Calling All Indoor Pond Builders/Owners

[Rowly]

Hello Experience Indoor Pond Builders:

Recently built a 1000 sq foot sun room with 19' high pine T & G ceiling and large southern exposed end glass for entertaining and would like to add a small 300 gal rubbermaid poly tank into the area some 33' away from the windows and along the back brick wall of the main house. This indoor pond could be for growing small 3-5" koi bought in the early fall to growout over the cold northern winters, then adding outdoors in the spring and or as a QT tank? I would shape a design with eco block and landscape the area around the poly tank and have a sitting edge to look beyond... at the tank to view the fish and waterfall near our bar area. My thoughts are I would install a Microfall filter for biological filtration with a 15" wide spillway to create that waterfall and streambed back into the poly tank (streambed to be lined with 45 ml pond liner). I also would use a pump that could give me over 1000 gph at the head height of some 2 ' above the tank water level and some 10' of flex hose length. My biggest fear is.... would this small tank and waterfall create "high humidity" for this room of 1000 sq/ft. I also have 2 -8' x 8' open walk down areas into this addition from the main house thus opening it up to approx 2700 sq ft of existing home. In a earlier post I mentioned I would be building a outdoor watercourse with 3-4 lined ponds naturally filtered by the 50-65 million gallon gravel pit lake only. Your thought, suggestions and other concerns would be greatly appreciated on this indoor pond I would like to build within a few weeks. Regards

Rowly

[dick benbow]

most of the folks with nice indoor ponds use a dehumidifier. I keep my girls in the back end of my garage and manage to have air exchange with a cracked open door and window. It is definetly something to be planned for!

[Rowly]

I'm past the planning stage now....I have 2- 54" ceiling fans in the sunroom as well as a 8' patio door and numerous opening windows, with a large wood stove to help with the evaporation process. Will I regret an indoor pond with all this open area to enjoy????? I don't want all the windows throughout to have a great deal of condensation running down them during the winter period either.......any suggestions....HELP>>>>I'm only dealing with some 300 gallon tank with waterfall. I read in a post that if I keep the room temp at least 2 degrees higher than the water temperature condensation will be reduced????? This inddor pond would be very enjoyable year round but.......at what cost to the indoor environment???????????

Rowly

[Gallagher]

Hi Rowley,
I have a 900g eank/pond and a 300g (stock tank) in my basement, 4yrs now. My experience is that the air is so dry, in northern climits during the winter, that humidity is not a problem. Mine runs between 55 and 60% in the basement and 40% throughout the house. I do however use a dehumidifier in the summer.
Jim

[Rowly]

Thanks Gallaghar....I'm hoping to have some increase in humidity for the tropical plants but I do want to control it somewhat when needed. How is your stock tank working.....I think the size and depth will be a good choice. It should be easy to clean the bottom of the poly tank and I could use some of the water to grow healthy plants. I do have a drain in the basement that should work very well in doing weekly water changes with the garden hose. What are your thoughts of adding a couple of small baby mud turtles from my lake to this environment eventually. I could have the eco block radius high enough to fense in these additions to this man made environment. The sun will only shine on the water area during the colder months for only a couple of hours per day when it does shines......however, not much over our winters....in the warmer months with the sun high in the sky the overhang will block the direct sunshine into the water and help prevent indoor overheating of the addition. I am using the sun for an active and passive solar design for the addition and the main house auxillary heating needs.


Rowly

[gregbickal]

I had my koi in my basement over winter for about 6 years (still this year). Too much humidity even with the Dehumid on full. Mold on one wall, and bad on our health. Ive got the koihouse now, so it can be as humid as it wants out there.

[Rowly]

Quote: Originally Posted by gregbickal I had my koi in my basement over winter for about 6 years (still this year). Too much humidity even with the Dehumid on full. Mold on one wall, and bad on our health. Ive got the koihouse now, so it can be as humid as it wants out there.

Are you the "norm or the exception".........our winters here are on the dry side so some moisture is good but I don't want mold and extremely high relative humidity with this small 300 gal tank and waterfall. How much weekly evaporation can I expect from this indoor environment????? Thanks

Rowly

[mitten]

Norm.

You've heard from Minnesota and Iowa. Michigan says ...

Square ft is not the essential criteria, cubic feet is and your big volume of air is an advantage.

Moisture travels in any direction and through most of the barriers inside your house, from wherever the concentration is greatest (tank) to wherever the concentration is least (the dark corner tucked away somewhere).

Your Canadian construction is an asset especially if you foamed everything. This eliminates, or lessens, the cold spots that will defeat you.

Evaporated moisture is "supported" by heated air. As soon as our air cools, at a window or in a corner, the moisture condenses and is the beginning of the end.

My $.02?...300g is not big enough for all of the trouble. The Rubbermaids are attractive because they are cheap, but go bigger Rowly. More water would be more effective, little more cost, and little more trouble.

Mickey the windowman

[Dayleen]

We had a 500 gal tank in our basement utility room one winter and we had major moisture on the windows throughout the house, mold growing in the corners...not good.

The next winter we made a greenhouse cover for the tank and my husband hooked up a bathroom fan, vented to the outside. It was on a timer and came on every hour. We didn't have excess moisture or mold after that.

We also have a 500 gal tank in our garage and it caused so much moisture that you couldn't open the garage door. We then started covering it with the greenhouse like in the house (minus fan) and didn't have a problem again.

I find that using an air pump adds to much moisture to the air, you'll have less trouble with just a pump going. If it becomes a problem, then make a nice looking greenhouse cover for it and your problem should be solved.

Good luck!

[Rowly]

Quote: Originally Posted by mitten Norm. You've heard from Minnesota and Iowa. Michigan says ... Square ft is not the essential criteria, cubic feet is and your big volume of air is an advantage. Moisture travels in any direction and through most of the barriers inside your house, from wherever the concentration is greatest (tank) to wherever the concentration is least (the dark corner tucked away somewhere). Your Canadian construction is an asset especially if you foamed everything. This eliminates, or lessens, the cold spots that will defeat you. Evaporated moisture is "supported" by heated air. As soon as our air cools, at a window or in a corner, the moisture condenses and is the beginning of the end. My $.02?...300g is not big enough for all of the trouble. The Rubbermaids are attractive because they are cheap, but go bigger Rowly. More water would be more effective, little more cost, and little more trouble. Mickey the windowman

Mitten- Norm:

I have an area of approx 72 sq inches in diameter or some 6' x 6' to house a indoor fish tank and a little more in the corner behind the pond for a biofilter/waterfall spillway falling into this tank. I was thinking of a poly tank for ease but I could buildup an area and use 45 mil liner. I am going to build a radius exterior wall and finish it in cultured stone to match the fireplace and cap it with flag stone for a sitting top to sit/view and feed the future fish . I could have this sitting top some 6" higher or so than the main decking for the indoor pond to allow a couple of baby mud turtle to enjoy with the fish???? Maybe using a lined pond will give me greater depth than a poly tank. I could make a 6' x6' x 30-36" deep lined indoor pond with a small waterfall. If the surface area of the tank is the same but the volume of water is greater, the evaporation still should be the same....correct based on the same surface area?????? If true, I could get more volume of water and go bigger (deeper).....HELP.....Please pipe in from your experiences of indoor ponds housed in a large open area. Are turtle a good addition to a indoor environment.....pro and cons. Much appreciated

Rowly