# indoor water feature



## caferacer (Jul 22, 2010)

Hi any of you guys running indoor railroads use a water feature like a water fall stream etc I would like a water feature such as running water streams ,water falls etc and do you have problems with water features indoors I am thinking of having waterfalls and a stream or two under the bridges with a 5000 gallon tank built into the floor of my railroad and returning the water into this and reusing it on the feature using gravity to let the water return to the underground tank pumping it back up.
I am at the stage were I need to build this into my plan and would like to no if anyone else has had any problems,mine will be fully fiberglassed inplace caferacer


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

why such a big tank? 
the quantity of water on the layout should not matter for the size of the tank. 
the tank needs just the capacity for the overflow of the layout. (not for its whole content) 
.


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## hawkeye2 (Jan 6, 2008)

Although indoor layouts have ben sucessfuly built with running and standing water most people avoid real water and use resin to simulate it. Real water doesn't scale down and just doesn't look right however there are other reasons not to use real water. The water will increase the humidity in the room, the more water the greater the increase. The water will also need to be treated to prevent alge, etc. growth and will eventually get dirty from airborn dust. Sealing your ponds and rivers as well as dealing with the plumbing involved add to the complexity of your layout and if not done right from the start can lead to a lot of headaches later.


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

There's water in Elvis Presley's Jungle Room; there's water in aquariums; if the man likes water indoors, I say go for it brother


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## caferacer (Jul 22, 2010)

Kormsen my place is in the sticks out in the country and no town or tap water so we have two large tanks under ground /under the floor of both buildings for our rain water and fire fighting water for the Bikes and my ratrods hotrods insurance requirement this also my new house will sit on a huge tank as well hence the watersupply. 
Hawkeye2 will go with the idea of resin rather than bring another element of problem indoors will look good as the main water fall is some 12 feet in drop and will be beside some 7 bridges in the canyon area. 
SE18 have water will travel thanks guys your help is much appreached caferacer.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

so you want to connect it to an existing drinkwatertank? 
as i am depending on rainwater cisterns as well, i would not do that. 
i leave my drinkwater reserves as still and as dark as possible. 
even for the big waterfeature, you seem to envision, a 50 gallon plastic barrel should be enough. 

i am toying with the idea of real rivers on my layout too. 
but i have not found a workaround about the "shore" or "riverbank" problem. 
it either looks un-natural, or the landscaping material sucks up too much wetness. 
.


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## caferacer (Jul 22, 2010)

Kormsen the buildings have the tanks 6 feet build into the ground under the floor complete with a step down to make a 7 foot high walk way between the two huge tanks with a pump and filter room beside them and each tank is seperate to the others hence the use to use one which was going to be my plant watering system and railroad water supply. 
I was looking at a hand laying a fiberglass river bed with bolders rocks etc and a beach at waters edge all done in fiberglass so the shore would like correct and this would allow the water to be both contained and ability to flow back to the sump tank that would allow it to be pumped back around again my other option was to have a large outdoor water tank behind the building just for water supply and pump back. 
The idea of the fiberglass was it held the water in and did not allow wetness around the area the local swiming pool maker was going to use his mobile truck to shot the glass onto the layout with his chopper gun and then hand roll the glass out to make the riverbed,worked out to be about $450.00 a hour with materials plus a one only fee of $300.00 for travel couple of hours work and its done all i had to do was make the shape as required and fit rocks etc one hint he gave me was to allow pingpong table tennis balls to run down the river once shaped,this would allow for correct fall as the balls roll down hill so to speak thats how they do water features in peoples gardens he told me.caferacer


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

i wish you luck and will be waiting eagerly to see pics, when it's finished. 
good, that you will use a specialist. 
i have repaired a couple of tanks and pools of glasfiber, so i know, that there are many manners to use glasfiber and resin in the wrong way...


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## caferacer (Jul 22, 2010)

Kormsen will post the web site and photos as we start the building I have subcontracted out a lot of work to people whom are experience and expert in their fields rather than waste time and money going round in circles so to speak,the planning is taking longer than I expected with 6 levels it should be fun to view.. 
The Golden Spike will be live on the net all I have to do now is start placing orders for the railroad locos rolling stock etc really looking forward to this and my retirement hope to have a world class railroad in the end caferacer.


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## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

This O scale corner module was at the Great Train Expo in Portland, OR, Feb 2010 and used real water...


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## caferacer (Jul 22, 2010)

Thats is so cool I like it thanks for sharing the photos caferacer


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I made one once.



[img] 

Tip: Use 1 piece of plastic with no seams.

[img]

I didn't have a chance to better conceal the plastic.


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## caferacer (Jul 22, 2010)

Torby like the locos great photos caferacer


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