What kind of metal is safe?

[zinjy]

Is there a type of metal that is safe for fish and amphibians (and any other pond life)?

I have two places in my new pond where I want to make something with metal: At the lower end of the pond, there is a wall like a dam made of concrete bricks (cinder blocks) where the water overflows when the pond has too much water in it. Right now, the water just dribbles over the edge of the liner and down the concrete which doesn't look great and will probably be detrimental to the concrete over time. I would like to make a metal cap with a lip so the water can pour off when it overflows, a few inches away from the wall. I have seen metal spillways like this that pour INTO other people's ponds to make a nice waterfall, so I assume some types of metal must be okay for the pond life, but if so, what kinds? Copper would be easiest to work, but I do not know if it would leach into the water enough to be hazardous. I've read conflicting info on whether copper is bad or actually good for fish, or if it will even matter.

I'd also like to use a metal system for the water that flows into the pond, again preferably copper or something malleable. What are the best and worst metals for ponds and at what point would it become problematic? Has anyone experienced issues with copper, or used it without issue?

 

[j.w]

I have heard copper is bad. I have stainless steel in my pond. My whole waterfall tub is made of it. My hubby used to work w/it in his job. Now he does stuff on the side w/it.
Here is the tub he made many years ago and all is working fine and fish doing well.

There is also a member on this forum who makes rugged plastic ones and sells them. I think he will make them to your specifications. @koiguy1969

 

[Stephen Noble]

Stainless steel or titanium. No copper.

 

[zinjy]

I have heard copper is bad. I have stainless steel in my pond. My whole waterfall tub is made of it. My hubby used to work w/it in his job. Now he does stuff on the side w/it.
Here is the tub he made many years ago and all is working fine and fish doing well....

That looks great jw! I'm not sure I'd be able to form stainless steel though...

Any reports on aluminium? Is it also bad? I think titanium is out of my budget :-D

Also, why do some people add copper products to the water if it's harmful to fish? Most of the places I've lived have some old copper plumbing, which admittedly causes water to taste bad, so I suspect it is leaching in significantly.

 

[JamieB]

Have you considered marine grade epoxy to coat the brick? Multiple layers, apply it fairly thick, and epoxy can be tinted. If you do make a metal lip, coat it in the epoxy well, to prevent leaching into the water. Aluminum is so soft, it often deforms from minor impact, which would damage any coating on it.

 

[Sparky]

Copper is poisonous to fish. It is used in the meds to destroy parasites but in low enough doses not to kill. Chemo for fish if you will. You don’t want to play with it. Yes there’s copper in your lines and yes it does leech. But you don’t want to play with copper in a living pond. Stainless works. Not sure about aluminum.

 

[zinjy]

Hmm maybe I could top the dam wall with a tile peice, instead, leaving a lip to spill over. I need something to hold down the edge of the liner here and direct the water away from the wall.

That still leaves the other area I wanted to use metal. The concrete waterfall/ spillway at the top end of the pond has 4 bowl shaped parts that are supposed to pour into each other successively, and then into the pond, but they don't. I sealed the ancient concrete there but they still don't pour properly, and some of the sides of the "bowls" have crumbled away as this is old, roughly poured concrete, so the water goes out one side, through cracks at the back, or just pools. I thought about repairing it with some new mortar but I don't think this will hold over time (in fact I think this was done before and that is part of what crumbled when I was cleaning them prior to sealing). Then I thought, I could line them with sheet metal and alter the shape slightly so they pour properly, and this would also take care of unwanted spilling out the sides and back. (And perhaps also put some gravel and bog plants in them, they are several inches deep). I don't think a pond liner would work in this case or look good. I don't know if I could get stainless steel sheeting to conform to the shape of each bowl, like copper... But I haven't worked with stainless steel. It would have to be something thin and malleable. Other ideas?

 

[JamieB]

Hmm maybe I could top the dam wall with a tile peice, instead, leaving a lip to spill over. I need something to hold down the edge of the liner here and direct the water away from the wall.

That still leaves the other area I wanted to use metal. The concrete waterfall/ spillway at the top end of the pond has 4 bowl shaped parts that are supposed to pour into each other successively, and then into the pond, but they don't. I sealed the ancient concrete there but they still don't pour properly, and some of the sides of the "bowls" have crumbled away as this is old, roughly poured concrete, so the water goes out one side, through cracks at the back, or just pools. I thought about repairing it with some new mortar but I don't think this will hold over time (in fact I think this was done before and that is part of what crumbled when I was cleaning them prior to sealing). Then I thought, I could line them with sheet metal and alter the shape slightly so they pour properly, and this would also take care of unwanted spilling out the sides and back. (And perhaps also put some gravel and bog plants in them, they are several inches deep). I don't think a pond liner would work in this case or look good. I don't know if I could get stainless steel sheeting to conform to the shape of each bowl, like copper... But I haven't worked with stainless steel. It would have to be something thin and malleable. Other ideas?

You could try some of the waterfall foam, let it get a skin, then smooth it to shape you want. If you don’t like the look of the foam, sprinkle sand, nice rocks on the wet foam, and adjust shape from there. If you work it enough, it should seal to the rock, and lay in a thin layer, but you could also build up the edges, angle the flow, etc with some artistic skill.