Intex Swimming Pool use as Koi Pond???

[An Ly]

hi everyone new to koi keeping, has anyone use an Intex swimming pool as a koi pond. Wal-Mart has a 15' round 48" deep pool, holds about 4400gallon, good quality metal frame pool for $300, thinking of buying and turning into pond, any body has any suggestions, thanks.

An

[paladin_k2]

Is this just planned to be a temporary solution for a few weeks to a month ???

- - OR - -

Would you like to pursue a real solution that includes some minimally functional filtration and a reasonable long term habitat for even the most run-of-the-mill Walmart grade koi??

[JosephandGabby]

You can definitely safely use an Intex pool to keep Koi. I'm actually using a 10' Intex pool right now as a temporary fry pond. I also have a 15' above-ground pool setup as a growout pond. So far I haven't seen any problems with either setup. As long as you provide adequate filtration, bottom drains, aeration, etc...I think an Intex pool would do fine...

[Brutuscz]

I have 3 of them set up for breeding, quarantining and selling. Very useful and affordable.

[PapaBear]

The question really comes down to why, like paladin_k2 said. Is this for a temporary setup, or are you thinking permanent? For the uses described by Joseph and Brutuscz they are great options. We used one last year to temporarily house ours while expanding our main pond and it was fine for that purpose, but as a permanent fixture it could pose real problems.
If I was setting one up on rented property where I was restricted from excavating or doing major construction I would consider it as a viable option, providing of course I set up proper filtration to keep the water healthy.

[An Ly]

thanks everyone for the input, thinking of doing it as a permanent setup, will put in good filtration,uv,and aeration. Thanks Joe for the posting some picture for the DIY aeration great idea, probably do one like yours, I notice from picture only one side of the Pvc pipe has water coming out and not the other end? Anyone has this type of setup with the intex pool more than 5 years? I checked out the material feels very tough, metal frame very strong, hopefully will last a couple of year when i can afford to put in a real pond, and not collapse on me one day coming home from work.

[koiczar]

Quote: Originally Posted by An Ly thanks everyone for the input, thinking of doing it as a permanent setup, will put in good filtration,uv,and aeration. Thanks Joe for the posting some picture for the DIY aeration great idea, probably do one like yours, I notice from picture only one side of the Pvc pipe has water coming out and not the other end? Anyone has this type of setup with the intex pool more than 5 years? I checked out the material feels very tough, metal frame very strong, hopefully will last a couple of year when i can afford to put in a real pond, and not collapse on me one day coming home from work.

So you are saying this is more temporary than permanent as you "hope it will last a couple years when you can afford to put in a REAL POND"!! So, temporary is fine. I know a couple dealers who have these set ups for over 5 years now. Work quite well for quarantining new shipment arrivals. They stay set up on a full time basis. Treat them very carefully and the liner should last at least a couple of years. Please, for what it's worth, take some sound advice - use an AIR PUMP for airation. Don't consider the water returns as a satisfactory level of oxygenation - especially during the summer months and higher temps! Also, you might want to think about putting insulation around the entire tank. This will help you control your temperatures and keep them from bouncing up and down as the walls of the pool are very thin and will transfer outside air temps into the water very quickly.

Good Luck

Mike

[chinadna]

It`s cannot work for a long time.If you had a small garden, you`d better to dig a pond.

[rocket98]

I have been reading this group for DAYS now (up to page 80 something!) and this is my first post. I haven't had anything I felt I had any input on, until now...the knowledge here is very high level!

But I do want to comment on these pools! They have been the single best investment I have made in Koi keeping AND grandkid keeping! I consider my 'pop up' pools to be invaluable. On a recent re-do of my pond, my fish lived in a 3000 gallon Intex pool for 7 months. (the length of time was *supposed* to be under 2 months! Sigh....) This pool was bought at the end of the summer season at a local supermarket for $100. It has been a wonderful family pool in summer, and......although it took some elbow grease..... it is back to it's original job with no negative affects.

Although I have two of these pools, one is a 1,000 gallon Q/plant pond...the other is our above mentioned, family pool....I will say that there is one major negative. It is ABSOLUTELY imperative that it is on level ground. If not, I would worry about the pressure on the downhill side. Mine does not have the metal sides, and on 'not quite level' ground it DID collapse on me once....I leaned too far over to try to remove something and it basically spilled out nearly all of the 3,000 gallons over me and the back yard.....like something from Funniest Home Videos! Yikes! So although it was level and secure, the whole time my fish were in it..both my kid and I had nightmares about them surfing the lawn! I think the metal siding type is a much better idea for long term koi residents.

They are VERY hardy, (the only damaged one I have seen is one that belonged to my sister, which sat dry in the sun for a couple of summers) is and if you build a shade to keep the mid-day sun from baking it.... I would think it would last for many, many years. Filtration and airation would be key, but knowing that before you start, you will win that battle.... I think you would get your money's worth and more....Once your pond is built, it is very close to having a 'real' pool for summer cool off...for the human residents!

:-)

Kathleen

[mitten]

Hi Kathleen-

Thanks for signing your name, otherwise all of us, well some of us old guys anyway, would be tinking that you were a guy with an Oldsmobile. Hmm, a Grama with an Oldsmobile...

Go ahead and put some info in your profile. Find it easily by looking for "User CP" in one of the areas up there ^, at the top of the page kinda. It is helpful many times to know where folks are and such. Don't give away any family secrets but let us know about you.

Same with all you other Lame-Os with nothing in your profile. TWIAVBP.