Old tractor tires can be used to build beautiful backyard or garden ponds.
However, for homeowners, building a pond with a tractor tire might seem difficult. In this article, I will show you how to make a pond with a tractor tire. I hope this will help you to build one in your garden.
Table of Contents
How to Make A Pond Out of A Tractor Tire
Things You Will Need To Build A Tractor Tire Pond
- Old tractor tire
- Pond liner
- Bricks or some heavy material to hold the pond liner
- Reciprocating saw or sturdy sharp knife
- Regular shovel to dig the soil
- A slab of wood or such to level the ground
- Hosepipe attached to a tap or any water source
- Pump and filtration box (optional)
- Sand, underlay scraps
- Spray paint (optional)
- Clip to hold the pond liner
Find a Tractor Tire & Choose A Place
The first step is finding a tractor tire based on your preference. 5-6 feet across tractor tire makes a nice size for your pond. In this particular type of pond, the tire functions as the “frame” for your pond and pond liner.
You have to place your tire on a level and firm ground, otherwise your pond will not work properly.
Cut the Sidewall & Dig Ground For Pond
You have to cut the sidewall or top of the tire using a reciprocating saw or sturdy sharp knife. Smaller tires can be cut using a jigsaw or small knife.
Wash inside the tire well with water.
Now, roll the tire and place it in the location you chose for your pond. Outline the area of the tire with spray paint or hose. Then move the tire from the location and start digging the area.
The depth of the digging should be less than the tire width, it will make the maintenance easy for you.
Level the floor of the pond area carefully, don’t leave any sharp object.
Lay Down the Tire & Put Underlay
Lay the tire complete sidewall down on the floor you dug. Now, fill the tire hole with sand until its level with the tip of the bottom rim. Use underlay scraps or newspaper over the bottom and up the sides to cover it up.
Adding Extra Tire (Optional)
You can add an extra tire on top of the first tire. Using an extra tire will make your pond deeper. You have to make sure that the tire is sitting firmly.
Attaching Pond Liner
First, cut your pond liner a little bit larger than the tire size. Now, you have to put the liner on your tire so that it covers the whole pond area. Press it down to match the shape of the liner with the tire.
You’ll see that a roughly even amount of liner is poking out of the top of the tire. Hold them with some heavy material and clip the liner to the lip of the tire.
Pond liners can handle the exposure of the sun and withstand potential holes.
If you don’t know what liner to use, you can read out guide on the best pond liner.
Filling With Water
When the pond liner is completely set, start filling the pond with water. You can use a hosepipe connected to a water source or tap. After that, your pond is done.
Aquatic Purpose
Tractor tire ponds can be used for aquatic experiences. People are using these ponds for personal fish farming. You can use it as an outside aquarium.
Before adding fishes, you need to install a pump and filtration box, these will recycle the water.
The water in the pond should be topped with fresh water regularly. It helps with the filtration.
You need to feed your fish routine-wise as they can get sensitive with pond water. Fish wastes can be used as fertilizer in your garden.
Add some pond plants to create a more fish-friendly environment in the pond.
Decoration, Management & Costing
It’s always better to decorate or modify your pond installing extra components like a waterfall or benches. It also creates a tranquility filled environment for you to spend time there.
You can use stones around the pond area to make it look natural, it will also provide safety for pond liner.
Build small gardens around the pond, it will create a natural attraction and can motivate yourself for working outside.
You can build a soil retaining fence around the pond. When you are building some structure like a pond on the ground, the soil tends to get loose. Sometimes, the water pressure of the pond makes the soil fragile.
So, adding a soil retaining fence will solve the problem for you and give more strength to the pond.
If you have fish in your pond, you need to check the pump and filtration box to ensure its working. Also, check if the fishes are getting adequate food or not, otherwise insufficient food will occur health damage to the fish.
You need to check the water of the pond if it needs changing or not. Sometimes, outside ponds tend to get polluted frequently, so you need to recycle the water quickly.
Tractor tires are slightly costly if you are looking for a good one. You can find them in online shops typically ranging from 50$ to 200$. You can find them for free in a local shop or agro farms.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tractor Tire Pond
How Do You Cut A Tractor Tire To Make a Pond Out Of It?
You need to use a reciprocating saw or a sturdy sharp knife for cutting the tractor tire. You have to cut the sidewall or the top of the tire.
Sometimes, smaller tires can be cut using a regular knife or a jigsaw. Be careful while cutting a tractor tire, sharp edges of knives can cause serious health damage.
What Size Tractor Tire Do I Need To Build a Pond?
The size of a tractor tire depends on your location, using preference, etc. If you are looking for a standard size tractor tire, I would recommend 5-6 feet across tractor tires.
Now, if you are building a small pond, go for a smaller tractor tire. If you plan to make a big pond out of a tractor tire, pick a bigger tire for yourself.
Where Can I Find A Tractor Tire?
Tractor tires are available on the internet. You can search for tractor tires on various online shops i.e. Amazon, Walmart, Agrisupply, etc.
You can also find tractor tires in the local shops and agricultural farms where it is basically for free.
Final Words
Having a pond in your household can provide many benefits like fish farming, gardening, and many more.
Building a pond is easy and cost-effective, and you can manage fishes or plants easily in it.
It is a safe structure for children, although you should be careful about it. Children might hurt themselves playing around the pond and it can damage the pond too.
Sometimes people worry about getting hand-to-hand professional help for building a pond with a tractor tire. Follow my instructions and apply it carefully, you will be able to build your tractor tire pond.
