Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Custom underwater viewing seat

Does anyone know of a company that sells large CLEAR plastic boxs or tubes. What im trying to build on the edge of my pond is a custom viewing seat. Think of a clear drinking glass that is submerged in the water up to the waters edge. Now imagine you could get inside that glass. Anyone know where I can jerry rig a large glass that a person could fit in?

That tearing sound you all just heard was the envelope.

I think Face has a new concept here.

It would have to be something probly rounded. If you try to submerge a box type plastic something or other it would probly implode. If its round you got a good shot. Its a great idea.

Acrylicraft glass-bottom dinghy

Brettski, That is a cool little rig. Do you have one or did you just find it out in cyberland?

I am not sure that I would see much more than I do right now. I have about 6-7 ft visability right now. I expect to have things cloud up a bit soon as all the leaves start to break down a bit.

But I do like the concept of a place to see the fish like your own glass bottom boat.

...dreamin' out loud, face72 inspired

I think we've touched on this before. Someone was talking about building a room in their house that had a glass wall under the water level of the pond.

I must have one.

Yeah basicly it would be just a large clear tube thats about 5 feet round, and about 7 feet long, with a heavy cement base. Look at it like a "human tank" for your fish. Instead of vice a versa. I was then thinking about installing a dock over the top of it. You walk out on the dock...open up the latch, crawl down into your human tank. The dock would disguise it, it would keep the rain out, and it would be easier to crawl in and out of it.

I just got a find a guy that can build a tube...but dont know where to look?

Brettski,
Ive seen that glass bottom boat before. Good concept, but the waves, the condensation, the water 1/2 on the bottom of the boat, 1/2 off...It never really works too good. I had a similar thing when I was a kid. Very disapointed.

The other idea I had on my next pond was instead of a dirt dam....and acrylic dam. A 4' x 15' piece of acrylic (same material used in zoo aquariums). The problem would be holding that seal. And the piece of acrylic would have to be oversized and buried...like how a anti seap collar works on a drain pipe. The seal would be the toughest part.

Then you got a nice viewing port....but your outside..not in a tube.

Check out the tanks from the Bass Masters that Sunil posted.

http://www.pondboss.com/cgi-bin/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=20;t=001886

I know you guys are a long ways from Texas but if you ever get down this way you should pay a vist to the State freshwater fish hachery in Athens Texas. They have a walking path that goes past mulitpule ponds and the walls are acrylic like face72 is discribing. It is real awesome to see the entire pond and all the fish in there natural habit. Here is a link too their site.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/visit/virtualtour/txaquaria/

Now a couple of things come to my demented mind as we get deeper into this subject.

1) The idea of a plexi room under the dock to hide away in and view the fish seems to me to be the ultimate get away from the wife and kids. I can see them looking around and can't find dad. Where would he be??? No one would ever look under a dock and in a plexi bubble for someone!! What would I need in there, a lazyboy chair, a small refrig, and a microwave!!! Now I am in Heaven!!!!!

2) I think the real reason to do this is to show all the other pond boss nuts that I have the largest fish!!! I love how the plexi magnifies everything (not even going there). I can now say that my YP are 16 -22 inches long and 5 lbs and the SMB are 20 - 32 inches long and 14 lbs. I only have to figure a way to get a picture without having glare so that I can take a magnified pic like that to share on here!! :p


The more I think of it, the more I like the idea of the under dock plexi shelter!!!!

Great Idea Face!!! Great Idea!!!!

I just remembered, I have (3) 4 ft X 8 ft long clear plastic dome ski lights in my shed. I'll donate them free of charge to anyone with the guts to ride one of them.

Google "acrylic aquarium", you'll find a bunch of manufacturers who can make acrylic cylinders. At least one I found can go up to 96" in diameter.

Man the weight requirement to hold a veiwing tube(tunnel) under water would be tremendous something like 62.4lbs per cubic foot of displacement of water. Just a 4x4x4 cube would need dang near 4000lbs ontop to keep it from floating.

Lodge that sucker under the dock and you'd cut way down on support post requirements!

Now were talking people. Now were talking. acrylic. Thats the stuff. Now that I'm thinking about it.... The WHOLE viewing area doesnt have to be a tank made out of acrylic (that would be nice..but I bet it's really expensive.) But to do this on the cheap I bet I could build a framed in viewing area withing the pilons of the dock out of wood. Line it with rubber pond liner. Then cut holes for token skylight windows. The problem would be getting that thing to completly seal. I was watching this guy make a fish tank from scratch. He used glass, a framed metal cage...and clear acryclic caulk...but with that much presure? Who knows if that would keep a dry seal?

Yes, yes. We're really making progress now!

Instantly coming to mind is Hendrix's "1983, A Merman I Should Turn to Be."

You would need a small exhaust fan to vent the smoke though.

