Reading University glasshouse raised pond with railway sleepers

Reading University Biodiversity Project
Over the past week the pond has been lined and filled with around 3000 litres of rainwater.  It took two days to fill the pond by pumping water from the rainwater tank in the glasshouse next door.The pond base is lined with sand and then butyl offcuts to protect the liner.  Then an interliner was spread out before the final plastic waterproof membrane was put in place.  The liner was smoothed out as the water filled it and held it in place.

Due to the pressure water applies to the sides of the container the railway sleepers are joined both at their ends, as with the soil filled beds, and then reinforced by cross bracing railway sleepers holding the soil bed in place and in the corner by an additional upright railway sleeper section.

The tropical biodiversity greenhouse pond has a volume of around 2500litres and varies from about 80-110cm in depth.  The temperature is maintained using three 500w thermostatic heaters set at 22C.  It is filled with rainwater collected from the glasshouse roof.

Alastair Culham
http://blogs.reading.ac.uk/tropical-biodiversity/

RAILWAY SLEEPERS USED
Used Jarrah tropical railway sleepers

RailwaySleepers.com Says..

Thank you for sharing the progress of your Tropical biodiversity pond made with our railway sleepers. It has been facinating to be in contact with you from the very beginning, when you first visited our railway sleeper yard with your slender budget, hoping for some tropical hardwoods at a budget price. The pond looks fantastic, in a unique setting that equally offers enjoyment and education to students and visitors alike. An impressive project.