If a barrel is watertight, why line it?

Is there any reason?
Thanks!

I would say extra protection. The worst thing to happen in any water feature is to have it leak. Over time any thing watertight might not stay so watertight. Water is heavy.

That is my thoughts.

Jeri

Hey don't hold me to it. But probably the barrels their talking about may be whisky barrels. I wonder if fish could get drunk LOL
Although if you include all barrels, steal, wood and plastic. There could be contamination contained in the microscopic pores in the material, which could leach out into the water. That would be my take on it. With the exception of some chemicals, I would think that most could be steam cleaned, and would probably be safe.

I am using wine barrels. My old ones (two years or less) were from red wine (strong!). I got those from a vendor on the side of the rode. Yesterday I bought two from a hardware store, and they almost don't seem used at all, unless they were from white.

I wonder if the water in them is acid -two have been filled off and on for two years for the dogs to play in and drink out of.

How long would a wine barrel water feature be expected to last?

Put a good seal coat on the outside, Maybe even paint over that. Keep it soaked on the inside. unless you plan on using a liner, Then I would even seal coat the inside as well. Then as a safty measure, I think I would also drive some small nails in the sides to hold the bands in place. When the wood dries it also schrinks, which would loosen the bands and let them fall off. and leave nothing to hold the barrel together.
I don't really think you would need the liner since the barrel has had water in it that long. Whoo Hoo 1 water feature((*-*))
That should last a long time????? How long? If treated as such, I think a really long time.

lol
I joke that the dog barrels are my water features - I set them up with smaller ones for company and turn on the water so some is flowing out the bung hole...lol

I've noticed the drying/shrinking, soaking/expanding process, so I don't let them go dry. A ring fell off one, and it's impossible (or so for me) to get it back on tightly.

That's a lot of painting and sealing, randbponder! I don't plan to get expensive fish or exotic plants, I just mostly want the water movement and sound, and a source for quick dippers of water for potted plants. I thought the toads and birds around my Dog Free Zone would enjoy it as well. Radar, my cat, seems to think the mock up (the barrels filled and sort of in place) is pretty cool, too.

Five years is how long I would like it to last, more is ok.

Sounds like to me the liner would be alot easier. Why are you objecting to using it?

Jeri

Jeri, I'm thinking primarily about the non-compostable trash that the liner inevitably turns into, as well as to the added expense, although American Science and Surplus has full barrel kits, including liner and pump, for $30 (sans barrel, plus shipping). As much as possible, I prefer to avoid adding more chemical stuff too, like the paint and sealer...
:-)

I'm by no means a purist, just try to be thoughtful before using things. The more I learn, the more I have to learn to use what I just learned.

4paws

I was talking about the black rubber liners that come in a roll. You just get a piece big enought to hang over the sides a little. I believe it is made from recycled tires so it is helping in the big picture. My ponds are lined with it and I haven't had a problem in 10 years. Once you set up the water garden you probably will have it for a long time.

I think I've seen the $30 kits you are talking about and it is a hard liner. What I'm talking about is like really thick rubber in a sheet.

I'll have to see what's available around here, perhaps...
Thank you!!
According to the description, this kit's liner is a sheet, 45 mil. What's the rubber?
http://www.sciplus.com/sale.cfm
(you'll have to scroll halfway down the page to view the product).

That's nice and looks like a good price. That's not what they used for my pond. It's strechy black rubber like an intertube for a tire, but it's flat.

Jeri

How big are your ponds, Jeri? I just thought of another hurdle if I have even feeder fish - highly chlorinated water.

4Paws; If you agitate the water the clorine gas will disapear or you could let some stand untill the C disapates. They even have a filter that ataches to your hose to take the clorine out.
of course you can add the declorinator. to the water before dumping it into the barrel/ s. Yup that C stuff is wicked glad I have my own well. makes it much easier when useing it for the pond

Nice - !
Good - I plan to aggitate it because I want to hear water moving, but I'll have to look into the hose dechlorinator.

Maybe someday I'll have a well and city water (which is not drinkable without boiling in the winter, but I wouldn't drink it any time).

