one? Would love to hear about what your thoughts and experiences are.

TIA,
Machuck

 

[tbendl]

Hmmm I'd have to say no, but I've got snakes that love water here and don't want them in the house.

 

[sissy]

snakes in the house and frogs and other critters .I have seen houses on extreme homes on tv that do indoor outdoor ponds and streams but not sure about critters deciding to invade my space like T said .YIKES

 

[DutchMuch]

many different things need to be taken into consideration here before you settle on something.
What is your idea?
how big of a pond?
do you mean half indoor, like in a greenhouse? then the rest outside? it would work depending on where you live.
Ill try to find some pics. to prevent critters you could use netting on the outdoor half portion, fine netting like wildlife netting.

 

[DutchMuch]

When I google searched "indoor outdoor ponds" these are the only "valid" results I could find. And even they weren't valid.

 

[machuck]

many different things need to be taken into consideration here before you settle on something.
What is your idea?
how big of a pond?
do you mean half indoor, like in a greenhouse? then the rest outside? it would work depending on where you live.
Ill try to find some pics. to prevent critters you could use netting on the outdoor half portion, fine netting like wildlife netting.

The front is large and there is a concrete walkway linking the driveway on one side to the front door on the other. Initially I just wanted to replace the walkway with a glass walkway above a pond (more like a small creek) that has fish in it.

But its not too enjoyable if the only times to view them is when coming in or out of the home. It d be nice to be able to see them from within.

Snakes are problems. Maybe the indoor part needs to be like a sealed tank. Maybe with lower air pressure so that tank can be above the outdoor portion of water level.

But how to lure them with food from indoor?

 

[budgenator]

I've seen pictures of them in books, they were located in Japan. Japan is very diverse climatically, like the US. The gotcha is going to be the water temperature in the winter, having 4C water in the living room might be a bit chilly, might work in southern California/Florida, but not Michigan!

 

[tbendl]

Yeah, unless you wanted to build in indoor greenhouse area and partition the pond off so creatures couldn't migrate and the heat/air wouldn't be an issue, good point budgenator

 

[machuck]

Its not going to be a greenhouse. I got it, without sealing the indoor portion it looks like a amphibian and insect nightmare.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Is this similar to what you had in mind?

This one that I refurbished a few years ago.

 

[machuck]

Is this similar to what you had in mind?

View attachment 100062 View attachment 100063 View attachment 100064

This one that I refurbished a few years ago.

Yes, pretty much. Thanks. We have snakes, frogs and mosquitoes. The indoor portion doesn't need to be as large but completely inside of the home space.

 

[DutchMuch]

Nice pond picture Jordan, also I must say I like those stairs lol!
Machuck, would you put fish in it? if you do then I wouldn't worry about the mosquitos. They will most likely eat the larvae as a type of candy. If you made the indoor portion, on say a raise. Like 3 or 4 feet off the ground (whatever you like, just an example) and had that running into a waterfall where it would divide inside to outside, then snakes im sure wouldn't be able to climb up it with a stronger current, frogs wouldn't either I'd imagine. Then have it fall into the outside pond which would be in the ground, have a pump return that water to the inside portion.
Badaboom badabing.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Although your climate may play a role, as you have already surmised the control of various unwanted guests (critters} is the real challenge.
A barrier (net) can be placed between the indoor and outdoor sections of the pond, but a net that will bar even tadpoles will need to be of a very small mesh and mesh this small will quickly clog with periphyton growth. A larger mesh could be used that would bar every critter except tadpoles, but here, eventual manual removal of some small frogs will be required.
Your idea of using a tank with lower pressure, if even workable, would have a negative effect on the overall water quality by restricting the transfer of atmospheric gasses within the tank and pond as a whole.
The last time that I conversed with the individual that owns the pictured pond, they had used no barrier and only had small issues with frogs. This may be due to the fact that the outer section of this pond is actually raised to mesh with the houses floor level. And then again the notion of "small" is subjective.

 

[DutchMuch]

Kind of like this, sorry its hard to draw with a mouse.... lol

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Nice pond picture Jordan, also I must say I like those stairs lol!
Machuck, would you put fish in it? if you do then I wouldn't worry about the mosquitos. They will most likely eat the larvae as a type of candy. If you made the indoor portion, on say a raise. Like 3 or 4 feet off the ground (whatever you like, just an example) and had that running into a waterfall where it would divide inside to outside, then snakes im sure wouldn't be able to climb up it with a stronger current, frogs wouldn't either I'd imagine. Then have it fall into the outside pond which would be in the ground, have a pump return that water to the inside portion.
Badaboom badabing.

This idea, though novel, would present some design problems to really be effective. The indoor and outdoor sections must be sealed against any air transfer for obvious reason. This was accomplished in the pond that I worked on by extending the window glass that separates the two (2) sections about 3 inches below the surface of the water. This way there is no heat or A/C loss.

 

[DutchMuch]

This idea, though novel, would present some design problems to really be effective. The indoor and outdoor sections must be sealed against any air transfer for obvious reason. This was accomplished in the pond that I worked on by extending the window glass that separates the two (2) sections about 3 inches below the surface of the water. This way there is no heat or A/C loss.

Easy fix, and makes for a nice window. Could work with my idea, just lower the glass from (wherever) into the top portion of the waterfall, about 2" behind it and as you said 4" below it or so to be safe. This would also further prevent anything from getting in or out.

 

[tbendl]

@Meyer Jordan nice job!

 

[MitchM]

A bad idea, imo, unless you're looking for a make work project.
By separating the indoor and outdoor space, you are setting up the indoor space for domination by pest species.
I'm not just referring to the water barrier area, Pests such as aphids and white flies will be transported to the indoor space by hitching a ride on people walking in from the outside area.

Dealing with indoor humidity issues for the building is a separate topic.

.

 

[DutchMuch]

Ah very true, didn't even think of humidity!

 

[Meyer Jordan]

A bad idea, imo, unless you're looking for a make work project.
By separating the indoor and outdoor space, you are setting up the indoor space for domination by pest species.
I'm not just referring to the water barrier area, Pests such as aphids and white flies will be transported to the indoor space by hitching a ride on people walking in from the outside area.

Dealing with indoor humidity issues for the building is a separate topic.

.

I do not know @machuck location, but I would not advise anything similar to this in northern latitudes. These types of water features are best suited for Zone 8 and higher.