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    Thread: My cheap and easy winter cover...

    1. #1
      audioenvy is offline Supporting Member
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      My cheap and easy winter cover...

      Well, I've been thinking about how to build this for a while now. I wanted something that was inexpensive, functional, and super easy to assemble/disassemble each year (even without help). Here's what I came up with in photos:

      A couple of 2x8s with perpendicular 2x6s to give me something upon which to hang 2x4s. The 2x8s are just resting on extra wall blocks.

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      The 2x4s are just hung in place with brackets so it's really easy to put together or take apart without needing two people:

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      Finished frame and covered with a solar pool cover:

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      I will hold the plastic down using extra wall blocks. I just set it on there for now for fitment purposes.

      BTW, I was able to make this using only a hand saw and a drill which was nice because I don't own a circular saw. The wood and hardware was about $100. The pool cover was a semi-fancy 16mil solar cover I got on Amazon for about $80 but I think regular heavy duty plastic would also work.

      Thanks to everyone who has posted their pond covers. Previous posts gave me the incentive, ideas, and confidence to make my own.

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    2. #2
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    3. #3
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      As an after thought, how about some blocking between the beams at the end. A handful of cuts and screws at most. it will give stability against the winds and any twist or warp that may occur with the wood and the moisture from the pond.



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    4. #4
      audioenvy is offline Supporting Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by jimfish98 View Post
      As an after thought, how about some blocking between the beams at the end. A handful of cuts and screws at most. it will give stability against the winds and any twist or warp that may occur with the wood and the moisture from the pond.
      That's not a bad idea--thanks for the suggestion. I was also thinking I could set rocks in between the beams on the near end. I'll probably play around with it a bit over the next couple of weeks. We have highs in the 70s again this week so I have some time to experiment--but after a couple of below-freezing nights last week I figured it was good to go ahead and get something up that I can tweak rather than waiting until everything is frozen.

    5. #5
      Pond James_Pond's Avatar
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      Great job!



      steve

    6. #6
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      Quote Originally Posted by audioenvy View Post
      That's not a bad idea--thanks for the suggestion. I was also thinking I could set rocks in between the beams on the near end. I'll probably play around with it a bit over the next couple of weeks. We have highs in the 70s again this week so I have some time to experiment--but after a couple of below-freezing nights last week I figured it was good to go ahead and get something up that I can tweak rather than waiting until everything is frozen.
      Nothing wrong with getting a head start on things since you are building from scratch. I am sure most people tweek things a little bit at some point. I know the last couple years on here I have seen a few people who used PVC pipe go out to find it collapsed from snow despite having held up for years prior.



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      Just because its not a Great Koi doesn't mean its not a Great Koi...Me circa 2013

    7. #7
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      It looks greats, your koi will thank you for it.
      Happiness is adopting a mutt and my pond is FULL of Happiness....
      Deb

      My pond
      https://youtu.be/PR3Q2MInsQg

    8. #8
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      Looks great! Nice pond too.
      Nancy



      Koiphen 2013 Koi Person of the Year!

    9. #9
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      Sweet! Your koi will be so happy. Great Job!


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    10. #10
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      Instead of putting boards in between how about laying one across the top and put 1 screw down into each of your spanning boards to hold them in place and add stability.
      A true pondaholic!
      40,000 Gallons, 45 koi




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    11. #11
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      We had 25 mph winds yesterday and the cover held up like a champ even without all the anchor blocks set out. Today the outside air temperature at 2:00pm was 50 degrees, the water was 60 degrees and I don't know what the air temperature under the cover was but I climbed under to feed/watch the fish for a while and after about 10 minutes my iPhone went into overheat mode!


    12. #12
      nguyenphilip is offline Senior Member
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      Nice, I have to do my cheap cover this weekend or if I'm lazy I will do next weekend lol.

    13. #13
      audioenvy is offline Supporting Member
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      Cameras installed so I can keep an eye on things!

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    14. #14
      jimfish98's Avatar
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      Your settings look a different than my Arlo. Are those the pro cameras with the recharging battery packs?



      Diamond Lifetime Member #95!
      Just because its not a Great Koi doesn't mean its not a Great Koi...Me circa 2013

    15. #15
      audioenvy is offline Supporting Member
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      This is an actual photo from one of the cameras rather than just a screen shot of my phone:

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    16. #16
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      Quote Originally Posted by jimfish98 View Post
      Your settings look a different than my Arlo. Are those the pro cameras with the recharging battery packs?
      It's the Arlo 2 and yes fully wireless.

    17. #17
      Essex Koi is offline Senior Member
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      Great idea to put the arlo under the cover...will have to move mine also and give it a go.

    18. #18
      audioenvy is offline Supporting Member
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      Here's some video footage from one of the cameras. It's not the best quality ever but it's 100% battery operated and wireless so it was super easy to put underneath the cover. The only problem is that the dashboard lets me watch my koi live on my computer so I'm not getting anything done.


    19. #19
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      Looking good

    20. #20
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      Nice clear images. I'm glad it's working out for you. Planning on turning off the aeration for the winter in order to see clearer? Oh 'subribed on YT, keep up the good work!
      Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time. ---- Marthe Troly-Curtin

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