Newbie here - 100 glalon build.

[Sarin]

Hi there.

I want to make an above ground ~100 gallon pond for my patio/balcony. (weight has been tested)

I want to know if my plans will work as I have never tried to build a pond before.

I plan on making a frame 48" long 24" wide and 22" tall. This frame will be made of 2x2's and will have 2 inner supports on the long sides.

I will have plywood lining the inside as well as foam for insulation. The outside will have 2x4's to fill in the gaps.

Basically what I want to know is if the 2x2's will be enough to base my frame from?

Thanks.

 

[Mmathis]

Hello and welcome! Not being construction-savvy, will defer to the experts.

 

[addy1]

We made our deck pond out of 4x4's glued and screwed together. the long leg is around 5 feet, no other support used. It is around 15 inches high, this is its third summer, so far no issues. I do not leave fish in it over winter, well one did stay unknown to me and survived. It is too shallow if we get a real cold winter. We did not insulate the pond at all.

 

[TekWarren]

Sorry to go off topic but that is so cool Addy!

 

[sissy]

addy did you put down new deck boards also .Sarin what do you plan on doing come winter.I see them build ponds like fire pits also with retaining wall block .Is the pond exposed to the weather or is the area covered .

 

[Sarin]

I plan on getting a de-icer and a pond heater to have them out in the winter. I also will have a heavy flowing waterfall. Will this be enough?

 

[shakaho]

Where in Canada?

 

[Sarin]

Windsor Ontario Canada. Mild winter compared to the rest of the country.

 

[sissy]

colleen from Canada may be best to answer that and the others on her from there .

 

[shakaho]

I don't think that will be adequate for winter. A very small pond won't maintain warmth well. Maybe you could enclose it in a greenhouse. I'd bring the fish inside for winter. Basements are great for indoor ponds.

 

[HTH]

Windsor Ontario Canada. Mild winter compared to the rest of the country.

I made two trips to Windsor to have lasik eye surgery a few decades ago. I loved the place. It was a bit like stepping through a time tunnel. Great people and good food.

100 gallons is more like an outdoor aquarium. Can I convince you to make it larger for greater stability. Or as skakaho said take the fish inside for the winter.

 

[Sarin]

I can't make it any larger unfortunately as it is going to be on a balcony. Don't people with small ponds sometimes let it freeze over with only their waterfall letting in some air?

 

[addy1]

The issue is, with your weather is it possible for the pond to become one solid chunk of ice? My one pond had ice 8 inches thick this last winter (no fish, no air running)

 

[Sarin]

It shouldn't if I had a heater/de-icer, or am I missing something?

 

[sissy]

I guess it would depend on how much sun it will get and is there any way to maybe wrap it in insulation for the winter months .Ice will weigh more than water and will add lots of weight to your balcony .i know some use that bubble wrap stuff for insulation