Hello

[Sandra]

I am wondering if there is a chance I could make a koi pond out of a swimming pool we are contemplating taking down. Large above ground pool 28FT round and approx. 3.5 ft deep? Can any one help me with this? Thanks.

 

[sissy]

We have a lot of the inground swimming pool liner ponds here in VA and it all depends on how heavy duty your liner is and what shape it is in and clean it well with peroxide to take any pool chemical residue of of the liner .The liner are usually rated and if it is not that old it may still have a marking on it some where that tells you how thick it is .I would check it well for leaks also .You may want to go over 4 feet or around that where you live as you don't want the pond freezing over .Water would need tested a lot before you put fish in to see if there are any chemicals left .Koi you would not want they need a lot of filtering and require tons more care and in 8 years my koi are over 2 feet long .My pond is just over 4 feet deep and that is for summer heat .

 

[Becky]

Welcome to the forums! What colour is the liner?

 

[Sandra]

Are they a ton of work? The liner is very thick and in good shape, I just wonder if the cost of turning it into a Koi pond would be super expensive.

 

[Sandra]

Our liner is the typical aqua/blue color

 

[sissy]

With time the liner will get covered in muck and you won't see the blue .Not expensive to do dig a hole build your own filter find a good filter media that is cheap and works (I went through 3 kinds until I found lava rock ) Rock for around the top ,none in the pond to hard to clean .The most expensive part a pump for the size of the pond and where you live I would go more than 4 feet down .Also if you have city water it will need treated .How big are you planning to go and a month to have the filters going before you add fish ,The cooler temps will not allow a bio load to build up in your filter .

 

[sissy]

Oppps forgot hosing for pump and 2 pumps better than one ,if one breaks down no worry you have the other one still working .I use sump pump hose not the heaviest but some use pool hose or use pond hose or pvc and then you have to think of electric you will need a dedicated circuit breaker or 2 15 amps each ,Always get more outlets put in than needed 1 fee 1 time for the electrician .Outside use boxes gfci outlets

 

[Sandra]

So what are you saying, using the existing pool is not a good idea?

 

[sissy]

LOTS OF PAIN KILLERS FROM THE DIGGING :razz:

 

[sissy]

yOU CAN IF YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH IT ,MY NEIGHBOR MARTY HAS A SWIMMING POOL POND LINER IN THE GROUND FOR 10 OR 15 YEARS NO PROBLEMS YET darn caps locked up sorry .It is up to how old it is and what shape it is in you can get rubber roofing or 45 mil thick liner for different prices and that is by size .

 

[Sandra]

I am thinking of using the pool as is , not just using the old liner to build a pond. I am not sure what or how I would do to set up adequate filtration.

 

[sissy]

You mean an above ground pond out of the whole pool .I am not sure of that because of you cold temps causint freezing all around and expanding the metal sides to the point where they will blow out .Remember above ground pools need protected in winter with a solar cover and the chemicals in the water keep it from freezing hard and splitting the sides .

 

[fresia1999]

Welcome :razz:

 

[j.w]

Sandra
Someone here has a pool like yours that they use as a pond now. Maybe they will see your post and chime in w/ some good advice for you.

 

[Sandra]

That would be great.Thanks.
For sissy- as far as the pool freezing- I do not believe it has ever frozen solid, just the top 4" or so freezes every year so no worries about it bursting. It is a very solid pool, metal sides etc.