When we go to town, and eat out we usually will drink tea. as that has had to set a while. I can't stand their water. Don't have to add clorox to whiten your whites LOL
We do have a good filter system. But we still use a distiller for drinking and to make coffee as the water is hard. Distilled water leaves no skum on top of the coffee, even if it is hours old.
Oh for ceeping the pond aireated. This is almost too much noise, but then I'm hard of hearing.

Now, randb, I'm beginning to think you are showing off just a little...or trying to make me jealous...! lol I'm so far from being able to even dream about that size of a pond. It's great - maybe yes, a little noisy, but good noise.

I can only drink the water with lots of lemon added. bleykk...

We use distilled in the espresso machine, but bottled spring for other and drinking.

Here is a picture of my pond. You can't see the black rubber liner but it is there. Under neath everything. My husband lined the entire hill with it.

Here is the pond.

Rubber (natural rubber) is not all that is put into tires, there are many chemical additives put in during the processing phase of the rubber to give it the needed characteristics to build a tire.

I would be cautious using recycled tires in an environmentally sensitive area. The chemicals can "leach" as the rubber breaks down.

I haven't had a problem in 10 years. Now if I could do something about the snakes, racoons & egetts. My fish may make it.

Wow - that's a huge project. I don't see it in my future (an Endless Pool lap pool better come first, if we get that much water in one place!).

It's gorgeous.

4Paws;
Yeah I was having fun but that is our pond right beside our patio. I know it is a lot more than a little water feature. We bought a preformed pond but something happened when we saw several ponds. So we got the skid loader out, and went a little wild. But it was fun.

Jeri11 Love your pond and water falls I saw your pics before. Great. No thret to your fish. But I could almost see me sitting on that flat rock with fishin pole in hand. Just kind of gettin lost in the pic. I could find a lot of nothing to do times and just day dream, with a setting like that. It looks so natural.
I too used black rubber roofing material for a liner. It has been the home of some very large Koi for 9 or 10 years as well. They didn't start out that big, but they sure grew. The bigger ones "24-28" are considerably lazier than the 16-20 inchers. I think they have discovered that they don't have to come up and eat from my hand as there is always some extra when the smaller ones are done. Oh well what can I say I spoiled them.

I can sure imagine the same scene, randb, but fortunately, since I don't have a pond nor and large one in my future, I can just trot down to the Trinity River and accomplish the same. It's a rare occasion when anyone else is visible, other than some grazing horses and my dogs. The river is about 600' from the house and in the winter, though I can't see it, I can hear it.

I don't think I'm making myself clear. The rubber stuff is a pond liner that is really thick. I have to take all 5 grandchildren and their friends to the State Fair today but I'll find where it is exposed and take a picture for you. That is if I survive the fair.(HaHa)

Jeri

Sorry, I didn't survive the fair. All the stuff I ate made me sick, then we left for Ms. b/c my dh's cousin died and we went for the funeral. Here is a picture of the black liner.

Again let me say mine is 10 years old and I've had fish the whole time with no problem.

Jeri

Sorry, forgot the picture.

Wrong picture. Will try again.

This message was edited Nov 7, 2006 6:12 PM

Here is the picture, I hope

hmmm...interesting. Thanks, Jeri. Sorry about your misfortune - doesn't the food always do that at State Fairs? Seems it's one of the stereotypes, but I wouldn't know personally, as I avoid those kinds of crowds. :-)

I just don't see myself building something that large in this particular lifetime. Whew!

I did good with the shrimp on a stick, even the grilled chicken with onions & bellpeppers on a pita, it was the blooming onion and funeral cake that pushed me over the edge.

No, No I was showing you the liner. Everybody thinks I crazy coming from Louisiana with a 9' waterfall. We are only 50' above sea level. No one understands but I love it. I must have lived in the mountains in another life time.

:-)
It's gorgeous. I would love it too, if I could have someone else install it. I like slinging rocks around, but...my back has other thoughts on a lot of that.

Actually I did have someone do it for me. My husband started the project and got busy with work so I hired NYS Landscape. Emile is from Syria and was raised with rock formations all around the village he came from and I think he did a great job.

I would still be stacking rocks and it wouldn't have looked as natural. LOL

Yes, he did do a great job.