And then a little chute-like device, that when you push a button, would discharge a slightly stunned shiner or fathead into the water right in front of the viewing glass.

Sunil, I think you and I have the same sense of humor. I like the idea of having a nice viewing area into the pond, but I think I let my mind wander too far when I put up my last post!!

devious idea sunil......so stunning mechanism would be from the smoke inside?? :rolleyes:

Twenty years ago when I first had my pond dug I wanted to build a "viewing room" alongside the pond. My ex wife thought I was nuts so I didn't do it but I had the engineering done and it was pretty easy to have built. The structure was an 8 foot diameter reinforced concrete sewer preform with a 24" opening on one side. A brass ships port hole was to be the window and the bottom was a solid concrete disc made to seal off the bottom. The seams were to be tarred for water proofing and the top of the thing would sit about 1 foot above water level and extend down 9 feet. The top could be decked over and a gazebo built and a spiral staircase would lead to the "viewing room" Long story short I listened to my ex and don't have the viewing room now! PS she found another reason to prove I was crazy and divorced me anyway! :rolleyes:

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Heeeyyy Maaannn....this is a really cool idea, Face..(haack, cough!)...what made ya think of usin' your car in your pond, Man?
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Hey, thanks Sunil...it's not mine, it's my wife's (hee hee, hisssisssiss). Hey dude, slip this shiner through the chute. I'm gonna turn on the air, man, and get the fish smell out.

Was it legit? Or in her imagination?

Look out, Brettski! Here comes Stadanko, the Fish & Game Warden!

Visit the local septic tank makers. I'm sure one of them would modify one of their forms to include a window.

Hey PaPond, I'm still looking in my rear view mirror at all of the great projects that I passed on thanks to my ex. Of course, I've gotta admit, some of my great ideas wouldn't have passed "code". It is wise to review insurance policies and their restrictive covenants prior to proceeding with ground breaking research.

I'm finally old enough to quit saying, "Hey guys, watch this!"

Geez, a guy makes a small reference to cigar smoking, and all of a sudden he's "Up in Smoke!"

Tough crowd.

But seriously, if I had such a viewing device, I would never leave. The family and the job would suffer.

I thought it was "Hold my beer and watch this!"

Theo, I don't have any friends that I would trust to watch my beer.

Brettski, I heard this guy on the radio the other morning that was a vinyl expert state that the Big Bamboo album with the rolling papers still intact was worth 4K!

My wife noticed this thread and announced to the kids that I was putting in a see-thru, submerged den at the pond, with a stereo, a recliner, a microwave, and a fridge. Her advice was to be sure and 1) put the hinge pins on the inside of the trap door, and 2) have something to remove them with, otherwise after I went down in she was putting a hasp and a padlock on it and declaring me missing to the cops.

My son thought the idea sounded rather Bond Supervillian-ish.

So banished to the pond, eh?? Doesn't sound so bad, Theo! Did she indicate whether or not you would be provided with food and the occasional conjugal visit?

I like the septic tank idea. That could work really good. But TAR for a sealer on the windows? Is that what everyone uses for caulking a glass port window?

I would use a good marine epoxy. Tar dries and cracks.

i am thinking about using a septic tank as viewing pond between the big ponds

Tar was to be the sealer between the bottom plate and the vertical concrete cylinder, the port hole was to be sealed with RTV silicone.

I'm goin' back to my boatin' days which met their conclusion in the early '90s, but the hot product for sealing marine seams to stop water permeation was made with polyurethane. 3M was the innovator, but now there are other manufacturers of polyurethane caulk. I won't use anything else in any landlubber projects that require caulk. It is an awesome, impenetrable bond that adheres to most surfaces with a vengeance (including concrete) and remains flexible and paintable. Latex and silicone are a part of my past.

We need the guy who hooks up the septic tanks in the glass submarines at Disney World.

Given the breadth of the Pond Boss Forum membership, somebody here probably knows him or is related to him.

I need the guy that builds the viewing tank for shamu at Seaworld!

End the My pond leaks ,muddy water and guesting how many & what kinds & size fish are in your pond problems Build a pond all out of arylic
and set it next to the bay widow of your house, better yet make it the walls of your house

Why not set up an underwater camera and connect to a HDTV Flat Screen in your enclosed Air Conditioned Gazebo with said fridge, recliner and lock to keep the wife out j/k.

Underwater camera would be cool. I'd like to have one hooked up to a mini remote control submarine somehow. Something like what james cameron used to look at the titantic...but on a smaller scale. As for viewing it all the time....You got to be live. C'mon? Its like being at a basketball game, or seeing it on tv. Which would you rather see?

check out this site ROV camera for the price of another pond you can have a view of your existing pond! Is it worth it? you decide!

oh yeah....thats a little too spendy for me. Im thinking a clear otterbox, my video camera and a rope. haha