In-Ground Swimming Pool Frag Tank?

rustybucket145 · #1 04/14/2006, 01:54 PM

I was looking at a house for sale the other day that had an underground swimming pool in the backyard. I'm not much on swimming pools so as I was staring at it a novel idea came to mind.

What If I could fill that thing up with saltwater, dump a dumptruck full of southdown in the bottom and add some mega airlifts for water circulation? Turn the entire pool into a reef tank. I could go snorkeling in my backyard!! That would be freakin awesome.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this? I guess the biggest issue would be keeping it warm in the winter but there are heated swimming pools, so it has to be possible. I wonder what the saltwater would do to the existing plumbing fittings?

I'm just bored at work daydreaming...... But it would be cool as s***!!!!

sttaylor · #2 04/15/2006, 05:39 AM

A friend of mine, a lfs owner, built one for a well-to-do couple a year or two ago in Central Florida. It had several thousand pounds of sand and 1,500 - 2,000 lbs of live rock in it (not nearly enough rock to make it a "reef". The main attractions were three 3' long stingrays, a 2' long puffer and a school of 10 or so 8-10 inch yellow tangs.

I think that the setup cost them around $50K (the pool itself was preexisting). Less than a year later they got tired of it and tore it out. Almost all of the live rock and sand ended up in a dumpster.

I don't know all of the specifics, but I do know that the temperature was relatively stable due to the volume of the pool and the thermal insulation of the earth and the salinity varied only slightly even with the heavy rains that we get.

Scott

panic · #3 04/16/2006, 08:26 PM

Buying salt would be expensive. If you do it, I want to come scuba

raskal311 · #4 04/17/2006, 09:39 AM

Every reef keepers dream!!!! So $50g to get it going, not a bad number considering they paid someone to do all the work. How well did the thing run? And what was the operation cost? Any ideas?

sttaylor · #5 04/17/2006, 09:25 PM

I think it was up and running for eight months to a year. I see if I can get some pics to post.

Scott

Spartan081 · #6 04/18/2006, 10:38 AM

A natural lighted full blown reef tank would be so cool. Enclose it with a green house and you'll have control of heating and cooling.

Sk8r · #7 04/18/2006, 01:58 PM

You're going to have to de-tox the chlorine....also many older pools use metal fittings way under the concrete: you'd be safer running exterior filtration. Algae should be interesting... And stuff falls into it from outside. Ducks land on it and contribute biowaste...moose come to swim in our area. I'd sure like to see photos if you get this going!

landragon · #8 04/18/2006, 02:02 PM

I sure like to see photo's of a moose in a reef!!!

Pillz · #9 04/18/2006, 04:12 PM

if I had the money I would totally do it. I dont see how that wouldnt work though..

Spartan081 · #10 04/18/2006, 04:23 PM

Haha, ducks and moose. Definitely have to enclose the swiming pool if you want to make it a reef. Then it can be a greenhouse/swiming pool. You can start your own tropical jungle.

If I was a millionare who can afford the electric bill I would totally do it.

gallivanmk · #11 04/23/2006, 11:18 AM

There are such things as salt water pools. My uncle has a salt water in-ground pool at his house. Apparently, it is easier to maintain than chlorinated pools because chemicals are not needed. Everytime I go over there, I am like "let me add some fish!" So, I am not sure how he did the plumbing, but it is definitely possible...

pledosophy · #12 04/23/2006, 11:40 AM

There is a reef pool in Coto de Caza. Never seen it only heard stories.

I think a greenhouse would be the best way to go. Get a s load of LR use a tile saw to get it flat on one side and tile the interior of the pool. It would be the ultimate frag tank. Could even make a mangrove lagoon area in the shallow end.

Can you imagine how many snails you would need.

Phintastica · #13 04/23/2006, 06:26 PM

It can be done - but the elements down here in Florida are a challange. The salt level for many of the months that the pool was set up lowered to extreme levels due to the heavy rain season (and hurricanes) we had last year. At some points I was adding between 800-1500 gallons of dry salt to bump up the levels to an acceptable range. The filtration was overhauled and we added a 550 wt UV and a RK2 commercial protien skimmer. The RK2 skimmer, requiring a gravity fed return going back into a pool about 100' away was quite a chore - but accomplished. Algae is an issue because you are literally fighting mother nature trying to turn this pool into a mini ocean. Natual coraline algae started growing on all the live rock and the sides of the pool. Although the pool stayed crystal clear, green algae as well softened up the side walls over time. Lots of hard work - but it can be done - and I enjoyed swimming with the rays and fish! Now we have it set up at our store since the breakdown for the kids to play with.

