Can You Turn a Fish Pond Into a Hot Tub?

Fish ponds are a great addition to a garden but often, if they aren’t looked after they become a bit of a problem. If you have an unwanted fishpond you might be thinking about what to do with it and converting it into a hot tub might have crossed your mind. It might be a bit of a crazy thought but is it possible to convert a fish pond into a hot tub, and, if the fish pond can be changed into a hot tub what are the steps you will need to take?

So, Can You Turn A Fish Pond Into A Hot Tub? You can actually turn your fish pond into a hot tub! Converting your pond into a hot tub is quite a lengthy process that includes draining the pond, making the depth of the pond greater, installing rebar, smoothing surfaces, adding additional piping and electrical wires, as well as possibly changing the area around the pond. And that’s all without even thinking about if you have any wildlife or fish living in there!

So, while you may be completely able to convert your fish pond into a hot tub, the effort required may simply not be worth it. But if you are determined to craft your ideal hot tub pond then it is more than do-able. The best way to go about this is by hiring some help.

Also, unless you are both a plumbing expert and an electrician, you will need to hire some professional help to adapt your pond so that it can function like a hot tub, with hot water, a pump, and filtration system amongst other components.

On the whole though, if you are ready for a long and likely difficult journey, then you are more than capable of converting your fish pond into your ideal hot tub spa.

The Benefits Of Turning Your Fish Pond Into A Hot Tub

While a fish pond can be a beautifully serene addition to your backyard, it is not necessarily a very practical one. Converting your pond into a hot tub has quite a few benefits associated with it, making it well worth the effort required to actually adapt it in the first place.

Blending in with the garden – For instance, one of the greatest benefits of converting your pond into a hot tub is that you can often recycle your surrounding scenery and use it to make your hot tub look more aesthetically interesting and unique.

In the vast majority of cases, when a hot tub is bought it is usually just the standard type of hot tub. Rectangular, spherical, oval-shaped, no matter what shape or size every store-bought hot tub looks basically the same. And while many people try to integrate into their backyard in an unconventional and interesting way, in most cases it still ends up sticking out like a sore thumb.

When you convert a pond into a hot tub, however, it often ends up blending in perfectly with your garden’s surroundings. Many people spend a good deal of time perfecting their pond area. They place rocks, potted plants, and whatever else infuses the area with a natural appearance.

When it comes to turning your pond into a hot tub, these aesthetic features can now be used to make your spa area look just as beautiful. The appearance of a converted pond hot tub will likely be much more aesthetically pleasing than one that is simply bought and placed on a patio.

Space recycling – Another benefit of converting your pond into a hot tub is that you are losing no additional space in your garden. It goes without saying that having both a hot tub and a pond in your backyard would take up quite a lot of space.

Obviously, this depends on the size of back garden you have, the size of hot tub you are looking to purchase and the size of your pond, but generally speaking having both would take up a great deal of space. By converting your pond into a hot tub, you are simply swapping out something old for something new.

Added hot tub pleasure – One final benefit, and perhaps the most important one, is that you are adding something new and practical to your back garden. Whilst some people do continuously care for their fish ponds, many people tend to fall out of love with theirs. And when you stop caring about your pond it starts to become more and more difficult to clean and maintain, often leading to an overgrown mess after a year.

Rather than keep this eyesore in your garden you can choose to convert it into something new, something that is visually appealing whilst also being completely practical and enjoyable to use. Despite the effort, it may take to get there, making a hot tub out of your fish pond can be exactly what your garden needs to give it new life.

Why You May Want To Keep Your Fish Pond As It Is

Despite the many benefits associated with the final product, it cannot be denied that converting your pond into a hot tub is not an easy task. For some people, it may be in their best interest to just leave their pond as it is.

As previously mentioned, the process of converting your pond into a hot tub will take some additional help due to the electrical and plumbing work that will need to be done. This can be quite expensive, especially if you want your hot tub to look as good and function as well as it can.

Similarly, the time it takes for the conversion process may simply be too long for some people. Adding wires to the pond, resurfacing the bottom, adding functional plumbing, making the pond deeper.

These are all separate tasks that take quite a bit of time in and of themselves. When you combine all of these tasks, the entire conversion process can take months before it is fully complete and ready to use.

So, if you have the space to keep the pond as well as install a hot tub, you should seriously consider keeping both. In many ways it would be much easier to just install a hot tub on the patio or in your decking.

The only way I would personally consider a fish pond conversion would be if I just didn’t have space for both or if I really disliked the fishpond and was adamant that it had to go at all costs.

A Brief Guide To Turning Your Fish Pond Into A Hot Tub

Drain the pond – If you are ready to get going on your fish pond-hot tub conversion, then you will need to first drain your pond completely of any water. You could do this with a bucket (although it will take some time) but a submersible pump will do a better job and save a lot of time.

This submersible pump on Amazon would make the job much easier.

Dig out the pond – Once this has been done you must then make your pond deeper. While you can do the digging yourself it may be a good idea to hire a landscape professional who can accurately increase the depth of the pond. Bear in mind that your pond may have a concrete liner which will make this more complicated.

Rebar/shell the pond – After this, you will then need to install some rebar and create a sort of shell around the pond’s walls. A professional should also do this. Concrete will also need to be poured onto the bottom surface of the pond to create a hot tub floor. At this stage you should have the basic size and depth of your hot tub pond sorted, meaning that your hot tub is ready to for plumbing and electrical work.

Electrical and plumbing connections – Obviously, you will need to hire some additional help for this step as well. Bear in mind that you will need to allow for the hot tub to be drained whilst encased in the hole where the pond was. You need to check the drainage system and allow space for access.

Install the hot tub – Once all of the electrical and plumbing work has been completed you can then fill your tub with water. After you have carried out some preliminary tests and everything looks like it’s working, you should then be able to enjoy your hot tub pond.

Related Questions

Can You Turn Your Hot Tub Into A Fish Pond?

If your hot tub is looking a bit old and worse for wear, then you may want to repurpose the tub into something else. Turning your defunct hot tub into a fish pond is a great way to add something new to your garden area. Just clean the tub, dig a hole in the ground large enough to fit the tub in, place some sandbags inside, install a pond liner, and fill it with water.

How High Does The Water Need To Be In A Pond Hot Tub?

Ideally, you want the water in your hot tub to be at least two inches above the filter or jets of the tub. Some tubs have a fill mark on the side which lets you know exactly how much water needs to be in the tub at any one time.

This post was created by Andrew. Enjoyer of hot tub soaking, fine cheese, music and photography.