corner waterfall project

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

COpathfindin

AC Members
Jun 3, 2011
183
0
0
36
Continental Devide, CO
Real Name
Sam
hey everybody. I am finally settling down where I am in the rocky mountains. I have decided to build a large corner pond/waterfall feature. I have built a few terrariums before, for both desert and tropical species of small lizard. I am open to any suggestions or tips/pointers anyone has for me now in the planning stages of the build. well here is my idea, let me know what you all think of my rough draft of a project idea.

I have a corner that has nothing in it, nothing seems to work well, so I decided that I was going to build a corner waterfall/pond. I decided that I wanted it to be a place that people could sit and that I was going to make it so you could lay down and see into the pond, from an underwater point of view. I want to build it about 5 feet tall, the waterfall will be fed by the sump filter behind the rock structure. I would like to make it so it kind of winds down and around the corner, like a small stream, down into the front of the pond.
I was also kicking around the idea of enclosing a portion of the "stream" to house either frogs or small tropical lizards. the pond would have good quality aquarium lighting built into the seating area, all you will see is light. I do not currently have a stocking plan for the pond, keeping in mind that a 3 or 4 foot section will be open to the room around it, any ideas?
I know its a long read, especially with no pictures, if you made it this far do not fear to give it to me straight. the more info and thought the better, positive or negative I am ready.
 

pbeemer

AC Members
Apr 27, 2010
460
13
18
So Cal
is this indoors? can't tell from your description, but if outdoors the tropical lizards might get unhappy toward January

a pond room sounds wonderful.

the main thing to watch out for in an indoor pond that size is the static load limit for your floor. 1 foot of water = 60 pounds/square foot of static load; rocks are twice that, so the 5 foot tall rock wall area will be putting over 1200 psf of static load on the floor.

if this will be on a slab floor you're probably good to go; you'd have to be really careful to stay within the ratings of a wood joist floor; you can probably get the specs if it is a newish house, but it would be anyone's guess what the floor will bear if the house is really old.

when you do your layout, remember that sooner or later you're going to have to get in and do maintenance on it all, so figure out how that will work. don't design in anything you can't fix or (the ponder's dread disease) upgrade.

get EVERYTHING in the room switched to GFI (ground fault isolator) circuits -- water + 120VAC do not mix.
 
Last edited:
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store