Testing a theory

MaverickFalcon4 · Apr 21, 2022

Hey guys I'm buying a large new home soon. I was wondering can a reef pond exist in the outdoors with an extendable cover when it rains . I live in the tropics. The idea is to filter out pollutants using carbon, dose with very large amounts calcium, Magnesium and other elements. Lighting is coming from the sun. Lastly rodi will be used to fill up the pond if the water level gets too low. All would be run and monitored by a computer. the pond is meant to be 40m long by 15m wide by 3m deep, or 6340129 US gallons. At that point I would have to get custom wave pumps. The budget is supposed to be $50M USD. with maintenance being $5M USD I'm just checking to see if you guys think this is possible?

Arego · Apr 21, 2022

Anything is possible with enough money and will. The unforseen problems will be strong with this project.

Wasabiroot · Apr 21, 2022

I'm sure it's POSSIBLE. Julian sprung has an outdoor pond (albeit much smaller) in Florida with mangroves and clams and he said heat management was one of the big concerns since it was shallow.

Wasabiroot · Apr 21, 2022

Also, you're looking at covering a massive pond whenever it rains. Which is all the time in the tropics.

MaverickFalcon4 · Apr 21, 2022

Wasabiroot said:
Also, you're looking at covering a massive pond whenever it rains. Which is all the time in the tropics.

depends on the time of year and there is supposed to be an extendable cover when it rains

Wasabiroot · Apr 21, 2022

It seems like more trouble than it's worth to me, but at a budget of 8 dollars a gallon for a pond I'm sure you can do some pretty wild stuff. Maybe some fisheries/mariculture people can chime in?

MaverickFalcon4 · Apr 21, 2022

Wasabiroot said:
It seems like more trouble than it's worth to me, but at a budget of 8 dollars a gallon for a pond I'm sure you can do some pretty wild stuff. Maybe some fisheries/mariculture people can chime in?

thats what Katafanga is for....

MaverickFalcon4 · Apr 21, 2022

Wasabiroot said:
It seems like more trouble than it's worth to me, but at a budget of 8 dollars a gallon for a pond I'm sure you can do some pretty wild stuff. Maybe some fisheries/mariculture people can chime in?

I mean why not? or i could always do it inside with light reflectors

Wasabiroot · Apr 21, 2022

Wasabiroot · Apr 21, 2022

Yeah. If it was me I'd do an epic tank, but that comes with its own logistical issues depending on your location. Dream big though, haha. No hate intended.

MaverickFalcon4 · Apr 21, 2022

Wasabiroot said:
Huh?

Its in Fiji

Wasabiroot · Apr 21, 2022

MaverickFalcon4 said:
Its in Fiji

Yeah, I just didn't know what you meant by that's what it's for in relation to my comments

MaverickFalcon4 · Apr 21, 2022

Wasabiroot said:
Yeah. If it was me I'd do an epic tank, but that comes with its own logistical issues depending on your location. Dream big though, haha. No hate intended.

Its not exactly a dream though its more of a concept that I have the money to execute....

Wasabiroot said:
Yeah, I just didn't know what you meant by that's what it's for in relation to my comments

Island in fiji.

MaverickFalcon4 · Apr 21, 2022

Wasabiroot said:
Yeah. If it was me I'd do an epic tank, but that comes with its own logistical issues depending on your location. Dream big though, haha. No hate intended.

but yeah your right should do an open ocean sized tank instead

MnFish1 · Apr 21, 2022

MaverickFalcon4 said:
Hey guys I'm buying a large new home soon. I was wondering can a reef pond exist in the outdoors with an extendable cover when it rains . I live in the tropics. The idea is to filter out pollutants using carbon, dose with very large amounts calcium, Magnesium and other elements. Lighting is coming from the sun. Lastly rodi will be used to fill up the pond if the water level gets too low. All would be run and monitored by a computer. the pond is meant to be 40m long by 15m wide by 3m deep, or 6340129 US gallons. At that point I would have to get custom wave pumps. The budget is supposed to be $50M USD. with maintenance being $5M USD I'm just checking to see if you guys think this is possible?

I assume you want comments

. So here you go: First - almost anything is possible. If you're asking does it make complete sense? thats a different question.

1. I'm not sure living in the tropics is going to be enough to heat / cool this type of system. It might be 103 degrees in the 'air' - and 60 degrees underground. (during the day). So you are likely going to need some kind of temperature regulation. Its not like you're going to have billions of gallons of water that is not going to change temperature 'that much' like on a real reef.
2. With a 3 meter depth, what are you expecting to 'see' with just the sun?
3. I'm not sure that a fully retractable cover is needed - I guess it depends on the annual rainfall where you are? And how often it rains. I would not want to be outside at 1AM - every time it rains.
4. Are you putting in corals? Or just fish? (Hopefully big fish).
5. How much RODI are you going to 'store'.
6. Where are you going to get the saltwater?
7. I don't understand the need for large amounts of calcium, magnesium and 'other elements'if you do not have corals - where will they be going?

Sorry. Don't want to sound negative. But I am curious - why a 'pond' - with all the inherent maintenance you would not have with a huge indoor aquarium? I have a 40x20 foot swimming pool and the maintenance is huge. A lets say 5000 gallon tank in your house - or even larger - could be done with much less money (I know that is not an issue) - and MUCH less maintenance - again - you asked for opinions

. if you do it - make sure to post it as you do

MnFish1 · Apr 21, 2022

NO offense I should have been more blunt- IMHO this is ~~a stupid idea -~~ An impractical idea. SORRY - I was talking on the phone when I wrote this - and some was giving me a really stupid idea

.

GARRIGA · Apr 21, 2022

Contact Julian Sprung. If it's deep enough and shaded then might just work plus rain will sit on top of salt and can be skimmed out. Obviously, corals from shallow water preferred. Caribbean sourced likely best option.

As previously stated. Check out Julian's pond for inspiration and ideas.

Cell · Apr 21, 2022

If money is no issue and the will is there, why not try? If nothing else it would be a fun project to flesh out a fully detailed plan for. There are so many different variables to address. Calling it a "Reef pond" and talking about dosing with the major elements to me it seems fairly obvious you plan on corals. Lighting, temperature control and flow need addressing first and foremost.