bath tub pond???

[kelly82]

if i was to get hold of a bath tub, and silicone the plug hole so it cant leak, and make some sort of framework to hold it, would it be possible to use it as an outdoor goldfish pond? i know its a very odd thing to ask, but i was thinking about it last night, and between the sides of the bath tub and the exterior of the frame work, i could have polystyrene tiles or something to help keep temps more stable,then clad the framework with wood. i was just wondering peoples thoughts on it. i would build the framework and use pond liner but i hate the way it creases at the corners. its just an idea, no doubt it wont come to fruition but i thought id ask anyway. also, if i was to do this, how many goldfish do you think it could hold? thanks for reading.

[avionics30]

If people can use kiddie pools, why not a bath tub? Sounds like a fun project!

[kelly82]

have just worked out the dimensions and water volume and it would be around 65gallons i think (our bath tub is 20 x 56 x 13 deep), so only possibly 2 goldfish in there. i still like the idea, but am unsure whether to bother with all that for 2 goldfish! would be interesting and nice to have a small outdoor pond, will have to try to convince my other half though. i could do most of it for free, but our garden is small so it would have to be well planned as to where to put it. im thinking to hide the tops of the tub, i could either go for the stone carpet sections laid around the edges and into the water, or make some sort of wooden top out of a board with a cut out to show the pond. hmmm ideas ideas...

[Damodred]

We have an outdoor pond that we've kept goldfish in in the past. One fall when we went to catch out the goldfish, we had about three times as many as we started with. We were at a loss as to where we'd put them. Normally we put them in a rigid pond liner in the basement, but there were too many this time. So we ended up putting some in that and some in an old claw-foot bathtub that we didn't use anymore. Guests always found it pretty amusing, but it worked just fine! I don't see why it couldn't work outside instead of inside.

[The Zigman]

Me thinks I am glad you're not my neighbor...

[kelly82]

im confused,why are you glad im not your neighbour? if i do it it wont even look like a bath, it will be completely covered around, and all but the sides of the inside of the bath will be hidden by one thing or another. plus my garden is completely enclosed with 6foot high fence panels so they cant see in either. lol i dont want to have my garden look like a scrap heap!

[stezatois]

i have seen this done, and the people who did it did an amazing job, they actually used 2 tubs and positioned them and made a slate waterfall between the 2. unfortunately i never got pics. they planted it up and grew some marsh plant around them too.

[AquaGem]

LOL sounds cool :) good luck in the work ahead of ya. Looking forward to pics ;)

[0live]

i saw the title of this thread, and immediately thought clawfoot...

either way, i think its a great idea.

[dirtydawg10]

Sounds like a cool idea. I would love to see pics if you end up doing this.

[kelly82]

i have yet to ask my husband about it, lol hes not fish mad, and he thinks 3 tanks is too much, but im going to ask him later about what he thinks. no doubt itl be one of those 'if it can be done cheaply and wont look a mess, and if you must do it' responses. we shall see. im thinking maybe 5 goldfish in there, with lots of plants. i dont know, im still doubtful itl ever happen, but if it does il be posting pics of the building of it and finished pond.

[Sounguru]

My grandfather took an old tub and buried in his yard up to the rim. For over 25 years I know that a few goldfish lived in it just fine.

[Nora]

Could easily work I think, but if you don't have a tub on hand and would have to get one, why not try for a stock tank? Same build up idea but more gallons and already designed for close to you intended purpose....

[me_wee_todded]

Its been done. And depending on how your weather is, you could do gambusia/guppies/ endler's livebearers in there as opposed to guppies.

[Sploke]

The problem with a volume of water that small outdoors is that it will be pretty difficult to control the water temperature.

[bluekrissyspike]

why not try for a stock tank?

that's what i was thinking. i have one that i keep my lungfish in. it's a 150g. it cost $160 but that's in canada and i've seem them cheaper in the states. they also come in bigger sizes. i think up to 300 or 400g. i just siliconed the opening closed because it had a slow drip and i have mine indoors. i just started 'planting' it and we are planning to build a faux rock wall around it so it looks more pond-like. it holds way more water than a bathtub and it would be a more stable temp. if you buried it that would also help stabilize the temp. you can also get a nozzel thing that goes into the drainage hole so you can switch it to opened and closed for easy maintenance. has your hubby okayed the project yet? lol. just do what i did. don't tell him till after. it's easier to seek forgiveness sometimes than it is to get 'permission'.:evil_lol:

[kelly82]

hehehe well thanks for all your input guys, he hasnt ok'd it yet, buuuut, he has mentioned a couple of times he would like a pond, for some big goldies, so im guessing hes looking to build one, but it wont be for some time yet, his profit share from work this year is non-existant so i doubt it will be until next spring.

[thebrandon]

You might be a red neck if your tub is also your pond...LOL sorry couldn't resist

[evelyn80]

i couldnt see why not it seems like an interesting project!

[pik01]

why plug up the hole? Isn't it just hard plumbing already done for you? Sounds like a neat idea :)

[bluekrissyspike]

why plug up the hole? Isn't it just hard plumbing already done for you? Sounds like a neat idea :)

possibly but i have no idea how i would hook something like that up. i thought about it though but i am not all that mechanically inclined so i would have had to find someone to help me and i didn't feel like waiting. lol. i had a hard enough time waiting for the silicon to dry.

[Pudge]

My grandfather took an old tub and buried in his yard up to the rim. For over 25 years I know that a few goldfish lived in it just fine.

I agree with the idea, that if you are to do this, to bury it up the to rim. It would definitely help out for your methods of heating, you would be using geothermal heating (heating from the earth). I'm not sure how well it would do the job, but if it were to help then it could save on your other means of heating.

[mel_20_20]

What about stray cats? There are a couple of cats that I see going through my back yard from time to time. How would you protect the fish? Would you need to have some rock structures in which they could hide?

[mel_20_20]

I have a 6' long clawfoot. If I didn't bury it, I wonder if you could find a solar powered heater for it. I saw a little solar powered fountain kit once, online I think.

[pik01]

:sigh: I only wish I had the space and funds to embark upon a bath tub pond project. I'd opt for sinking it then using solar power to heat it.

[cam191919]

i used to keep turtles in my bathtub, very interesting experience :D

[bluekrissyspike]

What about stray cats? There are a couple of cats that I see going through my back yard from time to time. How would you protect the fish? Would you need to have some rock structures in which they could hide?

electric fence:lipssealedsmilie:

[pik01]

i used to keep turtles in my bathtub, very interesting experience :D

Sometimes I like to take things out of context just for fun. This sentence would be a grand candidate ^^

[Desertponder]

I've seen some pretty cool bathtubs made into ponds.
The biggest issue is temperature control if they are above ground.
It helps if they are in some shade during the hottest part of the day so you want to consider placement of the tub.
You also have to consider what you are going to do in winter if you're in a freezing zone.
I have seen tubs "plumbed" to pump the water up through a shower head so that serves as your fountain. Its pretty cute actually. The riser isn't as tall as it would be on a real shower, otherwise you would lose a lot of water. They put one of the big flat shower heads on it and somehow decorated it to look like a sunflower. It was cute.:)

Here a few pics of claw foot tubs that might give you some ideas.
I can't seem to find the picture of the one with the sunflower shower head.
I also have another picture stored somewhere of someones pond they made with a regular modern tub and did rock work all around it. You couldn't even tell it was a tub.

[serissime]

those are adorable!

[avionics30]

Very cool! Well done!

[Niljore]

Great idea as i few month ago i also thought the same, for now i'm just trying to figure out a spot and how to work it out so that it appears really nice. Thks for the pics