Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat Tire Reef

I am considering building a tire reef. Has anyone here actually built one? If so, how did you cut a hole in the sidewall to let the air out? Did you use any steel belted tires or stay away from them? It appears to me that I would have to use a cutting torch to cut into a steel belted tire. That sounds nasty. Anything I don't know enough to ask about?

You can easily drill holes through either the sidewalls or the tread of tires, steel-belted included, with an electric drill. I have done this with bits up to 3/8" in size; it should also work with larger bits (up to 1/2" I would guess) if you use a larger drill (say one with a half-inch chuck and a second handle). The bit gets rather dull for regular use after a few tires, but not too dull to do more tires.

My "reefs" were a bit different. I stood 2 rows of tires next to each other and ran a 3/16" galvanized cable through one row and back out the second. I used my tractor and pickup but could have used a tree, or telephone pole with the truck just as well. Attached one end of cable to tractor, and other to the truck via a come along jack. I used this to stretch the cable very tight and then double clamped it in place.

I did 3 of these things and was able to place them along one shore angled outwards to deeper water and now they lay in from 2 to 6 feet of water over about 30 feet of distance. Used about 80 car tires of various sizes. The "loop" of tires allowed me to lift some up so that I have structure in all 3 dimensions instead of just on the bottom.

3/8 drill bit used to punch holes all over each tire so they don't float and just stuck them in place over some steel fence posts to keep them from sliding down the fairly steep bottom until they get anchored by mud/silt. Worked pretty neat and did all three in about 2 hours.

Dave, When I built my small tire structures, the drill idea didn't work to well. ( they were steel belted tires). When I got out the sawsall, I was extremely pleased. Couple minutes and I was done.

Fozzy:

What did you use the sawzall for?

I just remembered, I didn't use a drill bit at all, but carbide burr, perhaps 5/16" diameter that we use in our business to ream out nail hole injuries prior to repair. It was just the ticket, and never get dull...I just poked holes in 4 or 5 locations around the tire right in the tread to let air out, should any form due to bacteria or algae...didn't want 'em tires floating to the surface.

Now, if we'd just get a bit of rain to raise pond another 3 or 4 inches, they'd be covered, and mama could quit complaining about all my "structure"...

Matt,
Couldn't get the drill to work to put holes in the tires to release the air, so I used the sawsall and basically cut big triangl shaped holes in the top of the tires. I don't have alot of drill bits but I have a ton of sawsall blades.

I would think any hole smaller than prob. 1" would eventually get clogged & allow gasses to trap in the tire.
The sawzall would work but so would a hole saw.

My tires are not in the pond; I use them to hold visquilene (plastic) down on top of round hay bales to keep the weather off them until they get fed to the cattle. I have an assortment of 1/4" to 3/8" holes in them at numerous locations through the sidewalls and tread. The holes are to let rain and meltwater drip out of the tires (to try to prevent mosquito breeding and to keep me from getting sloshed when I move them). Although the rubber and belts don't cut a very clean hole, they allow fresh deposits of water to leak out over a couple/few days time.

I think drilled holes would not clog to the point that air would be trapped in a submerged tire, BUT if you can cut big holes in them you would be certain.

Dave I tried the drill bit method through the years,but found shooting holes in them with a handgun or hunting rifle to be much quicker and a lot more fun. I live in a rural area,so shooting is very common. Disclaimer: Do not try this if you are a convicted felon,a juvenile,a mental incompetent,or are prohibited from discharging firearms in your area! Good luck

That's funny. My cousin wanted to kill a pond so he bought a pail of rotenone, threw it into the pond and shot it with a .22. I callled him a Redneck.