# Pond liner sizing



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

With a 8' x 10' pond liner what are the dimensions of a pond I can make? Give me two examples one being a deep one and the other a shallow one.


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

First take into account that your supposed to have at least a foot of liner over the edge of the pond so your pond can only be 7' x 9' if you took a measuring tape through the "hole". Having a wide and long shallow pond myself you are much better off going deeper. Less alage problems because the light has trouble hitting the bottom and more likely to be able to over winter fish. Anything shallower than 2ft is a headache trust me I know.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

I know what is why I wanted something deeper (ack more digging >_< so I don't have to worry or less worry of losing all fish outside. Algae is not an issue for me outside. I plan on possiblely having tilapia when I can source a spawning pair and the algae they can nibble on as well as regular feedings.


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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Just reason it out, using a pencil and the back of an envelope if necessary. If you need a foot under coping at the surface, that takes your 8 x 10 down to 7 x9, as the other poster said. If you want it a foot deep, that's another foot all around, or 6 x 8 feet. If you want it two feet deep, that's another foot all around, or 5 x 7 feet. For 3 feet deep, 4 x 6. I don't know how deep a pond has to be to allow goldfish or koi to survive the winter where you are, but there's no way tilapia are going to survive outdoors without serious and very expensive heating.

You don't have to buy algae, just keep the water warm and dirty.

If you are determined to raise tilapia, I suggest you google for sources of young fish to raise up in your pond over summer. There's a Canadian aquaculture organization, and some tilapia are aquacultured in Canada, mostly in large greenhouses. A pond the size that you plan won't produce many edible size fish, or enough algae to feed them so you'll have to buy feed. And then you have to kill and clean the fish. Very expensive way to get a fish dinner. If you want to justify the pond economically, you'd be further ahead raising aquarium fish in it, and aquatic plants.

There are hundreds of books on ponds and water gardening. Go to the library or bookstore to get a better idea of what you can do, for how much money and effort. There are a lot of details that you have to get right or your project can go disastrously wrong.


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

I didn't mean so much alage on the sides I mean more just the boom in the water that will make it green and cloudy. Very hard to avoid this in a shallow pond when the sun easily hits the bottom. Good luck and post pics


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## AquaNekoMobile (Feb 26, 2010)

I have a 6' x 8' greenhouse which I think if I dig out 1-2 feet it'll give me more vertical grow space. The tilapia is not going to overwintered outside. Well not till I figure out a way to keep it warm out there. I've read about solar water heaters out of DIY setups but I think when it's -20C outside I think the most the solar heater could do (pending size of the heater mind you) at best I think probably would give me -5C - 0C. Dunno about that. Still researching on the solar heating. Not the most cosmetically looking setup but functional. I'm thinking of using a 150g stocking tank if I ditch the pond digging option. Tho with pond digging it's all up to how much I want to dig versus being set with a pre-set size container basically.


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