substitute for pond liner?

[BeeWrangler]

I would like to make my pond as inexpensive as possible but yet still durable (not being cheap but saving $ is nice) where I am putting the pond is all clay ground and really holds water well. So if I dig it out and use the rubber from a few above ground pools then cover will a layer of cement will this work as well as the regular pond liner? I find the pond liner to be rather pricey (I am looking to make a fairly large and deep pond) and I already have the pools so with any luck I hope this would work just as well. ?

 

[addy1]

I have read of others using pool liners for their ponds and it works fine, I would skip the concrete though. Are the pool liners big enough without joining?

 

[addy1]

Read the diy section in this forum there are a lot of things you can make yourself to save bucks, also read the construction threads another way to get good ideas.

 

[taherrmann4]

If you have a lot of clay and it holds water then you will need to put a french drain around it to get the water out from under it during rains. If you do not then you can get a ballooning effect with the liner where water builds up underneath it forcing the liner to rise. This has happened to me on several occasions and wish at the time I was building it I would have thought of this.

I would do without the concrete as well and I can't comment on the pool liners but I would think they would work.

 

[j.w]

I have heard of other ponderers using billboard tarps as liners. Here is a link to the first site that came up when I googled but you can just google Billboard liners for ponds and get many other results.

http://www.billboardtarps.com/collections/pond-liners

 

[sissy]

My neighbor has a pool liner pond and Marty's has held up well over the years ,but remember pool liners are not made as well as they used to be and can be expensive unless you can find people who want to get rid of there pools.I was reading also on a pool sight that the liners for pools are mostly 20 mil thick and you can get a pond liner 20 mil for cheaper and some have free shipping like www.pondepot.com

 

[sissy]

You should just try to google pond liners for cheapest price and see what comes up you never know what you may find online .Some want to get rid of a pond will let you have everything if you take it out for them .Even Addy on this sight is getting rid of her Arizona pond .Put an add in your local paper or let someone know what you are looking for at a pet store .

 

[addy1]

If he was closer I would offer it to him, but shipping would suck from arizona to canada.

They found a snake and eggs while pulling it down, they are going to relocate them to the desert. Glad I am not there to watch it would break my heart to see all that hard work be taken apart, but it is best.

 

[j.w]

Yep addy, it would not be a fun site to watch at all. All your fish will go to good homes. Glad the snake is going to be saved.

 

[addy1]

me too jw

 

[BeeWrangler]

thank you all for the advice. I will post some adds on the local buy and sell's and see what I can find. I have seen lots of pools go for dirt cheap over the summer so thats why I thought it might be better to use that. I have some now but would have to use rubber adhesive to put it together to fit the shape I need and at the size I want to make it I might come up short. Good thing is I have all winter to figure out what would work best. I have also thought about using construction grade tarp.
I am very sorry to hear your getting rid of your pond addy

 

[addy1]

thank you all for the advice. I will post some adds on the local buy and sell's and see what I can find. I have seen lots of pools go for dirt cheap over the summer so thats why I thought it might be better to use that. I have some now but would have to use rubber adhesive to put it together to fit the shape I need and at the size I want to make it I might come up short. Good thing is I have all winter to figure out what would work best. I have also thought about using construction grade tarp.
I am very sorry to hear your getting rid of your pond addy

It is my arizona pond, beewrangler, I have the house rented, there have been some issues, so this is the best decision. I had a professional caring for the pond and the fish, but you also need eyes on to watch for issues between his visits, the renters are great, pay well, but caring for a pond was not on the top of their list. After the cost of pulling it down, it will save me the monthly fee I was paying for its care. I will have a huge nice liner to do something with, would send it to you, but shipping might cost a bit.

Good to know about snow and bee hives, I may give it a try, join some bee keeping forums for information.

 

[BeeWrangler]

That is very nice of you to offer your liner addy but I think your right, the shipping would be crazy. I did put an add on a local buy/sell today and already got a reply for a pool with the pump for $20. That should give me more than enough liner with what I have already. As for the pump I don't know if that would be usable in a pond or not?

 

[addy1]

That is very nice of you to offer your liner addy but I think your right, the shipping would be crazy. I did put an add on a local buy/sell today and already got a reply for a pool with the pump for $20. That should give me more than enough liner with what I have already. As for the pump I don't know if that would be usable in a pond or not?

pool pumps tend to be power hogs, you may want to use it on a timer or maybe just when you want to see a ton of water flowing down a water fall.

Check the ratings on it and see what it says.

 

[sissy]

do you have a freecycle there online you can check it out