Greg

Opcn · #14 04/24/2006, 03:17 AM

I think you could get started for alot less than 50K, Lets say 1K on pumps (no skimmer, just pumps,go for a lagoon like current) Sand shouldn't be too hard to get in GA, 2K for that, 2-3 K worth of live rock, and another K for sand, then another K for fish, tanks and rabbit fish perhaps, and then with corals it would be up to you.

Spartan081 · #15 04/24/2006, 09:19 AM

Greg, very bold of you to attemp such a feat. If I had the money, that would be definitely that way to go for me. Talk about your own mini reef. Maybe you can charge admission to help offset the cost.

A green house over the pool would definitely help with the rain and salinity change. I agree the skimmer and UV are needed, without it you would probably have a huge algae problem. I wonder if adding urchins, snails, and hermit crabs would help with the algae at all. Also wet dry filters with lots of bioballs or bio material would help.

I have a fresh water ourdoor pond but I don't swim in it. It would have to be much cleaner for that. But algae in the summer months is a big problem.

Do you have any pictures?

raskal311 · #16 04/24/2006, 09:20 AM

Opcn

If only it were that easy.....

IslandCrow · #17 04/24/2006, 10:42 AM

Wow, Greg, so you still have a version of this reef pool going at your store? Do you have any pictures of either that one or your original? I'd love to see that! I think I've just come up with a life project someday when I decide to retire and settle down in one place.

coralnut99 · #18 04/24/2006, 12:10 PM

There's a LFS near where I work that used to have a "shark pond" in the front of the store. Basically nothing more that a doubled up pond liner inside of a bunch of pressure treated landscape ties for support. This thing was a full 4' X 8' and about 2' deep. The store got sold and the new owners pulled it out to put in more diplay area for tank settups. A bad move, since people would alwasy come in there to see the sharks and bigger fish. Kids really loved it. But I would think it could be taken to a bigger scale. Probably twice the original 4 X 8 and house it indoors if you have the floor space.

rustybucket145 · #19 04/24/2006, 02:45 PM

Idea! A LFS with a pool in the back with a 'Pick Your Own Corals' policy. Mask and Scuba rental!

raskal311 · #20 04/24/2006, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by coralnut99
There's a LFS near where I work that used to have a "shark pond" in the front of the store. Basically nothing more that a doubled up pond liner inside of a bunch of pressure treated landscape ties for support. This thing was a full 4' X 8' and about 2' deep. The store got sold and the new owners pulled it out to put in more diplay area for tank settups. A bad move, since people would alwasy come in there to see the sharks and bigger fish. Kids really loved it. But I would think it could be taken to a bigger scale. Probably twice the original 4 X 8 and house it indoors if you have the floor space.

A lfs in my area has the same thing but no sharks, Id say its 3x3x30 feet long.

imbuggin · #21 04/24/2006, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rustybucket145
Idea! A LFS with a pool in the back with a 'Pick Your Own Corals' policy. Mask and Scuba rental!

until some kid pees in your reef

coralnut99 · #22 04/24/2006, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by imbuggin
until some kid pees in your reef

Hmmm. Now I know why they took that shark pool out of that LFS.

Phintastica · #23 04/24/2006, 03:53 PM

Spartan,

You are correct about the greenhouse idea. We actually thought about putting a cover above it but in the neighborhood the home was in even screened in pools are not allowed (with all the trees around the pool a screen would have been helpfull!). The uv did keep the water crystal clear with no algae blooms and I was very satified with that. I did not use any external biological - I looked towards the oceans for ideas and used 3000 lbs. of live rock placed around the three drains in the pool for water draw. It worked and the pool "cycled" in less than one month and animals were added at that time. You can see pics of the pool @ www.seaclearonline.com (this is not our stores site but a person who helped me set the pool up). Our stingray "lagoon" is 10'x20' and 2' deep. I am using all the filters from the pool - so it stays clean (without the sun helps me as well!).

EricBrian · #24 04/24/2006, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rustybucket145
I was looking at a house for sale the other day that had an underground swimming pool in the backyard. I'm not much on swimming pools so as I was staring at it a novel idea came to mind.

What If I could fill that thing up with saltwater, dump a dumptruck full of southdown in the bottom and add some mega airlifts for water circulation? Turn the entire pool into a reef tank. I could go snorkeling in my backyard!! That would be freakin awesome.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this? I guess the biggest issue would be keeping it warm in the winter but there are heated swimming pools, so it has to be possible. I wonder what the saltwater would do to the existing plumbing fittings?

I'm just bored at work daydreaming...... But it would be cool as s***!!!!

Cool. I want to come visit.

LFS_worker · #25 04/24/2006, 08:21 PM

what is the life expectancy of the double layer pond liner?

now my gears are grinding!

Brian